YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[casper]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I saw the big ad in the paper today and realized that the cockpit windshield has a black "mask"
- which is bound to elicit comments of robbery and airline "bandits".

I thought it was a salute to the racoon. A poorly understood animal, that in Canada never gets the credit deserves due to those silly beavers that get all the public attention.

You don't think it was Air Canada's love for racoons?

[YVR Bruce]

Originally Posted by casper

You don't think it was Air Canada's love for racoons?

Indeed, they may be very partial to racoons; perhaps this presages a bid for Porter.

But it may not have anything to do with that. At the launch, one of my buddies immediately named it ZoroJet. Much less negative than the robbery/banditry angle.

[gillty]

Didn't see anyone post the Rouge livery. Mainline vs. Rouge 767 for comparison.
The global route map looks really sharp in my opinion and I've included some other rasters from the pdf.










source: Air Canada (PDF) https://www.aircanada.com/content/dam/aircanada/portal/documents/PDF/media/livery/illustrative_guide_en.pdf

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

what's probably more interesting is that despite Vancouver being Seattle's # 1 by far, Seattle is not Vancouver's top international destination. ...

To my knowledge, Los Angeles is Vancouver's #1 foreign destination, followed by London Heathrow, , then Beijing. Sorry I forget where I got these figures, but I think they're accurate.

[Alpine]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

what's probably more interesting is that despite Vancouver being Seattle's # 1 by far, Seattle is not Vancouver's top international destination. ...

It has been mentioned in some publications (like The Economist) that Vancouver has closer ties with San Francisco than with Seattle, and the two cities don't have as close of ties that one would expect from being only 200 kilometres apart.

[LeftCoaster]

Air Canada's CS300s could enable broad network changes

10 FEBRUARY, 2017
SOURCE: FLIGHTGLOBAL PRO
BY: JON HEMMERDINGER

Though Air Canada has described its incoming Bombardier CS300s as replacements for Embraer 190s, a top Air Canada executive has suggested the fleet plan could evolve.

Air Canada president of passenger airlines Benjamin Smith says the new Bombardier aircraft could prove as transformative as Boeing 787s, allowing Air Canada to make broader network changes.

During an interview with FlightGlobal at Toronto Pearson International airport on 9 February, Smith makes clear that Air Canada's plan calls for the CS300 to replace the E190.

"But that's assuming our network is static," he adds.

"This airplane is so good [that] we think it's going to want to go on every route in North America," Smith says of the CS300.

"The economics – it's got CASM rates that are equivalent to much larger airplanes. So it may enable us, or give us the opportunity, to rethink our bank structures, how our network is designed," he adds.

Air Canada has orders for 45 CS300s, with deliveries scheduled for between 2019 and 2022, according to Flight Fleets Analyzer. The 25 E190s scheduled for replacement are only about 10 years old, Fleets Analyzer shows.

"It's kind of like the 787," Smith says of the CSeries.

Air Canada initially ordered 787s as replacements for ageing Boeing 767s and Airbus A330s.

But the 787s proved so efficient on long-haul routes that Air Canada instead used them to launch a major international expansion, Smith says.

Air Canada ended up keeping the A330s in its mainline fleet, and transitioned the 767s to its newly-created low-cost subsidiary Rouge, Smith notes.

Thanks to the 787, Air Canada "rejiggered our entire network," Smith says. "If we can hit a similar home run with the CSeries, that would be amazing."

CSeries would be "perfect" for a route such as Vancouver to Boston, which "stretches the legs of the Airbus narrowbody", Smith says.

Or, Air Canada could potentially deploy CS300s from extreme-eastern Canadian cities to destinations in Europe, or from Vancouver to Hawaii, Smith says.

Smith says Air Canada remains confident Bombardier will meet its delivery schedule, downplaying the possibility that recent delivery delays could stretch into the coming years.

"We don't have a concern about the delivery schedule on the CSeries," Smith says. "We have a long history with Bombardier. We know their leadership extremely well."

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl...could-enable-broad-network-chang-434067/


Good write-up on the potential of the C series for air Canada. I think this plane will open up markets like Boston, Washington, Miami etc.. for year round daily service. These planes really cant come fast enough for YVR.

[officedweller]

Damn - they should have used the Rouge design for both,
with the regular airline having the black colouring on the tail extending downwards and a red logo.

Originally Posted by gillty

Didn't see anyone post the Rouge livery. Mainline vs. Rouge 767 for comparison.
The global route map looks really sharp in my opinion and I've included some other rasters from the pdf.

[Canadian74]

The oversized roundel of Rouge looks very bad imo. Not mainline worthy. If you weren't canadian you probably woudn't even be able to figure out what it was

AC wanted a completely different look for mainline and Rouge which I think they have accomplished.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl...could-enable-broad-network-chang-434067/


Good write-up on the potential of the C series for air Canada. I think this plane will open up markets like Boston, Washington, Miami etc.. for year round daily service. These planes really cant come fast enough for YVR.

Fantastic!! Boston, Washington, Miami (and maybe more) year round?!!
That would put YVR firmly in the North American market mainstream! Hope it goes!!
YYZ has Kansas City, and San Antonio, now. Imagine getting those, plus maybe Charlotte (huge banking centre), Orlando, Atlanta, Albuquerque ....

[jmt18325]

That plane can't come soon enough. It's too bad it's two years out.

[mezzanine]

Well, who knows if this will come to pass but I look forward to any development in 2017. With US federal regulators likely slowed by transition and a protectionist-minded admin, I wonder where Thai can route its A350s/787s...

THAI prepares for return to North America
National carrier appoints exclusive GSA for US and Canada

Posted On:
11th January, 2017

Thai Airways has appointed a new general sales agent (GSA) in North America, as the national carrier prepares to relaunch flights across the Pacific.

