YVR - Airport & Destinations Discussion

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

They operate the A388 on the route because with only 3x weekly service they have to make the most of it, and that is why they deploy their largest aircraft there. To get the most seats (first, biz, and economy) into YYZ every week.

That was true when they initially launched the A380 into YYZ, but the route is so over-capacity right now, if given daily rights, they would almost certainly keep the A380. EK's true ultimate goal is double daily to YYZ before any other Canadian city. If they get double daily, that's when I could see them down gauging to 777's for both flight.

[deasine]

^Couldn't have said it better.

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well, yes and no to the bolded part. EK wants daily into YYZ, that is their ultimate goal, all this other talk of serving YVR and YYC is just to get daily rights into YYZ. When the government has called this bluff (and offered rights to fly into both airports with no additional YYZ they have rejected it).

They operate the A388 on the route because with only 3x weekly service they have to make the most of it, and that is why they deploy their largest aircraft there. To get the most seats (first, biz, and economy) into YYZ every week.

True, but EK won't run the big whale to a destination that doesn't achieve a high average load factor, or else they would be loosing a lot of money.

See below article as an indicator of EK's YYZ-route performance that ACT7 was alluding to. Capacity during low-season still performs above 80 percent from what I know.

Originally Posted by Wall Street Journal

Page said the marketing pact with Alaska would help attract traffic from California up to Vancouver. A diplomatic spat between Canada and the United Arab Emirates over airline access has prevented Emirates adding more direct flights to Canada, even though Page said load factors on its Toronto flights reached 99% last week.

(emphasis mine)
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-...19-719062.html

[trofirhen]

According to the article noted, Emirates traffic into Seattle is picking up, too, so they're adding capacity there.

Too bad lil' ol' Vancouver (once again) got left out in the cold. We're a spoke, like it or not, and will never be a true hub (yes I know, geographical location is a big part of it, but so are protectionist Canadian policies).

[Klazu]

I know Dubai is a big hub in its region and connects Europe and Eastern North America with Asia, but isn't it too far from Vancouver to be a hub? I would imagine flying for example India being shorter westbound? So in that sense Emirates connection would only server as a destination-to-destination connection. Nothing bad with that either, as Dubai is a facinating place to see and so crazy that you just must love it.

[Hot Rod]

to be honest, SEA is a smaller spoke than YVR.

[Hourglass]

Anyone know what is being built on the north side of the north runway? Haven't seen any info or announcements.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Hot Rod

to be honest, SEA is a smaller spoke than YVR.

Yeah. Myabe a smaller spoke. Also a bigger hub for most thngs anyway. Royal Air Maroc via New York to Casablnca. One more European destination than Vancouver. And of course, Emirates to Dubai.

As far as I'm concerned, for Vancouver it could just as well be QATAR Airways. That takes away any of the stigma surrounding EK or Dubai itself.
This is great for ongoing flights to Nairobi, Jo'burg, and such.

Right now there are numerous flights on EK Dubai - India / Various cities. I think if / when a 787 over the pole reg. service to India is introduced, (and there is a market in Vancouver) the feds might allow something like Qatar Air.

The Persian Gulf region over on the other side of the planet, makes a great connection point (at its airports) to other places on the other side of the planet, it's not really very complicated.

Another great destination for mid east and African connections, as I've said, would be Istanbul, (YVR reps will tell you that) though I doubt that's in the cards for many years.

[Klazu]

I have flown a few times via Istanbul and the airport there is great. Also Turkish Airlines is a great high quality airline with good prices. I am sure they will make their target of being a 5* airline very soon.

[Gordon]

The construction on the noth side of the north runway is probably the new Candada Post mail plant.
Sea tac is a hub becaue of Alaska Airlines

YVR is a growing Asian Gateway. More South and South East Asia serices would be nice. India makes so much sense.

The federl government needs to re-asses the the taxation structure that affects Commercial aviation.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I have flown a few times via Istanbul and the airport there is great. Also Turkish Airlines is a great high quality airline with good prices. I am sure they will make their target of being a 5* airline very soon.

I was only there once, but I agree the airport is great; airy, easy to navigate, good signage. Do you think there could ever b enough market for IST-YVR sched. service on Turkish? They're Star Alliance, which simplifies things a bit. I guess the question is: is there a market? If the catchment area included Seattle, maybe Portland, it could be a go, though I doubt it very much.

Too bad, because not only Istanbul a fantastic destination in and of itself, but the location provides great ongoing connections to remoter areas of the planet.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Gordon

The construction on the noth side of the north runway is probably the new Candada Post mail plant.
Sea tac is a hub becaue of Alaska Airlines

YVR is a growing Asian Gateway. More South and South East Asia serices would be nice. India makes so much sense.

