Melbourne Airport

This article is about the Australian airport. For the suburb of the same name where this airport is situated, see Melbourne Airport, Victoria. For the airport in Florida, United States, see Melbourne Orlando International Airport.

Melbourne Airport

Melbourne–Tullamarine
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorAustralia Pacific Airports Corporation (APAC)
ServesMelbourne
LocationMelbourne Airport, Victoria, Australia
Opened1 July 1970; 54 years ago (1970-07-01)
Hub for
Operating base for
Elevation AMSL434 ft / 132 m
Coordinates37°40′24″S 144°50′36″E / 37.67333°S 144.84333°E / -37.67333; 144.84333
Websitewww.melbourneairport.com.au
Maps
Map
MEL/YMML is located in Melbourne
MEL/YMML
MEL/YMML
MEL/YMML is located in Victoria
MEL/YMML
MEL/YMML
MEL/YMML is located in Australia
MEL/YMML
MEL/YMML
MEL/YMML is located in Oceania
MEL/YMML
MEL/YMML
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 2,286 7,500 Grooved asphalt
16/34 3,657 11,998 Grooved asphalt
Statistics (2022–2023)
Passengers30,651,495[1]
Aircraft movements217,041[2]
Economic impact (2023)$17.7 billion[3]
Social impact (2023)146,000[3]
Land area2,741 ha (6,770 acres)
Sources: Australian AIP and aerodrome chart[4]
Passengers and aircraft movements from the Bureau of Infrastructure & Transport Research Economics

Melbourne Airport (IATA: MEL, ICAO: YMML), known locally as Tullamarine Airport, is the main international airport serving the city of Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria. It has Australia's second largest passenger traffic. The airport operates 24/7 and has on-site parking, shopping and dining. The airport opened in 1970 and replaced Essendon Airport. Melbourne Airport is the main international airport of the four airports serving the Melbourne metropolitan area, the other international airport being Avalon Airport.

The airport comprises four terminals: one international terminal, two domestic terminals and one budget domestic terminal. It is 18 kilometres (11 miles) northwest of the city centre, adjacent to the suburb of Tullamarine. The airport has its own suburb with its own postcode — Melbourne Airport, Victoria, 3045 respectively.[5] The facility presently covers 2,741 hectares (6,773 acres) of airport property, making MEL among the largest airports in Australia in terms of land area.[6]

In 2016–17 around 25 million domestic passengers and 10 million international passengers used the airport.[7] The airport features direct flights to 33 domestic destinations and to destinations in the Pacific, Europe, Asia, North America and South America. Melbourne Airport is the number one arrival/departure point for the airports of four of Australia's seven other capital cities.[a] Melbourne serves as a major hub for Qantas and Virgin Australia, while Jetstar utilises the airport as home base. Domestically, Melbourne serves as headquarters for Team Global Express and handles more domestic freight than any other airport in the nation.[9]

History

Establishment

Before the opening of Melbourne Airport, Melbourne's main airport was Essendon Airport, which was officially designated an international airport in 1950. In the mid-1950s, over 10,000 passengers were using Essendon Airport, and its limitations were beginning to become apparent. Essendon's facilities were insufficient to meet the increasing demand for air travel; the runways were too short to handle large jets, and the terminals failed to handle the increase in passengers. By the mid-1950s, an international overflow terminal was built in a new northern hangar. The airport could not be expanded, as it had become surrounded by residential districts.

The search for a replacement for Essendon commenced in February 1958, when a panel was appointed to assess Melbourne's civil aviation needs.[10] Alternative sites considered were Tullamarine (9 miles (14.5 km) from Melbourne), Whittlesea (22 miles (35.4 km)), Hastings (37 miles (59.5 km)), Port Melbourne (3 miles (4.8 km)), Werribee (20 miles (32.2 km)), Laverton (12 miles (19.3 km)), Avalon (34 miles (54.7 km)) and Moorabbin (12 miles (19.3 km)).[11] Considerations such as superior proximity to Melbourne and lower development costs narrowed the choice to either Tullamarine or Laverton, with Laverton eventually eliminated in part due to issues coordinating both military and civil activities that could not guarantee the degree of safety demanded, and that traffic coordination would be easier with the shorter distance between Essendon and Tullamarine.[11]

In 1959, the Commonwealth Government acquired 5,300 ha (13,000 acres) of grassland in then-rural Tullamarine.[12]

In May 1959 it was announced that a new airport would be built at Tullamarine, with Prime Minister Robert Menzies announcing on 27 November 1962 a five-year plan to provide Melbourne with a A$45 million "jetport" by 1967.[13][14][15][16] The first sod at Tullamarine was turned two years later in November 1964.[10] In line with the five-year plan, the runways at Essendon were expanded to handle larger aircraft, with Ansett Australia launching the Boeing 727 there in October 1964, the first jet aircraft used for domestic air travel in Australia.[17][13]

