Does Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) actually close?

[FlyboyAl]

I have a stupid QF booking in January that will have me into Melb Airport at 10pm, and flying out at 6am the next day.
Don't ask the reasons, I don't want to know!!!
My question is, can I kip at the airport rather than pay for a hotel bed at the airport? Or does it close, and the cleaners will throw me out?
I have QP membership, but I know that is not an option, other than maybe a shower early in the morning before I fly out.
Thanks

 

[TheInsider]

Yes you can stay there, you can stay in any of the three terminals! Just have to find your self a seat.
Qantas baggage hall behind the hotel board there are couches there, just try and nab one of these (although every night there are people there, so very popular)!

 

[harvyk]

The international terminal (T2) land side is the place I've done the O'Nighter at MEL (Red eye flight in, combined with daylight saving time ending combined with "favorable winds" = 2:30am arrival) , it at least had a few food \ coffee shops open. Sitting at T2 at 3am, I've never been so happy to see a McDonalds open where I could get some pancakes...

Forget about sleeping. The chairs are not comfortable, and you always feel like you need to have one eye open to keep an eye on your stuff.

 

[Mattg]

A friend told me that behind the Virgin domestic checkin counters is one of the nicest places in the airport to sleep..

 

[VHOEJ]

Agree with the other comments - they do have flights going at all hours, so they should be open. It is a case of how many food/shop outlets are open at what time.

Unlike BNE which has flights 24 hours a day, there is nothing open landslide after about 11pm until 5am but some of the airside coffee shops stay open at all hours. I stayed there after arriving about the same time and departing on the QF8 at 7:30am so there was plenty of people around, passengers and cleaners. I didn't sleep though, you can never leave your stuff without an eye on them.

 

[Hvr]

Never done it but this site may be of assistance.
Melbourne Tullamarine Airport | Guide and Reviews

 

[harvyk]

Unlike BNE which has flights 24 hours a day, there is nothing open landslide after about 11pm until 5am but some of the airside coffee shops stay open at all hours.

How recently was that, a couple of years ago when I did the o'nighter there, airside (T1, can't speak for the other terminals) was closed off. If you wanted anything such as food, landside T2 was the only place which had places open.

 

[burrco]

Some people I know actually spent a holiday at Tulla once. From memory he was a butcher or more precisely a purveyor of fine meats.

 

[jsd]

Some people I know actually spent a holiday at Tulla once. From memory he was a butcher or more precisely a purveyor of fine meats.

"I'm sorry Sir, But we don't take Blockbuster Video cards"

 

[samh004]

Stayed at MEL before too. Flew in afternoon. Had a night out in the city and then slept in the international (landside) terminal until security, and shortly thereafter, the QP opened.

I slept on a metal bench but I hear there are better spots.




 

[yankinoz]

Yes, I actually stayed overnight at Melb airport. The cleaners do their stuff and just seem to work around you. There are actually flights departing quite late into the morning but there were many people there all night. Its not a comfortable stay and I dont remember getting much sleep but it sure was an "experience".

For entertainment I walked over to the checkin area for some of the mid-east flights (Emirates?) that seemed to be departing as late as 2am. I always get a kick out of watching passengers try to talk their way out of an excessive luggage charge :shock: