Q: Why does Melbourne Airport need to expand its international terminal?
A: We’re currently something of a victim of our own success, which in many ways is a great problem to have.
Melbourne Airport is Australia’s largest 24-hour international gateway and international seat capacity into Melbourne is now at 113% of pre-pandemic levels.
Given Melbourne’s growing population, its popularity as a destination and our position on the globe, we expect demand will keep growing.
That demand is putting pressure on our existing terminal infrastructure and during the peak hours our arrivals and departures areas can be very congested.
That sometimes means long queues for our passengers and bussing operations or towing on and off gates for our airlines, and many are telling us they want better.
Our vision is to be Australia’s favourite airport destination and so we need to deliver modern infrastructure that provides our passengers and airlines with a world-class experience.
Q: How long until work begins and how long do you think it will take to complete?
A: We’ve got a few hurdles to jump before we can get shovels in the ground.
We need to finish work on our elevated roads project and taxiway upgrade projects, which will give us the space on the landside and the airside to expand the terminal footprint. That work should conclude in 2026.
We also need to finalise the scope of the build with our airline partners to make sure that what we construct serves their needs and the needs of their passengers well into the future.
Finally, we’ll need approval from the Australian Federal Government and there’s a defined process we need to go through for that.
Ideally, we’ll be able to have construction underway in 2027 and the exact timelines and phasing will be decided in consultation with our airlines.
Q: Once finished, what difference will it make to passengers travelling through the airport?
A: The most obvious difference will be more space in key areas which are currently very congested during peak hours.
From an arrivals perspective, more contact gates with aerobridges will mean less bussing and an expanded reclaim and arrivals area will mean higher and faster throughput.
In departures, we will have improved circulation and capacity at check in, and when combined with the upgrade of our international baggage system, which is already underway, it will deliver a much more pleasant and flexible user experience.
We’re also planning to add five new widebody gates, which will give our airlines more scheduling flexibility, and so our passengers will have more choice in when they fly.
Improving accessibility is a key focus for us, so we’ll be looking at what enhancements we can bring for our travellers in that space.
Finally, the expanded satellite area will increase space for new airline lounges, vastly improved and expanded retail and importantly, improved circulation space for better facilitation of passengers with accessibility needs.
Q: The completion of the elevated road network is scheduled for 2026. Again, how will this impact on the traveller experience?
A: The new elevated road network will transform the ground transport system at Melbourne Airport and is a critical part of expanding the international terminal.
The elevated road network will provide new dedicated pick-up and drop-off areas within our multi-storey carpark facility.
This will enable the closure of the original drop-off ramp and two pick-up lanes in our arrivals forecourt, which then allows us to push the international terminal footprint out and provide more space for the check-in and baggage halls.
The new road network will help increase our vehicle throughput, meaning we can better cater for the increased number of pick-ups and drop offs, while we wait for construction of a rail link.
Q: Can you also talk to us about the $500 million project to replace your international baggage system with a new, state-of-the-art, tote-based system.
A: This project is incredibly exciting, but also incredibly difficult. Given the role the baggage system plays in the smooth operation of the airport and the growing demand we’re putting on it, it’s like doing open heart surgery while the patient is running a marathon!
When it’s completed, we’ll have replaced our traditional conveyer belts with a new, tote-based system and built an automated storage room for up to 1,400 bags, which will enable our airlines to introduce anytime check-in and give our passengers a huge increase in flexibility.
The challenge is installing the new system while keeping the old system operating with demand at an all-time high. We’re working closely with the airlines and ground handlers to keep disruption to a minimum while the works take place.
Q: How hard is it to keep up with current demand, with airlines wanting more slots and travellers expecting all the mod cons when transiting through an airport?
A: Keeping up with demand and evolving passenger preferences is a constant challenge, but it’s a great challenge to have.
When our international terminal was first built in the 1960s, the planners envisioned we’d be flying around the world in 100 seat Concordes. Now of course we have 500 seat A380s connecting us to global hubs, as well as the more recent trend of aircraft like the 787 and A321NEO flying point to point on thinner routes.
We also cater for a diverse range of airlines, some of whom pride themselves on top quality service and others who strive to offer passengers the cheapest fare they can.
The infrastructure we build has to be flexible enough to cater for everyone and functional enough to serve us for decades to come.
Q: Finally, with all these developments we’ve been discussing, are you confident Melbourne Airport will be ready to face the challenges of the next decade?
A: Absolutely! There are challenges in aviation every day…but that’s what we thrive on.
We’re about to start work building our third runway, which will provide the airfield capacity we need for decades to come, and terminal upgrades like the one we’ve been discussing will ensure we’re ready for the growth we know is coming.
Aviation is obviously susceptible to global shocks, but time and again we see it bounce back stronger than before, so we know those investments will be worthwhile.
Perhaps the biggest challenge we face in the meantime is building all the new infrastructure while keeping the airport running. As a 24-hour, 365 day a year operation, there is never a good time to be building things because the airlines still want to fly and the passengers still want to travel!
So we need to build all this new infrastructure without causing too much impact to our customers. It’s a huge challenge, but an exciting one!