Prime Minister John Gorton giving a speech at the opening of Melbourne Airport in 1970

On 1 July 1970, Prime Minister John Gorton opened Melbourne Airport to international operations ending Essendon's near two decade run as Melbourne's international airport.[18] Essendon still was home to domestic flights for one year, until they transferred to Melbourne Airport on 26 June 1971, with the first arrival of a Boeing 747 occurring later that year.[19][20] In the first year of operations, Melbourne handled six international airlines and 155,275 international passengers.[20]

Melbourne Airport was originally called 'Melbourne International Airport'. It is at Tullamarine, a name derived from the indigenous name Tullamareena.[17] Locally, the airport is commonly referred to as Tullamarine or simply as Tulla to distinguish the airport from the other three Melbourne airports: Avalon, Essendon and Moorabbin.[21][22]

On opening, Melbourne Airport consisted of three connected terminals: International in the centre, with Ansett to the South and Trans Australia Airlines to the North. The design capacity of the airport was eight Boeing 707s at a rate of 500 passengers per hour, with minor expansion works completed in 1973 allowing Boeing 747s to serve the airport.[23] By the late 1980s peak passenger flows at the airport had reached 900 per hour, causing major congestion.[23]

In late 1989, Federal Airports Corporation Inspector A. Rohead was put in charge of a bicentennial project to rename streets in Melbourne Airport to honour the original inhabitants, European pioneers and aviation history. Information on the first two categories was provided by Ian Hunter, Wurundjeri researcher, and Ray Gibb, local historian. The project was completed but was shelved, with the only suggested name, Gowrie Park Drive, being allocated, named after the farm at the heart of the airport. During the 1920s, the farm had been used as a landing site for aircraft, which were parked at night during World War II in case Essendon Aerodrome was bombed.[24]

Expansion and privatisation

Australian Airlines Boeing 727 at Melbourne Airport in 1988

In 1988, the Australian Government formed the Federal Airports Corporation (FAC), placing Melbourne Airport under the operational control of the new corporation along with 21 other airports around the nation.[20]

The FAC undertook a number of upgrades at the airport. The first major upgrades were carried out at the domestic terminals,[20] with an expansion of the Ansett domestic terminal approved in 1989 and completed in 1991, adding a second pier for use by smaller regional airlines.[25][26] Work on an upgrade of the international terminal commenced in 1991, with the 'SkyPlaza' retail complex completed in late 1993 on a site flanking the main international departure gates.[20] The rest of the work was completed in 1995, when the new three-level satellite concourse was opened at the end of the existing concourse. Diamond shaped and measuring 80 m (260 ft) on each side, the additional 10 aerobridges provided by the expansion doubled the international passenger handing capacity at Melbourne Airport.[27]

In April 1994, the Australian Government announced that all airports operated by FAC would be privatized in several phases.[28] Melbourne Airport was included in the first phase, being acquired by the newly formed Australia Pacific Airports Corporation for $1.3 billion.[20] The transfer was completed on 30 June 1997 on a 50-year long-term lease, with the option for a further 49 years.[29] Melbourne Airport is categorized as a Leased Commonwealth Airport.[30]

Since privatization, further improvements to infrastructure have begun at the airport, including expansion of runways, car parks and terminals. The multi-storey carpark outside the terminal was completed between 1995 and August 1997 at a cost of $49 million, providing 3,100 parking spaces, the majority undercover.[20] This initially four-level structure replaced the previous open air carpark outside the terminal. Work commenced on the six-story 276-room Hilton Hotel (now Parkroyal) above the carpark in January 1999, which was completed in mid-2000 at a cost of $55 million. Expansion of the Qantas domestic terminal was completed in 1999, featuring a second pier and 9 additional aircraft stands.[31]

In December 2000, a fourth passenger terminal opened: the Domestic Express Terminal, located to the south of the main terminal building at a cost of $9 million. It was the first passenger terminal facility to be built at Melbourne Airport since 1971.[32]

Expansion of carparks has also continued with a $40 million project commenced in 2004, doubling the size of the short term carpark with the addition of 2,500 spaces over six levels, along with 1,200 new spaces added to the 5,000 already available in the long term carpark.[33] Revenue from retail operations at Melbourne Airport broke the $100 million mark for the first time in 2004, this being a 100 per cent increase in revenue since the first year of privatization.[33]

