Things we hate about the airport and how to fix them

Flying can bring out the worst in all of us. And for the 100,000 passengers jetting in and out of Melbourne Airport each day, the challenges often begin long before they head for the sky. Here’s how we’d fix the six worst things about flying out of Melbourne.

Can we get something like this at our airport please? The new Changi Jewel complex at the Changi international airport. Picture: Roslan Rahman

Lost luggage, travel sickness, queues for the toilets and, perhaps worst of all, finding yourself on a long flight trapped next to a chatterbox who hogs the armrest. Airline travel can be a feat of endurance at the best of times.

But for the 100,000 passengers jetting in and out of Melbourne Airport each day, the challenges often begin long before they head for the sky.

And, without drastic changes, it’s going to get even tougher for jet-setting Melburnians with the number of travellers going through Tullamarine expected to almost double over the next 20 years.

Victoria’s major international airport scored a lowly three out of 10 from Skytrax, an independent customer forum for reviewing airlines and airports around the world. Despite what appears to be a poor score, Melbourne was still ranked 23 among the world’s top 25 airports, behind sister cities Brisbane (18) and Sydney (21), but ahead of Paris Charles de Gaulle and LA.

The good news is that Melbourne Airport’s Masterplan was approved by the Federal Government late last year and provides several strategies to deal with the airport’s shortcomings. The bad news is the improvements could be years away.

It’s such a long hike to the gate in T4 that you might need a rest stop half way. Picture: Josie Hayden

Former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chief Graeme Samuel blames the lack of real competition for many of Tullamarine’s problems.

Mr Samuel, chairman of Airlines for Australia and New Zealand, an industry group representing all local airlines, says that without competition the airport has no real reason to lift its game and passengers suffer.

“It’s become part of our passenger experience to park our cars at expensive carparks, walk through shiny new facilities at the airport that are revenue generating, such as retail and food outlets, and then find our experience in bathrooms and other parts of the airport far less glamorous,” Mr Samuel said

“One of my more memorable experiences, right here in Melbourne, resulted in me wanting to throw out my shoes!”

Visitors writing to Skytrax were just as blunt.

M Ryan, from the US: “Terminal 3 is I think the worst airport terminal I’ve been to. There is one toilet for the whole terminal so there is a queue and it is dirty. There is one cafe which is hugely overpriced. Honestly this airport was designed by an idiot …”

Eva Milkrieter, Germany: “Unbelievable! It’s not well organised at all — it’s chaotic! Horrible airport- I recommend not flying via Melbourne — all the other Aussie airports were really great!”

F Bell, NZ: “My family and I had the best holiday in Melbourne … until we got to the Melbourne airport to go back home. I went from, “I never want to leave,” to, “God get me out of here!”

Here are some of the areas where Tullamarine is going wrong and how we could fix it:

Entertainment

The best airport in the world, according to Skytrax, is Singapore’s Changi because it is efficient, easy to access and has a range of activities for travellers while they wait for flights.

Terminal 3 at Singapore’s Changi Airport has a green wall.

Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 orchid garden.

Changi features a butterfly garden, 24-hour music theatre and rooftop pools. In April it opened the world’s tallest indoor waterfall! At Tullamarine there is very little to do beyond having a meal in the food court or browsing the shops, most of which seem to sell overpriced snacks and souvenirs.

Solution: Thankfully, the airport has just announced plans to revamp its hospitality precinct to include an on-site brewery, an AFL-themed bar and restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs Shane Delia and Scott Pickett. While this is a welcome move, many travellers say it is the lack of genuine, child-friendly entertainment provided on site which remains an issue.

No-one is expecting Tullamarine to open a lavish indoor water-feature to rival Changi’s spectacle but a playground for children, large TV screen showing family-friendly movies, or a place to watch live music acts are just some of the suggestions travellers say would lift Tullamarine’s ambience and make waiting around the airport less of a chore.

Transport

How we all envy cities like Tokyo and London with airports serviced by express trains.

The cheapest way to get to Tulla from the City is the SkyBus, at just under $19 one way.

How about that rail link? Picture: Tony Gough

A taxi or an Uber trip is at least $40. Road travellers are then beholden to Melbourne’s traffic, which can easily grind to a halt and cause you to miss your flight.

Solution: A rail link to the airport has been discussed for almost 30 years without so much as a single sod being turned. However, Premier Daniel Andrews and PM Scott Morrison have now promised a $10 billion rail link within the next decade.

Congestion

Some of the worst gridlock in Melbourne occurs just trying to get to the Tulla departure lounge. Traffic can be banked up back to the freeway.

A nightmare airport commute often awaits on the Tulla. Picture: Mark Stewart

Solution: Some recent road widening has improved access but much more needs to be done, separating cars from pedestrians and providing many more short-term parking spaces for swift drop-offs and pick-ups.

International drama

A major complaint on Skytrax is about how much of the International arrivals area is given over to Duty Free shopping. Passengers would rather a faster trip through customs and immigration than be welcomed by racks of luxury face-creams and bottles of Scotch.

They are also frustrated by the lack of information at the baggage carousels, which are poorly located and move at a snail-like pace.

Solution: Expand the arrivals area to allow for additional immigration facilities, lounges and space for arriving passengers. Upgrade the baggage carousels so that travellers don’t have to drag their luggage in long, chaotic queues through customs.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Jetstar

Those using budget airlines like Jetstar or Tiger are outraged by the epic walk to the departure gates.

Better get walking.

The distance to the furthest gate at the new $400 million T4 terminal, is 2km!

That’s quite a step for anyone lugging bags, never mind elderly and disabled passengers or those travelling with young children.

Solution: Travelators to save the walk and more seating for elderly people.

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Steep Car Park Costs

Melbourne Airport turned $150 million in parking charges last year into almost $85 million profit and passengers always grumble about the fees.

Solution: Believe it or not, carparking prices have actually dropped in the past year. And Melbourne’s charges are behind those at Sydney and Brisbane. The consumer watchdog argues they need to be dropped further and there’s no doubt travellers would agree.