(YEG) Edmonton International Airport Part 4 (October 2023)

[YegFan]

Originally Posted by hehehe

Plus there'll be some, even if just a few, connections on WS into YEG to feed these flights. In the past year WS has added SEA/MSP/ATL/BNA/SFO from YEG and have already increased LAX/MSP, they're on a roll and it's not over yet. I don't think Flair ever flew to SFO 5x weekly from YEG so either way this is a capacity bump.

^ not suggesting that Flair's schedule was better or allowed for connections.

Definitely the WS flights are more reliable.

I am just saying that it's unlikely that Flair will return and serve these routes next summer.

All that is needed are a link to down east (NYC or ORD) and another to the south (DFW or IAH).

[tuffyy]

United will be switching the YEG - DEN route to twice daily mainline A320’s starting March 1.

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

United will be switching the YEG - DEN route to twice daily A320’s starting March 1.

That is a nice uptick. The 150 seater to be retrofitted with United's Signature Interior by 2025
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_fleet

[LO 044]

Is it fair to say that this UA/Star Alliance increase is due to the WS MSP and ATL routes being started up?

[Touch go]

Originally Posted by ace.yyc

Yes, huge bump in seats - this is the "more" I was talking about. May or may not be more still coming from UA for y'all...

For the mainline DEN the start date I heard was March 31 which matches what's currently bookable, so we'll keep on it I guess.

Is this supposed to be year round. United website only shows its until May 22nd then back to E175

[Rocket252]

Porter starting nonstop flights to Montreal Spring 2024.

[Coldrsx]

ORD and IAH are both very attractive options for future growth.

[EdmTrekker]

Great to see but I am wondering what is driving this change for a 285 seater - particularly for March.

"Air Canada during the month of March 2024 is adding Airbus A330-300 aircraft service on Toronto – Edmonton, where the widebody aircraft operates 1 round-trip flight between 01MAR24 and 29MAR24.

AC177 YYZ2025 – 2242YEG 333 D
AC178 YEG0005 – 0558YYZ 333 x7
AC176 YEG0005 – 0558YYZ 333 7

Air Canada operates this route 4 times daily."

https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/231218-acmar24yyzyeg
https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Air_Canada/Air_Canada_Airbus_A330_V4.php

[Altaflyer]

March break. These flights have been in the system for weeks…..

[Rocket252]

On a side note for sun destinations Tulum Mexico has opened their new international airport with flights from Canada starting in 2024. Hopefully YEG can secure some flights there in the future.

The reason I bring this up is that our long time poster Tuffyy had talked about a proposed airport there for some time - finally its built and operational.

Maybe Tuffyy has any comments on this new airport and if he is involved in any way.

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Rocket252

On a side note for sun destinations Tulum Mexico has opened their new international airport with flights from Canada starting in 2024. Hopefully YEG can secure some flights there in the future.

The reason I bring this up is that our long time poster Tuffyy had talked about a proposed airport there for some time - finally its built and operational.

Maybe Tuffyy has any comments on this new airport and if he is involved in any way.

Tulum Airport is operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, a holding company owned by the Mexican military who also had a hand in the construction. The Cancun Airport is operated by Azur, a private company. I would really like to get Tuffyy's take on the Tulum airport project in general - as national media report lots of issues like water leaking through the roof on Inauguration Day. There are not a ton of all-in hotels in the Tulum area at this point but I imagine with the Maya Train also being constructed with a stop in Tulum - tourism demand will skyrocket and a lot more all-inclusive hotels will be constructed near Tulum but also the Chetumal and Bacalar areas (where I am headed in February).

[Coldrsx]

That was just a permeable solution to reduce GHGs and improve humidity.

[Rocket252]

Originally Posted by EdmTrekker

Tulum Airport is operated by Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, a holding company owned by the Mexican military who also had a hand in the construction. The Cancun Airport is operated by Azur, a private company. I would really like to get Tuffyy's take on the Tulum airport project in general - as national media report lots of issues like water leaking through the roof on Inauguration Day. There are not a ton of all-in hotels in the Tulum area at this point but I imagine with the Maya Train also being constructed with a stop in Tulum - tourism demand will skyrocket and a lot more all-inclusive hotels will be constructed near Tulum but also the Chetumal and Bacalar areas (where I am headed in February).

That area is going to see a lot of expansion as a result of this new airport. I remember it was always flying into Cancun then getting on the bus for an hour and a half drive to the area.