In 2005, the airport undertook construction works to prepare the airport for the arrival of the double-decker Airbus A380. The main work was the widening of the main north–south runway by 15 m (49 ft), which was completed over a 29-day period in May 2005.[34] The improvements also included the construction of dual airbridges (Gates 9 and 11) with the ability to board both decks simultaneously to reduce turnaround times, the extension of the international terminal building by 20 m (66 ft) to include new penthouse airline lounges, and the construction of an additional baggage carousel in the arrivals hall. As a result, the airport was the first in Australia to be capable of handling the A380.[35] The A380 made its first test flight into the airport on 14 November 2005.[36] On 15 May 2008, the A380 made its first passenger flight into the airport when a Singapore Airlines Sydney-bound flight was diverted from Sydney Airport because of fog.[37] Beginning services in October 2008, Qantas was the first airline to operate the A380 from the airport, flying nonstop to Los Angeles International Airport twice a week. This was the inaugural route for the Qantas A380.[38]

In March 2006, the airport undertook a 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft) expansion of Terminal 2, and the construction of an additional level of airline lounges above the terminal.[39] In 2008 a further 25,000 m2 (270,000 sq ft) expansion of Terminal 2 commenced, costing $330 million with completion in 2011. The works added five aerobridges on a new passenger concourse, and a new 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft) outbound passenger security and customs processing zone.[40]

In 2017, Melbourne Airport international passenger movements exceeded 10 million annual travellers.[41] In the Financial Year of 2022/2023, international passenger movements exceeded 8 million travellers, up 330% post-COVID.[42]

Terminals

Melbourne Airport's terminals have 68 gates: 53 domestic and 15 international.[43] There are five dedicated freighter parking positions on the Southern Freighter Apron.[44] The current terminal numbering system was introduced in July 2005; they were previously known as Qantas Domestic, International, and South (formerly Ansett Domestic).[45]

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 hosts Qantas and QantasLink domestic flights.
The second pier at Terminal 1 was built in 1999.
Terminal 1 departures

Terminal 1 hosts domestic and regional services for Qantas Group airlines, Qantas and QantasLink (which is located to the northern end of the building). Departures are located on the first floor, while arrivals are located on the ground floor. The terminal has 16 parking bays served by aerobridges; 12 are served by single aerobridges whilst four are served by double aerobridges. There are another five non-aerobridge gates, which are used by QantasLink.

Opened with Melbourne Airport in 1970 for Trans Australia Airlines, the terminal passed to Qantas in 1992 when it acquired the airline. Work on improving the original terminal commenced in October 1997 and was completed in late 1999 at a cost of $50 million, featuring a second pier, stands for 9 additional aircraft, an extended access roadway and the expansion of the terminal.[31][20]

Today, a wide range of shops and food outlets are situated at the end of the terminal near the entrance into Terminal 2. Qantas has a Qantas Club, Business Class and a chairman's lounge in the terminal.[46][47]

Terminal 2

T2 departure gates

Terminal 2 handles all international, and limited domestic flights out of Melbourne Airport, and opened in 1970. The terminal has 20 gates with aerobridges. Cathay Pacific, Qantas (which includes two lounges in Terminal 2, a First lounge, and a Business lounge/Qantas Club), Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Emirates all operate airline lounges in the terminal.[47][48]

The international terminal contains works by noted Australian Indigenous artists including Daisy Jugadai Napaltjarri and Gloria Petyarre.[49]

A $330 million expansion programme for Terminal 2 was announced in 2007 and completed in 2012. The objectives of this project included new lounges and retail facilities, a new satellite terminal, increased luggage capacity and a redesign of customs and security areas.[50] A new satellite terminal was also constructed as part of the project, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows which offer views of the North-South runway. The new concourse also includes three double-decker aerobridges, each of which can accommodate an A380 or two smaller aircraft and one single aerobridge. The baggage handling capacity was also increased, and two new baggage carousels were built to cater to increased A380 traffic.[51]

Although described as a satellite terminal, the terminal building is connected by an above-ground corridor to Terminal 2. Departures take place on the lower deck (similar to the A380 boarding lounges currently in use at Gates 9 and 11), with arrivals streamed on to the first floor to connect with the current first floor arrivals deck.

Terminal 3

Terminal 3 interior

Terminal 3 opened with the airport as the Ansett Australia terminal, but is now owned by Melbourne Airport. Terminal 3 is currently home to Virgin Australia. It has eleven parking bays served by single aerobridges and eight parking bays not equipped with aerobridges.

