Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW/CYOW) - Page 258

Dominion301 · #**5141** Posted **Jun 9, 2021, 10:45 PM**

Today's departure count: 10...and tomorrow's too.

J.OT13 · #**5142** Posted **Jun 10, 2021, 4:00 PM**

Ottawa airport looks for development partners on ‘Gateway’ properties

OBJ360 Content Studio
June 10, 2021

New request for expressions of interest asks industry for input on combined 100 acres

This article is sponsored by the Ottawa International Airport Authority.

In a rare opportunity to transform a pair of prime land parcels in the centre of the National Capital Region, the Ottawa International Airport Authority is inviting the real estate industry to share its insights on how to best develop the properties and accelerate the city’s economy.

The airport’s two Gateway properties are located on either side of the Airport Parkway, near the EY Centre.

A recent study showed the 70-acre Gateway East parcel has the potential to support at least 1.3 million leasable square feet of office space in a campus-style environment, or a mixed-use development of up to 1.1 million square feet, including a 700,000-square-foot logistics centre or light industrial building.

On the other side of the Airport Parkway, the 30-acre Gateway West parcel is located along the Trillium O-Train line expansion and can support an 800,000-square-foot mixed-use development that includes multiple office phases of up to seven storeys.

In addition to being strategically located near the airport itself, the land lies adjacent to transportation corridors connecting the area with Highways 417 and 416, representing a rare large-scale development opportunity in the geographic centre of Ottawa.

Through a request for expressions of interest, airport officials are asking the industry for its insights on how best to structure the development opportunity.

“This is a chance to be bold and create one of the first visual impressions that people have as they leave the airport and enter the city,” says Mark Laroche, the president and CEO of the Ottawa International Airport Authority. “We want to hear from the industry on how they would approach this opportunity and have a dialogue to create a model that leads to a top-tier development.”

Lower airfares

Airport officials began preparing these particular parcels of land – which were acquired by Transport Canada several decades ago – after plans for the light-rail expansion were solidified.

However, the airport has a history of facilitating economic activity through its long-term leases of land on other parts of its property. The EY Centre and several hotels, for example, are all located on airport land, as is the Hunt Club Marketplace containing the T&T Supermarket and other retailers.

These land leases also directly benefit air travellers.

Land and other space rentals bring in approximately $6.6 million to the airport authority annually, representing roughly 10 per cent of its overall revenues. This subsidizes the cost of operating the airport and helps to reduce passenger and airline fees – savings that are passed on to travellers in the form of lower airfares.

More broadly, airport officials see the development of the lands as part of a virtuous cycle. By creating jobs and facilitating business expansion, it can increase demand for air travel. That leads to greater levels of air service and connectivity to Ottawa, which in turn strengthens the local economy.

“We have a mandate to be an economic generator and to help Ottawa’s business community grow,” Laroche says.

https://obj.ca/article/Ottawa-Airpor...way-properties

MountainView · #**5143** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 12:00 AM**

Tomorrow marks Flair Airlines first day serving YOW.

Flight 302 arrives YOW from YYZ tomorrow at 11:15 and flight 337 leaves YOW for YEG at 12:00.

I may take an early lunch to go check out its arrival depending on which runway is the active tomorrow morning.

I wish them a successful summer here at YOW!

MountainView · #**5144** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 12:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by phil235

Any chance that Porter does what they are threatening and moves their base off the Island? If they were interested in competing on some direct, cross border routes (NY, BOS, Washington), that would be a best case scenario.

I think Porter will always be based at YTZ with their Q400s because their bread and butter right now is being able to serve business traffic right in downtown Toronto. Hence why they are not operating now - as business traffic is almost non-existent.

If Porter takes delivery of the Embraer aircraft, they will have to base it outside of YTZ because jets cannot operate on the island. YOW should be doing everything possible to lure them here. I'm sure they could make a run at YOW-YWG/YYC/YEG (and YVR if the Embraer has the legs for this) with connecting traffic from YTZ and the Maritimes. I doubt they would want to do this, but they could also serve Florida from YOW with those jets in the winter when intra-Canada demand is lower.

For now, let's just hope that Porter resumes operations sooner rather than later!

Truenorth00 · #**5145** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 12:26 AM**

I want Porter to open a YOW base and hub and codeshare with Jet Blue (not just interline). Flights to ask of B6's hubs + Reagan.

J.OT13 · #**5146** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 5:51 AM**

Some great shots from Ben Crooks, aka SSP's BenYOW (I'm pretty confident

) on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/BenYOW2/status/1403015361298063361

MountainView · #**5147** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 2:45 PM**

I was interested to see how Flair operates and it seems like they really make full use of each aircraft (less down time). But it something goes wrong, I can see the potential for lengthy delays.

Today's inbound from YYZ will do the following between now and 9:30 tomorrow morning:

YYZ-YOW-YEG-YOW-YVR-YOW-YYZ

Quite the trek in a 24 hour period!

Truenorth00 · #**5148** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 3:03 PM**

How do they even station crews for that?

thewave46 · #**5149** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 3:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainView

I think Porter will always be based at YTZ with their Q400s because their bread and butter right now is being able to serve business traffic right in downtown Toronto. Hence why they are not operating now - as business traffic is almost non-existent.

For now, let's just hope that Porter resumes operations sooner rather than later!

Porter's business model protects them from Air Canada and Westjet in Toronto. Air Canada only gives them nominal competition from YTZ to Montreal.

Abandoning YTZ for YYZ would be tantamount to imploding the company. They'd lose their main advantage (prime airport) and be subject to much more competition at YYZ.

Ottawa's a nice little sideshow for Porter, but will never be a hub because AC and Westjet can be direct competition should they feel like it.

