Originally Posted by losername (Post 6858303)

What, will all those bags that make riding the Canada Line so cumbersome for you? Surely hopping on any of the dwnt streetcar lines with those bags would be much easier no? or walking 6-10 blocks with them.

Originally Posted by hipster duck (Post 6858430)

In order to understand why some Torontonians are very defensive of the fares, you have to understand the context.

For years, the fare of the Union Pearson Express was not revealed and many speculated - from offhand remarks - that it would be exorbitant; somewhere north of $30. The original proposal was called "Blue 22" because it was supposed to take 22 minutes and cost $22. That was over ten years ago, so people basically thought that that was the lowest the price could ever be and, because of inflation, it was almost certainly more.

Much to the surprise of many, the prices were revealed this past month to be quite reasonable: $19 if you have a Smart Card (which is an incentive to ride more public transit when you get to your destination), $10 for airport workers. Even the $27 fare for people who don't buy and use a Smart Card is somewhat reasonable for your average business traveler.

Despite this revelation, a lot of Torontonians still took to newspaper message boards to moan about how this was some sort of luxury service and how the prices were unreasonable because they weren't the same as basic public transit, etc. It grew very tiresome. Lost in all this rhetoric was a realization that the upgraded rail corridor won't just be used by the airport rail link, but is necessary for future public transit improvements along the corridor. Also lost in all the mud-slinging was the fact that the existing public transit connections to the airport aren't getting axed; in fact, they are getting upgraded (the TTC bus will get a new branding, its own line on the subway map, and luggage racks). Finally, as Caltrane mentioned, the price isn't set in stone. If it isn't profitable, the private company that runs this service can always lower the fare or tinker with incentives. Suggesting that the service will be of limited use because people with bags still have to get to their final destination is a moot point. No train will do that for you. That hasn't prevented rail links in other cities from being profitable and well used.

This isn't a case of Torontonians slavishly defending a project because it happens to be in Toronto. In fact, many of the forumers who are defending this project were harshly critical of the price of UPx up until 3 weeks ago when the actual fares were revealed. In light of this, I think most of the Toronto forumers here are actually being quite rational about this.

Originally Posted by caltrane74 (Post 6857734)

A top executive like yourself (or Whippersnapper) at First Canadian Place would know that all the big bank towers are across the street from Union Station. FCP is a 2 or 3 min walk and a 1 minute cab ride in traffic with a 4 dollar fair plus tip. If you work in the bank towers or have meetings there burning 5 or 6 bux on cab fair for a 1/2 minute ride is par for the course I guess. I wouldn't know I've never worked in a one of those towers except for a brief stint doing some business development for investment bank at Brookfield place which is right across the street from Union Station and also connected via underground tunnels. The UPX was created for guys like you high flyers of finance, when you get to Union Station there is no where else to go, you are 1 minute walking from King and Bay the heart of Canada's Banking, Finance, Investment, Accounting and Legal Community.

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew (Post 6857818)

Well wouldn't that be the case for any business traveller going to any city? I doubt they will care about cab fare. Some of these comments are just silly.

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse (Post 6858199)

No one's on a high horse; some of you are just being irrational in the way you're reacting to someone because they're saying something you'd rather not hear. He never made any claims about the travel patterns of anyone else but himself - it was other people like yourself who fancy themselves as mind readers regarding the larger business traveling public. But it's always possible to be wrong when it comes to speculating about third parties. Yet he's an actual out-of-towner who visits for business so regardless of how similar or different he is from other such people, you have the perspective of one such person at your disposal.

Originally Posted by 1overcosc (Post 6864970)

I would love to see UPX ridership stats that break down who takes it, after its been up and running for a while.

I'm curious how the split will be between:
-Out-of-towners flying in & using UPX to get downtown
-Torontionians using it to get the airport
-Southern Ontarians using it to make a VIA-to-flight connection from their home cities

As for the third category, I can assure anyone skeptical that UPX will see a healthy share of the Kingston->Pearson Airport travel demand. Nobody in Kingston flies to Toronto unless they're filthy rich or expensing the trip as Air Canada typically adds over $500 to a flight if a Kingston leg is added. Driving is a pain because of Toronto traffic and parking costs a fortune. Plus much of the Kingston->Pearson Airport demand is driven by Queen's University's large number of international & out-of-province students who need to get to and from their home cities at Christmas & the beginning and end of the school year.. and these are people who don't have cars in Kingston.

Originally Posted by SkahHigh (Post 6874187)

According to this, Hainan Airlines AND Air China will be operating routes to Beijing from YUL... Hainan starting on June 1st and Air China on September 28

http://www.anna.aero/2015/01/09/cana...9ca04-86634934

Originally Posted by ACT7 (Post 6876552)

Can't see that lasting unfortunately. Especially with the proposed Havana tag-on from Air China. There just isn't the Chinese tourism or population in Montreal to support two flights to PEK in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Airboy (Post 6876352)

Nice I will get to see this at YVR next Thursday.

Originally Posted by craneSpotter (Post 6877785)

It will be interesting to see if YMM passed YQR this year. Although I think growth in YMM this year will be flat, possibly negative.

YMM - 2014 total pax 1,310,196 (+9.6%)

http://www.flyymm.com/media/facts-and-stats

Originally Posted by Dirt_Devil (Post 6878288)

Strong growth for Fort Mac in 2014. Anyone knows how Regina Intl' performed in 2014?

As you said, I can see YMM stagnating this year depending on we know what. They got a shiny new terminal which looks very nice btw.