Melbourne Airport

❎ Not Verified | I just had an expensive set of folding hex keys for fixing bikes confiscated - when queried the guard said no tools could go on planes. I would totally understand if the tool had a knife, or anything at all that was sharp. Rather, it has 5 hex keys and a Phillips screw. That's all. Everything on it has soft edges. The man insisted that this came under tools that can't be taken on planes, even though I've had the tool in my hand luggage on every flight I've taken since 2013. This is ignorant, inconsistent and a waste of time and money. And I still have a pair of tweezers. Also signage is terrible.

✅ Trip Verified | The dis-embarkation from the plane was a simple process until we entered the Immigration Hall passageway. There were queues of people lining up to use the passport reading machines. The queues were so long that they blocked the passageway. It was a tight squeeze for people to pass through. We did not know whether we should get our passports scanned or go through the manual passport control. We could not find clear signage. We chanced it and joined one of the queues. My passport could not be read. My wife’s passport was read and the machine produced a small token. Confused, we walked to the manual passport control where a helpful immigration officer asked me which nationality I was. Coming from the UK, I should have used the machines. I said that I did it, but the machine could not read my passport. She then took my passport and got it read and handed me the token. She explained what these passport scanners did and who they were for. We then joined the long queue and got through the automated immigration procedure. This took us about 60 min to get to this stage and our luggage was waiting for us. Armed with the customs declaration form, we had to join another queue to be screened for Customs. We had declared that we had gifts made of “prepared wood”. After this long queue, we had to join another long queue to the Customs section. We were finally allowed to exit. This took us another 40 minutes. I was perplexed with the number of queues and I could not find the relevant signage where the long queues began. It took us about 2 hours in total to get through the confusing Melbourne Airport. Fortunately, for our friend who came to pick us up, he had allowed 2 hours for us to get through the airport system. Obviously, a common occurrence. To top it all, we could not find his car in the multi-storey car park. It is not easy pushing your luggage trolley looking for cars. It was certainly a confusing entry to Melbourne. Suggestion: Perhaps there should be a video of the entry procedure for Melbourne Airport as the plane is about to land. This would assist new passengers like me perhaps? There is a video of London Heathrow Airport as the plane prepares to land there.

❎ Not Verified | The signage to terminals 1, 2 and 3 when entering the airport from airport drive are woeful. The terminal numbers are too small to read when driving and twice I ended up at terminal 4 when I wanted terminal 3. Please make them bigger as it's a rabbit warren when accessing the airport from airport drive.

c✅ Trip Verified | Departure - Terminal 2, international. After checking in, you soon realise there are only a few token seats to relax. There is plenty of shopping though and several cafes/eateries. Going through security we were checked out and swabbed. The lady that did it was friendly however. Passport control through the machines was fine although I noticed a number of people having issues with it. The nice cafe-Lounging area is all shops now. How disappointing. The only seating is either in a cafe or at the gate. Melbourne Airport puts retail first and foremost. Arrivals - you are expected to use the machines in the hall as you arrive. It prints out a stub that you hand in later. Passport control was confusing and we stood in line only to be told off and that we should have gone through e-passport. Welcome to Melbourne. It used to be a friendly welcome back a few years ago. Now it’s attitude. The first impressions must be horrendous to visitors. Shame. I was then reprimanded for standing waiting for my partner. Our bags took about 30 minutes to arrive, some of the luggage got jammed on the belt and a passenger was trying to free it, there were no staff around. Customs was quicker than usual. I don’t think many planes landed at the same time as ours.

✅ Trip Verified | As I write this short review, I’m standing in a line for ‘other nationalities’ passport control. The line is unbelievably long. It almost goes back to one of the gates. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this at any other airport around the world.

❎ Not Verified | My first time using terminal 4 at the airport. Everything you have heard or read about the terminal is true. Poor signage, a long walk to the departure lounges, insufficient seating for passengers waiting, concrete floors, very few healthy choice of foods at the food court. Staff are indifferent to customers and no undercover walkway to the aircraft. You walk out to the Aircraft and climb the stairs in heat or rain. If the architects brief was to make the cheapest ugliest inefficient budget terminal then he/she succeeded. Fly Virgin they arrive terminal 3.

❎ Not Verified | Baggage processing is a debacle! I fly into Melbourne airport monthly and frequently find excessive delays at baggage claim. It can't be due to security protocols as I don't find the same issue at other major airports - sure every know and then but not consistently like the delays at Melbourne. Why?! Can't they look at how other airports are run?

❎ Not Verified | Seems the process of actually departing is improving or maybe I got lucky as it was Jan 2 so not fully busy but security screening seemed a lot more efficient and one or two staff were polite, maybe because it's New Year but it was a bit of a shock. Scanning passport is quick and easy and your done into the gauntlet of duty free shopping area before getting to the gates. A please tell experience this time around probably because everyone was still feeling the New Year spirit.

❎ Not Verified | Very disappointed that there is no rest area at this airport. I had a 10 hour lay over between flights and every inch of this place is filled with either food outlets or very old chairs, for such a busy airport I would expect more comfort. Every other airport in Australia has a better comfort level for it’s guests.

❎ Not Verified | I travel a lot. The time you have to wait for your bag at Melbourne is poor, is there any KPI for airports about how long you have to stand waiting for your bag. In this day and you would expect better given how much of your ticket is for airport services. Just received an announcement apologising for the delay, its now 50 minutes since landing and no bags yet.