Can Recent SaaS Optimization at Melbourne Airport Improve Implementation of Australian Biosecurity and Customs Laws?

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 11, 2025 — The Melbourne Airport, which caters to almost 31 million passengers, has recently seen a transformation from its legacy back-office systems to a modern software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform built on Microsoft Dynamics 365.

The airport is also working with KPMG Australia’s Managed Services team to get the most value from this platform, using strategic SaaS management to turn it into a growth enabler.

However, a larger question from a security and customs point of view is whether AI-based technologies such as Agentic AI and SaaS could enhance implementation of the already firm Australian biosecurity and customs laws.

Notably, the Australian government controls the movement of people and goods across its borders. These heightened measures are imposed in order to protect Australia's environment, economy, health and wellbeing, and security.

Traditionally, a common scene at Australian airports has been that of officers screening luggage using detector dogs, X-ray machines, and baggage inspection. With AI-based technology, the security surveillance systems, as well as the database of passenger influx, are becoming highly centralised now.

The successful managed services relationship between Melbourne Airport and KPMG has also paved the way for other KPMG advisory services to help the airport build resilience. For instance, the airport is tapping the cloud and platform engineering expertise of KPMG Australia to help with a data center refresh.

Know More on Role of SaaS in Airport Security

SaaS Optimization and Security: SaaS has gained huge prominence in airport security by providing cloud-based, scalable, and real-time solutions that traditional on-premise systems often cannot match. Its role spans multiple layers of airport operations and security management, such as passenger screening, identity management, access control, and staff security. Video Surveillance and Analytics (VMS as a Service) is also a key value addition of new-age technology to airports.

Hi-Tech Baggage Screening: The integration of SaaS solutions with baggage handling systems to monitor and conduct luggage screening in real-time is being embraced at several major airports.

Cargo security SaaS platforms enable compliance with customs and security regulations and monitor high-risk shipments. SaaS in airport security enhances agility, scalability, real-time intelligence, and cost efficiency, while enhancing both passenger safety and operational efficiency.

Smooth Passenger Handling: With round-the-clock operations that run 365 days a year, Melbourne Airport has the least leeway for disruption or downtime that could keep passengers from boarding a plane. This is the reason why resilience in day-to-day operations is the airport’s top priority in technology.

As per the KPMG report, a key part of that resilience is using data from airport applications to make decisions, from forecasting passengers to allocating gates to airlines. However, that sometimes requires SaaS integration services across disparate systems and business processes.

How Can Tech Enhancement Improve On-Ground Operations?

As per the KPMG report, the launch of a SaaS platform is not the finish line; rather, it is the start of a change-management journey of challenges and opportunities. That’s especially true when an organization is in growth mode, needing to get the right functionality from its ERP.

In case the teams struggle to get their work done on the platform, they may pursue workarounds that create more of the tech debt that SaaS was meant to reduce. That’s one reason Melbourne Airport sought to embed the use of D365 throughout the organization, the report has revealed.

For instance, when some field engineers at the airport were struggling to locate equipment, the managed services team stepped in to configure the longitude/latitude field in the Enterprise Asset Management module, enabling the field services department to provide more accurate geotagging.

Another part of ongoing change management is the day-to-day handling of incidents, which for Melbourne Airport has included centralized tech support, efficient triage of tickets, analytics on recurring issues, fast resolution, and ultimately improved trust in the platform by end users. However, in managed services for SaaS optimization, ticketing systems are just the beginning.

In fact, according to the 2024–2025 KPMG and HFS Research Cloud Adoption Survey, organizations that do not receive the expected value from SaaS tend to view ongoing platform management as an IT maintenance issue, not as a driver of business impact.

Today, with the help of SaaS managed services, Melbourne Airport has a nimble, responsive D365 environment that not only keeps operations stable but can also flex to meet ambitious growth plans, accommodate changing business requirements, and take the organization to new heights.

By integrating cloud-based SaaS with AI and managed services, Melbourne Airport is improving security, optimizing passenger and cargo handling, and creating a resilient platform that supports future growth.

Inputs from Saqib Malik

Editing by David Ryder