YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[officedweller]

So my question is - if a passenger gets a boarding pass at the hotel, but gets stuck in traffic, at what point does the airline give up the seat to a standby passenger?

[SSLL]

Does Air NZ not fly to Vancouver right now from Auckland?

[privatejet]

^AZ is codeshare with a plane change in Hawaii

^^The airline wil likely start giving up seats at 15 or 20 minutes beofre departure. Since the luggage hasnt been loaded onto the plane, its ok from a security point of view.

[phesto]

United will be offering a new daily service direct to Dulles (IAD) beginning next year. (May through Oct probably to coincide with the cruise ship season)

[Coldrsx]

i still laugh at YVR from a couple of years ago when they were doing there 40 yr plan or whatever it was....they didnt take into account sea level changes......sorry but things like this are too funny to forget.

[phesto]

Another new seasonal int'l service courtesy of Zoom:

Zoom Launches New Vancouver--Belfast--Cardiff Flight Route

OTTAWA, Nov. 1 /CNW/ - Zoom Airlines announced today the introduction of scheduled transatlantic service from Vancouver to Belfast, Northern Ireland to Cardiff, Wales. Zoom Airlines is the only Canadian air carrier to provide non-stop service from Vancouver to Belfast and the only carrier servicing the Vancouver -Cardiff route.

The new service begins June 12, 2006 and will be available every Monday up to October 30, 2006. Prices for Zoom Airlines' high quality, full service flights to Belfast and Cardiff, which include meals, drinks and in-flight entertainment, will start from $299 one way.

"Buoyed by the continuing success of our transatlantic program, we are pleased to be adding Belfast and Cardiff to the list of now six gateways we offer from Vancouver to Europe" says Kris Dolinki, Chief Executive Officer, Zoom Airlines. "We are extremely excited to offer more choice and flexibility to trans-Atlantic travel and we endeavour to continue to offer the lowest scheduled airfares across the Atlantic."

"We're delighted with Zoom's new service from Vancouver and continued development of the Wales market," says Eirlys Thomas, Head of International Marketing, Tourism Wales. "This new flight makes travelling to Wales easier and more affordable then ever before."

According to Tourism Ireland, more Canadian travelers are also choosing to visit the island of Ireland, with a total of 130,000 trips having been made in 2004, 16 per cent more than the previous year.

"We are very pleased about the introduction of Zoom Airline's new directservice to Belfast from Vancouver," say Alison Metcalfe, Vice-President,Canada, Tourism Ireland. "It makes getting to Ireland from Western Canada so much easier and provides an opportunity for visitors to discover the unique heritage, culture and breathtaking scenery to be found in Northern Ireland,
the North West and other regions of the island."

[excel]

LTU announced flights from Vancouver to Dusseldorf and Munich which will start in May 2006. Most likely Airbus A330's.

[excel]

Chinese airliner makes emergency landing at YVR

A tense situation has ended in relief for passengers aboard a plane circling Vancouver International Airport. A China Eastern Airbus A340-300 has made an emergency landing with 273 people aboard including 16 crew members. The plane took off just before two o'clock from YVR when crew members discovered an engine problem. The decision was made to circle over Vancouver Island to burn off some of the fuel then make an emergency landing. A plane carrying this many people destined for an international location is quite large and weight is a crucial issue when trying to land. The airport says the next step is to let the passengers off the plane and check out the engine to see what the problem is. If they can fix it, they'll just put the passengers back on the plane and send them off to Shanghai later tonight. If not, then the passengers will have to be put up in nearby hotels and then send them off in another plane tomorrow.

[MistyMountainHop]

November 4, 2005 - 9:00 AM

YVR LANDS AWARD FOR NORTH AMERICA'S BEST RETAIL/SPECIALTY PROGRAM

Airports Council International Recognizes YVR for Superior Concessions Program

Airports Council International North America (ACI-NA) has recognized Vancouver International Airport (YVR) in its annual Airport Concessions Contest, giving it top honours in the Best Retail/Specialty Program category. YVR won for its U.S. Departures Concourse retail program, a themed area that offers U.S.-bound travellers the most comprehensive retail experience of any airport in Canada.

