Melbourne Airport to host 100 million passengers a year and rail link crucial for development

MELBOURNE Airport’s land is big enough to one day process 100 million passengers a year. But management says a crucial transport link from the city is needed to cope with future growth.

Melbourne Airport luxury precinct in Terminal 2

MELBOURNE Airport could eventually process 100 million passengers a year as the city experiences huge population growth and increasing demand for travel.

But airport management says a rail link to the CBD is crucial, as traffic on the Tullamarine Freeway would reach critical levels within a decade.

The airport, which handled more than 35 million passengers in the past year, expects this will exceed 60 million by 2033.

A new terminal, upgraded retail and arrivals areas, and hi-tech security screening of passengers are on the cards.

Airport CEO Lyell Strambi said Melbourne Airport had twice the land mass of Britain’s Heathrow, so it was possible it could eventually handle 100 million passengers a year.

“One would hope by that stage we’ll have an outer ring road, you’ll probably have airport terminals to the west of the airport … it’ll be quite a different construct to what it is today,” he said.

“It’s not for my generation and it’s not for the airport manager that follows me, but it will be for future generations who are able to reap the benefits of this, and it’s really for the sake of Victoria.”

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State planning blueprints envisage another major airport in Melbourne’s outer southeast, but Mr Strambi said there was a big advantage to having one highly efficient aviation hub for a city.

“Melbourne Airport is well located — it’s only 26km from the city. When you do have to make the step change to a second airport, that adds a lot of cost,” he said.

By the end of this year, the airport will have completed a luxury retail precinct in Terminal 2.

The first phase of the retail transformation will cost $50 million and include a “unique architectural space” featuring a sculptured ceiling.

Also due to operate by Christmas is an eighth baggage carousel in the international arrivals area which will be 155m long and will hold enough bags to cater for two extra wide-body aircraft.

It is likely a fifth terminal, close to Terminal 4, will have been added by 2033.

Mr Strambi, a former Qantas senior executive, said the airport was working with other airports and airlines to determine the next level of security screening.

“Unfortunately the terror threat is not going to go away and it’s about how do you constantly evolve to match that,” he said.

“If you can do the positive ID on people using biometrics but without imposing huge queues to do those ID matches, then you get a better security outcome and you don’t have another problem being caused, which is more people standing around in big masses that could be attacked outside the security cordon.”

“Our goal is to get people secured and screened and through into a safe environment as fast as possible”

The State Government has not yet committed to building an airport rail link, but has indicated it is willing to work with the Federal Government on options.

Mr Strambi said now was the time to start planning a route and business case.

“It’s probably about eight years or so to build, and you’d need to do a really good study to make sure you understand what it is you’re trying to achieve, because it’s not just about airport to city traffic,” he said.

“It should be part of a much bigger congestion solution for Melbourne.”

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@JMasanauskas