International touch down at Avalon Airport

The first international flight has arrived at Victoria's newest airport terminal on Wednesday.

Signage at the official opening of the Avalon International Terminal.

Avalon Airport, near Melbourne, will receive its first international passenger flight on Wednesday. (AAP)

The first overseas passenger flight has arrived at Victoria's newest international airport.

AirAsia X flight D7 218 from Kuala Lumpur landed just before 8.20am at Avalon Airport on Wednesday, after the opening of the airport's international terminal three days earlier.

"This purpose-built no-frills facility has today become one of the most important international hubs AirAsia flies to outside of Southeast Asia," airline spokesman Nadda Buranasiri said in statement.

The Malaysian budget airline has permanently moved its twice-daily Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne service from Tullamarine to Avalon which is about a 20-minute drive from Geelong.

More than 500,000 visitors are expected to pass through the airport in the first year and it has been built with room for more international airlines.

The new terminal cost $48 million, with the federal government contributing $20 million and the state government also providing support.

The airport is owned by trucking magnate Lindsay Fox's company Linfox, with son and Linfox Airports Chairman David expected to be on the flight.


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Source: AAP



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