Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW/CYOW)

[YOWflier]

Zoom offers transatlantic service to Gatwick and Glasgow from Ottawa in the spring/summer/fall. In the winter Zoom/Go Travel takes over and offers service to southern destinations.

[YOWflier]

More Eastern Canada hole-plugging by Air Canada.

Beginning May 1, 2008 Air Canada will offer year-round, daily, non-stop service to Charlottetown using 50-seat CRJ equipment.

Great news for Ottawa

AC8618 Ottawa 11:00 Charlottetown 13:40.
AC8619 Charlottetown 14:15 Ottawa 15:05.

---

Not one short month ago Halifax was the only Eastern Canada destination served non-stop from Ottawa. Since then we've seen Fredericton, Moncton, and St. John's added (and operating), and now Charlottetown. Good stuff.

[eemy]

Less exciting, but AC is also adding a direct flight to St. John, New Brunswick with one stop in Montreal starting in January.

I have to wonder if AC is positioning YOW for more connecting traffic. In a short span of time, they've gone from 1 Atlantic Canada destination to 6. I was reading some discussion on other fora that one reason AC moved the second FRA flight from YUL to YOW was to make both flights suitable for connections from the west and take some of the load off of YYZ. I can't help but wonder if that rationale is behind the huge expansion into Atlantic Canada. Doesn't YYT-YOW continue on to Calgary?

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

Less exciting, but AC is also adding a direct flight to St. John, New Brunswick with one stop in Montreal starting in January.

I didn't hear that. Thanks. A direct flight (1 or more stops with NO plane change) is still infinitely more convenient than making a connection.

I have to wonder if AC is positioning YOW for more connecting traffic. In a short span of time, they've gone from 1 Atlantic Canada destination to 6. I was reading some discussion on other fora that one reason AC moved the second FRA flight from YUL to YOW was to make both flights suitable for connections from the west and take some of the load off of YYZ. I can't help but wonder if that rationale is behind the huge expansion into Atlantic Canada. Doesn't YYT-YOW continue on to Calgary?

Yes. AC113 operates YYT-YOW-YYC. YYT passengers can book it either to YOW or YYC. YOW passengers can book it to YYC.

Taking some load off YYZ is part of the FRA reasoning but I think it's more just a repositioning of assets on the part of AC. By reducing YUL-FRA to a single daily 77W (777-300 for those unaware) instead of double daily 763 (767-300 for those unaware) they free up a plane and a slot in FRA to open up a new market. YUL-FRA capacity remains roughly the same even though it's now a single flight and YOW gets its long awaited FRA. Apparently the YUL-FRA cargo business is quite lucrative, so the much higher cargo capacity of the 77W is even more reason to fly the route with that aircraft. And yes, both flights are now adequate for connections from the West.

[Aylmer]

I'm not to shure what is going on...
IS there a hotel being built?
And what is happening with the new terminal?

[eemy]

Originally Posted by AylmerLover

I'm not to shure what is going on...
IS there a hotel being built?
And what is happening with the new terminal?

There is a Hilton Garden Inn (I think?) being built at the airport, and the terminal is being expanded over where the old terminal is.

Just to give a better idea how significant the improvement to the eastern network are, the only eastern destination served from Toronto and not Ottawa is Deer Lake, Newfoundland.

[YOWetal]

Any of you insiders know if the completed renovations will include a lounge in the US departure area?

[eemy]

I don't believe so. AC will have a new Maple Leaf Lounge above the new concourse.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

I don't believe so. AC will have a new Maple Leaf Lounge above the new concourse.

I figured as much. Actually it is a big reason I fly via Toronto (on AC) instead of Chicago (UAL) on route to the US west coast so I suppose Air Canada has no incentive to build a lounge so United customers can use it.

[eemy]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

I figured as much. Actually it is a big reason I fly via Toronto (on AC) instead of Chicago (UAL) on route to the US west coast so I suppose Air Canada has no incentive to build a lounge so United customers can use it.

The only airports with the Maple Leaf Lounge in the transborder section in Canada are Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Not even Calgary has a transborder lounge. I suppose there is a possibility that a third party could operate a lounge not unlike Servisair's lounge; however, I don't know if the terminal has space for such a service.

[YOWflier]

Here's a construction update as per the Airport's employee newsletter "Contact".

The Work is Progressing

We are indeed making progress. Perhaps you’ve noticed painting activity on the east platform. While the flight transfer to the newly expanded terminal will only happen in late February or early March, it is not possible to paint lines in the cold wet weather. As such, we managed to get it done before the snow fell last week.

