YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[SpongeG]

My weather app shows 100% chance of snow on Friday, radio says it will snow and warm up and turn into freezing rain in the afternoon and is warning drivers not to drive friday at all. Satuday also calls for rain and warm temps which could cause a lot of flooding potential. Going to be a messy few days.

I heard a woman on the radio today who I believe was a flight attendant, she said one of the problems she felt was that so many people could not get to work, trains were delayed or down, busses not running, and many traffic issues, etc. And the airport could just not operate normally with so many missing employees. She said herself that it took a few hours to get from home in Coquitlam to the airport and the worst of it was the Vancouver portion.

[Calfan12]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

My weather app shows 100% chance of snow on Friday, radio says it will snow and warm up and turn into freezing rain in the afternoon and is warning drivers not to drive friday at all. Satuday also calls for rain and warm temps which could cause a lot of flooding potential. Going to be a messy few days.

I heard a woman on the radio today who I believe was a flight attendant, she said one of the problems she felt was that so many people could not get to work, trains were delayed or down, busses not running, and many traffic issues, etc. And the airport could just not operate normally with so many missing employees. She said herself that it took a few hours to get from home in Coquitlam to the airport and the worst of it was the Vancouver portion.

Yep,good points & I also see WestJet subbing in a Boeing 787 on the Calgary YYC
-Vancouver YVR - YYC route to (clear the backlog of WestJet passengers).

[ninjakafi_81]

It seems like Korean Air will be sending their 77W and 748i to YVR on Dec 23rd and 24th.

[Klazu]

I had some friends fly in town this morning from DFW. Their flight yesterday got delayed to this morning, but it was completely smooth once they got here. Even luggage arrived in normal time, so things are improving quickly.

[jollyburger]

Air Canada prepares Vancouver hub for 2024 arrival of 777 freighters
Dedicated fleet seasonally balances passenger belly capacity, cargo boss says

MIAMI — Air Canada’s first freighter aircraft are the most visible manifestation of an aggressive push to grow cargo business, but the airline is also building up airport infrastructure to support higher volumes and more profitable specialty products.

Without efficient ground handling capabilities the extra cargo jets won’t deliver the expected service and revenue.

Air Canada is preparing to expand its Vancouver, British Columbia, cargo terminal in preparation for receiving two 777 factory-built freighters from Boeing that will operate on trans-Pacific routes, said Jason Berry, vice president of cargo, during an interview at The International Air Cargo Association’s trade show here last month.

The upgrade is part of a large program to improve cargo hubs across its network.

Air Canada (OTCUS: ACDVF) currently occupies a stand-alone facility that processes shipments moving on passenger aircraft at Vancouver International Airport. A tenant in an adjacent hangar is moving out and Air Canada will begin work in January on connecting and refurbishing the two buildings.

“We’re in the early stages of just determining flow and process and how do you want it to look. It’s a big commitment for us,” Berry said.


In March, Air Canada completed a CA$16 million ($12.5 million) enhancement of its temperature-controlled facility at the main Toronto hub, which now offers 30,000 square feet of cooler space for pharmaceuticals, fresh food, flowers and other perishable items. The project is the first phase of a $75 million, multiyear investment in the Toronto facility, including new technologies designed to improve processing efficiency.

Air Canada also increased handling capacity by 35% at its Frankfurt, Germany, hub last January ahead of inaugural service by its first Boeing 767-300 converted freighter.

Berry said planning for a “massive” remodel of Air Canada’s London Heathrow cargo terminal is underway.

3rd freighter joins fleet
The airline is celebrating the freighter unit’s one year anniversary.

Last week, the airline’s third 767-300 freighter entered service after Israel Aircraft Industries converted the used passenger jet to carry main-deck containers. The inaugural flight arrived in Atlanta and Bogota, Colombia, according to posts by the company and an airport services partner on LinkedIn. The newest cargo jet also enabled Air Canada to launch dedicated service from Toronto to Dallas.

The carrier is scheduled to take delivery of five more converted freighters plus two production freighters from Boeing next year and receive the 777s in 2024, bringing the freighter fleet to a dozen aircraft.

Air Canada was a major cargo airline decades ago but gradually got rid of its freighters to focus on passenger business.


