YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[Spoolmak]

If there is no AC, what will Canadas major airline be? every country needs an airline. Whether or not AC sucks.

[Yume-sama]

Air Canada has gotten a lot better. Though, they could use better cabin attendants, and pretty much anyone else who is in a position to talk with the public. Flying with them is actually quite enjoyable (if you have no high standards (maybe even low... Westjet still wins for customer service in Canada) of customer service that Asian airlines set), the planes are now all refurbished inside, have USB power for cellphones and iPods, and AC power for laptops, along with personal TV sets. If they could add in-flight internet I would probably take them over JAL, who I take to Tokyo because of 1) Price and 2) I have a good frequent flyer status with them

[deasine]

I didn't know the sign glows at night! Great pictures.

[mr.x]

love the sign.

i've gotta wonder, when are they getting themselves a new website?

[deasine]

Originally Posted by mr.x

love the sign.

i've gotta wonder, when are they getting themselves a new website?

They are long due. I emailed them about this two years ago... just hope they do it before the games.

Not related, but UBC's new website looks quite sleek.

[Hed Kandi]

..

[Stingray2004]

Cool pics! Thanks zahav!

[Yume-sama]

JAL has announced a new aircraft configuration to NRT from YVR, in hopes of attracting more business people.

日本航空（JAL）は9月から成田～バンクーバー路線、成田～バンクーバー経由メキシコ路線のビジネスクラスで「心地よい眠り」を提案する「シェル・フラット・シート」を導入する。

　新型シートは既に2002年から東京発の機内を中心にファースト、ビジネスクラスに使用されているが、バンクーバー路線は観光客中心の顧客ということもあり導入が先送りにされていた。今回の導入について「設備の充実化を図るとともに数年前から当社で展開しているプレミアム戦略の一環として既にフラットシートを導入する他社との競合、ビジネス客の拡大を狙う」（JALバンクーバー支店長の篠原孝昌さん）。

　「シェル・フラット・シート」は170度リクライニング、シートの長さは最大190センチ、幅もベッドモード時は59センチと「ゆとりのプライベートスペース」を提案するほか、パソコン用コンセント、専用読書灯、電話を設置する。10.4インチTVモニターは前座席に設置されているが座席を覆うシェル型デザインのカバーがあるためリクライニング時も前座席の背もたれの傾きに関係なくモニターを鑑賞できる。

It pretty much says that they had planned to introduce a higher quality business class in 2002, but most customers flying from Vancouver are "tourists" who fly economy, so it was not high priority to refurbish the aircraft with a better business class. But now, to compete with Air Canada and their new "Executive First Suite", they will be providing completely lie-flat seats with 10.4" TV screens in a "relaxing, private, environment", in Business Class. Sometimes a two class configuration aircraft will not be available, so on select flights a 3 class configuration with a first, business (with the upgraded seats), and economy, will be used.

Economy will remain the same, but the aircraft will be "newer"

In a couple of years time JAL will be retiring ALL 747's and replacing with 777 or 787.

[Rusty Gull]

^ Good stuff. I hope that JAL will consider taking over the YVR-Kansai/Osaka route that Air Canada cancelled last year. Then again, JAL is currently being propped up by the Japanese government financially, so it's unlikely.

[Yume-sama]

Hmm, would they have to get the Canadian governments permission for this?

It is very unlikely, as Osaka is the base of ANA, AC's alliance partner. Air Canada may pick up this route again when they have 787's.

Or, ANA being the launch customer for 787, might!

[trofirhen]

Here's something from "The Vancouver Sun" by Miro Cernetig that anybody interested in the furure of YVR might be interested in.

It's all been said before, but now it finally seems to be entering the domain of "mainstream thinking."

At last ! !





http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Pro...revenue+raises+prices/2042237/story.html

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Here's something from "The Vancouver Sun" by Miro Cernetig that anybody interested in the furure of YVR might be interested in.

It's all been said before, but now it finally seems to be entering the domain of "mainstream thinking."

At last ! !

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Pro...revenue+raises+prices/2042237/story.html

While that article plays well into the hands of Air Canada haters, its riddled with half-truths.

France restricts air access to 2nd tier cities. Why should Canada open up access if France does not?

