Melbourne Airport advances international terminal expansion

Melbourne Airport has unveiled designs for its $4.5 billion international terminal expansion, featuring five additional gates, more spacious check-in and baggage claim areas, enhanced natural light and upgraded lounge and retail offerings.

Summary:

Melbourne Airport is progressing plans for a $4.5 billion international terminal expansion, with new designs revealing additional space for check-in, arrivals and departure satellite areas.
The expansion will deliver five additional airline gates, more spacious check-in and baggage claim areas, higher ceilings, increased natural light and an upgraded lounge and retail offering to improve passenger comfort and wellbeing.
Enabled by the closure of the existing Departures ramp and the opening of new pick-up and drop-off zones, the terminal expansion will be delivered in phases alongside construction of Melbourne Airport’s third runway, as part of a wider $17 billion privately funded infrastructure pipeline.

Planning and design of Melbourne Airport’s $4.5 billion international terminal expansion is progressing, following the successful opening of new Pick up and Drop off zones for Terminals 1,2 and 3. New artists impressions have been released that highlight the additional space that will be created as the terminal footprint is expanded into the current forecourt area.

The designs will expand the check-in, arrivals and departure satellite areas and seek to maximise natural light to create a calming environment and enhance travellers’ sense of wellbeing.

The expansion will be delivered as a series of projects to ensure the airport continues to operate, with works occurring alongside construction of Melbourne Airport’s third runway.

The international terminal expansion is enabled by the closure of the 56-year-old Departures ramp and the opening of new Pick up and Drop off zones in the T123 Transport Hub. The new Pick up and Drop off zones were just the first phase of a $17 billion privately funded infrastructure pipeline.

“Demand for travel to and from Melbourne continues to grow and we are building the terminal, airfield and transport facilities we need to support that,” said Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus. “Having just recorded our busiest September on record, the need for this investment is obvious. We’re thrilled with how well Melburnians have adapted to the new Pick up and Drop off zones for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and we’d like to thank them for the way they’ve embraced the change. With the old Departures ramp now closed to traffic we can start to plan further changes in the arrivals forecourt that will allow us to start construction on the much-needed international terminal expansion. When the terminals works are completed, passengers will have more space at both check-in and baggage claim, with higher ceilings and more natural light, along with five additional gates for airlines and an upgraded lounge and retail offering. At the same time we’re building Melbourne Airport’s third runway which will help reduce flight delays and give airlines the flexibility they need to schedule more flights at the times people want to fly. We’re incredibly excited to be delivering this upgrade to Melbourne Airport and we thank people for their patience while we work to build the new infrastructure in amongst our 24-hour operation.”