Melbourne Airport is planning to expand its international terminal as soaring passenger numbers put pressure on existing facilities.
The airport said it has spent the past 12 months talking to airlines about the need to increase capacity at the international terminal and hoped to formalise its expansion plans by the middle of the year.
The expansion announcement follows the busiest month on record for international travel at Melbourne Airport, with 1.15 million international passengers using the airport in December.
The airport said international seat capacity is at an all-time high, at 113 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
Foreign airlines account for 72 per cent of all international seat capacity into Victoria, and major carriers understand the current constraints and the need for expansion, the airport said.
The airport said the completion of its elevated road network in 2026 will allow for an expansion of the international check-in and baggage claim halls, while discussions continue on an expanded international satellite that would increase capacity for airline lounges, retail outlets and passenger waiting areas and up to five new widebody gates.
The airport is midway through a $500 million project to replace the international baggage system with a new, state-of-the-art tote-based system, which will increase capacity by allowing for any-time check-in and early bag storage.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus said the plans were being developed in response to increasing passenger demand, with the existing international terminal often requiring bussing during peak periods.
“We’re setting new records for international passenger numbers and as Melbourne’s population grows, it’s important that our infrastructure grows too,” she said.
“During peak periods we are already experiencing regular congestion in the international arrivals area, so it’s obvious to us that our passengers and airlines need more space.
“More gates, more aircraft parking stands, more check-in space, and a larger baggage reclaim hall, combined with construction of Melbourne Airport’s third runway, would allow airlines to add more flights during peak times, which would give consumers and Victorian exporters more choice.”
The last expansion of the international terminal was completed in 2011, with the addition of five new gates and 41,000 square metres of extra space
