Calgary International Airport II

[LO 044]

Originally Posted by ace.yyc

They just need Dreamliners leaving at the same time to not be on adjacent gates. Crisis averted. The airport has no money.

If it's that simple then why haven't they done it? Who actually sets gates at an airport, the airline or the airport? Just curious. Would remote stands help in the interim? I would imagine the summer schedule is at least slightly "larger" than the winter schedule.

[MalcolmTucker]

In theory they could always revert to call to the gate. Then it wouldn't matter.



I am still puzzled by the number of zone 5 people milling around like they're in a rush when the airlines haven't started zones 3 yet. Like do people really think they're going to miss their flight because they aren't standing up?

[YYCFlier]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I am still puzzled by the number of zone 5 people milling around like they're in a rush when the airlines haven't started zones 3 yet. Like do people really think they're going to miss their flight because they aren't standing up?

WestJet is very lax on boarding rules. They need lines for each zone for 789 flights.

[Johnny Aussie]

Imagine how poorly designed an intl terminal must be if having widebody flights leaving from adjacent gates causes utter chaos.
A newly designed intl airport terminal of that size incapable of handling as few as 5 or at most 8 widebody intl flights in a day must be a complete failure.
Wednesday is the only day with 8 departures and they leave at:

1520
1740
1820
1820
1955
2045
2055
2135

Shocking the terminal cannot handle that very light schedule

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Imagine how poorly designed an intl terminal must be if having widebody flights leaving from adjacent gates causes utter chaos.
A newly designed intl airport terminal of that size incapable of handling as few as 5 or at most 8 widebody intl flights in a day must be a complete failure.

I am giving the airport the benefit of the doubt, still. They've acknowledges they're problem, and the fix attempts are starting to show. The main terminal rejig should be ready by the end of the year/early next year.



Then they can dive into trying to fix the glaring errors of the IFP beyond quick jobs. I think first will be the very narrow pedestrian corridor near C-70, and a dedicated Q-400/CRJ/Saab setup bridging C/E 70/71 and C 51 with swing gates.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Imagine how poorly designed an intl terminal must be if having widebody flights leaving from adjacent gates causes utter chaos.
A newly designed intl airport terminal of that size incapable of handling as few as 5 or at most 8 widebody intl flights in a day must be a complete failure.
Wednesday is the only day with 8 departures and they leave at:

1520
1740
1820
1820
1955
2045
2055
2135

Shocking the terminal cannot handle that very light schedule

They key thing to keep in mind is it use to be common in what is now the A gates, to have multiple widebody aircraft at gates boarding at near the same time. Yes, where they were boarding the lineups would sometime backup into the main corridor. It was still fairly minor.

The new international terminal bunches the loading area for multiple gates together. The old design have each gate decoupled and spread out.

[casper]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I am giving the airport the benefit of the doubt, still. They've acknowledges they're problem, and the fix attempts are starting to show. The main terminal rejig should be ready by the end of the year/early next year.



Then they can dive into trying to fix the glaring errors of the IFP beyond quick jobs. I think first will be the very narrow pedestrian corridor near C-70, and a dedicated Q-400/CRJ/Saab setup bridging C/E 70/71 and C 51 with swing gates.

I agree it can be fixed. They just need to get on with doing it.

I am assuming they have abandoned the concept of a separate international concourse. That will negatively impact the customer journey for US->International connections. However it looks like Air Canada is likely to route most of those passengers through Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. WestJet is not focused on that market. So perhaps it does not matter at this point.

[MalcolmTucker]

How would the negatively effect onward international connections? Mixing with the riff raft?

It enables westjet to focus for now on one very very good lounge instead of using the contract lounge.

And should extend the hours of services in the international concourse.

[Calfan12]

Currently I see only 4 WestJet Boeing 787 flight ✈️ routes planned for this upcoming winter so far.

Calgary YYC- London Gatwick ,UK
Calgary- Kahului OGG, Hawaii
Calgary- Toronto YYZ

Toronto- London Gatwick,UK

*Though changes are still possible*.

[casper]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

How would the negatively effect onward international connections? Mixing with the riff raft?
.....

The key negative impact would be customs/immigration process; something you avoid at Toronto T1. Having the transfer passenger needing to claim and transfer baggage, Potentially have to go through security in Calgary.

WS does not benefit from this at T3 in Toronto. AC benefits from it at T1 in Toronto.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by casper

The key negative impact would be customs/immigration process; something you avoid at Toronto T1. Having the transfer passenger needing to claim and transfer baggage, Potentially have to go through security in Calgary.

