Melbourne Airport says it has completed the multi-million-dollar refurbishment of its international arrivals hall. The airport says the upgrade has created a more spacious and inviting environment, which includes more seating, a larger dwelling area, an improved undercover taxi-wait zone plus repositioned retail outlets.
As the largest international terminal investment made by Melbourne Airport in the past five years, the project included the installation of a contemporary indoor façade spanning 420m2 .
Melbourne Airport chief of infrastructure Simon Gandy said the modernized arrivals space is sure to impress overseas visitors when they return. “The multi-million-dollar upgrade is spectacular and we’re confident it will leave a great first impression on our international guests, especially all the Kiwis that are about to touch down in Melbourne. The upgraded arrivals hall also makes it easier for people to connect with onward domestic flights, providing short connection times for passengers that need to walk between terminals.”
In addition to the international arrivals hall, Melbourne Airport has completed 64 construction projects since March 2020. The projects have added new infrastructure and amenities to the airport to support the overall passenger experience while also improving sustainability. “Despite Covid-19’s huge impact on travel, we had to remain open, so we focused our resources on a select group of projects that would futureproof our operation. We took the opportunity to continue some of the more intrusive construction works while the airport was quiet, to be ready to welcome our airline customers and guests as they return,” added Gandy.
“Having paused a number of our larger capacity projects, and with a significantly reduced capital program, we focused our resources on the projects that were essential to maintain safe and secure operations and enhance the traveler experience, and also those commercial projects that are assisting our property customers to rebound strongly from Covid. Our reduced spend of $450m over this Covid period provides a solid foundation on which to recover our business, and we will continue to manage with a clear focus on ensuring our prioritization and pace of investment continue in concert with returning demand.”