YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[teriyaki]

I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the REAL transit visa exemption program we're all hoping for. Still, its a nice addition.

http://www.yvr.ca/en/flight-information/...isa-Free_Transit_Program-2915327170.aspx

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by teriyaki

I was a little disappointed that it wasn't the REAL transit visa exemption program we're all hoping for. Still, its a nice addition.

http://www.yvr.ca/en/flight-information/...isa-Free_Transit_Program-2915327170.aspx

Correct and as Mr Richmond himself states "This is a huge step for YVR, British Columbia and Canada." Definitely a step forward and not a step backward.

He also says they will continue to work with Citizenshp and Immigration Canada et al to work on visa free transit to the USA and "eventually" between Asia and Latin America.

So the China Transit Program now includes ICN, NRT and HND in addition to PEK, PVG, CAN, HKG, TPE and MNL.

Oh... and... Yes this applies to Toronto as well!

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

So the race is now on to see who will operate the first A350 to YVR.

China Airlines has stated in 3Q 2016 for YVR.

https://talkairlines.wordpress.com/2015/...wb-cabin-design-and-outlines-route-plan/

How does the A350 compare to the 787? The 787 was a fantastic plane to fly on last year.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

How does the A350 compare to the 787? The 787 was a fantastic plane to fly on last year.

What a better place to look than here...

http://www.airbus.com/aircraftfamilies/passengeraircraft/a350xwbfamily/

.... and here....

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787/

Going to be on another 787-800 in a couple of weeks... have a couple of 787-900 flights coming up to, will be my first time on the -900.

As for comparisons? There are very few a350s flying commercially at the moment.... but stand by for what will be I'm sure a lot of comparisons on various travel blogs etc...

[Johnny Aussie]

Air Transat is rolling out their winter 2015-2016 program.

Minimal YVR changes:

1) New weekly flight to SNU
2) LGW increases from one to two weekly in February

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1538707/...-2016-program-with-an-increased-capacity

[Johnny Aussie]

Just read this in the Vancouver Sun.

"Our robust economy will outpace that of every other sizable Canadian city over the next few years"

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Barbara+Yaff...ousing/11069486/story.html#ixzz3aj7RnRBy

All of these "good news" stories definitely will have an impact on YVR's numbers now, and going forward. In addition having a solid growing economy buffers (what I will call) competitive forces in the region as well. Strengthening YVR's already impressive O&D traffic will no doubt occur. Certainly could help explain YVR's strong growth this year so far compared to others in the region.

[Johnny Aussie]

I am no longer a member of airliners.net but I do browse the site often as sometimes there are some very interesting threads.

There is a thread going about the new yvr2057.ca website and there has been some discussion about Turkish Airlines and wanting to start YVR.

Somebody posted a chart showing the daily traffic between Istanbul and certain North American cities.

Sorry to be a downer but YVR-IST comes in at... 15 passengers per day. It would appear to even remotely get the fed's attention this number would have to be at least double that. I don't know the source of this data but it appears to be legit. For comparison SEA comes in at a whopping 16 per day (imagine one more passenger per day!) and YYC is 7 per day.

Now, if (rumoured if) TK is interested in YVR, are they going after local traffic? Ummmmmmm... do I have to answer that? So knowing that Transport Canada generally allows access based on O&D figures, what do you think their answer will be to Turkish? I'd love to see as many airlines as possible start as many routes as possible into YVR but we need a reality check once in awhile. Unfortunately folks (well to some unfortunately), the focus will continue to be on Asia for the time being. YVR has been fortunate enough to land FI to KEF, AF to CDG, LH to MUC and increased flying on DE to FRA and WK to ZRH over the last few years to strengthen YVR-Europe ties but other than that, landing anything direct to Eastern Europe or the Middle East is going to be a tough sell.

Right or wrong that's how Canada's government plays the game......

[casper]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

I am no longer a member of airliners.net but I do browse the site often as sometimes there are some very interesting threads.

There is a thread going about the new yvr2057.ca website and there has been some discussion about Turkish Airlines and wanting to start YVR.

Somebody posted a chart showing the daily traffic between Istanbul and certain North American cities.

Sorry to be a downer but YVR-IST comes in at... 15 passengers per day. It would appear to even remotely get the fed's attention this number would have to be at least double that. I don't know the source of this data but it appears to be legit. For comparison SEA comes in at a whopping 16 per day (imagine one more passenger per day!) and YYC is 7 per day.

