Melbourne Airport Mulls Over New International Terminal

1st Oct 2014

When Melbourne Airport was opened to commercial operations in 1970 to replace the old Essendon Airport as the main gateway to the state of Victoria, T2 was one of the two terminals that opened with it.

Now going to its 45th year next year, the aging facility has probably seen its best years in decades and must have been wanting badly a facelift or maybe a total makeover, if not a complete demolition, to give way to a much modern and completely new structure.

The new planned international terminal is envisioned to be a destination in itself and an oasis of sort for weary travelers who badly need a place to relax and pamper themselves with a soothing massage perhaps inside a spa, or treat themselves to a shop-til-you-drop shopping spree, or indulge in a gastronomic adventure or simply lounge in an airy ambiance while waiting for their next flight.

Melbourne Airport CEO, Chris Woodruff, spoke to the prospective investors and government officials recently and disclosed his plans for the new terminal which will be a distinctive facility that would remind travelers they have just set foot in Australia or, more specifically, in the world's most livable city.

According to an airport spokesperson, the plan is still subject for approval but hinted that the project might start construction within the next one and a half years.

For the time being, the airport is expanding the current T2 to accommodate the growing passenger traffic as well as adding more space in the Customs, Quarantine and Immigration areas.

Melbourne Airport is the second busiest airport in the country with Melbourne-Sydney route as the third most traveled passenger air route in the world.

The airport has direct access to major cities and popular destinations in the region such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Brunei, Singapore, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Manila, Phuket, Bangkok, and Wellington, among others.

Beginning this October, passengers flying with United Airlines via the trans-Pacific Melbourne-Los Angeles route will now get to their destination much quicker as the airline will start operating its B787 jet.

Virgin Australia has just launched its 'Premium Exit' service, an express security screening process for its business class passengers using its newly-expanded lounge at the Melbourne Airport.