Melbourne Airport (MEL) is the busiest and most significant airport in the state of Victoria, Australia. Located in the suburb of Tullamarine, the airport serves as the primary gateway for international and domestic flights for the state.

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Melbourne Airport was established in the early 1920s, when the Australian government decided to build a permanent airfield in the area. The land chosen was the site of a former farm and was purchased from the estate of the late Sir Robert Anderson, which was later named Anderson Field. The first flight, an Avro 10, took off from the airport in 1920 and it served mainly as a training facility for the Australian Flying Corps during World War I.

The airport was then known as Melbourne Airport, keeping the name of the city it served, and was officially opened in April 1921. The airport underwent several upgrades and improvements, including the installation of a new runway and several hangars. In the 1940s, the airport was further developed to accommodate larger commercial aircraft and the number of passengers at the airport grew rapidly.

The airport was renamed after the late Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Menzies, in 1969. The renaming of the airport was a fitting tribute to Sir Robert Menzies, who was one of the most influential Prime Ministers in Australian history.

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The airport code MEL was determined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in the 1950s and it stands for Melbourne Airport.

Today, Melbourne Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, handling approximately 67 million passengers per year. The airport has four runways and currently offers over 130,000 flights per day to destinations around the world. Airlines that serve the airport include Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and United Airlines.

The airport is also home to a variety of retail, dining and leisure options, as well as a range of transportation services, including shuttle buses, taxi services, and car rental companies.

Overall, Melbourne Airport is an integral part of Victoria’s transportation infrastructure and continues to remain an important hub for international and domestic travelers.