International pax help Melbourne Airport hit record March high

Melbourne Airport set a new March record for international passengers as Australian newcomer Turkish Airlines added extra capacity to the local market. The 923,065 international travellers welcomed through Melbourne Airport last month surpassed the previous March record of 916,849 international passengers 2018.

Turkish Airlines launched its Australian operation with flights from Melbourne Airport to Istanbul (via Singapore) on March 2, providing travellers and exporters with a new option to access Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

In contrast to year-on-year international growth of 28 percent, domestic traffic grew just 5 percent with capacity restraints and higher airfares dampening demand.

Overall, Melbourne Airport welcomed a total of 3,016,947 people in March, with passenger volumes now surpassing three million in four of the past six months.

Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said the international market demonstrated that more competition and capacity helps reduce airfares and allows more people to travel. “It’s clear from our international figures that Victorians want to travel, and they’re prepared to do so in record numbers,” she said. “While domestic travel remains constrained by reduced capacity and subsequent higher airfares, it’s unlikely we’ll see a full recovery in the local market in the near future. It’s important to acknowledge that airlines are grappling with a number of factors outside of their control, but it’s also worth noting that while domestic airfares went up over the Grand Prix weekend and Easter, the one thing that didn’t increase over those periods was the airport charge the airlines pay.

“To help improve operational reliability and cater for future growth, we have submitted plans for a parallel north-south runway, which will drive choice and enable greater efficiency for tourism, trade and business,”{ Argus said. “We are also working with the airlines to explore ways of increasing our terminal capacity in a timely and cost-effective way.” Melbourne Airport submitted its third runway plan to the Federal Government in February 2023.

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