YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[bils]

drove by the site today (1pm).

for what it's worth...

still fenced off, but zero action at the site adjacent to BCIT.
lots of action at the templeton location.

[Gordon]

Does anyone have any updates on the Pier A\B Renos.

[SpongeG]

found this in the YEG thread, i didn't know either place had so many daily flights and they are getting one more

Vancouver-Fort St. John 5 daily (from 4 daily) 250 daily seats (from 200)
Vancouver-Nanaimo 7 daily (from 6 daily) 350 daily seats (from 300)

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1055049/...da-deploys-new-q400-aircraft-this-winter

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by bils

drove by the site today (1pm).

for what it's worth...

still fenced off, but zero action at the site adjacent to BCIT.
lots of action at the templeton location.

apparently they have decided to move the outlet mall to the templeton site instead of there - see the retail thread for info

[Vanzunator]

From Oct. 22nd Globe and Mail:

Air Canada’s strategy to branch out into discount international service to and from Vancouver has stalled after the airline suspended talks for a joint venture with Virgin Group Ltd. to launch Pacific flights.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-inv...ier-over-timing-concerns/article4629844/

[officedweller]

BIV article on the business park near Templeton Station:

http://www.biv.com/article/20121002/BIV0111/310029932

and on the outlet mall:

http://www.biv.com/article/20121024/BIV0...ay_October_2410_23_2012&utm_medium=email

[Valley_Refugee]

I thought for sure this would be posted already, but looks like I'm the first one to do it!

Lufthansa is launching daily A330-300 summer seasonal service to Munich next year:

http://airlineroute.net/2012/10/26/lh-mucyvr-s13/

[deasine]

Originally Posted by Vanzunator

From Oct. 22nd Globe and Mail:

Air Canada’s strategy to branch out into discount international service to and from Vancouver has stalled after the airline suspended talks for a joint venture with Virgin Group Ltd. to launch Pacific flights.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-inv...ier-over-timing-concerns/article4629844/

While it would be nice to see another carrier based in Vancouver, especially Virgin, the plan to have Air Canada own one doesn't seem to make sense when their Pacific routes are helping the airline make money. It's the European routes that are facing a lot of stiff competition and running into problems.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by deasine

While it would be nice to see another carrier based in Vancouver, especially Virgin, the plan to have Air Canada own one doesn't seem to make sense when their Pacific routes are helping the airline make money. It's the European routes that are facing a lot of stiff competition and running into problems.

They see the future. There are a lot of Chinese and Korean lines that undercut Air Canada on price. Their low-cost venture was an effort to gain more market share in the lower end. Their pacific business product is pretty good in, but often business travellers will travel JAL or Cathay to Asia.

I really don't see heavy cannibalization of their routes by opening up a low-cost alternative. Rather, I see a way to piggy-back off their brand equity and capture a larger share of the market. If you could fly a Chinese airline or Air Canada Lite for the same price, who would you chose?

[Valley_Refugee]

YVR traffic up 2.8% year-over-year in September:

http://centreforaviation.com/news/vancou...t-pax-up-3-cargo-up-2-in-sep-2012-183337

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Valley_Refugee

I thought for sure this would be posted already, but looks like I'm the first one to do it!

Lufthansa is launching daily A330-300 summer seasonal service to Munich next year:

http://airlineroute.net/2012/10/26/lh-mucyvr-s13/

Been out of action for awhile (in the air more than on the ground) and seemed to have missed a lot over the last few weeks.

This caught me way off guard. I knew LH was looking at adding more YVR capacity, but was not expecting a new route.

Lufthansa's press release is here....

http://presse.lufthansa.com/en/news-releases/singleview/archive/2012/october/26/article/2246.html

[Hourglass]

^
Actually not completely new. IIRC, LH did Munich-YVR on a seasonal basis several years ago, I think 3x/weekly. Let's hope there's enough demand to see it go year-round. Munich is a much more pleasant airport to transit than FRA...