[taras]

Does anyone know the history behind why gates at YEG are numbered the way they are?

Why are they only (mostly) even numbered? There's no way you would have the corresponding odd-numbered gate on the opposite side of the pier/terminal.

Why are Gate 7 and 49 the only odd-numbered gates? Why have 49A-I and not give them each their own number?

Why was the bridge to Gate 60 blocked and rendered useless when Gates 62+ were added? The jetway is still there!

So many questions!

[LO 044]

Originally Posted by taras

Does anyone know the history behind why gates at YEG are numbered the way they are?

Why are they only (mostly) even numbered? There's no way you would have the corresponding odd-numbered gate on the opposite side of the pier/terminal.

Why are Gate 7 and 49 the only odd-numbered gates? Why have 49A-I and not give them each their own number?

Why was the bridge to Gate 60 blocked and rendered useless when Gates 62+ were added? The jetway is still there!

So many questions!

What are you talking about? There is no inconsistency. You have Gate 7 then Gates 8-18 then you jump to Gate 49. I see no issues lol.

My guess is someone thought that making the gates larger in number make the airport sound larger than it is. Marketing? I don't think any of the expansion plans called for 24 aircraft bridges to be installed at the north terminal.

One thing I think I figured out is if you look at Google Maps, the remote parking stands are all odd numbers. In front of the south terminal, they start at 51 and go up by 2 all the way up to 105 located by the airbridge to Gate 88. I find it interesting that there are stands next to air bridges numbered 50A, 64A, 68A, 72A, 76A and 80A. Not sure what these are all about but perhaps these are stands where the aircraft parks and you deplane by stairs although I don't know if YEG has any doors that you can literally enter and exit to the apron.

At the north terminal you have remote parking stands 21 then 27 and up by 2 to 37. Similar to the south terminal you have stands next to air bridges numbered 14A, 16A and 16B.

What's interesting further north is FedEx parking stands numbered 1, 2 and 2A but this can't be part of the passenger gates as the DHL/CargoJet stands south of the south terminal are 1-7 with a 2A and a 4A.

There are definitely numbers missing and the cargo numbers overlap so i'm not sure what the overall process was and is for numbering gates including remote stands and airbridges.

[Base]

Originally Posted by LO 044

What are you talking about? There is no inconsistency. You have Gate 7 then Gates 8-18 then you jump to Gate 49. I see no issues lol.

My guess is someone thought that making the gates larger in number make the airport sound larger than it is. Marketing? I don't think any of the expansion plans called for 24 aircraft bridges to be installed at the north terminal.

One thing I think I figured out is if you look at Google Maps, the remote parking stands are all odd numbers. In front of the south terminal, they start at 51 and go up by 2 all the way up to 105 located by the airbridge to Gate 88. I find it interesting that there are stands next to air bridges numbered 50A, 64A, 68A, 72A, 76A and 80A. Not sure what these are all about but perhaps these are stands where the aircraft parks and you deplane by stairs although I don't know if YEG has any doors that you can literally enter and exit to the apron.

At the north terminal you have remote parking stands 21 then 27 and up by 2 to 37. Similar to the south terminal you have stands next to air bridges numbered 14A, 16A and 16B.

What's interesting further north is FedEx parking stands numbered 1, 2 and 2A but this can't be part of the passenger gates as the DHL/CargoJet stands south of the south terminal are 1-7 with a 2A and a 4A.

There are definitely numbers missing and the cargo numbers overlap so i'm not sure what the overall process was and is for numbering gates including remote stands and airbridges.

My thought on the jump in numbers isn't that they want it to sound bigger than it is but perhaps to leave numbers available for the expansion of the north terminal and new gate numbers to slot in (without renumbering all gates later on).

[skingjack]

Westjet’s new ground crew contractor certainly not an improvement.25 minutes so far and bags are still showing on the plane. 25 minutes before they advised that our bags were even coming. Grrr

[Altaflyer]

Originally Posted by skingjack

Westjet’s new ground crew contractor certainly not an improvement.25 minutes so far and bags are still showing on the plane. 25 minutes before they advised that our bags were even coming. Grrr

But are they cheaper? Bag handling is pretty much an afterthought for most airlines it seems.

[Rocket252]

Maybe a good time to think about packing light and avoiding checked baggage when possible.

We have used carryon luggage and backpacks for a number of trips. No issues.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

I avoid checking in my luggage. The wait is too damn long and I simply do not trust baggage handlers. With carry-on luggage I pack light and will use a laundromat when I can.