YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[nname]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I was in the new part a few weeks ago, it looks nice, very empty though, once things get back to normal, until then if you are flying out you can get a lot of seating to yourself to stretch out.

The area may not be so empty anymore if you come to the airport... right now.

Just checked the departing schedule, seems like most gates are used at least once. Each gate on average is used by 2 separate planes... except for the 90-96 area of course. But there may not be enough gates at peak time if they close the area now.

Each gate in the new area will have a flight departing this evening.

Gate use from 5pm till the end of day today:

Swing gates:
50: AC, AC
51: AC
52: AC

International:
53: Not used (will be used tomorrow afternoon by AC)
54: LH, AC
55: AC, AC
58: WS, CI
62: QF
64: PR
66: BA
67: DE
68: KL
69: Not used
70: TK, HU, B6
71: CX

Transborder:
72: AC, WS
73: AC, WS
74: AC, AC
75: AC, AC
76: UA
77: UA, AC
78: Not used (will be used tomorrow morning by AC)
79: WS, AC
80: WS, AC
81: WS, WS
82: Not used (will be used tomorrow morning by WS)
83: AC, AC
85: AC, AC
86: AC, AC, AC, DL
87: DL, DL, DL
88: Not used
90: Not used
91: Not used
92: F8
93: Not used
94: Not used
95: Not used
96: AS, AS

Any gate not listed above are either remote gate, or does not exist.

[thenoflyzone]

^

Still a low usage, especially the international gates. A lot of slack, which is a good thing, mind you.

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

A huge month as YVR cracks 1.9 million in June a 500% increase over last year

https://www.yvr.ca/-/media/yvr/documents/facts-sheets/2022/06---june/june-traffic-update.pdf

TTL 1,906,610
DOM 1,068,893
INTL 837,717 (TransB 433,524 Other int 404,193)

Overall an excellent result despite Asia Pacific still very subdued. It’s a sleeping giant!

...and July was over 2 million.

https://canadianaviationnews.wordpress.com/2022/08/02/the-week-ahead-at-yvr-and-july-performance/

Interesting that canadian aviation news has the yvr.ca press release, but I couldn't find it on yvr.ca

[nname]

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

^

Still a low usage, especially the international gates. A lot of slack, which is a good thing, mind you.

It is secondary and tertiary international departure bank. The main bank is still at noon to late afternoon.

But seems like the main departure bank is shrinking, and the late-night, evening, and morning banks are growing. With the current schedule, even at 2019 level we probably wouldn't need the new terminal and may still have 1 or 2 gates to spare. Now more international gates can be used 4 or 5 times a day, rather than having some gates that only required once a day at 1pm.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by stiffdeadman

arrivecan extended to Sept.30 rumors out there that the government will make it permanent. travel industry not happy in the least.

Why? People are connecting ArriveCan as a COVID thing, which I understand... but in reality, it's a great way to streamline travel IN to the country. Beats filling out those stupid paper forms.

[CivicBlues]

When is YVR going to ditch the sea-foam carpeting? It's so retro-90s and a pain in the ass dragging wheeled luggage over. Can't imagine it's easy to clean and maintain ether.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Why? People are connecting ArriveCan as a COVID thing, which I understand... but in reality, it's a great way to streamline travel IN to the country. Beats filling out those stupid paper forms.

You haven't had to fill out those stupid paper forms for years. They were replaced with kiosks.

Ron.

[nname]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

You haven't had to fill out those stupid paper forms for years. They were replaced with kiosks.

Ron.

But you still need to fill it on the kiosk.... So instead filling it when you got nothing to do on the plane, you need to wait in line while other people filling it right at the custom. Save paper, but not exactly more efficient and save time...

[Klazu]

You can optionally complete the customs declaration in ArrviCAN and it saves few clicks at the kiosk, but is still more work overall. I hope they give it up and at least they had the sense of extending it being possible to submit it 72 hours before arrival. The previous 24-hour limit was ridiculous.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by nname

It is secondary and tertiary international departure bank. The main bank is still at noon to late afternoon.

But seems like the main departure bank is shrinking, and the late-night, evening, and morning banks are growing. With the current schedule, even at 2019 level we probably wouldn't need the new terminal and may still have 1 or 2 gates to spare. Now more international gates can be used 4 or 5 times a day, rather than having some gates that only required once a day at 1pm.

Sorry I misunderstood your post and now re-read it and realise that’s only post 5pm. Was wondering why I didn’t see 14 United flights listed!
That’s pretty decent usage for after 5pm though.

[nname]

Looks like AF will once again attempt daily 789 service to YVR next summer, starting June 23, 2023.

[hehehe]

I really hope AC resumes YVR-MEL soon. Such a convenient route to take. What are the chances it comes back in the near future

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by nname

Looks like AF will once again attempt daily 789 service to YVR next summer, starting June 23, 2023.

Sweet love having Air France at YVR.
Apparently Parisians fell in love with Vancouver during the Winter Olympics and the flight started soon after.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Sweet love having Air France at YVR.
Apparently Parisians fell in love with Vancouver during the Winter Olympics and the flight started soon after.

