Calgary International Airport II

[Cage]

Originally Posted by MasterG

Wow sounds like quite the facility! Can't wait to try it out myself

Could you explain this comment in bold in a bit more detail? I am ignorant to how airline economics work and why airlines would be attract to YYC over other airports apart from general capacity, landing slots, passenger catchment etc.

With very few exceptions (and these exceptions are restricted either by distance or government regulation) there is no such concept as an under served route with large number of high yield pax. Basically, people with thousands of dollars to spend can find a way to get from A to B. Therefore the only option for new route development is to concentrate on the low end and middle yield market segments.

A key problem for the prairies outside of YYC (specifically YEG, YQR, YXE, and YWG) is that they have a small number of pax in the middle yield market segment. Therefore the YEG flight needs to attract travelers from other cities in order to be viable. The plentiful options in YYC mean that YEG can only attract low yield pax who are willing to trade inconvenience for reduce price, but mid market pax can be attracted from the other cities because the inconvenience is the same whether YEG or YYC.

YYC new terminal opens and the game is changed. International connection pax can be accomplished in half the time with a better experience. The mid market prairie pax will start to chose YYC over YEG because the price stays the same but the experience is better. This causes the YEG or YWG flight/route to become unprofitable because the mid yield market is too small at the home market.

A real world examples are WS 26/27 (YEG-LGW) and WS 28/29 (YWG-LGW). Both routes require support from YVR and YYC to operate. In WS 26/27 case approximately 30-50% of the pax are coming from YYC. The question for WS network planners, should these two routes continue to exist or should all flights be consolidated at YYC and YVR with the very low end of the segment being unfulfilled (its unprofitable flying). An improved connection process in YYC will keep loyal flyers from transitioning to the competition.

Apply the same logic to the above onto transborder markets out of YEG for WS. Maybe LAS, LAX, and PHX have enough mid market pax willing to pay a premium to fly nonstop. But the other markets it is now more efficient to put pax through YYC and spill the unprofitable segments.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Takeoff

Great to see things mostly work at the new terminal, but for the next two to three years I dont see it being used much.

Huh? At peak times transborder is a mess on the B/C pier and swing gates. It's needed now and has space to grow.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by Cage

Departure time out of YWG would need to be 4:30am and CATSA pre-board security is not open at that time. The airport would need to open at 3am to accommodate the request.

i didn't say it would happen, I just said I'd like it.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Acey

Rumour time. YWG-LGW is in big trouble.

It is only seasonal. It's 2016 run was from May until mid October.

[mersar]

I'll be there for the trials on the 5th too now. With a 2 year old in tow (yes, I may be insane)

[CrossedTheTracks]

Originally Posted by mersar

I'll be there for the trials on the 5th too now. With a 2 year old in tow (yes, I may be insane)

Hey, somebody has to make sure the new terminal has adequate play areas, right??

[Cage]

Originally Posted by hoboman27

Cage, seems like you did connections, did you get to ride one of those little carts?

YYC link is not part of the trials. The closest anyone on the trials gets to the carts is going to the D/E link station to retrieve the next boarding pass. People on the trials are not considered sterile passengers as full security screening is not completed by trained CATSA staff (some members of the staff are doing training during the trials). Consequently trial participants cannot meet regular traveling passengers.

Passengers doing international to international or international to USA connections will not ride on the YYC link carts. To ride the carts a domestic component must be utilized.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Acey

Rumour time. YWG-LGW is in big trouble.

Any WS route that does not touch either YYC, YVR, or YYZ is now in play.

Last month WS quietly terminated the VP Network Planning, Alliances, and Comercial Development. The VP search is being conducted by an international executive search firm and not internal HR staff. This is the fourth high level person to walk the plank at WS.

How does this impact YEG-LGW and YWG-LGW? Well the previous VP went out on a limb to get smaller less served markets into the LGW program. Also this VP failed to recognized or alert the board regarding the issues facing the 763 summer schedule (a single Mtce hiccup will bring down the whole operation and require millions to correct).

The new guy or gal is being hired from a traditional big operation airline. With the exception of Southwest Airlines, every major airline has 90% plus ASMs going through a Hub operation. Most airlines have 5% or less non hub traffic.

Unless the route is a strong performer, it's least risky option to drop the route in favour of an operation that touches a hub.

[Johnny Aussie]

Integra Air is killing the YYC-YXC route after all.

Their press releases are always so emotional!

http://www.integraair.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/YXC-PRESS-RELEASE.pdf

[Deepstar]

Does Edmonton still have the 'Say not to Calgary habit' campaign still going?

Originally Posted by Cage

YVR sterile corridor for OSS purposes is hindered by the location of the CBSA fine payment cashier and CBSA secondary inspection. A sterile corridor was created back this spring but the last piece is to relocate the two CBSA functions to the other side of the baggage hall.

