Virgin Australia kicks off the upgrade of its domestic terminal at Melbourne Airport. Much of the construction will be completed by year’s end, while the complete overhaul will be ready by mid-2019.

Improvements include a Premium Entry facility for business class and Platinum Gold Velocity Frequent Flyer members, with a dedicated check-in, baggage drop and security screening services.

Some upgrades are rolling out ahead of the full completion. Last month, the airline unveiled its check-in kiosks at the boarding area, plus installed new service pods and desks. The airline said most of its automatic baggage drop machines will be ready by the end of the year.

Extra staff are in place to help travelers navigate the construction zone. “We also want to move our ground crew into more of a concierge-style role, where they are brought out from behind the counters and are able to better assist the needs of our passengers,” said Rob Sharp, Virgin Australia Airlines group executive.

“This is an instrumental project that will streamline and dramatically enhance the check-in experience for Virgin Australia’s guests flying from T3,” said Simon Gandy, Melbourne Airport’s chief of aviation. “It marks the commencement of the broader development plans we have with Virgin Australia for Terminal 3 and importantly it integrates with the wider development works underway throughout the airport.”