Calgary International Airport II - Page 430

Bokimon · #**8581** Posted **Oct 2, 2019, 7:51 AM**

^ On a per capita basis, that is actually pretty damn impressive for a city of its size and its current economic climate. I guess there are still plenty of wealthy people or business activity between these destinations even if a chunk of them are connections onwards or connections from other origins transiting via YYC. Which was like what, 1/3 of all traffic from that stat a few months ago..

s211 · #**8582** Posted **Oct 2, 2019, 3:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bokimon

^ On a per capita basis, that is actually pretty damn impressive for a city of its size and its current economic climate. I guess there are still plenty of wealthy people or business activity between these destinations even if a chunk of them are connections onwards or connections from other origins transiting via YYC. Which was like what, 1/3 of all traffic from that stat a few months ago..

Go ahead and say it: "Thanks, Edmonton."

Denscity · #**8583** Posted **Oct 3, 2019, 2:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by s211

Go ahead and say it: "Thanks, Edmonton."

Ha that's what I was gonna say.

hollywoodcory · #**8584** Posted **Oct 3, 2019, 5:44 PM**

WS building its first flagship lounge, set to open in late summer 2020

http://westjet.mediaroom.com/2019-10-03-WestJets-flagship-lounge-in-Calgary-a-home-within-our-home

MalcolmTucker · #**8585** Posted **Oct 4, 2019, 3:40 PM**

That can’t be the old upper floor lounge can it? New filing space freed up in the renovation I’d guess.

hollywoodcory · #**8586** Posted **Oct 4, 2019, 4:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

That can’t be the old upper floor lounge can it? New filing space freed up in the renovation I’d guess.

It's going where the old Montana's restaurant use to be.

YYCguys · #**8587** Posted **Oct 4, 2019, 4:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hollywoodcory

It's going where the old Montana's restaurant use to be.

Montana’s is gone?!?! Is Kelsey’s the only pre security sit down restaurant now? I imagine that whole pre security retail area is going to be a ghost town soon, and perhaps integrated into post security something or other?

Mazrim · #**8588** Posted **Oct 4, 2019, 5:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by YYCguys

I imagine that whole pre security retail area is going to be a ghost town soon, and perhaps integrated into post security something or other?

It's already a ghost town. With all the ominous reminders you get before a flight about showing up super early, it's no surprise that pre-security shopping and dining is not worth the hassle for most people.

YYCguys · #**8589** Posted **Oct 4, 2019, 9:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazrim

It's already a ghost town. With all the ominous reminders you get before a flight about showing up super early, it's no surprise that pre-security shopping and dining is not worth the hassle for most people.

I seem to remember reading somewhere a while back, that YYC has plans to convert all of that pre security retail/dining space between A and C concourses into a centralized security checkpoint à la YEG, and post security retail and dining. Is that still a go, and if so, is there a completion timeline?

hollywoodcory · #**8590** Posted **Oct 4, 2019, 9:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by YYCguys

I seem to remember reading somewhere a while back, that YYC has plans to convert all of that pre security retail/dining space between A and C concourses into a centralized security checkpoint à la YEG, and post security retail and dining. Is that still a go, and if so, is there a completion timeline?

This is still the plan, and it will begin work following the completion of the baggage upgrade and Westjet moves its check in back to its original spot. Not sure if there's a planned finish on that yet though.

Bokimon · #**8591** Posted **Oct 6, 2019, 6:27 AM**

Makes me wonder with the deathly hollow walk that is the pre-security shopping and dining in that area. My how far that area had fallen since its heyday in the early 2000's. Is this trend just a YYC thing? How are other airports for presecurity amenities?
The pre-security retail area between the A/B pier where Kelseys is seem to be doing okay unless some shops there had closed..
As for the IFP, one Tim Hortons and a baggage store behind the AC checkin. Sad...

I recall YVR and PDX have bustling pre security amenities, it feels like being in a shopping mall with all that activity where thousands of people are gathered about browsing, eating or lounging before going to security checkpoints. And then after security it is just as busy along their boulevard walk down the various piers. PDX even have live local musicians performing where at times it gathers a crowd, much like a little plaza in downtown. Why doesn't YYC go further beyond their late boomer white hat greeters?
If I hadn't traveled so much in my life, I would of vehemently defended YYC's new terminal as a crowning jewel of design and functionality, thank god I know better..

msmariner · #**8592** Posted **Oct 6, 2019, 3:23 PM**

[QUOTE=Bokimon;8708585]Makes me wonder with the deathly hollow walk that is the pre-security shopping and dining in that area. My how far that area had fallen since its heyday in the early 2000's. Is this trend just a YYC thing? How are other airports for presecurity amenities?
The pre-security retail area between the A/B pier where Kelseys is seem to be doing okay unless some shops there had closed..
As for the IFP, one Tim Hortons and a baggage store behind the AC checkin. Sad...