"The Airport Authority is proud to offer its customers a level of service that consistently ranks as one of the best in the world," said David Huffer, Vice President, Commercial Development, Vancouver International Airport Authority. "This award highlights our commitment to leading the way in offering travellers innovative products and services in a unique and characteristically West Coast environment."

Designed with one of Vancouver's oldest residential neighbourhoods, Shaughnessy, as its inspiration, storefronts in the U.S. Departures concourse reflect the estate-like character of the neighbourhood's heritage buildings. More importantly, the Departures area offers passengers unprecedented choice in "destination" merchandise from stores like National Geographic, which showcases gifts of adventure; Kids Works, featuring toys and games for young ones; Discover Vancouver, stocked with products developed by local galleries and museums; BC Sports Zone and Northern Reflections. The $15 Boutique offers budget-conscious travellers a vast array of accessories and gifts, all at one set price. Recently added are Roots, Christmas in Vancouver, Vancouver Kitchen and Crabtree & Evelyn stores.

YVR was the first airport in Canada to significantly expand retail offerings to U.S.-bound passengers post-security. Following years of discussions between the Airport Authority and Canadian and U.S. Customs agencies, an agreement was reached to increase the value of products that could be sold to U.S.-bound passengers in the post-security area. The agreement paved the way for YVR's U.S. Departures concourse retail expansion, which began in 2003 and now consists of more than 1,300 square metres of retail and concession outlets.

YVR customers have expressed their satisfaction with the expanded retail program, giving the Airport Authority's U.S. Departures area consistently increased ratings since the project began in 2003. In addition to enhancing customers' experiences at YVR, the program has brought increased concessions revenues and sales-per-square-foot amongst the highest in the industry. This has allowed the Airport Authority to remain a leader in providing a low-cost, high-value airport utilizing revenue streams other than airline and passenger fees.

ACI-NA's Airport Concessions Contest began in 1998 and this year received more than 50 entries from airports of all sizes throughout the U.S. and Canada. Entries were divided into three categories based on size; YVR was a winner in the medium airports category.

About Vancouver International Airport Authority
The Airport Authority is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that operates Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The second largest international passenger gateway on North America's West Coast, YVR expects to welcome a record 16.4 million passengers in 2005. The Airport Authority is undertaking a $1.4-billion capital program that will ensure the airport meets the growing demand for air travel, and continues to be developed as a premier global gateway and economic generator for British Columbia.
-YVR-

For more information:
Media Relations
Vancouver International Airport Authority
604.880.9815

[phesto]

Westjet is following America West's lead and will be discontinuing YVR-LAX next year. They will be starting YVR-LAS next year as well.

I heard that Abbotsford Airport (YXX) has recently completed a runway extension. Anyone know of any plans for more service out there? - WJ is the only airline with scheduled service (to YYC) and AC will also be starting YXX-YYC in Dec. I think Harmony and WJ are also planning mexico/hawaii service next year as well. And now with a runway extension YXX is poised for more cargo traffic...

I think Zoom also flew out of abbotsford (and still does?).

[SSLL]

So AC will be the only LAX to YVR service then? Is the route that unprofitable? That's surprising...

[phesto]

^The route was oversaturated with 6 carriers - the four left are AC, United, NWA, and Alaska.

Not surprising that Westjet dropped the route, but a bit surprising that they kicked up YVR-LAS, a route that I think is now serviced by 6 carriers as well.

[privatejet]

An idyllic stroll along the Seine or an awe-inspiring tour of the Louvre could become easier for Vancouver travellers if Air Tahiti or Zoom decide to try a non-stop service between Vancouver and Paris.

There is no direct air link between the two cities but Vancouver airport and Air Tahiti officials confirmed Monday they have talked about doing whatever is necessary to create a Vancouver-Paris connection.

"It's a possibility that we're working towards but at this moment, it's just a possibility," said Kate Forrester of Vancouver airport. "... We're working with Air Tahiti and other airlines about new services but right now, there are no definitive dates."

Air Tahiti currently flies between Tahiti and Paris, with a refuelling stop in Los Angeles, but airline representative Guy Champoux said increased security measures in Los Angeles have made that airport inconvenient for many passengers. That's why the airline has considered Vancouver as an alternative.

Champoux said European passengers on their way to Tahiti have to deplane in Los Angeles and go through an extensive immigration process. "If security gets any tighter, we're afraid it will be almost impossible to transit the aircraft through the U.S. So as a back-up plan, the airline would use Vancouver."

