Melbourne Airport Arrivals (MEL)

Flight Arrivals at Melbourne Airport

Melbourne Airport is located in Australia, in the state of Victoria, and is approximately 23 km, or 14 miles north-west of central Melbourne. It is the second largest airport in Australia, handling over 32 million passengers per year, and is a major hub for airline companies such as Qantas, Virgin Australia, Tiger Airways Australia and Jetstar. Over eight million of all the passengers of the airport arrive from Sydney Airport, the largest airport in Australia, as this air route is considered to be the fourth most traveled in the world. Passengers arriving at Melbourne Airport will find first-class facilities within all the terminal buildings, and a range of transport options for reaching their next destination.

Melbourne Airport is now the official international airport serving the Melbourne region, whereas previously, the nearby Essendon Airport was handling international traffic. However, Essendon quickly become overloaded with passengers, and its facilities could not meet the demands of steadily increasing international travel. Melbourne Airport, or the Tullamarine Airport, with the official code of MEL, was opened in 1970, and handled over 150,000 international passengers in its first year of operation. Although Essendon Airport is still used by a handful of airline carriers, the majority of flights arrive at the Tullamarine Airport. The second name of Melbourne Airport helps to distinguish it from the other three smaller domestic airports in the region, which include the Moorabbin and Avalon Airports.

International airline companies with flights arriving at Melbourne Airport, apart from the hub airline carriers, include Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Emirates, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways International, Vietnam Airlines, Qatar Airways, AirAsiaX and Air China. By these airline companies, flights arrive from Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Auckland, Los Angeles, Dubai, Singapore, London Heathrow and Christchurch. The international terminal known as Terminal 2 was recently expanded and renovated to accommodate the large Airbus A380, which was purchased by many of the airline companies mentioned. Passengers arriving at the international terminal will proceed to the entry control point, and will need to have their passport and completed incoming passenger card on hand. Passport control may also be self-processed by certain passengers, using the SmartGate system. The automated system provides the same checks as usually carried out by the Customs and Border Protection officer.

A meeting point is available in Terminal 2, which is a clearly marked area ideal for greeting passengers upon their arrival, and is located next to the Groups and Tours desk at the southern end of the terminal. It is marked by a large red sign. All the terminal buildings at Melbourne Airport are well equipped with facilities for the needs of all passengers. There are many quality restaurants, bars and snack bars for passengers with some time to spare, and numerous shopping opportunities. Banks, currency exchange services, ATM's and business and conference services are available as well. Disabled passengers will find adequate toilet facilities throughout the airport, and lifts for access to upper or lower levels, and parents of young children can make use of the baby changing rooms.

Terminal 1 and 3 of Melbourne Airport handle all domestic arrivals, as well as Terminal 4, however, Terminal 4 is used by budget airline carriers, such as Tiger Airways Australia. Terminal 4 is found just past Terminal 3, towards the southern end of the airport buildings, while Terminals 1 and 3 are found on either side of the international terminal. Domestic flights arrive at Melbourne Airport from Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Alice Springs, Canberra, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Hobart, Perth and Cairns. Terminal 4 was originally called the Domestic Express or the South Terminal, and was constructed for Virgin Blue (Virgin Australia) and Impulse Airlines. However, it is now the budget airline terminal, and the first of its kind at a conventional airport in Australia.

Passengers arriving on connecting flights, and in need somewhere to stay overnight will find four hotels close by to the airport’s facilities. Just 100 meters from Terminal 2 is the Parkroyal Hotel, originally known as a Hilton Hotel, and is found above the multi-level car park. The hotel was completed towards mid-2000, and boasts 280 rooms across six floors, and a wide range of additional facilities, such as conferencing centers and meeting rooms for corporate airport passengers. The Holiday Inn is about 400 meters from the terminal building, and the Hotel Formule 1 is approximately 600 meters away. There is also the Mantra Tullamarine, just two kilometers from Melbourne Airport.

Melbourne Airport offers several transport options for its arriving passengers. The Skybus is the local bus service travelling to the Southern Cross Station in Sydney, and taxi ranks can be found outside the arrival areas of Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Many other bus services are available as well, travelling to Shepparton and the Southern Riverina area, the eastern, western, northern and north-west suburbs of Melbourne, the area of Bendigo, and Frankston. At this point in time, no direct railway connections are available from Melbourne Airport, but passengers will find trains and trams nearby the Southern Cross Station in central Melbourne. For those who prefer to drive their own car, car hire companies are found within the terminal buildings of the airport.

Melbourne Airport is an airport that has won numerous awards for its excellent services, and is the perfect arrival point for tourists and business professionals.