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Virgin Australia to upgrade Melbourne Tullamarine domestic terminal

written by australianaviation.com.au | December 4, 2017

Virgin Australia's new Terminal 3 facilities at Melbourne Tullamarine will feature a premium entry for eligible frequent flyers. (Virgin Australia)
Virgin Australia’s new Terminal 3 facilities at Melbourne Tullamarine will feature a premium entry for eligible frequent flyers. (Virgin Australia)

Virgin Australia plans to redevelop its facilities at Melbourne Airport’s Terminal 3 over the next three years that will focus on more self-service facilities, a dedicated premium entry for eligible travellers and the relocation of some security screening facilities to improve passenger flows.

Construction work was expected to begin in 2018, with Virgin Australia and Melbourne Airport working to finalise the design process. The work was expected to be fully completed by mid-2019, Virgin Australia said on Monday.

Melbourne Tullamarine will be the latest airport where Virgin Australia offers Premium Entry, which allows travellers to go from kerbside straight into the Virgin Australia lounge via a dedicated checkin, bag drop and security screening facility. The airline currently has this available at Brisbane and Sydney airports.

Artist renderings of the concept design for the Melbourne Tullamarine upgrade released on Monday show a checkin hall featuring plenty of self-serve kiosks and automated bag drop machines similar to what Virgin Australia offers at Perth Airport Terminal 1 that was first launched in November 2015.

The airline said these automated check-in facilities would reduce the amount of time required to checkin, print boarding passes and drop off hold luggage.

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“We were the first airline in Australia to introduce the kerbside Premium Entry product at Sydney Airport and we are thrilled to be able to offer this to our customers travelling through Melbourne,” Virgin Australia group executive for airlines Rob Sharp said in a statement.

“The redeveloped terminal will see Virgin Australia provide guests with a world class experience on the ground, to match the unrivalled service we provide on-board.

An artist's impression of Virgin Australia's new Terminal 3 arrivals hall at Melbourne Tullamarine. (Virgin Australia)
An artist’s impression of Virgin Australia’s new Terminal 3 arrivals hall at Melbourne Tullamarine. (Virgin Australia)
An artist's impression of Virgin Australia's new Terminal 3 checkin hall at Melbourne Tullamarine. (Virgin Australia)
Virgin Australia’s new Terminal 3 checkin hall at Melbourne Tullamarine will have big focus on self-service options. (Virgin Australia)

There will also be a change to how passengers move from checkin to the departure gate, with the security screening point at Terminal 3 to be moved in an effort to reduce congestion at the terminal. As a result, passengers will clear security before entering the Virgin Australia lounge.

A new internal ramp will also be built between Terminals 3 and 4, allowing passengers to move between the two terminals more easily.

There will also be two additional luggage belts in the Terminal 3 arrival hall.

“The unveiling of these concept designs follows the domestic terminal agreement that was signed in June between Virgin Australia and Melbourne Airport, which included key commercial terms to support the redevelopment of T3,” Virgin Australia said.

Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi welcomed the proposed upgrades to Terminal 3.

“We are excited to continue working closely with Virgin Australia to bring this wonderful vision to life,” Strambi said.

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Comments (6)

  • Rhino

    says:

    You cant polish a turd

  • Aubrey

    says:

    Desperately needed. Flew PER-MEL-PER with VA last week and MEL departures Monday lunchtime was a total shambles, no room at all. It would have worked better if we had queued according to destination so the staff wouldn’t have to keep pulling out pax for the flights that were closing.
    The PER end certainly worked much better, though next time I won’t put my case in the baggage drop after scanning my wife’s boarding pass instead my own!

  • Red Barron

    says:

    Just travelled through Melbourne Airport last week. Wow what a time warp compared to all other AUSTRALIAN airports. So run down and still in 1980’s. Being the second busiest airport in aus I would expect it to at least be as good as a second tier airport. Even Alice springs and Cairns leave Melbourne for dead.

  • Keepin it Real

    says:

    Ha, when you let banks own airports you get crap!

  • Brian

    says:

    This is a sorely needed upgrade, with ‘T3’ having barely changed since the demise of it’s previous tenant (Ansett).

  • James

    says:

    Just flew from Adelaide to Tullamarine airport and spent 5 days visiting Melbourne.
    People of Melbourne and kind generous and very caring.
    Taxi and Tram drivers especially good and considerate.
    I feel sad for the airport staff who have to put up the third world conditions of the airport lay out.
    loading and unloading of passengers with a disability or injured leg was via a single person electric lifter.
    Adelaide airport has a sky bridge system and quit Melbourne’s idea years ago and Victoria is building the old style today.
    Melbourne Airport what are you thinking?

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