Hamilton International Airport

[HamAviMech]

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[Truenorth00]

What's the risk to YHM with Pickering talk picking up? I feel like YHM needs to put together a plan to grow. They could easily approach the infrastructure bank for a low-interest loan package to help fund some major infrastructure work like a new terminal, fuel supply pipeline and parking structure.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

What's the risk to YHM with Pickering talk picking up? I feel like YHM needs to put together a plan to grow. They could easily approach the infrastructure bank for a low-interest loan package to help fund some major infrastructure work like a new terminal, fuel supply pipeline and parking structure.

Pickering comes and goes. Mostly the latter. I'll believe it when I see real steps taken to getting it started.

Given that there's a hell of a lot more people west of Toronto than east, and the years if not decades it will take to develop a full-fledged new airport, I don't think it's an issue for growth at Munro. And there may be more than enough demand to go around, if the SOAN forecasts hold true.

[LikeHamilton]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

What's the risk to YHM with Pickering talk picking up? I feel like YHM needs to put together a plan to grow. They could easily approach the infrastructure bank for a low-interest loan package to help fund some major infrastructure work like a new terminal, fuel supply pipeline and parking structure.

Interesting question. The Hamilton Airport’s own surveys’ show that 20% of their passengers come from that side of Toronto, and as it is good for YHM, it give ammunition to justify an airport in Pickering. Taking longer to make a decision is allowing the area to very quickly grow and may cause a problem with it being built with people objecting to the noise that a new airport would make when they had bought in the area because it was quiet.

A new airport at Pickering would most likely take a good 5 to 10 to 15 years to build after permission is given as they is no infrastructure in the area other than the 407. New 10-year agricultural leases began on April 1, 2018 for the lands. 70,000 homes in Seaton would be just four kilometres from a runway.

I believe the threat to YHM is not Pickering anymore but Waterloo International Airport (YKF) and London International Airport (YXU).
Waterloo Regional Council approved the $375 million, 20 Year Airport Master Plan in April 2017.

The 20 Year Airport Master Plan consists of five development stages. Each stage is triggered by pre-set annual passenger volume:

• Stage 1 - Upon approval of 20 Year Airport Master Plan (April 2017) Plan for 500,000 passengers a year
• Stage 2 - Airport reaches 250,000 passengers (Roughly 3 Boeing 737 flights per day) Plan for 1 million passengers & build for 500,000 passengers annually
• Stage 3 - Airport reaches 500,000 passengers (Roughly 6 Boeing 737 flights per day) Plan for 1.5 million passengers & build for 1 million passengers annually
• Stage 4 - Airport reaches 1 million passengers (Roughly 12 Boeing 737 flights per day) Build for 1.5 million passengers annually
• Stage 5 - Airport reaches 1.5 million passengers (Roughly 18 Boeing 737 flights per day) Build for 2.5 million passengers annually

They have 2 flights a day during the summer and one a day in the winter with Westjet and seasonal service with Sunwing. Total passenger is les that 150,000 per year.

London International Airport is YHM’s biggest competition. In 2018 YXU did 537,000 passengers and are predicting more than 850,000 passengers in 2019 and projects over 1.2 million passengers by 2020.

They are served by:

Air Canada and Air Canada Express to Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal
Air Canada Express –Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto–Pearson
Air Transat - Seasonal: Cancun, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana
Canadian North - Charter: Halifax, Miami, Moncton, Saskatoon
Sunwing Airlines - Seasonal: Cayo Coco, Montego Bay, Varadero
Swoop - Abbotsford, Cancun (begins October 24, 2019), Edmonton, Las Vegas (begins October 3, 2019), Orlando (begins October 26, 2019) Seasonal: Halifax
WestJet - Calgary
WestJet Encore - Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Montréal-Trudeau

London already has a large modern 2 story terminal with 8 gates, with 4 having bridges. They have 19 flights a day from YUX.

terminal-services-london-international-airport by R L, on Flickr

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

What's the risk to YHM with Pickering talk picking up? I feel like YHM needs to put together a plan to grow. They could easily approach the infrastructure bank for a low-interest loan package to help fund some major infrastructure work like a new terminal, fuel supply pipeline and parking structure.

At one point in time, YHM had a plan to add a second level (departures with bridges) and the main level would become the arrivals concourse. I wonder if that plan has been filed under G for garbage.

[Truenorth00]

Thanks for the answers!

I'm rooting for YHM. I see a ton of potential and I hope YHM management are aggressive on investment and development.

[king10]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

At one point in time, YHM had a plan to add a second level (departures with bridges) and the main level would become the arrivals concourse. I wonder if that plan has been filed under G for garbage.

It was part of their 2011 masterplan as well as many other expansions and upgrades. If demand warrants it, they will expand. If not, well status quo.

2011 master plan found here

http://flyhamilton.ca/wp-content/upl...ster_plan_.pdf

Some neat expansion drawings in there

[urban_planner]

Swoop will be gone from yhm within a few years and will move to yxu. YHM for whatever reason doesn't want to expand.

[king10]

Originally Posted by urban_planner

Swoop will be gone from yhm within a few years and will move to yxu. YHM for whatever reason doesn't want to expand.

do you have a source on that?

[SantaClo]

"and will move to yxu". Is this your opinion or an actual fact?
London is a way way smaller market for Swoop, nobody from the GTA would drive there to take a cheaper flight. I've taken Swoop from Hamilton myself and there were 3 other Swoop planes on the tarmac at the same time to/from different destination, all full of people. I don't see why they would suddenly go anywhere. Swoop in Hamilton is the cheap way to fly to "Toronto", like Abbotsford and Vancouver. This is very appealing for tourists on a low budget.

