YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[Cage]

I have gone back an reviewed the youtube tape. It appears that all YVR has done is maintained the possibility that at some point in the future there exists a possibility for international/domestic swing gates on pier A/B. I just hope this plan never comes to fruition.

My major beef is with the primary A/B tennant, WS is well known for demanding renovations to suit their needs only not require them a few years after the airport has installed the renos. The YVR example is the dual loading bridges on the A pier. Built by YVRAA, used by WS extensively for a few years and then almost completely discarded, only to be brought back for a few limited use.

YYC however has its share of WS mix ups. For example WS wanted flow through open style checkin, YYCAA paid for the renos only to have WS leave the area 3 years after install. On the flip side, atleast WS paid for the dual bridges on gate 40. The replacement for the dual bridge gate was an extra area for WS Encore with 4 ground load positions. Nice area but totally useless money spend once international terminal opens.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Cage

I have gone back an reviewed the youtube tape. It appears that all YVR has done is maintained the possibility that at some point in the future there exists a possibility for international/domestic swing gates on pier A/B. I just hope this plan never comes to fruition.

Upon review again it certainly was clear the extension and renos to A/B have the future in mind which is so important with airport expansions these days. Who knows what they have up their sleeves but good to see they are not relying on their current position as the be all end all to the future. YVR is ramping itself up to remain competitive with whatever competition there is going to be out there and there will be plenty. Ease of connections and rapid baggage transfers are going to be critical factors. Also the enhanced food options will be a nice bonus.

[deasine]

Regarding WS/swing gates, I don't think this was designed particularly for WS per say. If you look at the Masterplan for YVR, there was previous discussion of not separating terminals by destination type (domestic, int'l, transborder), but rather by airline. The reason why such a layout is better is it allows smoother int'l connections. Currently, WS passengers connecting onwards to CI flights for instance (and this has existed prior to the codeshare agreement) have quite a long transfer at YVR. Bringing these closer together will improve connections.

[craneSpotter]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

What is the Gateway Project?

I suspect she is referring to the air corridor strategies that are part of the Pacific Gateway program (i.e. Canada Line to YVR, elimination of the Aviation Fuel Tax for international flights). A key part of the strategy is to expedite the transit of international passengers to connecting domestic (and other international) flights and speed up baggage handling systems.

http://www.pacificgateway.gov.bc.ca/air.htm

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

There are very strong hints that PR will also commence flights from Manila to New York via YVR. Whether these flights go into EWR or JFK though? If that does happen, this route may be getting just a tad crowded.

Weren't we just talking about this?

I haven't seen the CTA decision on this yet so that may be why the YVR-JFK-YVR sectors aren't available for booking yet... Cannot sell without the rights to sell.

http://airlineroute.net/2014/09/01/pr-jfkyyz-s15/

Effective 15 March 2015 PR launching 4 weekly MNL-YVR-JFK. Also effective the next day PR will increase to 4 weekly MNL-YVR-YYZ. Currently the schedule still shows 3 standalone MNL-YVR-MNL flights. So 11 weekly YVR-MNL. I have a sneaking suspicion the standalones will get dropped. In any event that's a lot of PR metal that will be flying in and out of YVR. Flights to JFK and the YVR standalone flights to be operated by 343s and the YYZ flights to be operated by 77Ws.

So this could mean 5 airlines in the YVR - NYC market next summer. AC and UA to EWR and DL, CX and now PR to JFK.

Perhaps ORD will be next as that has been discussed and they have a few frequency allotments left.

It's been 17 years since PR last flew to NYC (EWR) via YVR on MD11 aircraft. The market is a different beast now so I guess we will see how this all pans out.

[Johnny Aussie]

Continuing to soar. Very strong domestic, transborder and Asia Pacific again.

Wow! Busiest month ever.

Overall up 132,400 (7.3%) to 1,940,652. YTD up 8.1%
Domestic up 63,600 (6.9%) to 985,392. YTD up 6.9%
Transborder up 36,900 (8.2%) to 485,770. YTD up 8.8%
Asia Pacific up 32,500 (12.9%) to 284,295. YTD up 13.6%
Europe up 200 (0.1%) to 167,549. YTD up 6.2%
Misc Int'l down 800 (-4.3%) to 17,646. YTD up 2.0%

Fascinating looking at Europe. Scheduled is up 5.4% but charter down 10.5%. Not sure about the charter flights being down. Perhaps Icelandair taking some of those pax. UK July stats have Air Transat figures up so not sure about the other routes then.

Asia Pacific capacity increase was ~ 29,000 so the increase in pax is exceeding new supply.

August should smash some more records. Overall should hit over 2M, domestic over 1M and transborder should exceed half a million!

Also cargo turbo charged 19.2% increase to over 25,600 tonnes in July. The new Asian freighter routes plus additional domestic capacity showing strength.

[trofirhen]

Is Lufthansa doing YVR-MUC this summer? (I know I should know, but I don't. Sorry)

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Is Lufthansa doing YVR-MUC this summer? (I know I should know, but I don't. Sorry)

Yes, daily 333.

[Johnny Aussie]

Looks like Virgin Atlantic will not be returning next summer.