Singapore Airlines could only make a go of service by picking up passengers in Korea. If they wanted Vancouver access so badly, they could have started direct SIA-YVR service.

The Air Tahiti Nui rumour has been kicking around for years. I find it very hard to believe they would forsake a huge market like SoCal for YVR.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by whatnext

While that article plays well into the hands of Air Canada haters, its riddled with half-truths.

France restricts air access to 2nd tier cities. Why should Canada open up access if France does not?

Singapore Airlines could only make a go of service by picking up passengers in Korea. If they wanted Vancouver access so badly, they could have started direct SIA-YVR service.

The Air Tahiti Nui rumour has been kicking around for years. I find it very hard to believe they would forsake a huge market like SoCal for YVR.

Part of it I agree with totally, like why not starting a direct SIA - YVR route.
And yes, that Air Tahiti Nui Paris-Vacouver thing seems too unreal to be real.

Conversely, Air Canada apparently has no interest in servicing the UAE, but will still not allow Emirates to fly here. A contact in the YVR marketing department, who was at the recent concention, was totally baffled by this; said he couldn't make head nor tail of it.

I can't either, in the case of keeping Emirates out of YVR.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Hmm, would they have to get the Canadian governments permission for this?

It is very unlikely, as Osaka is the base of ANA, AC's alliance partner. Air Canada may pick up this route again when they have 787's.

Or, ANA being the launch customer for 787, might!

/me crosses fingers

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Part of it I agree with totally, like why not starting a direct SIA - YVR route.
And yes, that Air Tahiti Nui Paris-Vacouver thing seems too unreal to be real.

Conversely, Air Canada apparently has no interest in servicing the UAE, but will still not allow Emirates to fly here. A contact in the YVR marketing department, who was at the recent concention, was totally baffled by this; said he couldn't make head nor tail of it.

I can't either, in the case of keeping Emirates out of YVR.

Emirates is a special case. There's little O & D traffic between Canada and the UAE. Emirates looks to siphon traffic from exisiting carriers and hub them through Dubai. Couple that with a "lack of clarity" as to what kind of state funding they get, and its not a fair, level playing field for AC.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Emirates is a special case. There's little O & D traffic between Canada and the UAE. Emirates looks to siphon traffic from exisiting carriers and hub them through Dubai. Couple that with a "lack of clarity" as to what kind of state funding they get, and its not a fair, level playing field for AC.

Do you work for Air Canada, by any chance?

[trofirhen]

. . . anyone who wants to see YVR become a major world airport, well contected to all continents, should read this, if you haven't already.

Excuse me. I know I posted it once, and had a difference of opinion with one reader. I respect that difference, but still feel that Air Canada and the interests of Ontario and Quebec (to a lesser extent) are being given priority at the expense of the rest of the country, particularly at airports like Vancouver,
which are xpanding vigourously in anticipation of future growth and world prominence.

People have got to write to their MP's to rectify this inexcusable situation.
Vancouver is being hamstrung, possibly more than any other Canadian airport, by the protectionsit attitudes of Air Canada, which caters to the Ontario population voting base.

Again -- and I apoloogize for being a repetitious with this, -- but please read this article to gain a hands-on idea of what is transpiring.

By the way, regarding flights to "second tier" cities, there are nonstopns Toronto-Nice and Montreal-Nice, which is about the seventh largest city in France, so there is no excuse for blocking flights from YVR to CDG.

Just click on the link, and you'll find out in part why our passenger volumes
have not risen faster than they have. Thank you all for your time
and consideration.

I hope this ignites some reaction and feedback. It follows on the heels of a major conference, trying to gain more destinations for YVR, with seemingly little success.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Pro...revenue+raises+prices/2042237/story.html

[vansky]

giving 12 months to air canada, this is a stupid excuse. ppl should have more choices, not to mention all the economic benefits from tourism.

[mr.x]

Things like this do enrage me quite a bit.

How long will this keep up? And it's only gotten worse eversince Toronto decided to build themselves that massive white elephant of an airport. Now that they need more money to run that thing, they're trying to siphon even more flights to the centre of the universe.

[deasine]

It's frustrating, but there really isn't anything you can do about it.