Vic: Melbourne Airport set for $330 million expansion

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2007
Vic: Melbourne Airport set for $330 million expansion

MELBOURNE, Aug 27 AAP - A $330 million expansion of Melbourne Airport will be unveiled tonight.

Melbourne Airport chief executive Chris Woodruff will announce the project at the airport's
annual general meeting tonight.

Mr Woodruff told Fairfax newspapers the revamped airport would feature a new departure
lounge with 10-metre high windows looking out to the airfield that would be "the envy
of all of Australia ... and the southern hemisphere".

The redesign will include extra X-ray stations and customs desks, and new facilities
for the Airbus A380 aircraft that will soon be flying to the airport.

These include five new aircraft parking locations, three dual-level aerobridges and
two baggage carousels compatible with the French-built jets.

The changes would ease congestion at the airport, which is expected to handle eight
million passengers a year by 2020 - almost double current levels.

The project will begin later this year and will be completed in 2011.

It will add 25,000 square metres to the terminal and provide 1,000 jobs.

Passengers would notice little disruption as construction goes ahead, Mr Woodruff said.

AAP jrd/cp

KEYWORD: AIRPORT

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