An expansion of the terminal was approved in 1989 and completed in 1991 when a second pier was added by Ansett to the south for use by smaller regional airline Kendell, which Ansett owned.[25][26] The terminal was used exclusively by the Ansett Group for all its domestic activities until its collapse in 2001. It was intended to be used by the "new Ansett", under ownership of Tesna; however, following the Tesna group's withdrawal of the purchase of Ansett in 2002, the terminal was sold back to Melbourne Airport by Ansett's administrators. As a result, Melbourne Airport undertook a major renovation and facelift of the terminal, following which Virgin Australia (then Virgin Blue) moved in from what was then called Domestic Express (now Terminal 4),[52] and has since begun operating The Lounge in the terminal, using the former Ansett Australia Golden Wing Lounge area.[47][53] Rex also operates an airline lounge in the terminal.[54]

Terminal 4

Pier with gates 41–52, part of Terminal 4

Terminal 4 is dedicated to budget airlines and is the first facility of its kind at a conventional airport in Australia. It was originally constructed for Virgin Blue (Virgin Australia) and Impulse Airlines. Virgin Blue eventually moved into Terminal 3 following the demise of Ansett.[55] A refit began in June 2007[56] along the lines of the budget terminal model at Singapore Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The refit cost AU$5 million.[56] Lower landing and airport handling fees are charged to airlines due to the basic facilities, lack of jet bridges, and fewer amenities and retail outlets compared to a conventional terminal. However, the terminal is located next to the main terminal building, unlike in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The terminal was rebuilt by Tiger Airways Australia, which had used it as its main hub since it operated its first domestic flight on 23 November 2007.[57]

Jetstar confirmed its involvement in discussions with Melbourne Airport regarding the expansion of terminal facilities to accommodate for the growth of domestic low-cost services. The expansion of Terminal 4 includes infrastructure to accommodate Tigerair Australia and Jetstar flights. The development cost hundreds of millions of dollars.[22] In March 2012, airport officials would break ground that October and they expected completion in July 2014, however, they pushed that date to late August 2015. The facility opened on 18 August 2015 with Jetstar first utilising the terminal. The new T4 terminal is 35,000 m2 (380,000 sq ft) and linked "under one roof" with T3. Terminal 4 is currently used by Rex Airlines, Jetstar, and Airnorth. Tigerair Australia and Bonza formerly also used Terminal 4 before going into administration.

The terminal has Rex Airlines and Jetstar check-ins, baggage claim and bag drop on ground floor whilst the food court, shops and lounges are located on the first floor, which lead to the departure/arrival zone.

Some Virgin Australia flights currently use the jet bridge equipped section of Terminal 4 for operations(formerly shared with the now-ceased REX Boeing 737 operations), while Jetstar uses the non-jet bridge equipped section of Terminal 4 for operations. Currently Airnorth does not operate any services to Melbourne, however still retains their check-in/baggage check-in desks.

Southern freighter apron

The southern freighter apron has five dedicated freighter parking positions which host 21 dedicated freighter operations a week.[44] In August 1997, the fifth freighter parking position and the apron was extended.[20]

Walkway to car park

Other facilities

Melbourne Airport is served by six hotels. A Parkroyal Hotel is located 100 m (330 ft) from Terminal 2 atop the multi-level carpark. Work commenced on the six-story 280-room hotel in January 1999 and was completed in mid-2000.[31] The hotel was originally a Hilton but was relaunched as the Parkroyal on 4 April 2011.[58] A Holiday Inn is located 400 m (1,300 ft) from the terminal precinct. Ibis Budget offers budget rooms located 600 m (2,000 ft) from the terminals. Mantra Tullamarine opened in 2009, 2 km (1.2 mi) from the terminal precinct.[59] A combined 4.5-star Novotel and 4-star Ibis Styles hotel located in The Hive precinct opened on 1 July 2024. The Novotel boasts 248 rooms, while the Ibis Styles offers 216 rooms. Both hotels are located a 5-minute walk from Terminals 3 and 4 and a 10-minute walk from Terminals 1 and 2. During late 2023, the Parkroyal underwent a major refurbishment of all guest rooms.

Operations

Overview

Melbourne is the second busiest airport in Australia. The airport is curfew-free and operates 24 hours a day, although between 2 am and 4 am, freight aircraft are more prevalent than passenger flights.[60] In 2004, the environmental management systems were accredited ISO 14001, the world's best practice standard, making it the first airport in Australia to receive such accreditation.[61]

Runways

Airport layout (as of May 2024)

Melbourne Airport has two intersecting runways: one 3,657 m (11,998 ft) north–south and one 2,286 m (7,500 ft) east–west. Runway extensions are planned in the long-term, including an 843 m (2,766 ft) extension of the north-south runway to lengthen it to 4,500 m (14,764 ft), and a 1,214 m (3,983 ft) extension of the east–west runway to a total of 3,500 m (11,483 ft).