It’s not just Air France though. YVR has close to 30 foreign carriers operating.

A few are seasonal but most are year round (European carriers tend to be more seasonal). Until China opens up we won’t see a significant amount of Chinese carriers operating but even still now most of them are even if on a limited basis.

If you look at the rest of Western Canada KLM is the only carrier operating year round from YYC and YEG. YYC does see Edelweiss and now Eurowings on a very limited seasonal basis. Even transborder - US carriers very limited in Western Canada outside of YVR. Long way to go for full recovery of course but on that basis YVR recovered quite well this summer for US carriers relative to others.

[nname]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

It’s not just Air France though. YVR has close to 30 foreign carriers operating.

A few are seasonal but most are year round (European carriers tend to be more seasonal). Until China opens up we won’t see a significant amount of Chinese carriers operating but even still now most of them are even if on a limited basis.

JD is the only Chinese carrier that used to operated to YVR but no longer operates right now.

CA, MF, 3U, HU still maintains passenger service, although limited by the 1x weekly restriction.

MU, CZ does not operate passenger service, but still maintain cargo flights (using passenger jets).

So I think JD and 4O are the only ones we lost since the pandemic? The latter one obviously no longer exists...

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

It’s not just Air France though. YVR has close to 30 foreign carriers operating.

A few are seasonal but most are year round (European carriers tend to be more seasonal). Until China opens up we won’t see a significant amount of Chinese carriers operating but even still now most of them are even if on a limited basis.

If you look at the rest of Western Canada KLM is the only carrier operating year round from YYC and YEG. YYC does see Edelweiss and now Eurowings on a very limited seasonal basis. Even transborder - US carriers very limited in Western Canada outside of YVR. Long way to go for full recovery of course but on that basis YVR recovered quite well this summer for US carriers relative to others.

Almost 30 foreign carriers at YVR wow that would make it one of the best spotter airports in the country!

[nname]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Almost 30 foreign carriers at YVR wow that would make it one of the best spotter airports in the country!

Actually, we already have more than 30 for the month of August.

AS AA UA DL B6 SY AM
LH BA KL AF DE FI TK WK
KE PR NH JL BR CX CI AI SQ CA 3U MF HU
QF NZ FJ

I counted 31.

Only 27 operates year-round though, if that's what Johnny meant.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by nname

Actually, we already have more than 30 for the month of August.

AS AA UA DL B6 SY AM
LH BA KL AF DE FI TK WK
KE PR NH JL BR CX CI AI SQ CA 3U MF HU
QF NZ FJ

I counted 31.

Only 27 operates year-round though, if that's what Johnny meant.

Sorry I was only including long haul foreign carriers and I came up with 26.

LH BA KL AF DE FI TK WK
KE PR NH JL BR CX CI AI SQ CA 3U MF HU
QF NZ FJ
plus MU and CZ
MU and CZ will almost certainly be returning with passenger flights when China allows it.

[Calfan12]

Originally Posted by nname

Actually, we already have more than 30 for the month of August.

AS AA UA DL B6 SY AM
LH BA KL AF DE FI TK WK
KE PR NH JL BR CX CI AI SQ CA 3U MF HU
QF NZ FJ

I counted 31.

Only 27 operates year-round though, if that's what Johnny meant.

Actually (HU) Hainan Airlines flights are cargo flights to Vancouver YVR since the pandemic.

Currently (CA) Air China 1x weekly, (MF) Xiamen Airlines 1x weekly , (3U) Sichuan Airlines 1x weekly & Air Canada 2x weekly flights are carrying passengers, along with cargo. Currently still 5x weekly flights from China to YVR.

But with limited of China flights available between China & YVR both directions there’s good chunk of Chinese passengers connecting in Hong Kong, Seoul South Korea & Tokyo Japan both ways.

[nname]

Originally Posted by Calfan12

Actually (HU) Hainan Airlines flights are cargo flights to Vancouver YVR since the pandemic.

Currently (CA) Air China 1x weekly, (MF) Xiamen Airlines 1x weekly , (3U) Sichuan Airlines 1x weekly & Air Canada 2x weekly flights are carrying passengers, along with cargo. Currently still 5x weekly flights from China to YVR.

But with limited of China flights available between China & YVR both directions there’s good chunk of Chinese passengers connecting in Hong Kong, Seoul South Korea & Tokyo Japan both ways.

HU flies SZX->YVR since June, and YVR->SZX since July.

[Calfan12]

Originally Posted by nname

HU flies SZX->YVR since June, and YVR->SZX since July.

I just looked it up recently ,yes it’s true (HU) Hainan has resumed Shenzhen SZX China to Vancouver YVR passengers flights 1x weekly with Thursday Arrivals & Departures on Friday & scheduled to end of October 2022 currently.

With the addition of HU 1x weekly this Summer 2022, YVR has a total of 6 weekly arriving China flights.

Also currently YVR is only North American city HU is operating passenger flights to by the looks of it on its website? As Beijing PEK-Toronto YYZ -PEK route on HU is showing on a connection available to the YVR 1x weekly flights on both directions.