Melbourne Airport also known as Tullamarine Airport primarily offers service to the Australian city. The airport having the IATA code of MEL ranks as the second busiest in terms of passenger traffic. Established in 1970, it was opened to replace the Essenson aiport located at a close distance. It the only one matching to the international standards among all the airfields serving the metropolitan. Situated at a distance of 23 kilometers from the city center, the airport boasts of its own postcode, (postcode 3045). It is located beside the suburb of Tullamarine.
Melbourne Airport Operation
The air-route serving the cities Melbourne and Sydney is counted as the third most-traveled passenger route in the world and busiest in the Asia-Pacific region. It also boasts of 33 direct flights flying to different destinations in all states and territories of Australia along with cities and countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and Oceania. The city airport serves as the primary hub for airlines like, Qantas and Virgin Blue. Airlines like, Jetstar Airways and Tiger Airways Australia uses the airport as a home base. It also offers a service as the headquarters for Australian air Express and Toll Priority. It also operates more domestic freight that any other airport in the nation. The Skytrax, an airline consultancy company, also recognizes the airport as a five star airport. It has four terminals that are categorized into one internal terminal, one budget domestic terminal, and two domestic terminals.
Melbourne Airport Terminals
All the four terminals of the airport in total has 56 gates, of which 40 gates serve the domestic purpose and other 16 serves international passengers. It also has six dedicated freighter parking positions on the Southern Freighter Apron. The present terminal numbering in the airport in Melbourne was started in July 2005; previously they were known as International, Qantas Domestic, and South (formerly Ansett Domestic).
Here is a look at the terminal services of the Melbourne Airport -
Terminal 1 – this one features the domestic services for Qantas Group airlines, Jetstar, QantasLink, and Qantas. It is situated to the northern end of the building with the departure being located on the first floor and the arrival on the first floor. It has 15 parking bays, 11 of then are served by single aerobridge while the other 4 have double aerobridges.
Terminal 2 – This one offers a service to all the international flights landing at the airport ground with the only exception being the Jetstar’s flight to Singapore that flies via Darwin. It has around 15 gates with aerobridges along with 2 standoff that is non-aerobridge gates. A number of airlines that includes Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand/United Airlines Qantas, and Emirates Airline operate airline lounges. The Qantas airline is the only one to have two lounges in Terminal 2 that serves as a First lounge and a Business lounge.
Terminal 3 – this was initially the Ansett Australia terminal that is now owned by Melbourne Airport. It serves as a home to airlines like, Virgin Blue and Regional Express. The terminal presently has nineteen parking of which, 11 has a service of single aerobridge while the other 8 are not equipped with aerobridges.
Terminal 4— this is actually referred to as the Domestic Express or South Terminal. Offering a dedicated service to budget airlines, this was initially opened for Virgin Blue and Impulse Airlines. However, with time Virgin Blue has moved into Terminal 3 with the fall of Ansett. Tiger Airways Australia that has been using it as a major hub since their first operation of domestic flights on November 23, 2007 had rebuilt the terminal.
Airlines |
Destinations |
Terminal |
Air China |
Beijing-Capital, Shanghai-Pudong |
2 |
Air New Zealand |
Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington |
2 |
Cathay Pacific |
Hongkong |
2 |
Emirates |
Auckland, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore |
2 |
Jetstar Airways |
Adelaide, Brisbane, Ballina, Cairns, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Hobart, Launceston, Newcastle, Perth, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Townsville |
1 |
Jetstar Airways |
Auckland, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Christchurch, Honolulu, Queenstown, Singapore, Sydney |
2 |
Malaysia Airlines |
Kuala Lumpur |
2 |
Qantas |
Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Broome, Cairns, Canberra, Hobart, Karratha, Perth, Port Hedland, Sydney |
1 |
Qantas |
Auckland, Hong Kong, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Singapore |
2 |
Qantas operated by
QantasLink |
Adelaide, Canberra, Devonport, Launceston, Mildura |
1 |
Regional Express |
Albury, Burnie, Griffith, King Island, Merimbula, Mildura, Mount Gambier, Wagga Wagga |
3 |
Tiger Airways Australia |
Adelaide, Alice Springs [44], Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Mackay, Perth, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast, Sydney |
4 |
Virgin Blue |
Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Coffs Harbour, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hobart, Launceston, Mildura, Newcastle, Perth, Sunshine Coast, and Sydney |
3 |
Virgin Blue operated by Pacific Blue |
Auckland, Christchurch, and Nadi |
2 |
Skywest Airlines |
Kalgoorlie, Perth |
3 |
Melbourne Airport Car Hire
There are around six car rental companies situated on site the airport in Melbourne. All the companies have offices in the ground floor of the short-term car-parking region within the airport. The information desks are settled in the domestic terminals of the airport.
Here is a list of car hiring companies available at the airport offering transfers to different destinations -
Avis Car rental
Hertz Car Rental
Europ Car Rental
Budget Car Rental
Thrifty Car Rental
Redsport Car Rental
If you do not wish to avail the services of car rental, you will have the option of availing the services of taxi transport. Usually, taxis are available from the ground floor of the airport in the city outside both terminal 2 (T2 - International) and domestic terminals (Terminal 1 - T1 and Terminal 3 - T3). A return trip between the CBD and airport is charged within A$80 to A$85.
Flightshotelstours.com offers online information on Melbourne Airport and flights to Melbourne.
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