Melbourne Airport will open its new public Pick up and Drop off zones for Terminals 1, 2 and 3 on October 6, in what will be the biggest change to the airport’s road network since it opened in 1970.
The new free Drop off zone on Level 3 of the T123 Transport Hub provides significantly more space than the current congested departures ramp and will pave the way for $4.5 billion in privately funded projects to expand the international terminal.
The new free, undercover Pick up zone on Level 2 of the T123 Transport Hub has more than 100 car spaces and will allow passengers to wait for their ride close to toilets and sheltered from Melbourne’s variable weather.
The changes mean that from October 6, anyone heading to Pick up or Drop off for any airline will need to leave the Tullamarine Freeway earlier at Exit 19 (Naarm Way) and use the elevated roadway to access all terminals.
Access to parking remains unchanged.
Pick up drivers who arrive early can continue to use Melbourne Airport’s 60 Minute Free Wait Zone, located off Mercer Drive and can access the new Pick up area from Airport Drive and Naarm Way.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said the new facilities would help better serve the increasing volumes of both traffic and travellers.
"With more than 100,000 people using Melbourne Airport every day and annual passenger numbers predicted to reach 75 million people by 2047, we need to expand our precinct,” she said.
“This is an exciting change, but it’s also a big change and we know it will take people time to get used to it, so we’ll have plenty of staff on hand to help support drivers and passengers.
“The new Pick up and Drop off zones will separate private and commercial vehicles, provide drivers with more space and give our passengers comfortable places to wait away from Melbourne’s unpredictable weather.
"As part of these changes, the current departures ramp will close on October 6, which will allow us to begin work on expanding the international terminal footprint out into the forecourt.
“In partnership with Travellers Aid we’ll be extending our free Melbourne Airport Assist service to the new Pick up and Drop off zones to ensure passengers who need assistance moving around the precinct have the support they need from the moment they arrive to the moment they depart.
"To help drivers familiarise themselves with the changes ahead of opening day, we’ve created an online journey planner to help people visualise what the trip will look like from the Tullamarine Freeway or Sunbury Road.”
The journey planner can be accessed at www.melbourneairport.com.au/pick-up-and-drop-off-hub