Now, if (rumoured if) TK is interested in YVR, are they going after local traffic? Ummmmmmm... do I have to answer that? So knowing that Transport Canada generally allows access based on O&D figures, what do you think their answer will be to Turkish? I'd love to see as many airlines as possible start as many routes as possible into YVR but we need a reality check once in awhile. Unfortunately folks (well to some unfortunately), the focus will continue to be on Asia for the time being. YVR has been fortunate enough to land FI to KEF, AF to CDG, LH to MUC and increased flying on DE to FRA and WK to ZRH over the last few years to strengthen YVR-Europe ties but other than that, landing anything direct to Eastern Europe or the Middle East is going to be a tough sell.

Right or wrong that's how Canada's government plays the game......

That may be a good thing. AF and KLM have done quite a bit of expansion in Western Canada. It would be good if they get a chance to turn those into solid daily and year round routes before we any new entrants.

Same holds for some of the new routes to Asia.

[trofirhen]

Moving away from Japan, Europe, or Istanbul for the moment, I got thinking how YVR might make a good Oceania hub, and I'm sure the traffic is there.

From Seattle to Sydney through LAX, it's 8459 miles. Through YVR, 7904 miles. Wow, we already have a modest edge in distance.
Seattle has no flights to Oceania, and unless other airlines offer super deals through SFO or LAX,
there might be a YVR market that would take in a number of Seattle pax as well as Canadian.
The standard (correct me if I'm wrong) exchange rate is about 80c US to the $CAD. Paying in $CAD money (if allowed) lops off 20 per cent of the price, right there, for US customers,
although I'll let the financial people set that one straight.

{AC announced dreamliner service YVR to BNE for 2015 some time back, but it has yet to appear. ... What happened, Mr. Rovinescu?}

This "northwest hub" may be unfeasible for any number of reasons, and I'm sure to get feedback as to why, but if it could work, YVR could be a PNW Oceania hub
and if BNE and MEL were added, I'm sure the regional (Vancouver/Seattle combined) air market (approx 8 million pop) could support that if airlines will venture such participation.
Feedback?

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

From Seattle to Sydney through LAX, it's 8459 miles. Through YVR, 7904 miles. Wow, we already have a modest edge in distance.

12,493 km/7,763 mi
Distance from Vancouver, BC to Sydney NSW

12,462 km/7,744 mi
Distance from Seattle, WA to Sydney NSW

[casper]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Moving away from Japan, Europe, or Istanbul for the moment, I got thinking how YVR might make a good Oceania hub, and I'm sure the traffic is there.

From Seattle to Sydney through LAX, it's 8459 miles. Through YVR, 7904 miles. Wow, we already have a modest edge in distance.
Seattle has no flights to Oceania, and unless other airlines offer super deals through SFO or LAX,
there might be a YVR market that would take in a number of Seattle pax as well as Canadian.
The standard (correct me if I'm wrong) exchange rate is about 80c US to the $CAD. Paying in $CAD money (if allowed) lops off 20 per cent of the price, right there, for US customers,
although I'll let the financial people set that one straight.

{AC announced dreamliner service YVR to BNE for 2015 some time back, but it has yet to appear. ... What happened, Mr. Rovinescu?}

This "northwest hub" may be unfeasible for any number of reasons, and I'm sure to get feedback as to why, but if it could work, YVR could be a PNW Oceania hub
and if BNE and MEL were added, I'm sure the regional (Vancouver/Seattle combined) air market (approx 8 million pop) could support that if airlines will venture such participation.
Feedback?

You should include HNL as a competing route.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Jebby

12,493 km/7,763 mi
Distance from Vancouver, BC to Sydney NSW

12,462 km/7,744 mi
Distance from Seattle, WA to Sydney NSW

Seattle does not have Austraia /NZ service yet, and most US pax go through LAX. Sure, if Seattle gets SYD direct, it'll be shorter than from YVR.
But the distance SEA-YVR-SYD is shorter than SEA-LAX-SYD, according to the airmiles calculator. Those are the routings I referred to.
Please observe:
http://www.airmilescalculator.com/distance3/sea-to-lax-syd/
http://www.airmilescalculator.com/distance3/sea-to-yvr-syd/

Originally Posted by casper

You should include HNL as a competing route.