YYZ sterile corridor for OSS purposes was constructed in May to July this summer.

YUL also had to complete some renovations to handle OSS and other types of connections in a segregated process from other arrivals.

All four of the major airports (YYZ, YUL, YVR, and YYC) have undergone renovations (or new construction in YYC instance) to handle connections. Additionally CBSA is introducing new processes for both OSS and other connections (for example connecting pax at the four largest inbound international airports will have their bags checked through to destination).

By next summer, I expect all four airports to have OSS processes fully operational.

I have also recently learned that CBSA is adjusting their policies and procedures to split their air travel world in two. There will be one set of rules for the four largest airports and standard rule set will remain at all other centers. The most controversial part of the CBSA initiatives is that no other airports will be invited to the dance.

Undoubtedly splitting the world into the haves and the have nots will not make our friends to the north very happy. The raccoons in down town Toronto will be equally unhappy with this development.

Once the CBSA world is divided, expect some other protocols to follow in quick succession. Transit With Out Visa is a lot easier to implement if restricted to a small number of locations.

[hoboman27]

https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/09...y-flights-to-shanghai-from-montreal.html

Air Canada is doing YUL - PVG, daily too????

Where's noflyzone, how will this change the chance of Calgary ever getting PVG.

[Deepstar]

Originally Posted by hoboman27

https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/09...y-flights-to-shanghai-from-montreal.html

Air Canada is doing YUL - PVG, daily too????

Where's noflyzone, how will this change the chance of Calgary ever getting PVG.

If you're Noflyzone, nothing is ever going to happen to YYC.

[McMurph]

Two unusual visitors flew over my house today. The first a Lufthansa 747, diverted on its way from FRA to SEA. Not sure why. The second a Sun Country 737. I have no idea what that was doing or where it was going. Not quite an Emirates A380, but always nice to see something new.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by hoboman27

https://www.thestar.com/business/2016/09...y-flights-to-shanghai-from-montreal.html

Air Canada is doing YUL - PVG, daily too????

I have to admit, I was caught off guard by the daily service right off the bat as well (specially considering the route starts in february, the dead of winter). The more cautious approach would have been to start with 3x weekly service, and then slowly build it up to daily after a few months or a year, when the route matures and develops.

Calin was quoted as saying that daily service was essential on this kind of route. So they clearly want to make sure the business community in Montreal gets behind this flight. Hopefully it will bear fruit. Last thing I want is for AC to reduce frequency, similar to HU's attempts at PEK-YYC.

Originally Posted by hoboman27

how will this change the chance of Calgary ever getting PVG.

I don't think it changes anything for YYC really. If YYC wants PVG, it will have to show that first and foremost, the O&D is there. That has nothing to do with YUL.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by McMurph

Two unusual visitors flew over my house today. The first a Lufthansa 747, diverted on its way from FRA to SEA. Not sure why. The second a Sun Country 737. I have no idea what that was doing or where it was going. Not quite an Emirates A380, but always nice to see something new.

Lufthansa was a medical diversion, Sun Country may have been a US casino charter flight for a tour group. That is why they have been through here over this last year.

[jmt18325]

Hey, does anyone know when Sky Regional got 5 more E175s? Where did they come from?

[casper]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Hey, does anyone know when Sky Regional got 5 more E175s? Where did they come from?

My understanding is the initial fleet had 15 (transfer from AC mainline). They recently picked up another 5 late last year (used aircraft from Azul Brazilian Airlines).

They are suppose to get another 5 over the next year. Not certain from where. Total at the end of the day is to be 25.

All flying for Air Canada. I have been told that Air Canada has concerns with operating the 175 over the mountains so they are restricted to airport east of Calgary.

[Bigtime]

Don't the E175's have a single engine service ceiling that would put them down in between the mountains? I think that may be why they are kept east of the Rocky mountains.

[jmt18325]

I'm surprised they're going with those instead of more CR9s. Perhaps they're rather inexpensive.

[Cage]

Unknown about the single engine service ceiling, but placing all E175s in eastern Canada was and continues to be a commercial decision.

The E175 came to AC by way of an arbitrators decision to split the 75 seat category into 15 aircraft for mainline and 15 aircraft for the regional subsidiary (the arbitration was during bankruptcy era when Air Canada Enterprises owned everything associated with Air Canada). AC amended the order to 15 E175s and 15 CRAs from 30 CRAs. When the E175s came onto the property, AC placed the aircraft at YYZ and YUL because of the common type rating with E190s.

From a commercial service perspective, the E175 is best suited for eastern seaboard flights out of BOS, LGA, EWR, DCA, ATL, ORD, etc to YYZ with some services also to YUL.