First time in awhile I've had to deliver "negative" news about YVR services

http://airlineroute.net/2014/09/03/vs-s15/

Virgin's announcement ---> http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/tra...service/latest-news/network-changes.html

Looks like VS is strengthening its JV operations with Delta therefore redeploying the aircraft off the YVR-LHR route.

The route was to return next summer with 5 weekly A330-300.

[Johnny Aussie]

According to airlineroute.net KLM is increasing capacity on YVR-AMS next summer to a daily 333 replacing a mix of 333/332. I actually thought this was the case this summer already?

http://airlineroute.net/2014/09/03/kl-s15update3/

[Johnny Aussie]

Now it's PEK's turn!

Effective 1 Feb Air Canada replaces the 763 with the 788 on AC29/AC30.

AC29/30 returns to the 77W effective for the summer scheds.

This leaves YVR-ICN as the only 763 Pacific Route for the winter scheds.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

This leaves YVR-ICN as the only 763 Pacific Route for the winter scheds.

I'm really hoping to see OZ takeover or become a new carrier with some sort of joint agreement with AC on this route...

The VS move is disappointing but not entirely surprising. Especially when DL now operates SEA-YVR, DL will be trying to find every opportunity to feed traffic through this regional route.

[craneSpotter]

Originally Posted by deasine

The VS move is disappointing but not entirely surprising. Especially when DL now operates SEA-YVR, DL will be trying to find every opportunity to feed traffic through this regional route.

DL did just start non-stop SEA-LHR this past March (adding to CDG & AMS).

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by deasine

I'm really hoping to see OZ takeover or become a new carrier with some sort of joint agreement with AC on this route...

The VS move is disappointing but not entirely surprising. Especially when DL now operates SEA-YVR, DL will be trying to find every opportunity to feed traffic through this regional route.

Yeah bummer. Reading the whole VS strategy is exactly what Air Berlin did a few years ago. They pulled all the non-One World strongholds.

VS is really ramping up their DL JV. So looking at their route juggling they are really throwing more capacity at the DL hubs and other DL focus cities and pulling out of non-core long-haul and ultra long-haul routes. Doesn't leave them with many international routes outside the USA. As we saw in the O&D data from 2013, the UK is and will still be a huge market for YVR. This will also help AC and BA, and to a lesser extent TS. Not that they really need it!

As for SEA, yes it is still early, but international traffic only increased 2.95% (~ 10,700 pax only) in July 2014 from July 2013. I still find that really amazing considering their huge increase in capacity - particularly on DL to Asia and Europe as all of these additions would have been fully ramped up by July. What is really REALLY amazing is DL's international numbers (obviously a gain) were almost completely wiped out by the loss of just one route by UA (the SEA-NRT route axed). I'm a total stats geek along with being an avgeek so I love analysing numbers (my CA/Finance background etc). Helps when trying to present "arguments" about why things happen.

As for Asiana, there is (was) a strong possibility that they would add their own YVR-ICN flights but I think post OZ214 their expansion plans have been cut-back. The expectation was as the A388s came onboard this would free up some smaller aircraft to launch routes like ICN-YVR. Whether these would replace the existing AC route or go in as a second flight. Perhaps they will launch YYZ. We will see what happens!

[Denscity]

Well we lost Virgin Atlantic but gained another Dreamliner. Would still prefer keeping Virgin but what can we do. Wasn't YVR the only westcoast airport to have VS at least in the beginning? Thought that's what I recall.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Well we lost Virgin Atlantic but gained another Dreamliner. Would still prefer keeping Virgin but what can we do. Wasn't YVR the only westcoast airport to have VS at least in the beginning? Thought that's what I recall.

Yeah it is too bad... but that's the way it goes... win some, lose some!

No they have been going into LAX for years and SFO after that. They even had a crack at YYZ (not west coast obviously!) awhile ago too.

[officedweller]

Go to "Airport and Transportation" and there's pages for:

a YVR Post-Disaster Facility;
the Pier A Commuter Terminal; and
a Jetset Valet Parking Facility?

http://www.studioonearchitecture.ca/

[teriyaki]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Go to "Airport and Transportation" and there's pages for:

a YVR Post-Disaster Facility;
the Pier A Commuter Terminal; and
a Jetset Valet Parking Facility?

http://www.studioonearchitecture.ca/

Wow that is an annoying website. Wish they had more pictures on there.

The Jetset project, if its been confirmed looks to be on the same side as the new outlet mall from the pictures. Looks interesting.

[craneSpotter]

Canada Post's 700,000 sq ft. pacific processing facility officially opens today beside YVR. It is strategically located next to YVR for easy access to air cargo facilities. It has 900 employees.

It is one of three international access points into Canada. Article (link below) says that after the USA, most of the international shipments/mail into Canada now come from the Asia-pacific region.

Sounds like Canada post is ramping up to handle considerably more e-commerce shipping, that may be their future. Ecommerce shipments are up 29% so far this year over last. Apparently you see lots of Amazon and Best Buy (etc.) boxes.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Can...t+sorts+letters+hour/10172381/story.html

[officedweller]

GlobalTV's Morning News had a reporter in there this morning and the emphasis was definitely on e-commerce shipping.