In 2008, Melbourne Airport announced the installation of a Category III landing system, allowing planes to land in low visibility, such as fog. This system, the first of its kind in Australia, was commissioned in March 2010 at a cost of $10 million.[62]

Third runway

Due to increasing air traffic and limited capacity, proposals for third runway at Melbourne Airport have been under consideration since the 1990s, appearing in successive long-term master-plan documents. Two new runways have been proposed: a 3,000 m runway parallel to the current north–south runway and another 3,000 m runway south of the existing east–west runway.[63]

In 2013, a new parallel east-west runway was proposed, with an then estimated cost of $500–750 million. If sent for approval, construction was expected to begin around 2018 and finish by 2023.[64] However, following a consultation period in 2019, Melbourne Airport dropped these plans in favor of constructing a new parallel north-south runway to the west, citing concerns about aircraft noise in suburbs under the flight path including Gladstone Park, Westmeadows, Attwood, and Jacana, as well as wind direction considerations.[65][66]

In September 2024, the Federal Government officially approved the construction of the third runway.[67] The project will be wholly funded by the airport, costing $3 billion, and involve construction of a second parallel north-south runway. New taxiways will also be built and the existing east-west runway length will be retained.[68] Construction will commence in 2025 with completion expected by 2031. The new runway is intended to increase capacity and support future growth as Melbourne's population continues to grow. However, the project has faced opposition from nearby residents, local councils and community groups, including the City of Brimbank, over concerns about noise in affected suburbs of Bulla, Keilor, Kealba, St Albans and Sunshine North as well as environmental impacts.[69]

Melbourne Airspace Control Centre

In addition to the onsite control tower, the airport is home to Melbourne Centre, an air traffic control facility that is responsible for the separation of aircraft in Australia's busiest flight information region (FIR), Melbourne FIR. Melbourne FIR monitors airspace over Victoria, Tasmania, southern New South Wales, most of South Australia, the southern half of Western Australia and airspace over the Indian and Southern Ocean. In total, the centre controls 6% of the world's airspace.[70] The airport is also the home of the Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne approach facilities, which provide control services to aircraft arriving and departing at those airports.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Air China Beijing–Capital[71]
Air India Delhi, Mumbai[72]
Air New Zealand Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown, Wellington
AirAsia X Kuala Lumpur–International[73]
Asiana Airlines Seasonal: Seoul–Incheon[74]
Batik Air Malaysia Denpasar, Kuala Lumpur–International[75]
Beijing Capital Airlines Hangzhou,[76] Qingdao[77]
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong
Cebu Pacific Manila[78]
China Airlines Taipei–Taoyuan[79]
Seasonal: Auckland (begins 4 December 2024)[80]
China Eastern Airlines Nanjing,[81] Shanghai–Pudong[82]
China Southern Airlines Guangzhou[82]
Seasonal: Beijing–Daxing (begins 14 December 2024)[83]
Emirates Dubai–International, Singapore[84]
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi
Fiji Airways Nadi
Garuda Indonesia Denpasar,[85] Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta[86]
Hainan Airlines Haikou[87]
Japan Airlines Tokyo–Narita[88]
Jetstar Adelaide, Auckland, Ayers Rock,[89] Ballina, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Brisbane, Busselton,[90] Cairns, Canberra,[91] Christchurch, Darwin, Denpasar, Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Hervey Bay,[92] Hobart, Ho Chi Minh City,[93] Honolulu (ends 30 April 2025),[94] Launceston, Nadi,[95] Newcastle, Perth, Phuket, Proserpine,[96] Queenstown, Singapore,[97] Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Townsville
Juneyao Air Shanghai–Pudong (begins 20 December 2024)[98]
LATAM Chile Santiago de Chile[99]
Link Airways Dubbo, Orange, Wollongong[100]
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur–International
Philippine Airlines Manila
Qantas Adelaide, Alice Springs, Auckland, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Christchurch, Dallas/Fort Worth,[101] Darwin (ends 26 January 2025),[102] Delhi, Denpasar,[103] Gold Coast,[104] Hobart, Hong Kong,[105][106] Honolulu (begins 1 May 2025),[107] Jakarta–Soekarno-Hatta,[108] Los Angeles, Perth, Queenstown,[109] Singapore, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Tokyo–Narita,[110] Wellington
Seasonal: Antarctica,[b] Broome,[112] Hamilton Island
QantasLink Adelaide, Albury,[113] Brisbane,[114] Burnie,[115] Canberra, Coffs Harbour,[116] Darwin (begins 27 January 2025),[102] Devonport, Hobart, Launceston, Mildura, Newcastle,[113] Townsville,[117] Wagga Wagga
Seasonal: Merimbula,[112]
Qatar Airways Doha
Rex Airlines Burnie, Devonport, King Island, Merimbula, Mildura, Mount Gambier, Wagga Wagga
Royal Brunei Airlines Bandar Seri Begawan
Scoot Singapore
Sichuan Airlines Chengdu–Tianfu[118][119]
Singapore Airlines Singapore
SriLankan Airlines Colombo–Bandaranaike[120]
Thai Airways International Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Turkish Airlines Istanbul, Singapore[121]
United Airlines Los Angeles, San Francisco
VietJet Air Hanoi,[122] Ho Chi Minh City[123]
Vietnam Airlines Hanoi,[124] Ho Chi Minh City
Virgin Australia Adelaide, Ayers Rock,[125] Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Denpasar,[126] Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Hobart, Launceston, Nadi, Newcastle, Perth, Queenstown,[127] Sunshine Coast, Sydney
XiamenAir Xiamen