Air Canada Cargo’s stand at The International Air Cargo Association’s trade show in Miami, Nov. 8-10, 2022. (Photo: Eric Kulisch/FreightWaves)
Management made a strategic decision to restart a freighter airline after generating large returns during the COVID crisis with cargo-only flights that replaced passenger service when travel dried up. The company realized that a dedicated freighter division would enhance the network effect of shipments moving around the world on passenger aircraft, and enable the company to capture more business from growth in Canada’s air cargo market and demand for cross-border e-commerce.

Air Canada’s freighters also serve Miami; Quito, Ecuador; and Lima, Peru, three times per week and Halifax, Nova Scotia, six times per week. From Toronto and Halifax, Air Canada flies three times per week to Madrid, twice a week to Frankfurt, and once a week each to Cologne, Germany, and Istanbul.

Berry called the freighters “seasonality busters” that make importers and exports more willing to ship year-round because transportation is more consistent and reliable.

“These global freight forwarding companies and local customers need a rich network. They don’t want you just for one lane. They want to work with airlines that have a network because that’s actually going to get the scale and we can partner the most together,” he said at Air Canada’s exhibit booth.

The freighters maintain capacity that normally fluctuates on key cargo routes as the airline adjusts the number of passenger flights between the busy summer and slower winter seasons.

“As the only combination carrier in North America we will be less subject to seasonality than any of the major carriers in the United States,” the cargo chief said.

Air Canada’s third quarter cargo revenue was 23% lower compared to last year. Berry stressed that most of the decline occurred because most passenger aircraft repurposed for dedicated cargo operations during the pandemic, including seven large aircraft with their seats temporarily removed, returned to full-time passenger duty as travel demand rebounded.

“We were flying 45 passenger freighters a day before the peak and they’re gone. It’s a good story,” Berry said, adding that cargo revenue is expected to increase next year with more cargo jets in the fleet and the passenger network recovering to near pre-pandemic levels next summer.

“We’re actually growing market share massively in Latin America and Europe. You just can’t offset all the Asia capacity that has left us because we were basically flying double daily into Shanghai with a passenger freighter, flying 10 times a week into Hong Kong. Those are all gone because now they’re back flying passengers,” Berry said.

“We can’t wait until Asia turns back on [for travel following COVID restrictions]. That’s a force multiplier for us because we’ll have cargo coming in across both oceans into our hubs to go then to distribute. And then when our 777s come in 14 months, that allows us some of our own capacity into Asia where maybe our passenger size might not be ready to fly” at 2019 levels.

Berry dismissed the possibility that there may not be enough business to go around in Canada for a larger Air Canada Cargo, as well as expansion-minded all-cargo operator Cargojet and fellow passenger carrier WestJet, which plans to begin flying narrow-body freighters in March.

Overlap is minimal because Cargojet mostly flies point to point for other carriers whereas Air Canada operates a global passenger network on six continents in which 30% of freighter traffic connects to passenger flights to reach many different cities, Berry said.

“There’s plenty of room for both because we do very different things. There’s no selling arm on that side. They don’t sell cargo. It’s just the airplane,” he said.

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/air-ca...r-hub-for-2024-arrival-of-777-freighters

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by ninjakafi_81

It seems like Korean Air will be sending their 77W and 748i to YVR on Dec 23rd and 24th.

I hope somebody gets pics of the 748i when it is here!

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by ninjakafi_81

It seems like Korean Air will be sending their 77W and 748i to YVR on Dec 23rd and 24th.

This one?

2022 Dec 24 13:10 PST KE72 Seoul (ICN/RKSI) B748 (HL7632) Korean Air SCHEDULED IN 2d 3h 11h40m

https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/hl7632/1896039423

[Waders]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

This one?

2022 Dec 24 13:10 PST KE72 Seoul (ICN/RKSI) B748 (HL7632) Korean Air SCHEDULED IN 2d 3h 11h40m

https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/hl7632/1896039423

Must be trying to clear the backlog since the scheduled flight on Dec 21 and Dec 22 were cancelled?

Source: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/KAL71

[ninjakafi_81]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

This one?

2022 Dec 24 13:10 PST KE72 Seoul (ICN/RKSI) B748 (HL7632) Korean Air SCHEDULED IN 2d 3h 11h40m

https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/hl7632/1896039423

Correct but the flight has now been switched to a 77W.

Additionally, Air France will be sending an additional flight on the 23rd to YVR. AF4146 will also use a 77W.