Having previously flown to New York, Los Angeles and Toronto, THAI suspended its last North American route in 2015, as rising fuel costs made such ultra-long-haul flights unprofitable. Thailand’s FAA rating has since been lowered, meaning that THAI is no longer permitted to launch flights to the US.

But the country expects to see the FAA restrictions lifted in future, and recent deliveries of its new fuel-efficient long-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 are paving the way for the launch of new direct trans-Pacific flights to destinations such as San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver.

In preparation for this, THAI has now appointed Anjuna LLC, the airline services company, as its exclusive GSA for the US and Canada.

“We are honoured to lead Thai Airways’ initiative to grow its footprint in US and Canadian aviation markets,” said James Vaile, CEO of Anjuna. “Our partnership will expand Thai Airways’ world class global services, provide an enhanced customer experience for all passenger classes, and deepen Thai Airways’ presence in US and Canadian markets.”

http://www.traveldailymedia.com/245817/thai-prepares-for-return-to-north-america/

[deasine]

I was quite torn by the livery in the beginning, but I think it's beginning to grow on me and I have heard that the pictures do not do the design justice in-person. I will reserve my judgement when I see it in person!

[Cage]

Originally Posted by deasine

I was quite torn by the livery in the beginning, but I think it's beginning to grow on me and I have heard that the pictures do not do the design justice in-person. I will reserve my judgement when I see it in person!

I was okay with the new livery until the weekend when it flew over my house in YYC.

From the ground ithe new livery is great. The placement of the rondelle on the belly and again on the lower half of the fuselage is very unique and well placed for looking from the ground. From a distance, th new black and red tail is much more visible than the legacy toothpaste colour.

[rxp]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Well, who knows if this will come to pass but I look forward to any development in 2017. With US federal regulators likely slowed by transition and a protectionist-minded admin, I wonder where Thai can route its A350s/787s...



http://www.traveldailymedia.com/245817/thai-prepares-for-return-to-north-america/

is this the rumour you were talking about Johnny?

[jmt18325]

Do you really want to fly on a plane that lost it's FAA safe rating?

[SFUVancouver]

Recent photo of the new Air Canada livery in natural light and regular operation.


Source

The red on black roundel on the tail is actually far more visible than I expected. I love the look of it. I thought that the contrast would be poorer, but I was wrong.

I'm not loving the black eyeliner. The white/bare metal mullions of the cockpit windows detract from the unified black look that was intended. I think that it looks kind of goofy and could live without it.

I also thought that the roundel at the front of the fuselage would look better above the windows and beside the Air Canada wordmark. But seeing it again, in daylight, I think that it looks fine.

Overall, I like the new livery. I really quite liked the current/old "ice" livery, but I am coming around to this new one.

[connect2source]

Great pick SFUVancouver!!! I actually love it!! Love the return of the rondelle on the tail, and yes, far more visible than expected!! LOVE the eye-mask, very unique in the industry and I'm confident it will be copied, totally reminiscent of TCA's DC-8's which sported a similar mask in the early 60's. The black font is reminiscent of the first Air Canada livery before the change to red letters in the late 70's. Each element represents a part of AC's history.

Was never a fan of the 'toothpaste - digital leaf' livery, glad to see it replaced with this.

[rxp]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-15/air-canada-s-plan-of-attack-flies-over-america

"Air Canada has a “soft target” of about 50 percent connecting traffic at its hubs, up from its current 41 percent."

I assume that target is for Pearson, does anyone have our stats?


The article also talks about YYZ:
"With a newer fleet and some on-board amenity upgrades, Air Canada is counting on its Toronto-Pearson hub to become a competitive factor in luring more global jet-setters. The airport has structured operations so passengers connecting at Pearson don’t need to claim and re-check their bags. Pearson also introduced a “baggage image and weight identification system” (BIWIS) in 2013, which takes a photo, weighs, and scans for radiation on each bag that arrives, which satisfies the post Sept. 11 restrictions imposed on U.S.-bound flights."

I assume YVR knows about BIWIS, but are we getting it as well?

All quotes from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-15/air-canada-s-plan-of-attack-flies-over-america emphasis are mine.

[SFUVancouver]

In my experience, here's the thing about connecting through Toronto from a Canadian city en route to the US: you need to go through US Customs pre-clearance, but you aren't allowed to proceed until your bag has been unloaded and processed. If you have a tight connection and run from your gate to customs pre-clearance, you may find that you cannot proceed at first. I had a tight connection last week and brought my roller bag as carry-on and breezed through and made my flight. On a previous trip, when I checked my bag and my flight arrived late at YYZ, I dashed from my gate to pre-clearance but couldn't proceed for quite a few tense minutes. Once through customs, I raced to my gate and was only able to get my connecting flight because it was also late.

[Large Cat]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

In my experience, here's the thing about connecting through Toronto from a Canadian city en route to the US: you need to go through US Customs pre-clearance, but you aren't allowed to proceed until your bag has been unloaded and processed. If you have a tight connection and run from your gate to customs pre-clearance, you may find that you cannot proceed at first. I had a tight connection last week and brought my roller bag as carry-on and breezed through and made my flight. On a previous trip, when I checked my bag and my flight arrived late at YYZ, I dashed from my gate to pre-clearance but couldn't proceed for quite a few tense minutes. Once through customs, I raced to my gate and was only able to get my connecting flight because it was also late.

Can confirm. I once waited there for over 45 minutes while my bag failed to show up...luckily I had a long connection. On top of that, the Customs Pre-Clearance area is rather difficult to find when coming from your flight, and then the walk to many of the U.S. flights can be LONG (anything in that long wing near the old terminal that you used to have to take a bus to get to). So try to get a long connection, please.