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
Cathay Cargo[128] Hong Kong, Toowoomba
Qantas Freight[129] Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Gold Coast, Hobart, Launceston, Perth, Sydney
Singapore Airlines Cargo[130] Auckland, Singapore
Tasman Cargo Airlines Auckland,[131] Christchurch, Singapore[132]

Traffic and statistics

Annual (civil years) traffic on Tullamarine. See Wikidata query.

In 2016–17 Melbourne Airport recorded around 25 million domestic passenger movements and around 10 million international passenger movements.[7] In that year there were 239,466 aircraft movements in total.[133] Melbourne Airport was tipped to record 47 million passengers in the year to June 30, 2020, before the pandemic hit, but instead recorded 27.2 million as state and international borders were closed.[134] Melbourne is the second busiest airport in Australia for passenger movements, behind Sydney and ahead of Brisbane.

Total annual passengers

Annual passenger traffic at MEL airport. See Wikidata query.
Annual passenger statistics for Melbourne Airport[135]
Year Domestic International Total Change
1998 11,429,141 2,489,132 13,918,273 Increase 1.8%
1999 11,900,956 2,654,807 14,555,763 Increase 4.1%
2000 12,933,747 3,043,629 15,977,376 Increase 8.7%
2001 13,265,849 3,315,572 16,581,421 Increase 2.6%
2002 12,883,149 3,313,751 16,196,900 Decrease -2.9%
2003 14,021,489 3,199,534 17,221,023 Increase 8.8%
2004 15,812,950 3,936,435 19,749,385 Increase 12.8%
2005 16,505,127 4,224,635 20,729,762 Increase 4.4%
2006 17,276,578 4,291,290 21,567,868 Increase 4.7%
2007 18,185,325 4,565,084 22,750,409 Increase 5.3%
2008 19,835,386 4,732,544 24,567,930 Increase 9.1%
2009 19,755,218 5,130,352 24,885,570 Decrease -0.4%
2010 21,522,253 5,872,511 27,394,764 Increase 8.9%
2011 21,206,546 6,460,958 27,667,504 Decrease -1.5%
2012 22,098,350 6,819,242 28,917,592 Increase 4.2%
2013 22,908,284 7,312,143 30,220,427 Increase 3.7%
2014 23,364,327 8,022,466 31,386,793 Increase 2.0%
2015 23,930,897 8,859,316 32,790,213 Increase 2.4%
2016 24,732,603 9,642,586 34,375,189 Increase 3.4%
2017 25,235,738 10,323,782 35,559,520 Increase 2.0%
2018 25,692,745 11,223,884 36,916,629 Increase 1.8%
2019 25,815,647 11,318,644 37,134,291 Increase 0.5%
2020 6,462,941 2,434,451 8,897,392 Decrease -75.0%
2021 6,763,686 396,590 7,160,276 Increase 4.7%
2022 20,309,831 5,381,023 25,690,854 Increase 200.3%
2023 22,504,461 8,278,905 30,783,366 Increase 17%

Domestic

Busiest domestic passenger routes for Melbourne Airport (year to 31 December 2022)[136]
Rank Airport Passengers handled % change
1 Sydney 6,989,569 Increase 229.7%
2 Brisbane 2,806,475 Increase 256.4%
3 Gold Coast 2,291,050 Increase 188.3%
4 Adelaide 2,053,697 Increase 220.4%
5 Perth 1,347,836 Increase 415.5%
6 Hobart 1,130,767 Increase 146.2%
7 Canberra 849,955 Increase 202.8%
8 Cairns 814,524 Increase 160.5%
9 Sunshine Coast 724,312 Increase 167.7%
10 Launceston 679,242 Increase 122.8%
11 Newcastle 382,029 Increase 142.1%
12 Darwin 304,337 Increase 150.0%
13 Mildura 139,703 Increase 121.0%
14 Devonport 97,583 N/A

