Calgary International Airport - New Terminal, Runway, Control Tower

[Lubicon]

Dropped my daughter off at YYC this morning. New interchange is indeed open but construction is nowhere near finished as Acey mentioned.

People were still using the old cell phone lot. I have no idea where the new one is nor is there any signage .

[Mazrim]

The new cell lot location:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1533833095463452674

I'm not a huge fan of tucking it back there but I wonder if the taxi drivers asked for it to move.

[You Need a Thneed]

The cell phone lot area is going to be used for something else, that’s why it had to be moved. I can’t say more than that.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The cell phone lot area is going to be used for something else, that’s why it had to be moved. I can’t say more than that.

Flair is going to drop their prices further by using a parking lot as their terminal?

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The cell phone lot area is going to be used for something else, that’s why it had to be moved. I can’t say more than that.

Thanks for the info! It seems like the airport authority still can't make up their mind on groundside improvements, though.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I'm not a huge fan of tucking it back there but I wonder if the taxi drivers asked for it to move.

Semi-related question: Is Uber much of a thing at YYC? I don't ever require transport on the Calgary side, and it has been a couple of years since I have flown anywhere.

Just wondering if the cell phone lot has changed much in the era of Uber, if they are even allowed to pick up from the airport, etc.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Semi-related question: Is Uber much of a thing at YYC? I don't ever require transport on the Calgary side, and it has been a couple of years since I have flown anywhere.

Just wondering if the cell phone lot has changed much in the era of Uber, if they are even allowed to pick up from the airport, etc.

I've been using Uber from the airport recently and it works great. Before Car2Go shutdown that was usually my first choice for transportation to and from the airport.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Semi-related question: Is Uber much of a thing at YYC? I don't ever require transport on the Calgary side, and it has been a couple of years since I have flown anywhere.



Just wondering if the cell phone lot has changed much in the era of Uber, if they are even allowed to pick up from the airport, etc.

I've found taxis to be much cheaper leaving from the airport since the pandemic.

Uber always seems to be on surge pricing no matter what time of day it is.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

The new cell lot location:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1533833095463452674

I'm not a huge fan of tucking it back there but I wonder if the taxi drivers asked for it to move.

Well its a quick turn close to the road going into the airport, and having to do a left hand turn lined up cars for the exit of that lot a few times.

Went to the new lot today and entrance and exit were a breeze compared to the old one. And much larger.

There were already excavators poised to dig up the old lot.

The right hand roundabout to get onto westbound Airport Trail was a new one for me though, after years of a left hand turn.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

The new cell lot location:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1533833095463452674

I'm not a huge fan of tucking it back there but I wonder if the taxi drivers asked for it to move.

Weirdly, I remember months ago (and I completely forgot which month, maybe March?), they had used that exact lot right next to the Park and Jet for the cell phone waiting area while the original cell phone waiting area was closed for whatever reason. So many people didn't actually drive into the lot but just parked in the cul-de-sac instead. They put the cell phone lot back only a few days later I think.

[surferguy]

I’m flying to the west coast tonight. After I clear security what are the food options in the other side? Fast food? Sit down? I’m trying to figure out if I need to pack a dinner for my boys or if I can get something on site for them.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

The food court in A concourse is open, with about 1/2 the vendors open. The Subway is notably open.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by browna

Well its a quick turn close to the road going into the airport, and having to do a left hand turn lined up cars for the exit of that lot a few times.

Went to the new lot today and entrance and exit were a breeze compared to the old one. And much larger.

There were already excavators poised to dig up the old lot.

The right hand roundabout to get onto westbound Airport Trail was a new one for me though, after years of a left hand turn.

Looks like it's better to access the new cell phone lot off 19 Street if coming form the west? Or maybe it's a wash vs using Barlow and circling back.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Looks like it's better to access the new cell phone lot off 19 Street if coming form the west? Or maybe it's a wash vs using Barlow and circling back.

