Melbourne Airports (MEL & AVV) - Pictures/News/Discussion

[Malvern3144]

Hey Soorox

Sorry, maybe you misread what I meant. I have been in The Lounge many times. I just wasn't sure if there were plans to do the same thing as in Sydney with a dedicated special entrance now straight into the lounge there if you have carry on only. But I realise the Sydney lounge is post security anyway whilst ours is pre security. Just thought maybe they were building a special tunnel for direct access. Ok now kind of joking.

As for Avalon. Who knows if and when that will ever take off.
As for the proposed rail link there.... every time I read or hear about it I just shake my head!

[melbourne bigbird]

International and domestic passenger numbers at Melbourne Airport increased by 8 per cent during October to reach a total of 2,608,791 passengers.

Melbourne Airport CEO, Mr Chris Woodruff, said that it was the highest monthly number of passengers ever recorded.

Countries with strong growth in passport holders for October 2012 compared to the same time last year included Taiwan which grew by 24.7 per cent, China by 23.6 per cent, Hong Kong by 23.5 per cent, Vietnam by 17.8 per cent, Philippines by 13.4 per cent, Malaysia by 8.7 per cent and New Zealand by 7.8 per cent.

Domestic passengers increased by 8.4 per cent resulting in a total of 2,012,813 domestic passengers, reflecting the Qantas disruption and restricted Tiger Airways schedule this time last year.

International passengers grew by 5.1 per cent compared to October 2011, reflecting in part the new A380 service from Emirates and the introduction of double daily A380 services by Singapore Airlines. Asian markets continued to drive international passenger growth.

“Each international flight that lands at Melbourne Airport contributes just under a quarter of a million dollars in visitor spending to the Victorian economy,” Mr Woodruff said.

Interstate and international passengers passing through Melbourne Airport contribute $8.3 billion a year to the Victorian economy, highlighting the importance of a 24 hour, curfew-free international airport and the contribution it makes to Victoria’s economic prosperity.

[Malvern3144]

^ Fantastic results. They won't be able to build the new T4 fast enough. MEL just seems out of control and bursting at the seams. They better start looking at further international expansion soon.
I will be adding a fair amount to those figures over the next few months.

[Malvern3144]

MEL announces 3rd runway preference

Approx 3000m and parallel to 09/27

http://melbourneairport.com.au/News-...reference.html

[melbourne bigbird]

....

[Tyson]

I imagine this is supposed to go to the south of the current terminal area and just to the north of the maintenance area. I was expecting that 16R/34L would have been the preference. I'm guessing that the distance from the terminals and having to cross the other parallel runway would count against it though.

[Malvern3144]

^ I suspect you are right.
I also was expecting the parallel to 16/34 as well. But reading their press release their assessment of 09/27 has more merit.
With all the growth we have been having and further expected growth I would hope this gets built ASAP.
This will also give us another notch on the competition ladder.

I wonder when the first community group opposing this will be formed. I would expect the wheels are in motion.

[soorox]

Here's my little photoshop job of what I think the new southern precinct will look like, T3-T4 is seen here with the latest image from near map (23OCT 2012) some works are going on to make room for more taxiway just off T3's second pier. I'm hoping for a great all new design, rather than the boring existing boxes, I believe the 2nd pier of T3 will see an extension and will be equipped with more aerobridges.

[Wilko]

From the Herald Sun 30 minutes ago

A THIRD runway is planned for Melbourne Airport in an economic boom that will bring thousands more planes into Tullamarine each year.

The $500 million runway, which will be 3km long and able to handle giant passengers jets such as A380s, will boost Melbourne's chances of overtaking the gridlocked Sydney Airport to become Australia's No.1 gateway.

Airport CEO Chris Woodruff said the new runway was needed to "meet the demand from domestic and international airlines as the number of passengers travelling through Melbourne continues to grow".

Does Melbourne Airport need another runway? Vote now and have your say below

Work on the runway, which will sit parallel to the east-west runway, could begin as early as 2016. Melbourne's northwest would have thousands more planes flying overhead.

Gladstone Park, Broadmeadows and Westmeadows residents would be under the flight path for planes landing at the airport, while Hillside locals would feel the brunt of departures.


Source: HWT Image Library

The suburbs are included in current airport noise maps but have not previously been in the direct flight path.

A third and fourth runway have been flagged in airport master plans for several years but airport chiefs revealed their preferred orientation for the next airstrip for the first time at a community meeting last night.

Rail link a logical step in runway bid

Third runway: Noise, real estate main concern

It will be included in the airport's draft master plan for the next 20 years, which will be released for public consultation early next year and also submitted to the Federal Government for approval.

The airport has more than 200,000 planes arrive and depart each year - or about 565 a day. That number is expected to rise to more than 280,000 a year by June 2023 as passenger numbers grow.


Source: HWT Image Library

Mr Woodruff said the proposed runway would be parallel to the existing east-west runway, perpendicular to the current north-south runway and take up to four years to build.

"The Melbourne Airport draft Master Plan envisages that a new runway will be needed around 2018-2022 to meet the demand from domestic and international airlines as the number of passengers travelling through Melbourne continues to grow," he said.

