Calgary International Airport - New Terminal, Runway, Control Tower

[oilyfan]

This new terminal is a disaster, a huge disappointment. Spent $2billion on this impractical pretentious mess? Many people should be fired. And frankly I think it will take a Billion just to make it an average airport terminal.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

This new terminal is a disaster, a huge disappointment. Spent $2billion on this impractical pretentious mess? Many people should be fired. And frankly I think it will take a Billion just to make it an average airport terminal.

According to some, just use YEG instead. Easy solution.

But yes, it absolutely is a disaster.

[_Q_]

Man some of you are so dramatic.

I've flown in to and out of the new terminal a few times. It's fantastic. Maybe a bit disorganized, but that should get sorted out soon enough. Driving two and a half hours each way to Edmonton just to avoid the insanity of walking an extra 10 minutes is ridiculous.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

According to some, just use YEG instead. Easy solution.

But yes, it absolutely is a disaster.

The things in your own post are not fatal errors. No Tim Hortons is not a fatal error. The dysfunctional moving sidewalks are not fatal errors. Garda's inability to staff will eventually be remedied. It's laughable to call this a disaster, compared to large infrastructure projects that have actually been a disaster like the Big Dig or something.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

This new terminal is a disaster, a huge disappointment. Spent $2billion on this impractical pretentious mess? Many people should be fired. And frankly I think it will take a Billion just to make it an average airport terminal.

A couple chairs, partitions and Garda employees do not cost a billion dollars. But thanks for playing.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Man some of you are so dramatic.

I've flown in to and out of the new terminal a few times. It's fantastic. Maybe a bit disorganized, but that should get sorted out soon enough. Driving two and a half hours each way to Edmonton just to avoid the insanity of walking an extra 10 minutes is ridiculous.

That's the joke. Driving to Edmonton would be ridiculous.

It's not dramatic to expect a multi billion dollar NEW facility to be as good or better than other north American terminals. If it was a reno, you could almost accept they had limitations. They had a blank slate to start with.

[oilyfan]

Originally Posted by Acey

A couple chairs, partitions and Garda employees do not cost a billion dollars. But thanks for playing.

Reducing walking time, adding seating areas, improving retail and food access to the gates, dramatically improving the security screening process. These things are not peanuts.

I just came through Denver airport. While it is a bit dated in decor, it's a practical well laid out terminal system with a monorail. Yes it's a bit of walking but its logical and accesible. Not sure why YYC wanted to be so avant garde

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Acey

The things in your own post are not fatal errors. No Tim Hortons is not a fatal error. The dysfunctional moving sidewalks are not fatal errors. Garda's inability to staff will eventually be remedied. It's laughable to call this a disaster, compared to large infrastructure projects that have actually been a disaster like the Big Dig or something.

Not fatal errors I guess, but how in the world is it acceptable by any stretch for a brand new facility? Are we judging multi billion dollar projects by if they meet the bare minimum requirements?

Here are some fatal errors though since you're curious.

- automated bin system is a FAILURE. It jams up, your stuff gets separated because you usually need at least two bins, and it ultimately SLOWS the entire process down.

- there is no true trusted traveler lane. Why? Was there no space? The way the lineups are organized is dumb. The other day there was literally not enough room for a wheelchair user because they setup the corrals way too tight.

- the layout is a disaster. A central hub with 1 long ass branch of gates. Why not do what SLC did and have multiple branches of gates that are half as long with amenities in each branch, and all connected by moving walkways? Similar to a hand with the palm being the central hub, and the fingers being the gate branches. Less walking, and far more accessible to all amenities. It makes call to gate make a lot more sense too. Spokane is a great example of this, albeit smaller scale.

- no bathroom for a mile once you get off a flight. Or if you need to go while standing at your gate waiting to get on a plane. Or if you spilled your coffee and need to wipe your hand or something. When you deplane at any airport in the US, a bathroom is usually less than a minute away.

- the golf cart transportation system. Fatal.

- the artwork looks like it was done by a kindergarten class.

- the end of the terminal (gates 90 - 94) is the most depressing area I've ever seen. Instead of keeping the end wall full of windows, they cover it up and slap on an ugly ass painting that is too small. At the VERY least, could they not have done something nice like the artwork at the end of the westjet terminal? For what the pricetag of the terminal was, they could've hired some fancy Italian painter to come in and do some frescoes for Pete's sake.

- the glass was obviously not wiped down after it was installed in many parts of the terminal, particularly the partition that separates to lower floor (arrivals) from the upper. Shoddy work.

- I know a guy who actually worked on the terminal and he said that during construction they built and tore down and rebuilt many parts of the terminal because there were so many design problems.


Listen man I'm sorry if you worked on the design or something and the assessment is offending you, but people expected a way more functional terminal. There are some good things too, but there are way too many negatives for it to be considered anything but a failure.