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Vanzunator

From Oct. 22nd Globe and Mail:

Air Canada’s strategy to branch out into discount international service to and from Vancouver has stalled after the airline suspended talks for a joint venture with Virgin Group Ltd. to launch Pacific flights.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-inv...ier-over-timing-concerns/article4629844/

Interesting that AC has mentioned this in the past that they have been having a hard time establishing strong growth out of YVR.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by ACT7

Interesting that AC has mentioned this in the past that they have been having a hard time establishing strong growth out of YVR.

Here's a quote from BNen Smith, EVP at AC that explains some of the problems that AC has at YVR:

Prior to adding nonstop YYZ-PEK/PVG/HKG/NRT year-round daily we routed most of our YYZ-Asia customers via YVR. This traffic made up a significant portion of each YVR-Pacific flight. With the introduction of YYZ-Asia nonstops we've maintained our YVR-Asia capacity without the full support of the YYZ market.

source: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1119422-why-no-yvr-fra-flight-operated-ac.html

[Gordon]

Another reason that AC has trouble establishing strong growth from YVR is the extensive competition from Asian carriers from YVR . our smaller population probably doesn't help.

A more competitive cost structure may help YVR attract more Pacific North west traffic.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Hourglass

^
Actually not completely new. IIRC, LH did Munich-YVR on a seasonal basis several years ago, I think 3x/weekly. Let's hope there's enough demand to see it go year-round. Munich is a much more pleasant airport to transit than FRA...

Correct. Definitely had flights in the past... long time ago. Funny how the article specifically says "for the first time."

In any event, good news for YVR. 221 seater A333 seems like a good size but premium may be a bit high with 8F and 48J.

No press release on YVR website yet... they never seem to jump on new service announcements with any sort of passion. Trying to think the last time a new international route was launched daily. The last few: Sichuan, Virgin Atlantic and China Southern all launched less than daily.

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Cage

Here's a quote from BNen Smith, EVP at AC that explains some of the problems that AC has at YVR:



source: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/1119422-why-no-yvr-fra-flight-operated-ac.html

Don't get me wrong, maintaining is good, but stagnating growth can turn into decline when there's a new entrant. Interestingly, the past two months, Asia-Pacific traffic at YVR has either declined or stalled out. The new entrants are doing just what was said - stealing market share without growing the market. Not that that's a bad thing necessarily for them, just for AC.

[Johnny Aussie]

Just looking at some of the Sept stats - Europe (scheduled) up over 13% yoy.

LH looking to grab some of that action.

Interestingly, it looked like YYC was on a roll gaining more flights to Europe and seemed like almost as many as YVR but what a reversal in the last year. Edelweiss won't be returning to YYC next summer, while maintaining YVR. Virgin Atlantic commenced YVR this year. And then LH pulls out of YYC this year only to add another daily to YVR next year. KLM the exception, going to daily in YYC. KLM also added capacity to YVR with the larger 777.

As for Asia - look for a bit of additional flying next summer.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Gordon

Does anyone have any updates on the Pier A\B Renos.

No, but I would love to know too.

What I do know is that Gate A1 has been removed and replaced with a new location for the Plaza Premium Lounge. So what is to become of the old location, I am unsure. And where will A1 be located now?

Also, bits and pieces of the B side has hoarding up, but again, I am unsure of what is happening there.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Hourglass

^
Actually not completely new. IIRC, LH did Munich-YVR on a seasonal basis several years ago, I think 3x/weekly. Let's hope there's enough demand to see it go year-round. Munich is a much more pleasant airport to transit than FRA...

I think perhaps Munich might serve well as the transfer point to the Eastern European market (Russia and so forth), of which Vancouver seems to have a potential market for, as many Eastern Europeans >>>(with air markets like Prague, Moscow, Kiev, Zagreb, Budapest) >>> have roots here and connections here. So is there a market, first question.

If anyone is willing to venture an answer to this second question ... would this route provide enough Business Class passengers for Lufthansa YVR - Munich? Someone once said that business class is the bread and butter of airlines. If enough Businness Class pax were projected year round, would this not easily become a year round sched.- service?