But Champoux stressed airline officials are currently just studying the costs of such a move.

He said factors in Vancouver's favour are that it's located almost exactly halfway between Paris and Tahiti and Vancouver-Paris is a slightly shorter flight than Los Angeles-Paris, requiring just two pilots instead of three.

"So the schedule [using Vancouver] is just perfect but it's a matter of looking at the costs," Champoux said.

Air Canada offers direct flights to Paris from Toronto and Montreal but airline representative Angela Mah said there are no current plans to offer a non-stop service from Vancouver to Paris.

Ottawa-based Zoom Airlines will begin a once-a-week Vancouver-Calgary-Paris service in June 2006 which airline chief executive officer Kris Dolinki said could evolve into a direct Vancouver-to-Paris service if market conditions warrant it.

[hollywoodnorth]

Business in Vancouver November 8-14, 2005; issue 837

Real estate round-up

Peter Mitham

Credit union boss upbeat about the province's housing market

Green buildings pay dividends to owners and occupants, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors report says


Market not chilled

The latest rise in mortgage rates shouldn't cast a chill on the housing market, say observers.

The Bank of Canada reports a 0.2-percentage point increase in mortgage rates over the past month - back to where they were at the beginning of the year.

The relative lack of change has Credit Union Central of B.C. chief economist Helmut Pastrick remaining optimistic regarding the housing market in B.C. Pastrick's latest outlook forecasts province-wide home starts rising through 2007. Starts are poised to top 33,600 this year, rising to 35,700 next year and 38,200 in 2007.

That call outpaces the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. forecast, which projects starts to fall next year to 31,600. The outlook for Greater Vancouver is 17,500 starts.

Rising land and construction costs, not borrowing costs, are the major threat to homebuying, analyst Cameron Muir told participants in last week's CMHC housing outlook conference.

"Longer-term mortgage rates are, if anything, lower than they were several years ago," concurred William Tharp of M. Murenbeeld and Associates Inc. in Victoria and senior economist with the Dundee Group of Companies.

Tharp feels a strong economy in B.C. will continue to give the housing market legs for another year to 18 months, though he fears a long, slow slump could follow as older homeowners retire into smaller quarters and the aging population requires less house space overall.


Concert enters Victoria

Vancouver builder Concert Properties Ltd. has been active in the Victoria development industry, now it's taken a bite of the investment opportunities the city offers. Concert picked up 712 Yates Street for $12.25 million at the end of October, adding the 79,000-square-foot property to an investment portfolio now valued in excess of $850 million.

During the first 10 months of this year, Concert has acquired $47 million in properties in British Columbia and Ontario.

It will retain the Victoria property for office use, said Andrew Tong, Concert vice-president, acquisitions. There are no plans for redevelopment of the property, which is fully leased to government tenants.

B.C. properties now represent 87 per cent of Concert's investment holdings, with Ontario and Alberta assets in the minority at 11 per cent and two per cent, respectively.


Green buildings pay

Green buildings will repay their owners and occupants, a recent report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors says.

Three B.C. properties were presented as case studies in the report, which concluded a link exists between so-called green - or environment-friendly - features in a building and its market value.

Take the case of Cranberry Commons, a 22-unit Burnaby housing co-op that was one of the B.C. properties profiled. The co-op was built at a cost of $5.3 million, but residents now estimate the value of their units at 15 to 20 per cent above current market value for units of similar square footage. The higher valuation is only partially attributable to higher construction costs, the report states. It notes that operating costs were six to 10 per cent better than expected (an estimated $1,936 per unit last year).

Vancouver Island Technology Park, which reported similar advantages in terms of operating costs, noted that E-Traffic Solutions reported that employee productivity was up 30 per cent compared with its experiences in conventional offices. (Perhaps that helps explain why absorption exceeded owner expectations by between 21 per cent and 50 per cent.)

UBC, whose C.K. Choi Building for the Institute of Asian Research and the Liu Centre for the Study of Global Issues enjoyed a showing in the study, is meanwhile showing sustainability is viable in low-rise construction. It has launched the Residential Environmental Assessment Program, which has taken existing sustainability standards and adapts them for low-rise construction projects on campus.