Of course! Thanks for reminding me.
I'm still sure we could have a Pacific Hub here, even if not on the scale of LAX or SFO.

[whatnext]

A shot I took of the west side of the Macarthur Glen project yesterday. Banana Republic and Gap, pretty standard outlet mall fare. Maybe the "luxury retailers" are in the centre. You can see the faux chateau entrance on the far left. Lots of surface parking.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Valley_Refugee]

{AC announced dreamliner service YVR to BNE for 2015 some time back, but it has yet to appear. ... What happened, Mr. Rovinescu?}

Give them a chance to take delivery...

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Valley_Refugee

Give them a chance to take delivery...

They are receiving the 787-900s very soon... YYZ-YVR will be their launch route in August for trial runs before they are put on YYZ-DEL, YYZ-DXB and YYZ-HND.

For the record AC never announced YVR-BNE. The speculation is based on a few statements made by Rovinescu and others that AC is "looking into" a second destination in Australia. Also the 2013 Investors Day presentation had a slide of potential 787 routes and BNE was one of them. So far from an "announcement."

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

They are receiving the 787-900s very soon... YYZ-YVR will be their launch route in August for trial runs before they are put on YYZ-DEL, YYZ-DXB and YYZ-HND.

For the record AC never announced YVR-BNE. The speculation is based on a few statements made by Rovinescu and others that AC is "looking into" a second destination in Australia. Also the 2013 Investors Day presentation had a slide of potential 787 routes and BNE was one of them. So far from an "announcement."

There was an announcement made with route maps for the 787. YYZ got most (which is normal), YUL a few, and YVR had BNE and FRA listed in red, on the map, as future 787 routes, and it was announced for 2015. That' all I know on that, but it was on an Air Canada site nevertheless.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

There was an announcement made with route maps for the 787. YYZ got most (which is normal), YUL a few, and YVR had BNE and FRA listed in red, on the map, as future 787 routes, and it was announced for 2015. That' all I know on that, but it was on an Air Canada site nevertheless.

https://www.aircanada.com/en/about/media/presentations/documents/investor_day_2013.pdf

Page 57. This is not an announcement. This route map shows possible routes that the 787 could fly based on range and a market that is right-sized for a 787. No mention of 2015. The only new route on this map that has been officially announced is Delhi.

Unless you are referring to something else.

[SFUVancouver]

I had hoped that a YVR-BNE flight comes together in the next year or so, since that would be an ideal route since I'm doing work on the Gold Coast. I just got home from a round-about itinerary that took me from YVR-HKG, HKG-CTU, CTU-HKG, HKG-BNE, OOL-SYD, and SYD-YVR. The quick flight from OOL to SYD and then a direct flight to YVR isn't bad, but a direct flight to and from Brisbane would be heaven.

Looking forward to eventually taking a 787. The 777-300ER is still my favourite airplane to fly in today. I took a Air Canada 777-200LR from SYD to YVR and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that economy was 3-3-3 seating. I was expecting 3-4-3. I was still in the very middle seat, though.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I had hoped that a YVR-BNE flight comes together in the next year or so, since that would be an ideal route since I'm doing work on the Gold Coast. I just got home from a round-about itinerary that took me from YVR-HKG, HKG-CTU, CTU-HKG, HKG-BNE, OOL-SYD, and SYD-YVR. The quick flight from OOL to SYD and then a direct flight to YVR isn't bad, but a direct flight to and from Brisbane would be heaven.

Looking forward to eventually taking a 787. The 777-300ER is still my favourite airplane to fly in today. I took a Air Canada 777-200LR from SYD to YVR and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that economy was 3-3-3 seating. I was expecting 3-4-3. I was still in the very middle seat, though.

The 3-4-3 seating configuration is only limited to their HD aircrafts (interestingly at boarding, they often announce it is a their high density version of the aircraft as if this is a good thing for passengers...). However, AC has mentioned they will be eventually refurbishing their planes and you would expect this would mean older 777s would be installing the 3-4-3 configuration.

[Johnny Aussie]

Another positive that directly affects YVR pax numbers... especially to LAX of course.

Hit the $2 billion mark for the first time for the year ended 31 March 2015. Up $500M from the previous year.

The weaker CAD has certainly helped.

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainmen...ustry+goes+with+bang/11076459/story.html