YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

As for Asiana, it is still in the rumour box. So who knows. There are a lot of things churning in the rumour box right now. If any of this comes to fruition over the next few months.... we will just have to be patient.

Old aviation proverb, " if you haven't heard a rumor by 10am, make one up".

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

To be fair, the additional frequencies are in fact for the daytime flight. The 2200 departure was always daily. The 1150am flight was the 4 x week flight.

I have a feeling there will be a few announcements on the horizon... Not too far away.

The PEK flight is switching to the daytime flight from night time flight.

The big december announcement is going to be 787 inflight product and destinations. It remains to be seen whether there are any slots left over for yyc-pek.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Cage

The big december announcement is going to be 787 inflight product and destinations. It remains to be seen whether there are any slots left over for yyc-pek.

Being a former Calgarian, I am interested to see how this all unfolds... If there are any slots "left over" hey we'll take the scraps. Gotta start somewhere.

If the issue is "daytime" slots then those appear to have been taken all by the YVR-PEK and the YYZ-PEK flights since last summer there were only 4 weekly daytime flights YVR-PEK. So with that flight going to daily, and with all 10 of the YYZ flights being day time flights, not sure, like you said, if there will be any leftover.

As for all the rumours... for the record, I NEVER start them, but once they are started AND there is evidence to support I will discuss with my 2 bits. I actually did know about Icelandair and YVR but didn't say a word ;-)

Since secondary evidence has come about:

1) ANA new YVR-HND - we know ANA received one pair of Canada slots and somebody "in the know" has stated YVR-HND commencing 30 March 2014. And with Air Canada using their slots for YYZ-HND... this makes sense. So, if this does happen, then have to wait and see what role AC has in all this. If this is a JV as speculated, then I see AC keeping YVR-NRT but downgauging to a 763. The comments by Rovinescu about transferring some services from NRT to HND I believe were in reference to YYZ only. If this includes YVR (as in transfer to HND meaning to ANA as well, since it couldn't be AC metal) I couldn't see ANA only flying a 763 in the summer that would be way too small for the route.
2) Asiana - in 2011 the CEO of Asiana publicly singled out YVR as a future new destination. There is an unsubstantiated rumour that OZ has signed a ground handling contract at YVR for next spring. The moving of the AC flight to a later departure may have some bearing on this too.... who knows. So, again, IF this were to happen, is it a service replacing AC or is it in addition to it?
3) Taiwan-China bilateral increase. The additional weekly frequencies... so where do these go and who gets them (CI or BR?). I am thinking BR gets them and increases YVR and/or YYZ. Why? Star Alliance... and in Australia, EVA Air publicly stated, their preferred model is to develop existing routes to daily before starting new routes, within a country. Now in Canada, they did start YYZ instead of say bumping up YVR. However, I believe part of this is because they were actually restricted based on the current bilateral and they constantly had to seek additional capacity approval each year. On the other hand, this might play into the rumour that there may be an Asian carrier interested in starting a YYC/YEG - Asia flight. I would doubt Taiwan would be it though.
4) AC and all the speculation... Well like you said we all know the announcement(s) is(are) coming soon!

[trofirhen]

With all these increasing frequencies, and the number of Asian airlines already flying into YVR, and possibly more to come ....
If the idea of YVR as a transit point to South America becomes a reality, and if (and it seems possible, reading those BIV articles) there is a new, specially built, visa-free area areas for Asian (esp Chinese) passengers to wait in for their South American connecting flights ...... what kind of destinations, frequencies, and other airlines might we see coming into YVR?
If it comes about, this might be the most exciting and important development at YVR for many-a-year.
Would anyone care to elaborate on this? Such a development would surely catapult YVR a notch or two higher in global importance.

[Spikester]

Originally Posted by cyeg66

Very nice. I love nighttime landings...

I had a memorable nighttime landing this week. YYZ-LGA, south down the Hudson, U-turn over Brooklyn, then northeast back to LGA. Spectacular view of Manhattan out my left-side window.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Spikester

I had a memorable nighttime landing this week. YYZ-LGA, south down the Hudson, U-turn over Brooklyn, then northeast back to LGA. Spectacular view of Manhattan out my left-side window.

I was going to throw in some of my faves but forgot.
One of them was going to be ORD-LGA. Similar path to yours flying parallel to Manhattan.
Another good one was PHX-DCA... the few zig zags before final approach seeing all the monuments lit up at night.
I fly into SIN all the time and usually a night landing.. What amazes me on this approach is the hundreds (yes hundreds) of freighters anchored in the harbour and all their lights dotting along the water with the island city rising behind them for a backdrop.
Nothing beats the old Kai Tak landing at night. Only did that once at night but that was incredible.

[trofirhen]

I remember a couple of times, during kidhood, going in and out of LA at night. Even from an altitude the lights diminish & stop at the San Gabriel and Bernadino moutains, sure.
But southerly, spreading outward, that sea of lights goes to the horizon, the freeways and major boulevards criss-crossing it to seeming infinity. Amazing image, burned into my memory

[Klazu]

@Johnny Aussie: There are many great airports to land on, but I agree with you on all you mentioned. LGA-ORD is a skyscraper treat, DCA is amazing and I also love the ships in front of Singapore. I also loved a morning takeoff from DXB, going past Burj Khalifa and over the Palm Island. BOS also has great urban views night time, as does YYZ. Too many to list, to be honest.