More to follow on REAP, as the program's called, in a future column.

[privatejet]

^wrong thread. this YVR news

[hollywoodnorth]

opps

[MistyMountainHop]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

opps

Two errors in a row!

[yogiderek]

meanwhile at YVR. It seems like there is almost no work going on at the Link project? They seemed to have done the initial foundations and stopped. However, on the international terminal expansion. They are now assembling the large circular addition which will have the aquatic feature. The roof assembly is actually hoisted up on a crane and attached to two Y figures, one being stouter, the inner support. The other more long, the outer wall. Oddly enough, this outer wall area is in fact higher than the present roofline of the International terminal building.
What else, rumor has it that Northwest airlines is pulling out of Vancouver. They are in chapter 11 at present and looking to cut costs anywhere.

[MistyMountainHop]

Northwest is pulling out of Vancouver?

Dang. I have flights to Hawaii (Kailua-Kona) on Northwest (via Seattle).

[phesto]

Northwest pulling out would be a big loss - especially the YVR-MSP route.

Other news:

-Cathay Pacific Opens Ticket Office At YVR

Last month, Cathay Pacific’s Vancouver Ticketing Office relocated from 550 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, to YVR. The new office is located in International Departures, Level 3 (across from the Cathay Pacific check-in counters).

With the move, Cathay Pacific has added the convenience of extended operating hours. New ticketing office hours are: April to October (summer flight schedule)—10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; and 11 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. November to March (winter flight schedule)—9: a.m. – 3 p.m.; and 10 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. Cathay offers two daily non-stop flights from Vancouver to Hong Kong, daily non-stop service from Vancouver to New York, and thrice-weekly freighter service from Vancouver and Hong Kong.

-Zoom Says ‘Bonjour’ To The Heart Of Europe

Zoom Airlines has announced a new Vancouver-Calgary-Paris service, Western Canada’s only direct flight to Paris. The new service seeks to provide Western Canadians with easy access to the third-largest city in Europe, and is in addition to Zoom’s year-round U.K. program. Flights to Paris begin June 10, 2006, and will continue every Saturday until October 29, 2006. Consumers can purchase their tickets for as little as $299 one way. “There is tremendous opportunity for Zoom to penetrate a market that is currently under-serviced,” says Kris Dolinki, chief executive officer, Zoom Airlines. “The success of Zoom Airlines and our low-cost, full service model has allowed us to provide distinct products. Zoom is proud to be the only air carrier to offer service to Paris directly from the West Coast, providing Western Canadians with more choice and flexibility in their travel destinations. With our service to London, Glasgow, Manchester and now Paris, Zoom Airlines is truly Western Canada’s low-cost gateway to Europe.”

In the past four years, the numberof Canadians visiting France has increased by 33 per cent. Accordingto Statistics Canada, France has been one of the top five countries visited by Canadians for the last three years, with approximately 500,000 visits every year.

Designed for long-haul flights, Zoom Airlines’ wide-bodied 767-300 aircraft offer increased legroom for a more comfortable in cabin experi-ence. The airline’s full-service flightsinclude meals, snacks and in-flight entertainment.

-FasTrack Premium Check-In Lounge Arrives At YVR

First Of Its Kind In North America

Vancouver International Airport Authority continues to lead in customer service and cutting-edge technology with the opening of a new premium check-in lounge in the International Terminal. YVR FasTrack Premium check-in caters to business- and first-class passengers flying with Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, and provides a dedicated and comfortable area to check in.

Passengers using the premium service are assisted with their lug gage and taken directly to the fully equipped lounge for an expedited premium check-in experience. “We are proud to be the first airport in North America to offer this service,” said Kevin Molloy, vice president, Simplified Passenger Travel and chief information officer, Vancouver International Airport Authority. “Together with our partners Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, we are raising the bar for customer service.”

The lounge offers sumptuous leather chairs and fresh flowers. Once they have checked-in, passengers are directed to a dedicated security screening point and onward to each airline’s lounge. The premium check-in lounge, located just within the main doors of the International terminal, is the prototype of facilities that will be located in the new Link Building, which is scheduled to open in 2007. The building, so named because it is located where the Domestic and International terminals are linked, will also feature additional check-in facilities, baggage systems and officespace, and will serve as the main point of entry from the RAV Line terminal station.