Singapore Airlines (SIA) has appointed Menzies Aviation to provide cargo, ramp and passenger handling at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI), ahead of the carrier’s planned start of operations at the new 24-hour airport on 23 November 2026.
Menzies will support SIA’s daily passenger services as well as ad hoc freighter operations from the beginning of the airline’s WSI programme. The award makes SIA the first airline customer announced for Menzies at the airport and adds a major international carrier to the ground-handling company’s expansion at the new Sydney gateway.
Handling scope covers passenger and cargo operations
The contract brings together the three principal areas of ground support required for SIA’s operation: passenger processing, ramp activity and cargo handling. Menzies has been developing its presence within WSI’s cargo precinct, where it has built a 12,500sqm facility with reported annual handling capacity of up to 200,000 tonnes.
The warehouse is described as Menzies’ largest cargo facility in Oceania and Southeast Asia. Its planned operating profile includes a range of freight categories, including pharmaceuticals, perishables, e-commerce shipments and heavy cargo. The facility will therefore support both the carrier’s scheduled passenger operation and its occasional freighter activity at the airport.
| Contract detail | Announcement |
|---|---|
| Airline | Singapore Airlines |
| Handling provider | Menzies Aviation |
| Airport | Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) |
| Services | Cargo, ramp and passenger handling |
| Operations start | 23 November 2026 |
| Passenger operation | Daily flights |
| Freighter operation | Ad hoc services |
“We are proud to be appointed by Singapore Airlines, our first airline customer at Western Sydney International Airport. This builds on our long-standing partnership with the airline and reflects our ability to deliver world-class passenger, ramp and cargo services. Our new airside cargo facility and integrated service offering will support airline growth, strengthen supply chains and help establish the airport as a major aviation and cargo gateway for Australia,” said Darren Masters, Executive Vice President Oceania, Southeast Asia & China, Menzies Aviation.
Existing relationship extends to the new airport
The appointment builds on an established relationship between the two companies. Menzies already provides freighter ramp-handling services for SIA in Sydney and Melbourne, while the ground-handling company was also awarded Singapore Airlines’ contracts in Brisbane and Cairns earlier in 2026.
For Menzies, the SIA award gives its WSI cargo investment an initial airline customer ahead of the airport’s operational opening. The company’s planned service model combines cargo-warehouse capability with airside and passenger support, allowing it to handle several parts of the airline’s airport operation through one contract.
Western Sydney International is being developed as a 24-hour airport serving the Sydney region. SIA’s planned daily passenger operation and ad hoc freighter activity will add both scheduled connectivity and cargo-handling requirements as the airport begins its next phase of commercial operations. Menzies said its work with the airline is focused on ensuring readiness for the 23 November start date.
- 23 November 2026: Singapore Airlines is scheduled to begin operations at WSI.
- 12,500sqm: the size of Menzies Aviation’s new WSI cargo facility.
- 200,000 tonnes: the facility’s reported annual cargo-handling capacity.