In the next few weeks, loading bridges for gates 23, 25 and 27 will be installed. These bridges were manufactured in Fort Worth, Texas and are being shipped via tractor trailer. The trailers used to transport them are over 36 metres (120 feet) long with a ground clearance of roughly 10 cm (4 inches), which means that these trucks cannot just go anywhere. Taking the bridges onto the platform requires opening the security fence for access; the trucks cannot negotiate the curves on the access road to the site or the hump across from the Transport Canada hangar.

And as progress is made with the new construction, demolition of the old terminal also progressed in the unoccupied areas. Almost all combustible materials have now been removed; walls, flooring, counters, etc. See the photos to get an appreciation for the work that has been done.



In early January, loading zones 30 and 32 will be closed and demolition of the structure will begin in this area. After the flight transfer to the expanded terminal has been completed, the wreckers will tackle the rest. In principle, demolition should be finished in May. Once completed, the platform will be built and new loading bridges will be installed. Everything should be complete before next winter.

As for the construction of the new wing, the work is going well there too. The installation of the floor tiles is almost finished and work on the ceiling is progressing very well. Electricians are running the wires that are used for the electrical supply and the information technology infrastructure that powers alarms, computers, security doors, etc. This major task should be done at or about the end of January, which will leave us about one month to train the people who will be working in the new space, to complete the final computer system checks and to put the finishing touches to the paint.

Finally, construction of the new third level Maple Leaf Lounge is also progressing well. Visitors to the Lounge will have a stunning view over the aprons and runways. The Lounge will also have its own stairway and dedicated elevator.

[YOWflier]

Here's some discussion about the new Frankfurt service as per the Airport's employee newsletter "Contact". Anyone who has questions as to why this hub is a very important one need only to look at the map. Because our national carrier is Air Canada and they are member of the Star Alliance, hooking into Lufthansa's (also Star Alliance) primary hub offers a world of connecting opportunities.

Big News!

Next June, Ottawa International Airport is going to get a little more global. That's when Air Canada will start daily flights from our airport to Frankfurt, Germany. Frankfurt will become Ottawa's second year-round daily international destination, and the first in continental Europe. The other year-round international route, to London's Heathrow Airport, is also operated by Air Canada. A number of airlines also offer seasonal services to international destinations in the United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

Although Frankfurt itself is not a huge market for passengers travelling to or from Ottawa, it is one of the world's most important connecting hubs with flights to over 250 destinations. Frankfurt is the main hub for Air Canada's Star Alliance partner Lufthansa, who will provide simple and seamless connections to some of our largest travel markets and some of the hard-to-reach destinations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South and Central Asia. As of next summer, there will be new travel options for destinations such as Moscow, Madrid, and Beirut, which previously required two or three connections, or extremely long layovers.

Making travel easier is extremely important for Ottawa-Gatineau businesses and for our local tourism sector. Reducing the travel time and the inconvenience of business travel facilitates stronger connections between companies in our region and those around the world. It will be simpler for Ottawa businesspeople to visit their global customers, and easier for business travellers worldwide to get to Ottawa to do business here. Similarly, for tourism, the new Frankfurt flight makes Ottawa much easier to access for millions more people. An additional international connection also helps make Ottawa a stronger destination for meetings and conventions.

International traffic has been growing at a faster rate than either domestic or transborder travel, a trend that is forecasted to continue. This new flight means passengers can get between Ottawa and hundreds of international destinations on a direct international flight, without having to connect at another North American airport. We look forward to welcoming the first flight from Frankfurt in June.

[clynnog]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

There is a Hilton Garden Inn (I think?) being built at the airport, and the terminal is being expanded over where the old terminal is.

I stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn about a month ago in Mississauga near Oakville on the QEW...nothing great, nothing terrible. They did have Setanta on in the lobby lounge which was good. IMHO it isn't a Hilton....

[AuxTown]

The Ottawa Airport website has advertisements for all of the maritime and the Frankfurt flights on its main page. I think Frankfurt is a big step forward for this market. Every little bit counts. Ottawa is slowly becomming a much more desirable city to live and work in.

[Aylmer]

We sould have flights to and from Sydney!
Sunny beaches here I come!
G'Day Mate!
LOL

[FFX-ME]

Yes that would be a great service, we should have like maybe seasonnal flights to australia, not year round though since its purely vacation wise

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Guys, no offense, but give yer heads a shake!

