Melbourne Airport is set to install a state of the art baggage processing system to improve safety and reliability.
The project will deliver on federal government requirements for upgrades to luggage screening and replace the current system of conveyor belts in the international terminal with a new individual carrier system.
The $500 million project will help support the recovery and growth of international connectivity as airlines add new flights and launch new routes.
Early works on the project have commenced, with the closure of one of the airport’s original domestic gates to facilitate an expanded international terminal footprint.
Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus said the new system would help reduce the number of lost bags.
“Once the new system is operational, we will be able to track every bag at every moment of the journey from check-in to the aircraft,” Ms Argus said.
“Our team will work hard to minimise disruption, but this will be a challenging project because our baggage system is effectively the terminal arteries, so it is like doing open heart surgery while running a marathon.”
The project is due for completion in 2027 and is part of a larger program of works to ensure capacity keeps pace with demand.
