Virgin Australia has unveiled plans for an extensive redevelopment of its domestic terminal at Melbourne Airport’s Terminal 3 (‘T3’) over the next three years.The changes will bring effect the entire experience from arriving at the airport through to boarding the aircraft.
Virgin Australia Melbourne Domestic Redevelopment
Based on the information that has been made available, the changes will be be made in a number of phases.
Phase 1
The first phase will focus on the check-in experience at the airport.
Anyone that regularly travels through Melbourne will know that the check-in times can be quite lengthy. One of the aims of the changes is to significantly improve the check-in times in Melbourne.
Expected to be completed by 2019, the changes include
- The introduction of automated bag drop facilities;
- Enhanced self-service kiosks. These kiosks will provide the ability for passengers to check-in, print boarding passes, and print baggage tags;
- Service pods where Virgin Australia ground crew can assist guests with check-in; and
- A service desk to assist with traditional check-in and general enquiries.
Passengers familiar with the Virgin check-in experience in Perth will recognize these facilities.
Phase 2
The redevelopment will also see changes to the security screening and lounge faculties.The changes include
- A dedicated Premium Entry for Virgin Australia’s Business Class guests and Platinum and Gold Velocity Frequent Flyers. This will include dedicated check-in, bag drop and security screening features and direct access to the Virgin Australia Lounge;
- Construction of a new internal ramp between Terminals 3 and 4 that will enable the re positioning of the general T3 security screening facilities. This will reduce passenger congestion in T3, create a more spacious area for T3 security screening and offer better access to the new retail offering in Terminal 4;
- Virgin Australia Lounge guests will enjoy a seamless transition to their gates, with all of T3’s re positioned security screening facilities to be located before the Lounge entry.
Arrivals is not forgotten either, with Virgin promising the addition of two baggage carousels in the T3 arrivals hall.