WS does not benefit from this at T3 in Toronto. AC benefits from it at T1 in Toronto.

Claim and security to transfer hasn’t been in place for a long time I believe. The facilities in question are built. Only needed for USA preclearance.

[YYCFlier]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

How would the negatively effect onward international connections? Mixing with the riff raft?

It enables westjet to focus for now on one very very good lounge instead of using the contract lounge.

And should extend the hours of services in the international concourse.

It's called sterile transit. It allows passengers to transit via YYC without having to enter Canada and go through Canadian customs. Makes connecting easy and smooth for international and especially US travellers.

Imagine connecting SEA-YYC-CDG and just heading to your gate from SEA and not having to do customs till you arrive at CDG.

If you want to be a serious transit hub, then you need sterile transit.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by YYCFlier

It's called sterile transit. It allows passengers to transit via YYC without having to enter Canada and go through Canadian customs. Makes connecting easy and smooth for international and especially US travellers.

Imagine connecting SEA-YYC-CDG and just heading to your gate from SEA and not having to do customs till you arrive at CDG.

If you want to be a serious transit hub, then you need sterile transit.

I’m not sure they implemented sterile transfers to that extent pre COVID. I get that that is ideal, like in Korea, Singapore, and Amsterdam iirc.

WestJet can choose: be able to operate all the international gates as swing gates for flexibility, or trade the flexibility for no Canada clearance. They can’t have both.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I’m not sure they implemented sterile transfers to that extent pre COVID. I get that that is ideal, like in Korea, Singapore, and Amsterdam iirc.

They had.

YYC was part of the China transit program, and in order to be a participating airport in that program, you need a sterile international transit area.

The webpage I linked was last updated in 2019. Since YYC no longer has sterile transit, they cannot participate in that program. (of course, HU no longer serves YYC either)

YYC was also participating in the TWOV program. Again, website last updated in 2019, so since they no longer have sterile transit, they cannot participate in that program either, even if they get a non stop by one of the participating airlines.

Basically, sterile transit helps attract passengers (no need for a Canadian visa) and therefore airlines. It's a must have for a hub airport. YYC had it, they decided to can it for the sake of simplicity and gate usage. Once international airlines start reconsidering YYC, they might go that route once again.

Originally Posted by LO 044

If it's that simple then why haven't they done it? Who actually sets gates at an airport, the airline or the airport? Just curious. Would remote stands help in the interim? I would imagine the summer schedule is at least slightly "larger" than the winter schedule.

The airport sets them, and the airport is TERRIBLE at it. 6 months ago, it didn't matter. Now it matters. They're still scheduling gates like our traffic is down 80%, but it's almost all the way back.

No, we're nowhere close to needing remote stands and calling it an utter failure is likely overstating it.

[YYCFlier]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

I’m not sure they implemented sterile transfers to that extent pre COVID. I get that that is ideal, like in Korea, Singapore, and Amsterdam iirc.

YYC did have it, and had it for years pre-pandemic, but the morons at the airport decided to we didn't need it anymore.

And yes it's ideal like ICN, SIN, AMS, oh and also YVR, YUL, and YYZ?

It is a must have for a hub airport.

[YYCFlier]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

WestJet can choose: be able to operate all the international gates as swing gates for flexibility, or trade the flexibility for no Canada clearance. They can’t have both.

WestJet is not the only airline at YYC, either.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by YYCFlier

If you want to be a serious transit hub, then you need sterile transit.

Thanks for sharing this knowledge. I didn't even know that was a thing.

[Calfan12]

Originally Posted by YYCFlier

WestJet is not the only airline at YYC, either.

True but at Calgary YYC WestJet/ Air Canada since mid 2020 are now using most of the gates in International/ Domestic from Terminal from A,B,C,D&E. But it seems like WS/AC uses a lot of the Swing gates in D/E last 2 years for their planes✈️!

While Flair/Lynx has most Domestic flights out Terminal A & except for few times weekly (seasonal) US flights Departing/Arriving on Flair during the Winter season have to use Terminal E/D

Air Transat Summer seasonal Domestic flights has been Arriving/Departing in Terminal D at YYC.

KLM is usually Terminal D Arriving/Departing.

Air North Domestic flights usually Arriving/Departing from Terminal A.

US flights of course need to use Terminal E/D at YYC Departing/Arriving.

Originally Posted by YYCFlier

WestJet is not the only airline at YYC, either.

WestJet is the only airline trying to connect any significant number of passengers on itineraries that would benefit from sterile transit, so they're really the only ones that matter in the context of that discussion.