This is Ottawa, which is far closer to the Atlantic than the Pacific. It is not practical for us to have flights to Asian/Oceanic destinations. Not only that, but we are a very small market and the demand simply isn't there.

The furthest destination that would be conceivable for Ottawa would maybe be Buenos Aires in the south and Dubai/Instanbul in the East.

And another interesting fact, is that Air Canada has stopped service for direct flights from Toronto to New Delhi, India. If Toronto can't pull off direct to India, what makes us think that Ottawa could go as far as Sydney?!

Sure, it's a nice dream, but Ottawa would need to become a truly massive city in order to even begin looking at Asian destinations.

[AuxTown]

I personally don't know what all the stink is about direct international flights. All we need is to up our frequency to the massive hub that is Pearson and one can be connected to any city in the world. Or use Vancouver as our gateway to East Asia and Australia. What is frustrating is the number of Canadian cities that didn't have direct flights to and from Ottawa, Regina most notably. I think it's a good idea that we slowly release new internationals after extensive research shows the demand is there. Nothing worse than a city overdoing things in good times only to fall on its face 15 years later.

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

Guys, no offense, but give yer heads a shake!

This is Ottawa, which is far closer to the Atlantic than the Pacific. It is not practical for us to have flights to Asian/Oceanic destinations. Not only that, but we are a very small market and the demand simply isn't there.

The impracticality of Ottawa-Asia is only in the market demand. Many of today's aircraft (like 777LR and A340-500) and future aircraft have and will have the legs to make Asia nonstop (depends where in Asia of course). However, there's just no way anyone should expect Ottawa-Asia anytime soon. Don't even waste your time thinking about it. Fascinating is a different story ...

Same goes for Ottawa-Australia. There's just no way so don't waste your time even thinking about it. To even suggest it is kind of hilarious. FYI, Air Canada is starting nonstop service to Sydney from Vancouver nonstop using 777-300 starting December 15. The flight will originate in Toronto, giving Toronto a direct flight to Sydney. Up until now Air Canada flew Vancouver-Sydney with a stop in Honolulu.

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

I personally don't know what all the stink is about direct international flights.

It 'stinks' on so many important levels I can't even name them all!

A city with nonstop flights to many places around the world is a city with thriving and growing business. It is a frequently visited city, with bustling tourism. It is a city that hosts many conferences and conventions. It is a city growing in population due to increased immigration. It is a city whose residents can easily travel the world. In short, it is a healthy city, a great city, an important city. These are all things that we want for Ottawa.

All we need is to up our frequency to the massive hub that is Pearson and one can be connected to any city in the world.

Ottawa is also well connected to places like New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington, Atlanta, London, and soon Frankfurt ... all places that are well connected to the entire world, several even moreso than Toronto. The point is that (within reason) we want to BE like those places, not RELY on them.

And for the record, Air Canada offers hourly service Ottawa-Pearson (Rapidair). Westjet also flies multi-daily Ottawa-Pearson. Porter flies 10x-daily Ottawa-Toronto (City Centre). There is no shortage of flights to Toronto. In fact, Ottawa-Toronto is in the top-5 busiest routes in all of Canada (I think it's 3rd or 4th).

Or use Vancouver as our gateway to East Asia and Australia.

It is, along with Chicago, Detroit, and hopefully some day San Francisco. That will never change. Ottawa's target market is Europe, and the United States.

I think it's a good idea that we slowly release new internationals after extensive research shows the demand is there. Nothing worse than a city overdoing things in good times only to fall on its face 15 years later.

Who is 'we', and what part has the city in any of this? You might have a misunderstanding of how air routes are created and operated.

Airlines don't provide a community service. They don't just start a bunch of routes and pray that they work out, nor do they start a bunch of routes because of peer pressure. Airlines are in the business of making money, and will only fly someplace if they feel they can accomplish that.

For routes such as Ottawa-London or Ottawa-Frankfurt, a lot (in many cases years) of statistical analysis is performed to examine it's viability. First and foremost, a healthy supply of premium traffic is required. You can fill up every economy seat in an aircraft every single day all year round, but without most/all of the premium seats filled up front, the route won't happen (or if it does, it won't last long).

You're asking that new internationals be released only after extensive research, and I'm telling you that's the only way it will happen. Just look at how long we waited for our second scheduled transatlantic service on a legacy carrier.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

All we need is to up our frequency to the massive hub that is Pearson and one can be connected to any city in the world.

Like I said earlier, you can't get directly from Pearson to New Delhi, India anymore. Pearson is a huge International airport, yet it can't maintain that flight.

Hmmm...