EDIT: One of the walkways was moving as of yesterday haha.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

- the layout is a disaster. A central hub with 1 long ass branch of gates. Why not do what SLC did and have multiple branches of gates that are half as long with amenities in each branch, and all connected by moving walkways? Similar to a hand with the palm being the central hub, and the fingers being the gate branches. Less walking, and far more accessible to all amenities. It makes call to gate make a lot more sense too. Spokane is a great example of this, albeit smaller scale.

It's actually 2 piers, and you have to park airplanes (up to the size of an A380) between the piers so that's why there's 2 and not 3. The configuration you're thinking of would be massively inefficient like Philly or Washington National, but I understand that the movement of airplanes and their ability to actually park at the gate would not factor into your assessment of the layout.

This discussion isn't really going to go anywhere if you consider the artwork (entirely subjective) to be a fatal error... and glass not being wiped down? Shoddy, sure. Fatal? No. The link system can be improved. This is the initial implementation of it, too early to say if it's a complete disaster.

Lack of artwork at the end of the pier is not a fatal error. That could easily be improved.

Clearly we have a different definition of what constitutes a fatal error. I was thinking of stuff that cannot be improved without massive changes. The fact that you are not appeased by the lack of a painting on the wall near gate 94 does not constitute a fatal error in terminal design. lol.

Your bin, trusted traveller lane, and bathroom concerns are all valid. Those would be points worth discussing, the validity of your post just kinda gets diluted when you sprinkle in the "I don't like the art... fatal error" bits.

I have done nothing but rip on YYC for the last 3 pages, we're kind of on the same side here and I'm not sure what would lead you to believe I was somehow involved in this... but you've got to be somewhat reasonable.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

- the end of the terminal (gates 90 - 94) is the most depressing area I've ever seen. Instead of keeping the end wall full of windows, they cover it up and slap on an ugly ass painting that is too small. At the VERY least, could they not have done something nice like the artwork at the end of the westjet terminal? For what the pricetag of the terminal was, they could've hired some fancy Italian painter to come in and do some frescoes for Pete's sake.

I don't know if it is just bad luck or something else but it seems like 90% of the time when I fly my gate is always at the very end of the terminal. It doesn't matter if I'm at Calgary, Vancouver, Denver, Chicago, Miami I always have to wait at the very end.

[automaton 3]

The lack of washrooms nearby the gates in particular is a head-scratcher.

Should have been pretty much an automatic in the design phase.

[Acey]

For the record, pier E at YYC is shorter than the hammerhead pier at YYZ, about the same length as terminal 3 at YYZ, Miami's piers, the international piers at LAX, pier G at SFO... these are premier international facilities, Spokane and Salt Lake are not. Since this discussion seems focused on how YYC compares to other premier international facilities, I would suggest excluding pier length as a particular point of discussion.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Acey

For the record, pier E at YYC is shorter than the hammerhead pier at YYZ, about the same length as terminal 3 at YYZ, Miami's piers, the international piers at LAX, pier G at SFO... these are premier international facilities, Spokane and Salt Lake are not. Since this discussion seems focused on how YYC compares to other premier international facilities, I would suggest excluding pier length as a particular point of discussion.

So you're saying length isn't important, but girth? Or is it how you use it...

[alexle]

Newleaf cancels all flights to the US: https://www.facebook.com/newleaftrav...72308936211391

Affects YYC to Phoenix-Mesa. Not surprising since Westjet introduced flights to Phoenix-Mesa shortly afterwards.

[HotHotHeat]

They have attached excellent consistency in reviews:

http://www.airlinequality.com/airpor...lgary-airport/

[Ducay]

Such a shame - from my experiences with some of the airport authority leadership, doesn't surprise me in the least though. I haven't seen a place run that much like a union shop in a long time.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by alexle

Newleaf cancels all flights to the US: https://www.facebook.com/newleaftrav...72308936211391

Affects YYC to Phoenix-Mesa. Not surprising since Westjet introduced flights to Phoenix-Mesa shortly afterwards.

Now will WestJet follow through and operate those flights for the season and then scrub the route too? Mission accomplished for WestJet.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Now will WestJet follow through and operate those flights for the season and then scrub the route too? Mission accomplished for WestJet.

I'm actually flying in to Mesa on Westjet in April . Think there is any chance they'd can those flights now that they've accomplished their mission?

[Stealth22]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

I'm actually flying in to Mesa on Westjet in April . Think there is any chance they'd can those flights now that they've accomplished their mission?

Likely not. Just long enough to choke NewLeaf out of the market, and then can them after this season.

[Flames in 07]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

This new terminal is a disaster, a huge disappointment. Spent $2billion on this impractical pretentious mess? Many people should be fired. And frankly I think it will take a Billion just to make it an average airport terminal.

Most dramatic post I've seen in awhile. Do you find you say "I can't even" a lot?