Located in southeastern Australia, Melbourne is the second largest metropolitan area in the Oceania Region. While temperatures are typically moderate, winter in the Northern Hemisphere makes December through February the peak season for traveling to Australia. In addition to its pleasant climate, the city is home to headquarters of several Australian companies, regional headquarters for a number of global corporations and it a key location for transportation-related businesses like Bombardier and Boeing.
When operating to Melbourne, which is located on the northern bank of Port Phillip, on a private aircraft, Melbourne Airport (MEL / YMML) and Essendon Airport (MEB / YMEN) are both popular choices. Melbourne Airport is the busiest in the area and Essendon is popular for general aviation and cargo flights. In-flight catering for flights departing Melbourne is available out of both airports through the Air Culinaire Worldwide Network.
Melbourne’s event calendar is full of sports, festivals, culinary and artistic experiences. The year starts off with the Australian Open, which is the first Grand Slam of the year. Next up is the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival held in March, where you can decide to indulge in gourmet offerings or participate in a master class. Also in March is the Melbourne Fashion Festival, featuring hundreds of designers from around the world on multiple runways and Moomba Festival, Australia’s largest (and arguably most colorful) cultural event. If you are operating to Melbourne during Australia’s winter months (June through August), be sure to check out the Melbourne International Film Festival, one of the world’s oldest festivals dedicated to this topic.
Australian cuisine is a unique combination of indigenous, Asian and Western influences. Here you will find dim sum and chiko rolls (similar to spring rolls) alongside hamburgers (fried beef on a toasted roll), meat pie and pea soup. Coffee and tea are both popular here, but with tea mainly enjoyed at home and coffee in public.
When interacting with locals, stick with a standard “Hello” instead of trying to emulate them with “G’day.” It is also best to avoid commenting on accents. When speaking, maintain eye contact as this shows the other party you are interested and engaged in the conversation. If dining out, etiquette is the same as in most of Europe. When it is time to pay, the Australian dollar (AUD) is the local currency (major credit cards are accepted) and tips are usually around 10% for good service.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this article or in-flight catering in Melbourne, contact weborders@airculinaire.com.
