The enlargement of the terminal will include five new gates and expansion of the check-in hall, baggage claim and the meet and greet area for arriving passengers.
The international terminal is set to grow out onto the existing Melbourne Airport forecourt, following the opening of a new transport hub at the airport this September.
“As Melbourne grows, demand for air travel is growing too and we are investing billions of dollars to deliver the infrastructure we need to accommodate that,” said Melbourne Airport CEO, Lorie Argus.
“Increased capacity on our airfield and terminals will allow airlines to schedule more flights to more places, which will give consumers and exporters more choice.
“We’ve spent several months working collaboratively with the airlines to ensure these plans meet their needs, while also delivering an improved experience for our travellers in both arrivals and departures.
“Our investment in new infrastructure will deliver much needed extra capacity, but it is only part of the puzzle.
“We’re keen to work with the federal government on upgrades to border processing technology and facilities to help further improve the arrivals experience for international travellers.
“With just one average daily international flight worth $190 million to the Victorian economy every year, these investments will help facilitate more services and secure thousands of jobs around the state,” said Argus.
News of the airport’s expansion came the same day as the federal and state governments announced the start of works on the long-awaited Melbourne Airport rail line.
The first stage of works focuses on turning Sunshine train station into a transport superhub, which the Victorian Government says will “untangle the complex rail junction” there, at a cost of $4.1 billion.
The Sunshine superhub project has an expected completion date in 2030. It is unclear at this point when the entire airport rail line will be complete, with the project experiencing setbacks in the past.