[rsxstock]

does anyone know where the yvr's capacity is at right now? is it measured by gates/terminals leased?

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Spikester

I had a memorable nighttime landing this week. YYZ-LGA, south down the Hudson, U-turn over Brooklyn, then northeast back to LGA. Spectacular view of Manhattan out my left-side window.

What day and airline was that? I was operating a flight this week in which we did that. Had requested the "view route" from Tower and got it! Was pretty amazing!

[Johnny Aussie]

The first "big" announcement for next summer already.

Effective 4 June 2014

5 Daily all on 76-seater CR9s.

Flight schedules available on delta.com. Departures at 0615, 0910, 1200, 1500, 1750.

That's a very short flight for a CR9, only 50 mins block to block.

I was definitely expecting this route especially to tie into the SEA Asian flights, but I wasn't expecting 5 daily throughout the day. Therefore, this is also to tie into the quick development of SEA as a North American hub operation as well. Giving AS some serious competition.

With these new flights Delta (including Express) will have 10 daily flights from YVR plus additional flights to ATL on Wed, Sat and Sun plus DTW on Sat only.

Including AS and AC YVR-SEA will bump up to 19 daily.

I wouldn't be surprised if Delta adds YVR-LAX as well.

[Kapten]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

The first "big" announcement for next summer already.

Effective 4 June 2014

5 Daily all on CR9.

Flight schedules available on delta.com. Departures at 0615, 0910, 1200, 1500, 1750.

That's a very short flight for a CR9, only 50 mins block to block.

I was definitely expecting this route especially to tie into the SEA Asian flights, but I wasn't expecting 5 daily throughout the day. Therefore, this is also to tie into the quick development of SEA as a North American hub operation as well. Giving AS some serious competition.

With these new flights Delta (including Express) will have 10 daily flights from YVR plus additional flights to ATL on Wed, Sat and Sun plus DTW on Sat only.

Including AS and AC YVR-SEA will bump up to 19 daily.

I wouldn't be surprised if Delta adds YVR-LAX as well.

That's big news! Will Delta fly to JFK again next summer from yvr?

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Kapten

That's big news! Will Delta fly to JFK again next summer from yvr?

Oh crap you are right... Sorry jet lagged!

Make that 11 daily including:

MSP 3
SLC 2
JFK 1
SEA 5
ATL 3/wk
DTW 1/wk

[Spikester]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

What day and airline was that? I was operating a flight this week in which we did that. Had requested the "view route" from Tower and got it! Was pretty amazing!

AC 722, Thursday 28 Nov, departed YYZ about 19:40. Thanks for a great ride if that was you.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Including AS and AC YVR-SEA will bump up to 19 daily.

Wow, that's one frequent connection! Perhaps the most frequent connection YVR has? What is this traffic mainly being? Vancouverites connecting in Seattle to different US flights or Americans connecting in Vancouver for our Asia flights? Or is it destination traffic for either airports (Americans coming to Vancouver via Seattle or Asian passangers connecting to Seattle?

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Wow, that's one frequent connection! Perhaps the most frequent connection YVR has? What is this traffic mainly being? Vancouverites connecting in Seattle to different US flights or Americans connecting in Vancouver for our Asia flights? Or is it destination traffic for either airports (Americans coming to Vancouver via Seattle or Asian passangers connecting to Seattle?

Transborder yes, but not even close for all routes.

YYZ, YYC and YYJ all have more frequencies than YVR-SEA.

These flights are pretty much everything you said.

BC people connecting through SEA for other US destinations, Asia and Europe. And Americans flying through YVR for other Canadian destinations, Asia and Europe as well. There is some O&D between YVR and SEA but not that much.

[usog]

Haha forget Bellingham, I hope Seattle starts siphoning more international traffic so we get some decent prices in YVR.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Transborder yes, but not even close for all routes.

YYZ, YYC and YYJ all have more frequencies than YVR-SEA.

These flights are pretty much everything you said.

BC people connecting through SEA for other US destinations, Asia and Europe. And Americans flying through YVR for other Canadian destinations, Asia and Europe as well. There is some O&D between YVR and SEA but not that much.

The flight should do well. Westjet will likely codeshare on the flight (and they code-share on many of the Delta flights). Delta code sharing on the Sky Team flights out of Vancouver as well as Westjet this fairly easily becomes a flight with lots of connecting traffic on either end. This fairy quickly will feel like a connecting flight between two hubs.

Any thoughts on the likelihood in the future of Westjet putting a Q400 on the route.....

[stiffdeadman]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

The first "big" announcement for next summer already.

Effective 4 June 2014

5 Daily all on 76-seater CR9s.

Flight schedules available on delta.com. Departures at 0615, 0910, 1200, 1500, 1750.

That's a very short flight for a CR9, only 50 mins block to block.

I was definitely expecting this route especially to tie into the SEA Asian flights, but I wasn't expecting 5 daily throughout the day. Therefore, this is also to tie into the quick development of SEA as a North American hub operation as well. Giving AS some serious competition.

With these new flights Delta (including Express) will have 10 daily flights from YVR plus additional flights to ATL on Wed, Sat and Sun plus DTW on Sat only.

Including AS and AC YVR-SEA will bump up to 19 daily.

I wouldn't be surprised if Delta adds YVR-LAX as well.

nice to see a transborder addition for once rather then the subtractions of the last few years.

[Gordon]

I think yvr is fairly cost competitive wi Seattle on Asian Flights