International

Busiest international routes – Melbourne Airport (year ending 30 June 2024)[137]
Rank Airport Passengers handled % change Airlines
1 Singapore 1,700,851 Increase 11.6% Emirates, Jetstar, Qantas, Scoot, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines
2 Auckland 1,040,701 Increase 17.5% Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Qantas
3 Denpasar 943,706 Increase 21.1% Batik Air Malaysia, Garuda Indonesia, Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia
4 Dubai 644,363 Decrease 4.4% Emirates
5 Hong Kong 604,001 Increase 116.9% Cathay Pacific, Qantas
6 Kuala Lumpur 547,587 Increase 28.4% AirAsia X, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines
7 Bangkok 463,122 Increase 8.8% Jetstar, Thai Airways International
8 Ho Chi Minh City 450,791 Increase 47.5% Jetstar, VietJet Air, Vietnam Airlines
9 Doha 416,961 Increase 15.4% Qatar Airways
10 Guangzhou 350,195 Increase 356.3% China Southern Airlines
11 Christchurch 269,036 Increase 20.0% Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Qantas
12 Queenstown 257,393 Increase 17.0% Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia
13 Shanghai 254,015 Increase 455.2% China Eastern Airlines
14 Nadi 252,390 Increase 25.7% Fiji Airways, Jetstar, Virgin Australia
15 Los Angeles 246,629 Increase 25.8% Qantas, United Airlines

Cargo

Busiest international freight routes into and out of Melbourne Airport (year ending 31 December 2021)[138]
Rank Airport Freight tonnes handled % change
1 Singapore-Changi 69,873 Increase +57.8%
2 Hong Kong 29,662 Increase +8.4%
3 Doha 28,261 Increase +24.4%
4 Auckland 20,993 Increase +5.5%
5 Kuala Lumpur International 11,500 Decrease −5.6%
6 Dubai 11,405 Decrease −33.9%
7 Guangzhou 8,530 Decrease −17.5%
8 Shanghai–Pudong 7,939 Decrease −26.4%
9 Abu Dhabi 7,759 Decrease −11.5%
10 Los Angeles 7,594 Increase +81.9%

Ground transport

Road

Tullamarine Freeway at the Calder Freeway interchange

Melbourne Airport is 23 km (14 mi) from the city centre and is accessible via the Tullamarine Freeway. One freeway offramp runs directly into the airport grounds, and a second to the south serves freight transport, taxis, buses and airport staff.[139] In June 2015, the Airport Drive extension was completed, creating a second major link to the airport. The link starts at the M80 Ring Road and provides direct access to Melrose Drive 1.5 kilometres from the terminal area.[140] As of late 2018 the Tullamarine Freeway was widened.[141] In mid-2023, a new exit was constructed specifically for Terminal 4, omitting the other exits in favour of an elevated off-ramp.

Melbourne Airport has five car parks, all of which operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The short-term, multi-level long-term, business and express carparks are covered, while the long-term parking is not.[142] The main multi-level carpark in front of the terminal was built in the late 1990s, replacing the pre-existing ground-level car parking,[31] progressively expanded ever since.

Melbourne Airport recorded more than 2.2 million taxi movements in the year to 30 June 2017.[143]

Public transport

Bus and shuttle services

A SkyBus travelling to Melbourne Airport

The SkyBus operates express bus services from the airport to Southern Cross railway station (on the western boundary of the Melbourne central business district)[144] and St Kilda.[145] Shuttle services also operate between the airport and the Mornington Peninsula,[146] making stops in St Kilda, Elsternwick, Brighton and Frankston.[147] SkyBus current transports around 3.4 million passengers between the airport and Melbourne's CBD.[148]

Metropolitan and regional public buses also operate to or via the airport. Routes 478, 479 & 482 operate to Airport West, via the route 59 tram terminus. Route 479 also operates to Sunbury railway station, connecting with Sunbury and Bendigo line trains. Route 901 was introduced in September 2010[149] as a frequent bus service.[150] Route 901 connects to trains at Broadmeadows (Craigieburn, Seymour, Shepparton and Albury lines), Epping (Mernda line), Greensborough (Hurstbridge line) and Blackburn (Belgrave and Lilydale lines).[151] V/Line operates timetabled regional coach services to Barham and Deniliquin which stop at the airport.

There are nine other bus companies serving the airport, with services to Ballarat, Bendigo, Dandenong, Frankston, Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, Melbourne's suburbs, Shepparton and the Riverina,[152] which provide alternatives to transfer onto other V/Line services.