The federl government needs to re-asses the the taxation structure that affects Commercial aviation.

It is indeed the new Canada Post plant. Got a pic of it the other day, but could only get maybe 50% of it in the shot:

[ACT7]

Originally Posted by Gordon

India makes so much sense.

India is such a low yield market though that it doesn't make sense. So many North American carriers have tried and failed to make DEL work and they just can't compete with the cost structure of AI, 9W, and EK, etc. If true hubs like ORD and YYZ were both unsuccessful with UA and AC respectively, it's unlikely that YVR, with substantially less high yield traffic, will succeed.

As is stands, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Beijing all provide decent connections to India and they are all well served out of YVR.

[Hourglass]

Originally Posted by Gordon

The construction on the noth side of the north runway is probably the new Candada Post mail plant.

Originally Posted by whatnext

It is indeed the new Canada Post plant. Got a pic of it the other day, but could only get maybe 50% of it in the shot:

Thanks for the info, Gordon and whatnext

[deasine]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

According to the article noted, Emirates traffic into Seattle is picking up, too, so they're adding capacity there.

Too bad lil' ol' Vancouver (once again) got left out in the cold. We're a spoke, like it or not, and will never be a true hub (yes I know, geographical location is a big part of it, but so are protectionist Canadian policies).

The article is dated in January, prior to the introduction of the DXB-SEA EK flight.

[Hot Rod]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Yeah. Myabe a smaller spoke. Also a bigger hub for most thngs anyway. Royal Air Maroc via New York to Casablnca. One more European destination than Vancouver. And of course, Emirates to Dubai.

As far as I'm concerned, for Vancouver it could just as well be QATAR Airways. That takes away any of the stigma surrounding EK or Dubai itself.
This is great for ongoing flights to Nairobi, Jo'burg, and such.

Right now there are numerous flights on EK Dubai - India / Various cities. I think if / when a 787 over the pole reg. service to India is introduced, (and there is a market in Vancouver) the feds might allow something like Qatar Air.

The Persian Gulf region over on the other side of the planet, makes a great connection point (at its airports) to other places on the other side of the planet, it's not really very complicated.

Another great destination for mid east and African connections, as I've said, would be Istanbul, (YVR reps will tell you that) though I doubt that's in the cards for many years.

I dont disagree with your desires for YVR, I just think you are a bit too over-impressed with SEA.

Like was said, SEA only has a hub due to Alaska Airlines and it isn't even a major player. But it does give SEA excellent access to the national scene and Delta fills in the void left by United and adds a few transpacific routes.

I'd love to see Air Canada and Star build YVR into a robust fortress, perhaps that is forthcoming with the new airplanes coming onboard shortly. But I dont think YVR has anything to worry about with SEA, it isn't on anyone's expansion radar only trial and (use it or lose it).

In my opinion, SEA is just a much larger BLI in the Vancouver Air Route scheme of things, SFO and LAX are the true players. That said, it is nice to have so many options in this neck of the woods....

[fishboy]

"In my opinion, SEA is just a much larger BLI in the Vancouver Air Route scheme of things, SFO and LAX are the true players. That said, it is nice to have so many options in this neck of the woods...."

Some actual facts here might be helpful. 2011 passenger counts:

LAX 61 million
SFO 40 million
YYZ 33 million
SEA 32 million
BWI 21 million
YVR 17 million

[Hourglass]

Originally Posted by fishboy

"In my opinion, SEA is just a much larger BLI in the Vancouver Air Route scheme of things, SFO and LAX are the true players. That said, it is nice to have so many options in this neck of the woods...."

Some actual facts here might be helpful. 2011 passenger counts:

LAX 61 million
SFO 40 million
YYZ 33 million
SEA 32 million
BWI 21 million
YVR 17 million

Given that the US has roughly 10x the population of Canada, the more relevant statistic here might be international traffic -- esp since most of SEA's volumes are domestic passengers. By that measure, YVR is third (after SFO) on the west coast.

[trofirhen]

Does "BWI" mean BLI, and refer to Bellingham? If so, it's busier than Vancouver!

[Gordon]

BWI is baltomore\Washington International Airport

[hollywoodnorth]

not YVR related but close


Kelowna-LAX flights set to boost Interior ski business
United and WestJet flights set to make Big White most accessible Canadian ski destination for L.A.

http://www.biv.com/article/20120807/...r-ski-business