[casper]

Originally Posted by ninjakafi_81

Correct but the flight has now been switched to a 77W.

Additionally, Air France will be an additional flight on the 23rd to YVR. AF4146 will also use a 77W.

The only issue with all these extra flights is Vancouver is expecting a major storm tomorrow. We will see if YVR has ramped up their ramp resources. Two days is not a lot of runway to get those processes addressed.

[ninjakafi_81]

Originally Posted by casper

The only issue with all these extra flights is Vancouver is expecting a major storm tomorrow. We will see if YVR has ramped up their ramp resources. Two days is not a lot of runway to get those processes addressed.

It seems like AC and WS has proactively cancelled almost all their flights for tomorrow.

[nname]

Originally Posted by casper

The only issue with all these extra flights is Vancouver is expecting a major storm tomorrow. We will see if YVR has ramped up their ramp resources. Two days is not a lot of runway to get those processes addressed.

That's what I was worrying. Pausing arrival for 2 days will just make airlines send extra flights on Friday, just in time to get stuck again. Maybe they should've paused for 3 days. At least most of the international widebody gates will be clear by then...

Looks like PR will also have an extra flight on Friday.

Originally Posted by ninjakafi_81

It seems like AC and WS has proactively cancelled almost all their flights for tomorrow.

Almost all domestic and most transborder. But international will mostly operating as usual.

[hehehe]

Lots of cancellations tomorrow but also out east starting tomorrow too, and the cold snap won't end till Saturday in YYC/YEG. I couldn't imagine working in operations at an airline right now. Crazy

[Johnny Aussie]

Greetings from SQ 48 currently due south of Adak, Alaska.
Inflight wifi is a blessing. Been able to rearrange hotels and rental car etc. First time visiting since 2019 and first time not staying with family!
Looks like a snowy arrival awaits. We should be the first foreign arrival after the intl curfew lifts. Even delayed leaving SIN due to the shorter flight time. Still going to be arriving early.
So happy this route exists…best service in the sky! Who knows if it will stick around but fingers crossed it’s in for the longhaul - pun intended!

[jollyburger]

Doesn't feel like we'll get a lot of freezing rain in Metro Vancouver. I think localized flooding might be more of an issue.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by peytol

https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/publica...bility-snow-vs-snowfall-intensity-chart1

Thats where the crews get stuck, less of a problem out east where the temps are lower, but in YVR and the coast it is frequently an issue in snow storms. Heavy = no hold over time.

That’s a 12 year old document, so nothing new. Plus it’s doesn’t say ground crews can’t deice if vis is less than 1sm. It just establishes the severity of the precip based on vis.

The severity of the precip is usually broadcast on the ATIS for pilots, no need to convert vis to quantity of snow.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Greetings from SQ 48 currently due south of Adak, Alaska.
Inflight wifi is a blessing. Been able to rearrange hotels and rental car etc. First time visiting since 2019 and first time not staying with family!
Looks like a snowy arrival awaits. We should be the first foreign arrival after the intl curfew lifts. Even delayed leaving SIN due to the shorter flight time. Still going to be arriving early.
So happy this route exists…best service in the sky! Who knows if it will stick around but fingers crossed it’s in for the longhaul - pun intended!

Welcome back!

[jollyburger]

Sure there are operational issues with their snow clearing/de-icing but their lack of communication skills is mind boggling.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR)'s mass delays and cancellations this week were "unacceptable," but everything appeared on track Friday, according to its CEO, who was "pleased" with the airport's performance.

YVR CEO Tamara Vrooman acknowledged that the long waits, some up to around 10 hours, for passengers inside planes on the tarmac on Tuesday were "unacceptable" and apologized to those affected.

"It's one thing to get delayed in an aircraft, it's another after a 16-hour flight from Manila or something like that to have to wait extra time," she said.

Vrooman said YVR has since changed its policies to prioritize gate access according to the duration to get people off planes, rather than the usual "first in, first out" practice.

"As a result, we had no holds (at gates) on Wednesday, Thursday and we've had none today."

Vrooman told The Richmond News that the airport knew the snow was coming on Tuesday and was prepared, but the heavy and concentrated snowfall meant planes had to keep circling back to get deiced, much like shovelling the sidewalk when it's snowing.

"When you deice an aircraft, you take the snow off the wings. But if the snow is coming down really, really heavily then by the time you've deiced an aircraft, and it makes its way to the runway, the snow has already re-accumulated," Vrooman explained.

