Melbourne Airport flips direction of planned third runway

Melbourne Airport has opted for a change in direction, revealing plans for a third runway to help cope with delays and disruptions ahead of a predicted influx of domestic passengers.

Melbourne Airport has flipped its plans for a third runway by choosing a new alignment that will double the number of planes running north and south by 2025.

Authorities have ditched their long-running push to build a new runway from east to west and will instead build a tarmac that sends planes soaring over suburbs such as Keilor and Sunshine North.

The decision comes after years of discussion about the growth of terminals at Tullamarine with soaring passenger numbers contributing to increased delays and disruptions.

Engineers altered plans after new data showed wind speeds from the north and south were at their strongest during the airport’s peak periods before dawn and sunset.

Time is running out to improve capacity and a new runway at Brisbane Airport will lead to a surge of domestic flights into Melbourne from early next year.

Melbourne Airport says a new north-south runway is desperately needed in the next few years or air traffic congestion will see most flights delayed.

Melbourne Airport currently has two runways. Picture: Jay Town

A new airport in Sydney’s west will also add extra pressure on Melbourne from 2026.

A detailed planning and approvals process will now begin with the intention of having the runway finished by the end of 2025.

It will allow an extra 35 flights an hour to depart or arrive at the airport.

Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said he was glad the airport had decided to change its plans.

“It is not a decision made lightly,” he said.

“As we did a lot more analysis we found the north and south option was much more reliable.

“The airport was always planned for four runways so what has really changed is the sequence we’re developing them.

“The benefit is we think we may defer a need for the fourth runway to a longer period of time and in doing so look after Melbourne’s growth with minimal disruptions.”

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The airport announced it would build the third runway in 2013 and but met fierce ­opposition from community groups who would have fallen under the east-west flight path.

Residents in Keilor and other suburbs south of the airport will be consulted over the next year in a bid to minimise the noise impact of planes flying over homes.

Mr Strambi said the growth of the airport was too important.

“If you aren’t growing then you have a constraint,” he said. “This is a significant step forward but there is still a long way to go.”

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