YTZ's restrictions are both Porter's best friend and Achilles heel. Hence why they've continually been pushing for lifting the jet restriction there for the A220-100 and why Air Canada funds the opposition movement.

roger1818 · #**5150** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 5:25 PM**

I know it is still a ways away and by no means a done deal, but I can't help but thinking that Porter sees VIA HFR as a potential threat, and want to derisk it by making revenue from flights to YTZ as a bonus, not their primary source of revenue.

Truenorth00 · #**5151** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

I know it is still a ways away and by no means a done deal, but I can't help but thinking that Porter sees VIA HFR as a potential threat, and want to derisk it by making revenue from flights to YTZ as a bonus, not their primary source of revenue.

They can't (and shouldn't) be the only ones to see HFR as a threat. If I get a relatively easy connection to YUL, then I am cross-shopping YUL and YOW fares. And by definition that means I have the choice to access more carriers that aren't part of some AC or Westjet joint venture. I have zero doubts the airlines are all lobbying hard against this behind the scenes.

It's disproportionately damaging to Porter though. That part is true. Not sure that would be enough to build a hub in YOW (that's a whole separate business case). The logical response would be to reduce YOW service with lower demand and move those aircraft towards more service to the US from YTZ.

Dominion301 · #**5152** Posted **Jun 11, 2021, 8:36 PM**

Today’s departure count: 12 - tomorrow sees the inaugural Flair to YYC.

Those are some nice overhead shots of a deserted YOW. Actually 3 aircraft on gates (1st pic) these days is really busy.

Also today Flair put their 1st MAX into revenue service: https://globalnews.ca/news/7938965/f...oeing-737-max/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

How do they even station crews for that?

YOW is supposed to be a base for Flair - at least for F/As.

Dominion301 · #**5153** Posted **Jun 12, 2021, 4:09 PM**

Today’s departure count: 10

Dominion301 · #**5154** Posted **Jun 13, 2021, 6:46 PM**

Today’s departure count: 12

roger1818 · #**5155** Posted **Jun 13, 2021, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

They can't (and shouldn't) be the only ones to see HFR as a threat. If I get a relatively easy connection to YUL, then I am cross-shopping YUL and YOW fares. And by definition that means I have the choice to access more carriers that aren't part of some AC or Westjet joint venture. I have zero doubts the airlines are all lobbying hard against this behind the scenes.

I certainly see what you are saying about AC, but I have my doubts that it will have a significant effect on WS. For domestic flights, who would be their competition who doesn't (or won't) be flying out of YOW. Even for transborder and Caribbean flights, I see it as just as much of an opportunity as a risk for WS, as they don't have YOW-YUL flights like AC does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

It's disproportionately damaging to Porter though. That part is true. Not sure that would be enough to build a hub in YOW (that's a whole separate business case). The logical response would be to reduce YOW service with lower demand and move those aircraft towards more service to the US from YTZ.

I guess it all depends on how much of their business comes from TOM origin/destination flights and how much comes from flights to/from other destinations. Reducing the number of flights between YTZ and both YOW and YUL would hurt their connecting flights to the US.

Rather than moving their hub to YOW (or somewhere else), I could see them switching from a hub and spoke model to more of a direct flight model. A reasonably priced, direct non-stop flight will be far more competitive than a routing with transfers.

As an example, I could see Porter offering a YOW-SFB (or maybe MLB) flight. With Disney discontinuing their Magical Express service in 2022, MCO will loose a lot of its appeal (at least until Brightline eventually extends their service to Disney Springs), and if Porter can offer a cheaper, direct flight (even if it is to a different, nearby airport), that could be very attractive.

Truenorth00 · #**5156** Posted **Jun 13, 2021, 11:47 PM**

The problem with direct flights is that there is nothing stopping AC, WS, WG or TS from dumping on the same route and bleeding Porter. And those airlines have been known to do that.

roger1818 · #**5157** Posted **Jun 14, 2021, 12:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

The problem with direct flights is that there is nothing stopping AC, WS, WG or TS from dumping on the same route and bleeding Porter. And those airlines have been known to do that.

While it is true that the other airlines could do that, I don’t see how Porter can complete more easily by offering connecting flights instead.

thewave46 · #**5158** Posted **Jun 14, 2021, 1:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

While it is true that the other airlines could do that, I don’t see how Porter can complete more easily by offering connecting flights instead.

Canada-Florida is a pretty weak case for Porter. It's at the range limit of their Q400s, necessitating restrictions of passenger numbers. That, combined with the intense competition from other carriers makes the margins pretty slim.

Looking at where the airlines fly from Ottawa, Porter goes out of its way to avoid directly competing with Air Canada and Westjet - it flies to Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax (competes with Flair), Saint John and Toronto-Billy Bishop. It even avoids the US carriers.

Which is the point. By funnelling traffic through Billy Bishop, it can make more money filling their planes to their other destinations. Why get involved in a bloody fight with the big boys when you can just clean up doing your own thing?

Ottawa is a sideshow. Billy Bishop's the moneymaker. 'Winning' Ottawa fliers at the cost of bleeding the company out is no win at all.

roger1818 · #**5159** Posted **Jun 14, 2021, 4:14 PM**

The discussion was in reference to this post about Porter buying 30 passenger jets from Embraer, which are not allowed to land at YTZ (and have enough range to reach Florida).

Truenorth00 · #**5160** Posted **Jun 14, 2021, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

While it is true that the other airlines could do that, I don’t see how Porter can complete more easily by offering connecting flights instead.

I am not arguing for more connecting flights. At least not directly. I am suggesting that if Ottawa becomes a less profitable market for Porter, they should redeploy those aircraft to markets that can get them more business. I think a lot of that may be on US routes around the Great Lakes.