I recall YVR and PDX have bustling pre security amenities, it feels like being in a shopping mall with all that activity where thousands of people are gathered about browsing, eating or lounging before going to security checkpoints. And then after security it is just as busy along their boulevard walk down the various piers. PDX even have live local musicians performing where at times it gathers a crowd, much like a little plaza in downtown. Why doesn't YYC go further beyond their late boomer white hat greeters?
If I hadn't traveled so much in my life, I would of vehemently defended YYC's new terminal as a crowning jewel of design and functionality, thank god I know better..[/QUOT

One of the biggest reasons I can see for less pre screening shops is the no free 1/2 hour parking. I know I personally haven’t picked one person up or stayed with anyone before their flight since the new policy. I didn’t mind going for a drink or food when I knew I didn’t have to pay some ridiculous parking fee to go in for an hour. Maybe the airport doesn’t care about people like me or the businesses before security and the extra money they get from parking makes up for the businesses closing down and their revenue loss.

outoftheice · #**8593** Posted **Oct 6, 2019, 6:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by msmariner

One of the biggest reasons I can see for less pre screening shops is the no free 1/2 hour parking. I know I personally haven’t picked one person up or stayed with anyone before their flight since the new policy. I didn’t mind going for a drink or food when I knew I didn’t have to pay some ridiculous parking fee to go in for an hour. Maybe the airport doesn’t care about people like me or the businesses before security and the extra money they get from parking makes up for the businesses closing down and their revenue loss.

+1 on this. The loss of the 1/2 free parking changed the behaviour of pretty much everyone I know when it comes to airport pick-ups and, to a lesser extent, drop-offs. The irony now is that the 'go early and wait' behaviour hasn't changed but now the free cell phone lot is full of idling vehicles with drivers killing time on their phones instead of those cars parked in the parkade with the drivers in the terminal. Bad for the environment (assuming the CAA is one of those corporations that pretends to care) and bad for airport merchants. On top of it, the airport has had to staff far more curbside ambassadors to deal with the extremely chaotic and congested curbside pick up that exists in peak periods so the new system probably creates an even greater expense for the airport authority than the old free parking initiative while also negatively impacting the customer experience for pick-ups.

Another contributing factor is that the CAA originally planned 2 more high-rise office towers to accompany the existing one with pre-security shops and services meant to serve the folks working in those towers. Difficulties leasing the existing tower means the expansion is officially dead (I think) which means there isn't as much of a need for having amenities available before security.

s211 · #**8594** Posted **Oct 6, 2019, 6:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bokimon

PDX even have live local musicians performing where at times it gathers a crowd, much like a little plaza in downtown.

Minneapolis does a good job on that front too.

Aside: I was also surprised how much traffic goes through there.

YYCguys · #**8595** Posted **Oct 6, 2019, 11:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by outoftheice

+1 on this. The loss of the 1/2 free parking changed the behaviour of pretty much everyone I know when it comes to airport pick-ups and, to a lesser extent, drop-offs. The irony now is that the 'go early and wait' behaviour hasn't changed but now the free cell phone lot is full of idling vehicles with drivers killing time on their phones instead of those cars parked in the parkade with the drivers in the terminal. Bad for the environment (assuming the CAA is one of those corporations that pretends to care) and bad for airport merchants. On top of it, the airport has had to staff far more curbside ambassadors to deal with the extremely chaotic and congested curbside pick up that exists in peak periods so the new system probably creates an even greater expense for the airport authority than the old free parking initiative while also negatively impacting the customer experience for pick-ups.

Another contributing factor is that the CAA originally planned 2 more high-rise office towers to accompany the existing one with pre-security shops and services meant to serve the folks working in those towers. Difficulties leasing the existing tower means the expansion is officially dead (I think) which means there isn't as much of a need for having amenities available before security.

I am totally against idling vehicles, but having said that the cell phone lot is now too small and there’s cars parked all over the place, on shoulders, in no parking zones, etc because of the lack of parking. The decision of the CAA to eliminate the free half hour parking has snowballed into a huge mess! Wonder if heads will roll (have rolled) over that decision.

MalcolmTucker · #**8596** Posted **Oct 7, 2019, 3:22 AM**

^ That would have been a board level decision I bet, taken when designing the circulation to the international terminal. Probably the same person that insisted on the tunnel across at one end of the parkade instead of in the middle helped convince the board.

outoftheice · #**8597** Posted **Oct 7, 2019, 12:31 PM**

That tunnel is my trigger when it comes to the new international terminal. What a waste of money to build and maintain it. Thankfully they have now put in crosswalks to accommodate all the staff that were jaywalking across the road there anyways but on a regular basis I still see seniors and people with mobility issues desperately trying to push big, heavy suitcases up that long ramp only to get to the top and realize they still have a long distance to walk to find an elevator that will take them up to departures where they then have to backtrack to the check-in desks. The absolute biggest design fail I have seen in an airport and the CAA still can't be bothered to put in the simple signage fix of directing people in the P2 parkade to the +15 for all departures and the tunnel only for arrivals.