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Indian airline deal for Western Sydney Airport remains uncertain
🇦🇺 Australia /Energy & Infrastructure

Indian airline deal for Western Sydney Airport remains uncertain

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • New South Wales Premier Chris Minns met Air India representatives in New Delhi but secured no formal agreement on flights to Western Sydney Airport.
  • The state is promoting the airport as a destination with a large Indian diaspora, while Air India faces financial losses, fleet changes and high fuel prices.
  • The government may use its air-attraction fund to offer targeted incentives; several other airlines are scheduled to begin Western Sydney services from October through March.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says his government is serious about bringing an Indian airline to Western Sydney Airport, but a meeting with Air India in New Delhi ended without a formal deal.

Minns met company representatives on Tuesday night during a four-day visit to India, his first overseas trip as premier. He and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey are seeking investment and making the case that India’s expanding middle class could send more travelers to Sydney.

We’re serious.

— Chris MinnsThe New South Wales premier described the government’s effort to secure direct flights from an Indian airline.

Before the Air India talks, the pair visited Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a Sikh house of worship in the capital. They met volunteers preparing thousands of free meals for people who could not afford food. Mookhey said New South Wales wanted more Indian travelers and that the Indian diaspora could provide a reliable base of passengers.

Frankly, the Indian middle class is travelling and we do want more of them coming to Sydney.

— Daniel MookheyThe New South Wales treasurer explained why the state is targeting Indian travelers.

The pitch comes as Air India works to renew its fleet and rebuild its image after last year’s fatal crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. The airline has requested $1.5 billion in new equity from its co-owners while facing mounting losses. It has also suspended some international routes and cut frequencies on others, including existing services to Sydney and Melbourne.

Mookhey argued that Western Sydney could offer stable demand despite uncertainty in tourism. “We’re a great destination that has a big diaspora that’s going to anchor the traffic, regardless of any tourism fluctuations,” he said. Minns said the government could consider targeted financial incentives through its air-attraction fund, which it has kept in place for this purpose.

We’re a great destination that has a big diaspora that’s going to anchor the traffic, regardless of any tourism fluctuations.

— Daniel MookheyMookhey argued that Western Sydney could provide Air India with a stable passenger base.

Western Sydney Airport is due to open in October. Jetstar and Air New Zealand are scheduled to operate there first, followed by Singapore Airlines in November. VietJet and Qantas are due to begin services in January and March respectively.

We can hopefully convince Air India that we’re serious, we want them here.

— Chris MinnsMinns described the message of his trade mission after reaching no formal agreement.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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