Canadian Airport Thread II

[Dominion301]

YHU terminal construction pics: https://forum.agoramtl.com/t/nouvelle-ae...ntreal-aeroport-de-saint-hubert/6339/105

At the same time, happy 18th birthday to PD: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241023132055/en.

Porter are now old enough to vote.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by whatnext

A lot more than just the previously reported 80 layoffs at Transat

Air Transat laying off hundreds of flight attendants, says cuts are temporary
Updated Oct. 23, 2024 1:22 p.m. PDT

Air Transat says it is laying off as many as 400 flight attendants, but plans to bring them back to work at some point, a move one expert called “a little unusual.”

Montreal-based international tour operator Transat A.T. Inc., which runs the Air Transat airline, confirmed in an email to CTVNews.ca Wednesday that the temporary layoffs will affect 350 to 400 staff starting Nov. 1....

....Air Transat's move is "a little unusual," said commercial aviation expert John Gradek.

"Typically, you'd see a slight reduction in seasonal workforces," said Gradek, faculty lecturer in supply networks and aviation management at McGill University. "This one is a little too, too large for me. "

While the company said financial challenges and reduced travel demand aren’t a factor behind the temporary layoffs, Gradek said there is concern about its survival.....

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/air-tran...attendants-amid-financial-woes-1.7084191

Further to this, wouldn't Transat be heading into peak demand for some sun destinations? Are their advance booking that weak for the holidays?

[Dominion301]

YOW's traffic recovery slowed substantially in September:

Sector / Sep-23 / Sep-24 / % Change
Dom: 300,789 / 305,775 / +1.7%
TB: 38,599 / 46,234 / +19.8% - I'd guess most of this gain is the daily MCO
Int'l: 8,672 / 13,377 / +54.3%
TTL: 348,060 / 365,386 / +5.0%

Sector / YTD 2023 / YTD 2024 / % Change
Dom: 2,435,728 / 2,497,588 / +2.5%
TB: 403,677 / 574,389 / +42.3%
Int'l: 221,137 / 333,918 / +51.0%
TTL: 3,060,542 / 3,405,895 / +11.3%

Sept % of traffic recovered vs 2019 / YTD recovered vs 2019
Sector / % recovered Sept 2024 vs 2019 / YTD 2024 vs YTD 2019
Dom: 90.3% / 82.8%
TB: 99.5% / 108.2%
Int'l: 58.3% / 99.1%
TTL: 89.6% / 87.6%

12 Months Rolling / % Change vs Year End 2022
Dom: 3,264,759 / +20.5%
TB: 746,845 / +292.4%
Int'l: 429,663 / +326.9%
TTL: 4,441,267 / +48.0%

[LO 044]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Further to this, wouldn't Transat be heading into peak demand for some sun destinations? Are their advance booking that weak for the holidays?

I wish they flew to sun destinations out west. WestJet must be making a killing with the prices they are charging and since they now own Sunwing, there goes any competition out of YEG and many other cities. Yes we have Flair but I still can't risk it with them and they seemed to have lowered the bar by offering many red eye sun flights which our family is not a fan of. On top of that, WS seems to have shifted some of their flights to red eyes as well. Looking at it purely from a sun destination competition perspective, I'm a little surprised the competition bureau allowed this merger. Then again they let Rogers buyout Shaw and that has become a fiasco for the customer.

[kwoldtimer]

The problem with flying Air Transat is that you have to fly Air Transat.

[Dominion301]

YWG normally publishes pax stats quarterly in blocks of 3 months at a time, but this time only published July, so here it is, along with YTD:

Sector / Jul-23 / Jul-24 /% Change
Dom: 386,772 /375,649 / -2.9%
TB: 21,814 / 36,181 / +65.9%
Int'l: 0 / 0 / #DIV/0!
TTL: 408,586 / 411,830 / +0.8%

Sector / YTD 2023 / YTD 2024 / % Change
Dom: 2,043,228 / 2,002,255 / -2.0%
TB: 177,742 / 261,573 / +47.2%
Int'l: 119,626 / 152,130 / +27.2%
TTL: 2,340,596 / 2,415,958 / +3.2%

July % of traffic recovered vs 2019 / YTD vs 2019
Dom: 97.5% / 90.8%
TB: 101.0% / 89.6%
Int'l: N/A / 98.9%
TTL: 97.3% / 91.2%

[Calfan12]

Air Canada 5th Freedom flight - Calgary YYC-London LHR- Delhi DEL / DEL-LHR-YYC starts this Friday October 26 2024.

https://simpleflying.com/air-canada-new-boeing-787-dreamliner-5th-freedom-indian-route-via-europe/

[thenoflyzone]

Finally some proper plans for the expansion of YUL ! A lot to unpack.

See screenshots 2 posts down.

New satellite building pretty much on the current taxiway C (former runway 10/28). This we knew. Phase 1, which is planned to be operational by summer 2028, is for it to accommodate 12 widebodies or 24 narrowbodies for international and domestic flights. Airport capacity will increase to 30 million. Further phases will double those gate numbers, and the passenger capacity will increase from 35 million in 2035 to 45 million in 2048.

A 400m tunnel passing underneath the main apron will connect it to the main terminal building. It will service passengers, the baggage handling system (BHS), and ground service equipment (GSE).

The transborder jetty is getting an extension of 5-6 gates, some of which will cater to widebodies. This is a good idea, as AC uses widebodies on routes to FLL, LAX, SFO.

A lot of new taxiways will also be built in order to accommodate this new setup.

The aeroquai and the domestic jetty will disappear. Good riddance to both ! The main terminal building will fatten up.

Eventually, the deicing facility will need to be moved as well, by the looks of it.