Exiting at Barlow would mean all right turns, and no lights. Fairly quick, but there really aren’t lights coming from 19th either. More speed bumps though.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I've found taxis to be much cheaper leaving from the airport since the pandemic.

Uber always seems to be on surge pricing no matter what time of day it is.

Same. if there's a taxi available where I'm starting my route (airport, downtown, etc.) I'll take it. If I need to get picked up at home or somewhere out of the way I'll Uber.

[timun]

I feel like I've defended the airport many times around friends and family who—I thought—unfairly bitched and complained about the renos in the domestic terminal and the opening of the international terminal and a whole host of other issues. And, y'know what?

I'm with 'em now: #### the airport.


I picked a friend up last night and it was an absolute ####-show. I went to the "new" cell phone waiting lot, sat around in the pouring rain waiting for the call, and drove to the absolute ####-show and nightmare that is the arrivals level. Normally I'd tell someone I was picking up to go upstairs to the departures level and I'll meet 'em at door # whatever, but being it was pissing rain yesterday and my friend didn't have any rain gear I went to arrivals. There was absolutely nowhere to pull over and pick my friend up. Between the taxi ranks, the limo ranks and the bus-only parking there were no open spots to pull curbside for the entire length of the domestic terminal. I pulled into a limo-only zone near the very end of terminal C, thinking "#### it, I just want to get out of here" and of course a black car pulled up behind flashing his lights and honking at me. I ended up stopped in a no-parking zone/bus stop in front of the Marriott.

They desperately need to offer 30 minutes free short-term parking, like they used to. It would solve so many logistical problems with the arrivals level.

I read press from the YYCAA brass about how they want to make the airport a business and dining "destination" and I have to laugh. I go there as infrequently as possible, and every time I leave I think less and less of the place.

[Fuzz]

Weird, I flew in Sunday night, and was pissed that the only taxi spot is in front of terminal C at door 9, so, when they send you all the way to carousel 1 for your bags from your flight into terminal C(I hate you, YYC), you get to walk all the way back to door 9. The entire area from A to C looked to be a pickup zone, was it all full of normal cars?

[timun]

They want you to go all the way to door 9 to get a taxi simply because that's the front of the line. The taxi at that end is nominally the one who has been waiting for a fare longest, hence he gets priority. When he picks up a fare all the cabs in behind him shuffle up to the front. But that doesn't mean all the other space upstream is for regular ol' "civilian" pickup. Oh, no, on the contrary it's almost all queue space for taxis and limos.

There are two car-lengths' worth of space between doors 1 and 2, about four car-lengths' of space in front of 5, and about three between 6 and 7: that's it. The rest is cabbies and black cars.

EDIT: double-checked with Google Streetview:

• upstream of door 1 is entirely taxi queue space
• 1 to 2 has three(ish) spaces for cell phone pickup, two spaces for black cars
• 2 to 4 is taxis
• 4 to about halfway to 5 is black cars
• halfway from 4 to 5 is cell phone pickup (a couple spots)
• 5 to 6 is limos
• 6 to 7 is cell phone pickup, but marked for handicap spots (2-3)
• 7 to 9 is taxis
• 9 to 11 is a couple limo spots and three(ish) spots for cell phone pickup
• 11 onward is buses

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by timun

They want you to go all the way to door 9 to get a taxi simply because that's the front of the line. The taxi at that end is nominally the one who has been waiting for a fare longest, hence he gets priority. When he picks up a fare all the cabs in behind him shuffle up to the front. But that doesn't mean all the other space upstream is for regular ol' "civilian" pickup. Oh, no, on the contrary it's almost all queue space for taxis and limos.

There are two car-lengths' worth of space between doors 1 and 2, about four car-lengths' of space in front of 5, and about three between 6 and 7: that's it. The rest is cabbies and black cars.

Ya, I understand the line system, but there were only maybe 10 cabs. They used to have a cab area between A and B. Maybe I didn't notice these black cars taking up the other spaces, I assumed every other vehicle was private.

[topfiverecords]

They don’t make money off regular pickup so they won’t devote much space to it.