Canadian Airport Thread

[dsim249]

Originally Posted by vid

Did you subtract the cost of getting to Billings, though?

No I didn't. But I'm going with 3 other people. So I'd be surprised if I have to pay much over $60 for gas. Plus parking for a week. But I have no clue how much that will cost... I'll assume something similar or lesser than what SpongeG payed in Bellingham ($45). Split four ways.

Still saving a very substantial amount of cash.

[Boreal]

Gas is cheap. Extremely cheap actually. Even if you are driving a Dodge Challenger SRT8 you can still drive from Winnipeg to Minneapolis on two tanks of gas. 91 Octane at $1.13 per litre, you can drive there and back for $240. I've driven to Regina with the wind at my back on one tank of gas before in a DOHC V6 ~260hp, no drafting. Certainly a small hop across borders that people are talking about (Bellingham, Grand Forks, etc.) can be done extremely cheaply, even if you are the only person in the vehicle and stop for prime rib and champagne for lunch.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by dsim249

I'd love to support business here. But I'm saving over $700 flying out of Billings, Montana to Phoenix in February for a wedding.

Well it's not always that much though. You have to wait for sales, that's all. Last July, I went from Winnipeg to Quebec City to Ottawa to Winnipeg for $600. Right now I can do that from Winnipeg to Vancouver to Victoria to Winnipeg for next summer for the same price...and it isn't even on sale. Entry taxes into the US for flights make up a large portion too, but the fact that US airports basically don't have to pay for the land they use is the man reason. With all the governments near bankruptcy in the US, I don't expect all the cheap consumerism such as the example to be able to continue.

[Mister F]

There's a lot more to the cost of driving than just gas...

[dsim249]

A lot more? Such as?

I live in Saskatchewan. I'm no stranger to long-ass road trips.

[Airboy]

I agree with mister F, the "uncost"' mainly the time taken to drive. I look at the time to drive to Calgary to get a better(direct) connection, weather conditions and do I really want to sit in the car another few hours after flying.

Bellingham is convenient for Vancouver but you still have to sit at the boarder.

The drive from Saskatoon to Billings is what 5 hours?

But I agree with everyone here the cost to fly in Canada is way to high and this coming from someone who flies the Arctic routes.

I recently got a flight to LHR for 597. after tax and assorted fees its 1100.

[RTD]

Originally Posted by Airboy

The drive from Saskatoon to Billings is what 5 hours?

More like 7.5-8 hours.

[dsim249]

I realize it's not an ideal situation.

But I'm young, and I'm traveling with 3 friends who don't have a ton of disposable income.
And road trips are fun! It'll be an adventure.

If you were looking for flights in my situation, seeing that flights from Saskatoon to Phoenix (Feb 18th) are over $1000 and climb higher every day; then see that flights from Billings to PHX are $290, would you not do the same?

If I was older and had an abundance of disposable income, there is no way I would be driving the 8 hours (good job, RTD ) to Billings. But it is what it is. I am saving several hundred dollars, no matter how you slice it.

[Canadian74]

Originally Posted by dsim249

I realize it's not an ideal situation.

But I'm young, and I'm traveling with 3 friends who don't have a ton of disposable income.
And road trips are fun! It'll be an adventure.

If you were looking for flights in my situation, seeing that flights from Saskatoon to Phoenix (Feb 18th) are over $1000 and climb higher every day; then see that flights from Billings to PHX are $290, would you not do the same?

If I was older and had an abundance of disposable income, there is no way I would be driving the 8 hours (good job, RTD ) to Billings. But it is what it is. I am saving several hundred dollars, no matter how you slice it.

On that date lowest Y fares are sold out and you're looking at flexible Y fares. On other days the flight costs as less as $500 with taxes. Plus, you're only looking at one day, which doesn't mean anything. You aren't taking into account the time you will waste while driving and all other costs associated with it.

Obviously air travel will be more expensive in Canada, look at the market size of USA and Canada. It's basic economics.

You just have to shop around, look for daily deals on AC and WS, etc.

[dsim249]

Uhh wow. I'll just PM you to avoid derailing this thread anymore than I have already.

[SpongeG]

well if it weren't for the border bellingham is practically a suburb of vancouver - the border waits aren't that bad most days - weekends more so but when we went to the airport it was a 5 minute wait no holdups
from where i live in coquitlam its the same distance to west vancouver-horseshoe bay as it is to bellis fair mall in bellingham

[Mister F]

Originally Posted by dsim249

A lot more? Such as?

I live in Saskatchewan. I'm no stranger to long-ass road trips.

Maintenance. The more you drive the more you spend on oil changes, brake jobs, worn out parts, etc. To get the true cost of driving you can generally take the cost of gas and double it.

[PoscStudent]

1.3 million people travelled through St. John's International in 2010, up eight per cent from 2009. Hopefully this will help us get our new runway lights this year, the lights will mean that 99% of flights can land no matter what the weather.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2011-01-25/article-2168825/Airport-traffic-soars-in-St.-Johns/1

[Coldrsx]

That's ridiculous you don't have them.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

That's ridiculous you don't have them.

What?

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

1.3 million people travelled through St. John's International in 2010, up eight per cent from 2009. Hopefully this will help us get our new runway lights this year, the lights will mean that 99% of flights can land no matter what the weather.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2011-01-25/article-2168825/Airport-traffic-soars-in-St.-Johns/1

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

That's ridiculous you don't have them.

I'm guessing runway centreline lights no?

[SpongeG]

do they hire people to stand out there with flashlights or something?

[jmt18325]

I don't think it's really about lights. Isn't it an automated landing system?

[PoscStudent]

They have lights but they're trying to get them upgraded.

The installation of a CAT 3 ILS on our principal runway
will significantly improve the usability of our airport
during extreme fog conditions by lowering the minimum
operational requirements for an aircraft to takeoff and
land. The addition of this technology will increase our
airport usability to 98.9%, placing us on par with the top 8
airports in Canada. It also means that of those 1000 flights
and 100,000 passengers that are presently impacted by
low visibility conditions on an annual basis, 700 flights and
70,000 passengers will arrive and depart on time with the
use of this technology.

http://www.stjohnsairport.com/media_uploads/pdf/259.pdf

[vid]

It took a few months to get the ILS system at our airport up and running, it caused all sorts of problems. Then they expanded the runway a few months later, and we went through the whole thing again.

It seems to be running very smoothly now, though.