The biggest change since 1970 is coming to Melbourne Airport on Tuesday and an instructional video meant to help travellers transition to the new pick-up system has been met with fierce backlash.
Melbourne Airport posted a mock video on Sunday showing the journey Qantas, Virgin Australia and all international arrivals will need to walk to get picked up by family or friends.
Instead of getting picked up kerbside, travellers will now have to cross the pedestrian crossings, enter the ‘T123 Transport Hub’, take the lifts or escalators to level 2, then turn left out the lifts before turning right and continuing to walk to the undercover pick-up area. When their ride arrives, they will then need to walk to the correct zone.
The walk is about 175 to 365 metres depending on exactly where someone is coming from and going. (Watch in the video player above).
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The change is intended to ease traffic congestion and make room for a major expansion of the international terminal.
However, the instructional videos on Facebook and Instagram were flooded with hundreds of comments complaining about the distance, with many sharing concerns for elderly and mobility-impaired travellers.
“Good grief – are you supplying transport? What about those who can’t walk a million miles?” one person wrote.
“This is dreadful. Especially for people with mobility impairment or with young kids and loads of luggage,” said another.
“Better not have a toddler/young child in hand or have any mobility issues. That’s a LONG and confusing walk with either of those,” added a third critic.
“OMG! I’ll need a Uber to get me from the drop off to the terminal! This is insane!” one person said sarcastically.
“Genuinely thought this was satire,” someone else claimed.
“Get them to pick you up from Sydney airport and drive back to Melbourne, it’ll be quicker!” another joked.
Melbourne Airport replied to individual concerns, ensuring passengers there was a complimentary accessibility service with buggies and wheelchairs that could be pre-booked or arranged on the day by calling 0492 868 960.
From Tuesday, the service will be available from 3am to 1am, and as the airport assured one concerned Facebook user: “we’ve bought a lot of buggies”.
The airport told news.com.au three new buggies were dedicated to this new journey, as well as powered wheelchairs.
One comment attracting hundreds of likes in support highlighted the instructional video had “not a disabled person in sight, no wheel chairs, mobility frames, elderly travellers, crutches”, to which the airport agreed “this is an oversight”.
“We should have had a more diverse group of travellers in the video,” Melbourne Airport said.
Those asking where the travelators were, were told moving walkways would be considered in the next phase of the international terminal expansion.
Preliminary works will begin soon and when built, the terminal will be closer to the new pick-up and drop-off zones.
Other Melburnians took the opportunity to express ongoing frustration at the fact the second busiest airport in Australia is still not accessible by train, contributing to the traffic congestion that required a new pick-up and drop-off system to be established.
Cars will be able to spend only five minutes in the pick-up and drop-off zones for free, so it is recommended drivers use the airport’s wait zone on Mercer Drive near the Tullamarine Freeway for free up to 60 minutes until the traveller is ready in the new pick-up area.
Uber, taxi and SkyBus zones have not moved. Pick-up and drop-off zones for terminal four (used by Jetstar) remain separate.
Maps and guides are available on the airport’s website.
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