Mr Woodruff said noise contours, which mapped areas most affected by aeroplane noise, would be updated in the draft master plan to reflect the proposed runway. "There will be some areas within the existing noise contours that will experience more aircraft flying overhead as a result of the construction of a new runway," he said.

"In the course of planning for a third runway, we will be working closely with various stakeholders, including Airservices Australia, on measures to minimise the noise impact on our neighbours, while ensuring we continue to operate the airport in the most efficient way possible."

[soorox]

RAILWAY ! NEXT LOGICALLY STEP? SURE IS !

Rail link to Tullamarine is logical step in Melbourne Airport's bid for a third runway
James Campbell
Herald Sun
November 21, 201212:00AM

MELBOURNE Airport's bid for a third runway should push plans for a rail link to Tullamarine up the Baillieu Government's infrastructure batting order.

Passenger numbers are predicted to hit 40 million by the end of the decade, the point at which observers believe a rail link will become economically viable.

Indeed, according to Matt Francis, Melbourne Airport's general manager of corporate and public affairs, ours will be the only airport in the world handling that sort of traffic without a rail link.

By saying it will spend $500 million, the Australia Pacific Airports Corporation, which owns the airport, is backing traffic to hit 60 million in the next two decades.

The new runway will need to be approved by the Federal Government and is at least eight to 10 years away.



The State Government is spending $6.5 million on a feasibility study on a rail link.

It says the expansion is a vote of confidence in Victoria.

It needs to repay that confidence by making sure the rail link is ready when the first plane lands on the third runway.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vic...-1226520702052

The Herald Sun is on fire regarding MEL with the 3rd runway topic

[tayser]

from 2008 masterplan:

[EK413]

Melbourne will get the green light for a 3rd & 4th runway while the government continues to pass the buck on the 2nd Sydney Airport decision!

[jarden]

A rail link to Tulla is more in need now than ever. Time to get the job started when its finished 5 years or so the freeways will be even more packed. AVV will never need one it has less passengers a year than Mackay or Launceston airports.

[Malvern3144]

^ Completely agree. New runway, new terminal, expanded other terminals... we will need the rail link.
Stuff the Avalon one. AVV has been tried and is in decline. What are there, 5 daily Jetstar flights now? Tiger will really focus on building up at MEL as well.
Take that cash and go with the Tulla one now. The roads will not cope much longer.
Curb space is still one of the weakest links at MEL... A daily battle.

[tourismman]

Dont be surprised that Virgin fly out of AVV.It is on their plans.

[Malvern3144]

I would think now with all the recent activity, announcements and growth, the Vic Government will be more inclined to really look at the rail link to Tulla vs Avalon.
MEL just seems to have so much momentum.
This new story about the third runway has just popped up everywhere.
Just heard on the radio, residents of Broadmeadows have already started mobilising their opposition. Not surprising of course, but I am going to assume they would have known this was going to happen eventually.

As for Virgin and their plans for Avalon, I am going to take a stab that since they are now going to focus on Qantas, Virgin would be too "premium" to launch anything out of Avalon. If, and a big if, that group has any plans for AVV, I would assume they would leave that up to Tiger. Again, assuming the whole Virgin, Tiger, Singapore, Skywest plan takes off. Look for a large buildup of Tiger at MEL to counter Jetstar. They may launch a few flights out of Avalon to just be a thorn in Jetstar's side. But I wouldn't expect AVV to be any sort of a major player at all.

[brianc68]

Originally Posted by Malvern3144

I would think now with all the recent activity, announcements and growth, the Vic Government will be more inclined to really look at the rail link to Tulla vs Avalon.
MEL just seems to have so much momentum.
This new story about the third runway has just popped up everywhere.

It's great news, but there seems to be a lot of over the top hype and self-congratulations over the parallel runway proposal - not yet approved.

Meanwhile Brisbane's parallel (3rd) runway is not only approved but has commenced construction! Oh, and there's already a rail link...

But of course Melbourne will dominate throughout this century because they're moving forward while Sydney lags with their second airport...

[Qantas743]

It'll go 'Residents Against A Third Runway Action Alliance' or something like that! :p

Also, I wonder what will happen to access to the control tower precinct? I assume Operations Rd would tunnel under the new runway as is the case at SYD.

[Malvern3144]

I would also hope that the rail link to MEL would be an express route from Southern Cross and not just an extension or spur line off a suburban line. That would just oversaturate already overcapacity routes anyway. Although I am sure express would be the eventual outcome.
Let's hope the Vic Government does the right thing with all of this and not just bog themselves down in study after study report after report etc. However, this all feels pretty real. Looking fwd to seeing T4 get underway once Tiger moves its stripes to the shed.

[aussiescraperman]

strange they'll be going for the east west runway parallel option. does that mean the majority of traffic will be taking off and landing on the parallels now to really increase capacity? i guess that'd work because the new runway will be a380 suited so will effectively become the main runway, while the smaller east-west will still be able to take the majority of other aircraft.