Future rail connection

Main article: Melbourne Airport rail link
Map of Melbourne Airport Rail link showing the route and current public transport in Melbourne's north-west.
Map of the planned Melbourne Airport Rail route, which commenced early construction in 2022 and is set to open from 2033. The link will run through the Melbourne CBD via the under-construction Metro Tunnel.

As of 2024, Melbourne Airport does not have a passenger rail connection to and from the city. Constructing a rail link has been discussed in Victorian politics before and since Melbourne Airport opened in 1970.

In 2022, the Andrews state government commenced early construction on Melbourne Airport Rail (SRL Airport), which was first expected to be complete by 2029.[153] However in 2023-24, due to a lack of agreement in negotiations between the state government and the airport operator over the design of the Airport station, major construction has been delayed, with completion now expected by 2033.[154] The 27 km link will run via Sunshine station in Melbourne's west into the central city via the under-construction Metro Tunnel. The link will connect to western regional rail services at Sunshine and to other services on the Metropolitan rail network at Sunshine, Footscray, and State Library and Town Hall in the CBD. The link will be the first direct rail connection to the Airport.

The business case was released in 2022 and was revealed that the Airport station would be elevated at a height of around 6 storeys, minimising construction costs and time.[155] The airport operator, Australia Pacific Airports Corporation (APAC), has initially objected to the elevated station, arguing for it to be built underground in order to safeguard future terminal expansion and improve connectivity to the proposed Suburban Rail Loop.[155] In July 2024, Melbourne Airport agreed to the state government’s preference for an elevated airport station, allowing detailed planning works to resume.[156]

Accidents and incidents

  • On 29 May 2003, Qantas Flight 1737 from Melbourne to Launceston Airport was subjected to an attempted hijacking shortly after takeoff. The hijacker, a passenger named David Robinson, intended to fly the aircraft into the Walls of Jerusalem National Park, located in central Tasmania. The flight attendants and passengers successfully subdued and restrained the hijacker, and the aircraft returned to Melbourne.[157][158]
  • On 20 March 2009, Emirates Flight 407, an Airbus A340-500, was taking off from Melbourne Airport on Runway 16 for a flight to Dubai International Airport and failed to become airborne in the normal distance. When the aircraft was nearing the end of the runway, the crew commanded nose-up sharply, causing its tail to scrape along the runway as it became airborne, during which smoke was observed in the cabin. The crew dumped fuel over Port Phillip Bay and successfully returned to Melbourne. The damage caused to the airport was considered substantial, with a damaged strobe light at the end of the runway as well as an antenna on the localiser, which led to the ILS being out of service for some time causing some disruptions to the airport's operation.[159]
  • On 11 October 2022, a security breach occurred at the airport, with a Qantas spokesperson saying that "A passenger appears to have inadvertently passed from an unscreened area to a screened area of the airport in Melbourne". Australian Federal Police shut down a section of the airport, and ordered all passengers in the terminal be rescreened, including those already on planes waiting to take off.[160][161][162]
  • In December 2023, it was confirmed that two planes had near misses at Melbourne Airport back in September the same year. There was construction work on one of the runways, leading to closure of a section of runway. In one case, a Malaysia Airlines plane took off about two hundred metres before construction workers and equipment. In the other case, a Bamboo Airlines plane took off narrowly missing construction workers and equipment (3 metres).[163][164]

Awards and accolades

Melbourne Airport has received numerous awards. The International Air Transport Association ranked Melbourne among the top five airports in the world in 1997 and 1998.[165][166] In 2003, Melbourne received the IATA's Eagle Award for service and two National Tourism Awards for tourism services.[167][168][169]

The airport has received recognition in other areas. It has won national and state tourism awards,[168][169] and Singapore Airlines presented the airport with the Service Partner Award and Premier Business Partner Award in 2002 and 2004, respectively.[166][170] In 2006, the airport won the Australian Construction Achievement Award for the runway widening project, dubbed "the most outstanding example of construction excellence for 2006".[171] In 2012, Parkroyal Melbourne Airport was awarded for the best airport hotel in Australia/the Pacific by Skytrax.[172] According to Skytrax World's Top 100 Airports List, Melbourne Airport improved from being ranked 43rd in 2012 to 27th in 2018.[173][174]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The airport is the number one airport pair, for passenger travel, for Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Sydney airports. It is the number two airport pair for Brisbane, Canberra and Darwin airports.[8]
  2. ^ Qantas operates dedicated 'flightseeing' services to Antarctica from Melbourne. These flights, using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, depart Melbourne from Terminal 1, and provide a guided aerial tour of Antarctica before returning to Australia. These flights are about thirteen hours in total.[111]

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