Ooof ! A lot of work. Good luck ADM ! Between this work on the airside, and the work planned in order to expand the road network leading to the terminal + the REM on the landside, YUL will be a construction site for the next 20+ years.....

Maybe I should bid to move to YYC tower. Construction over there is mostly done !

[thenoflyzone]

screenshots of the plan below...

[thenoflyzone]

Source: ADM

[Dominion301]

So even in future there will always be remote bussed stands as part of the plans...obviously that's a way cheaper option.

[thenoflyzone]

It would be foolish to remove all remote stands. As an example, the majority of TS's fleet is at YUL. Their maintenance hangar apron area doesn't have enough room for all of them, so most are parked at remote stands and get towed in to the gates when needed. That need will always remain.

Same goes with flights that get towed to remote stands due to a long layover between inbound and outbound flights. Ex. Qatar Airways.

This being said, when the satellite terminal comes online in 2028 (assuming it's on time, which is a big IF !), it will greatly reduce the number of remote stand boarding ops at YUL. 12 widebody/24 narrowbody gates is quite the increase from the current offering. And that's just half of it !

I have to say, these plans look good. Very good ! It's well thought out, and it makes sense. The previous plan from 2018 looked nice, but didn't make sense. It would have created huge aircraft movement bottlenecks on the ground. ADM is finally on the right track, and making the right moves.

[Dominion301]

Definitely a huge improvement. A dual taxiway around most terminal ops is an absolute must.

[SignalHillHiker]

A few shots of the airport this morning.

[YYCguys]

@SignalHillHiker those are amazing photos! YYT is such a cute airport and has good amenities for its size!

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

@SignalHillHiker those are amazing photos! YYT is such a cute airport and has good amenities for its size!

YYT has really improved in the last number of years. The Yellowbellies past security to the Airport Site Hotels the whole operation has really improved.

Now about that windy walk to pick up the rental.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Definitely a huge improvement. A dual taxiway around most terminal ops is an absolute must.

Indeed.

And while were on the subject of bussing operations, according to the timeline in the first screenshot, it seems the underground tunnel won't be operational by 2028. So when phase 1 of the satelline terminal is built, there will be heavy bussing operations in order to get the passengers to that terminal, at least for a few years, it seems.

Originally Posted by Dartguard

YYT has really improved in the last number of years. The Yellowbellies past security to the Airport Site Hotels the whole operation has really improved.

Now about that windy walk to pick up the rental.

lol...I had a cold and windy walk from the terminal to the control tower, back in 2017, in the month of June, no less ! That's far longer than the walk to the rental car park.

But yes, a nice airport. The biggest improvement there though, as far as I'm concerned, is the upgrade of the main runway to CAT III status from both ends. That has, by far, the biggest benefit for Newfoundlanders, which is to be able to complete their flight, even in the worst of weather.

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

French Bee finally loaded its flights to YUL.

https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/241017-bf2q25yul

Wanted to post this last week, right after the French Bee news, but i forgot.

Seems Corsair has removed YUL from its schedules and website for next summer. Don't know for sure if they aren't resuming it, but from all indications so far, they will not be flying to YUL next summer. They've been flying to YUL for a number of years now, so seems strange that they abandon the route without at least a fight.

[SignalHillHiker]

A couple more from today's milk run.

After leaving St. John's...
















St. Anthony, NL (1 hour, 15 minutes from St. John's)






Entering Labrador, swinging back around to Quebec.










Blanc Sablon, QC (a 14-minute flight from St. Anthony at 4,000 feet)






Back into Labrador.






Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL (45 minutes from Blanc Sablon)

[zahav]

I hope Air Transat pulls through! Once upon a time, it defined vacation travel across the country, not just YUL and YYZ. They were synonymous with Cancun, PV, Cuba, they were the most prominent vacation provider IMO, even outside YYZ & YUL. And then their European summer offerings were always popular for a cheap option, again even here in YVR. They outlasted/killed off Canada3000, Canjet, Harmony, Sunquest/Signature Vacations/Skyservice, Zoom, and probably others I'm forgetting! These airlines very much paralleled many of AT's offerings. not entirely, but often. And they all folded, with AT lasting. But lately it seems worrying, and a big cause is WS and AC really started gunning for the sun and leisure markets more than ever. Not just with Rouge, but overall, they started being so dominant on Caribbean routes more than before. And AT is struggling, when I think back to their offerings across Canada compared to now, it's a shell of itself everywhere other than YYZ and YUL. Probably mostly for nostalgia reasons, I hope they hang on.

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by zahav

I hope Air Transat pulls through! Once upon a time, it defined vacation travel across the country, not just YUL and YYZ. They were synonymous with Cancun, PV, Cuba, they were the most prominent vacation provider IMO, even outside YYZ & YUL. And then their European summer offerings were always popular for a cheap option, again even here in YVR. They outlasted/killed off Canada3000, Canjet, Harmony, Sunquest/Signature Vacations/Skyservice, Zoom, and probably others I'm forgetting! These airlines very much paralleled many of AT's offerings. not entirely, but often. And they all folded, with AT lasting. But lately it seems worrying, and a big cause is WS and AC really started gunning for the sun and leisure markets more than ever. Not just with Rouge, but overall, they started being so dominant on Caribbean routes more than before. And AT is struggling, when I think back to their offerings across Canada compared to now, it's a shell of itself everywhere other than YYZ and YUL. Probably mostly for nostalgia reasons, I hope they hang on.

Interestingly, it's hard to feel the AT struggle from here. I often drive to YUL for sun flights as there are more options, I prefer the larger AT planes compared to Sunwing and I hate Rouge. Just booked my March break to Punta Cana and there were 8 different daily flight combinations to choose from. Ottawa had one (shitty) option.