Since planes are not allowed to take off with snow accumulation, this became a cycle, which then led to delays and cancellations as congestion built on the airfield.

Vrooman's leadership was questioned earlier as she appeared to have been silent during the chaos on Tuesday, and she later told Global News that she was on the ground helping customers.

When asked if it was the most effective use of her time, Vrooman told The Richmond News that it was important "to hear directly from the people that (YVR is) serving to make sure that (YVR is) in touch in real-time with their experiences."

The main takeaway, said Vrooman, is "the more information (YVR) can provide to passengers, the better."

She also clarified that she had "a variety of roles" to play in such situations, and she had spent time "making the operational and strategic decisions" such as adjusting policies to prevent people from being stuck at gates.

"When weather hits, it causes delays. And I totally understand, particularly at this time of the year, how people can be frustrated and disappointed with those cancellations," she said.

"However, the work that the airport did to prepare with snow removal and deicing worked as it should in these conditions, and I'm really pleased with the performance of our team."

Keeping the workers safe
First-hand accounts of what it was like to work during Tuesday's debacle were also seen on social media, such as TikTok user Dj Sugue's video which showed workers walking through thick layers of snow and water leaking in different parts of the airport.

When asked about the safety of airport workers, Vrooman said it's the airport's "primary concern" and extra safety officers and procedures have been implemented. So far, no "major safety events" have occured.

Vrooman added that she was "very, very impressed" with the 26,000 people working this week.

"It's a true team sport, and they've gone above and beyond in very, very challenging situations, particularly those who work outside."

So far so good, despite the storm
According to Vrooman, YVR is currently operating at about 50 per cent of its normal capacity at this time of the year. She added that cancellations by WestJet and Air Canada, which were communicated to passengers in advance, meant that only those with scheduled flights have gone to the airport, which helps YVR process the traffic.

"So far, the really extreme freezing ice and freezing rain conditions have not materialized," said Vrooman.

"We're starting to see some rain precipitation here, but so far, we're operating as planned."

And for those affected, YVR is providing access to more than 400 hotel rooms and meal vouchers from today through Dec. 27, according to a media release.

A designated area with cots, blankets, hygiene kits and other supplies has also been set up in Level 3 departures, past U.S. check-in, and staff and volunteers will continue to assist passengers. As of now, more than 10,000 snacks, 15,000 water bottles and 1,500 blankets have been handed out.

Passengers are advised to plan ahead and anticipate potential flight impacts.

https://biv.com/article/2022/12/yvr-ceo-pleased-airports-performance-after-tarmac-chaos

[Calfan12]

KLM NS23 INTERCONTINENTAL NETWORK ADJUSTMENT – 23DEC22

Amsterdam – Vancouver eff 26MAR23 2 of 7 weekly 777-200ER replaces previously filed -300ER (Originally filed as 777-200ER/787-10, moving to 787-10 only from 24MAY23)

https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/221224-klns23inc

[Johnny Aussie]

Westjet observation upon arriving at YVR and spending about 24 hours at the airport hotel.
Upon arrival in YVR (stayed one night) we had a great view over the north part of the airfield. At one point no fewer than 5 Westjet 737s parked at the Transborder wing (the visible part from our room). Quite a few parked in the remote bays as well while YVR tried to get things back under control. Flights to LAX, SNA, PSP, LAS, PHX, MCO, OGG, HNL, KOA and LIH on the departure boards. And their sun flying is even bigger than AC’s out of YVR. A total of 15 intl destinations this winter so definitely a good presence amongst all the other carriers.

Speaking of other carriers. Very exotic list of foreign carriers walking past intl checkin a few times as we killed time and seeing various aircraft parked on the tarmac. There was an AF 77W parked while a BA 77W snuck past it on arrival.
Huge lines at Air India, Fiji Airways and Singapore Airlines - pretty much every airline but we must have walked past those counters at their peak times. Great advertising by Turkish Airlines as well. Seeing all the AC intl tails as well at the gates certainly gives a bit of a prestigious hub air about it. Definitely feels like a true global “International” airport with all the different airlines and not just a sun destinations airport.
I can see why YVR-MEX is 4 daily as well. I’ve noticed (and heard) so many Latin Americans here now. Big increase since the last time I was here.