Melbourne Airport has set a new post-pandemic record for monthly aircraft movements, with a total of 19,714 flights arriving or departing last month.
International traffic has more than doubled in the past 12 months with 3,784 flights operating in May compared to 1,740 in the same month last year, while the 744,868 international passengers is 87.6 per cent of the 2019 figure.
Across all four terminals, the monthly total of 2,608,088 passengers represents 90.4 per cent of the 2,885,517 travellers processed in May 2019.
Today a major Victorian growth market received a welcome boost, with Vietnam Airlines launching direct flights between Melbourne and Hanoi.
The new service will operate twice a week using Airbus A350-900 aircraft and complements Vietnam Airlines’ existing flights between Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh City.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said the flights would add extra capacity to one of Victoria’s fastest growing travel markets.
“The launch of today’s service means we now have 60 per cent more capacity flying to and from Vietnam than we did before the onset of COVID,” she said.
“Vietnam Airlines was the first airline to connect Victoria with Vietnam, but this is the first time they have connected the two capitals and we are pleased to see them expanding their offering from Melbourne.
“The increase in both international and domestic capacity is important because it will help put downward pressure on airfares at a time when cost of living pressures are causing strain for many household budgets.
“Melbourne Airport continues to plan for infrastructure such as our third runway to ensure we have room to enable this growth and keep Victorians and Victorian produce moving.”