[urban_planner]

Its just my opinion. Also dont let loads or how many aircraft are on the ramp fool you. Back in Westjets prime ay yhm I did a co-op placement and every flight was near capacity and we all know how that went. Im YXU offers them more room to grow then YHM then good bye.

[LikeHamilton]

My two cents worth.

It was part of their 2011 masterplan as well as many other expansions and upgrades. If demand warrants it, they will expand. If not, well status quo.
2011 master plan found here
http://flyhamilton.ca/wp-content/upl...ster_plan_.pdf
Some neat expansion drawings in there

I would ignore the almost 10 year old Master Plan for the terminal. That was four President and Chief Executive Officers ago. Lots have changed.

Its just my opinion. Also dont let loads or how many aircraft are on the ramp fool you. Back in Westjets prime ay yhm I did a co-op placement and every flight was near capacity and we all know how that went. Im YXU offers them more room to grow then YHM then good bye.

WestJet left because they saw an opportunity to become the 2nd airline in Canada. YYZ gave them a sweet heart deal. YHM was going to build a terminal to WestJet’s wants so they could stay as a discount – low cost airline. They changed direction so they could become a mainline airline and the second biggest in Canada. They were blinded by the bright lights of Toronto!

The present terminal can handle a lot more passengers then they now do. The problem is the airlines want everyone there at the same time. The terminal is packed twice a day for 3 hours. This summer they are handling around 10 to 12 flights a day. Last winter they averaged 13.5 flights a day. For Swoop there is no need to have all of the planes there at the same time. They don’t do connecting flights. They could be staggered out throughout the day. Last winter they had scheduled flights arriving from 5 am to 1 am almost every day. If they could handle 3 flight an hour for that 20 hours, that would give them 60 flights a day. 60 in and 60 out for 120 movements. The ramp is set up for 8 aircraft at the same time.

Yes they need more concession space and washrooms an bigger parking and bigger screening but that will come.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

WestJet left because they saw an opportunity to become the 2nd airline in Canada. YYZ gave them a sweet heart deal. YHM was going to build a terminal to WestJet’s wants so they could stay as a discount – low cost airline. They changed direction so they could become a mainline airline and the second biggest in Canada. They were blinded by the bright lights of Toronto!

Yep. I believe slots had opened up at YYZ because some other airline had gone tits-up (JetsGo? not sure now). It was a natural business decision that had little to do with YHM itself.

YXU is too far from the GGH to serve it. YKF is close and eager to expand, but it has limitations too and I think it's more of a complementary airport than competition.

[LikeHamilton]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Yep. I believe slots had opened up at YYZ because some other airline had gone tits-up (JetsGo? not sure now). It was a natural business decision that had little to do with YHM itself.

WestJet moved to YYZ April 2004 just as new Terminal 1 was opening. They were to operate out of the new Terminal 1 but they where sent to Terminal 3 when Air Canada made an objection to WestJet moving in as they had put up with the cramped spaces of old Terminal 1 and wanted it all to themselves. Aeroquay One (Old Terminal 1) ceased operations on April 5, 2004.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

WestJet moved to YYZ April 2004 just as new Terminal 1 was opening. They were to operate out of the new Terminal 1 but they where sent to Terminal 3 when Air Canada made an objection to WestJet moving in as they had put up with the cramped spaces of old Terminal 1 and wanted it all to themselves. Aeroquay One (Old Terminal 1) ceased operations on April 5, 2004.

Thanks. For some reason I haven't been thinking the new T1 has been open that long, but I'm way off.

I remember the plans for terminal expansion in Hamilton being exciting news, then not long after that the WestJet hub move happened. While the project would have been great to see, had work begun it would have been ill-timed.

[mishap]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Yep. I believe slots had opened up at YYZ because some other airline had gone tits-up (JetsGo? not sure now). It was a natural business decision that had little to do with YHM itself.

On the way out, Westjet made sure to blame it on the lack of highway access. That excuse would've worked better had the provincial government not just announced that Highway 6 New would soon be completed. And when they were called out on it, they hinted that ill will could lead to them cancelling what few flights remained at YHM.

[urban_planner]

Originally Posted by mishap

On the way out, Westjet made sure to blame it on the lack of highway access. That excuse would've worked better had the provincial government not just announced that Highway 6 New would soon be completed. And when they were called out on it, they hinted that ill will could lead to them cancelling what few flights remained at YHM.

And I was told tey blammed it on the weather which is Ironic because quite ofter flights divert to yhm from yyz. Also of that were that case then Porter airlines would have relocated here ages ago. Fact of the matter YHM wpuld never have grown enough to expand to the size weatjet would jave needed looking at how big they are now.

[King&James]

https://sunwingtravelgroup.com/en/ne...an-ever-before

More destinations for winter via Sunwing

[thistleclub]

Despite past turbulence, Sunwing recently added four new Boeing 737 aircraft to its expanding fleet, servicing gateways across Canada and the US.

[Zmonkey]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

WestJet moved to YYZ April 2004 just as new Terminal 1 was opening. They were to operate out of the new Terminal 1 but they where sent to Terminal 3 when Air Canada made an objection to WestJet moving in as they had put up with the cramped spaces of old Terminal 1 and wanted it all to themselves. Aeroquay One (Old Terminal 1) ceased operations on April 5, 2004.

WestJet also won a lot of corporate accounts from Air Canada from Edmonton and Calgary when they moved to Toronto. Business travelers wanted Pearson. Petro Canada for example flew everyone through Pearson on Air Canada when going to there operations in Mississauga and Oakville. WestJet got some of that business when flipping over to Pearson.

Much of WestJet's east Coast growth and profitability came from being at Pearson.