Calgary International Airport - New Terminal, Runway, Control Tower

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Which is crazy that they moved the gate seats to a communal area to promote spending behavior yet under supplied options to spend that money.

Yeah that’s the issue. I actually like the layout so how about some cool choices to help lighten my wallet. It’s weird and unlike any new or updated airport I’ve traveled through.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Yeah that’s the issue. I actually like the layout so how about some cool choices to help lighten my wallet. It’s weird and unlike any new or updated airport I’ve traveled through.

I think YYC is just poorly designed in general.

3 of my most frequented airports MIA, CHI, DEN are all ultra busy and ultra grubby airports. I hate them for most part. What I like? Not walking 3km To or from plane gate.

I just boarded a flight to Saskatoon tonight (C73) and had to walk a commical lenth to the plane. Which reminded me of just about every international flight to Calgary I have ever taken.

Just so poorly designed and executed airport that looks nice I have ever been to.

[chummer]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

I think YYC is just poorly designed in general.

3 of my most frequented airports MIA, CHI, DEN are all ultra busy and ultra grubby airports. I hate them for most part. What I like? Not walking 3km To or from plane gate.

I just boarded a flight to Saskatoon tonight (C73) and had to walk a commical lenth to the plane. Which reminded me of just about every international flight to Calgary I have ever taken.

Just so poorly designed and executed airport that looks nice I have ever been to.

I don't mind that, after sitting 3 hours on an airplane a walk does me good.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

Which is crazy that they moved the gate seats to a communal area to promote spending behavior yet under supplied options to spend that money.

Remember, this is a place that BY DESIGN didn't put any drinking water fountains in the terminal. A terminal that is blazing ####ing hot most of the time with the driest air.

Yes please, I'll have a $28 burger and craft beer from Wolfgang Puck at 5:30AM.

I like how one day somebody just decided to change the direction of the moving walkway that goes down to the gates in the US terminal. Pay an architect millions to design the place, then change things on a whim.

[Acey]

I'm here pretty much everyday and the temperature and humidity are fine.

There is no 3 km walk anywhere in the airport.

I've already addressed the issues with the swing gates. I don't know what CHI is, but ORD has potentially way more walking than YYC could ever dream of, depending on where you're going.

We mostly hate IFP too, but let's at least be somewhat accurate with the hate.

[Calgary14]

For the new terminal how much of a cash payment did Starbucks have to make to YYC to keep Tims out of the terminal? Is the exclusivity deal a lifetime or does it expire?

[Voodooman]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

For the new terminal how much of a cash payment did Starbucks have to make to YYC to keep Tims out of the terminal? Is the exclusivity deal a lifetime or does it expire?

Aren't all those locations run under contract by SMS Host (or whatever they've restructured to), so perhaps it was their choice which chain they wanted to put in the new terminal? And they thought SB would have more brand recognition to "international travellers" who would be the assumed client base? Or, equally as likely, the fact that the average order cost at SB is likely 150% to 200% of Tim's made it an easy economic decision?

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

I think YYC is just poorly designed in general.

3 of my most frequented airports MIA, CHI, DEN are all ultra busy and ultra grubby airports. I hate them for most part. What I like? Not walking 3km To or from plane gate.

I just boarded a flight to Saskatoon tonight (C73) and had to walk a commical lenth to the plane. Which reminded me of just about every international flight to Calgary I have ever taken.

Just so poorly designed and executed airport that looks nice I have ever been to.

By CHI I am assuming you mean O'Hare. I fly into O'Hare and Denver several times a year and I don't think you can say with a straight face the YYC International terminal has a longer walk than you typically expect to find at those two airports. Now both those airports serve a whole more passengers so it's not a fair comparison.

But honestly, what is the walk from the gathering areas to the gates at the international terminal. 400 yards or so? And as for arrivals, I feel like almost every airport in the world presents you with a long walk when arriving internationally and needing to clear customs.

As others have said, it is the sparseness of the international terminal that seems terribly odd.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Voodooman

Aren't all those locations run under contract by SMS Host (or whatever they've restructured to), so perhaps it was their choice which chain they wanted to put in the new terminal? And they thought SB would have more brand recognition to "international travellers" who would be the assumed client base? Or, equally as likely, the fact that the average order cost at SB is likely 150% to 200% of Tim's made it an easy economic decision?

Seems odd you wouldn't give tourists and business travellers their last chance at Canadiana on their way out. Isn't that kind of what airport shops are about?

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

I just got back from Barcelona with Air Canada Rogue and wanted to share something new I learned.
Our flight from BCN to Montreal was cancelled the morning of so I called quickly and managed to get rebooked on the BCN to Toronto and on to Edmonton. The only issue was that the flight left three hours earlier so we had to scramble to get to the airport.

According to Air Canada policy, as per EU rules, this inconvenience was worth 300 EU per person or a $650 CAD flight credit.
Now I have a year to use $1950 in flight credits.

Have you agreed to that yet? If not (or for others) by law they have to actually offer you cash, which is better than flight vouchers imo.

See:

https://www.aircanada.com/content/da...Notice_519.pdf

On second read, your situation may not qualify for cash, as it doesn't sound like you were actually delayed. Still worth noting for others, because AC will tell you they can only do vouchers, which isn't true.

[rotten42]

Originally Posted by Acey

I'm here pretty much everyday and the temperature and humidity are fine.

There is no 3 km walk anywhere in the airport.

I've already addressed the issues with the swing gates. I don't know what CHI is, but ORD has potentially way more walking than YYC could ever dream of, depending on where you're going.

We mostly hate IFP too, but let's at least be somewhat accurate with the hate.

I know the Calgary terminal has flaws but it is by no means among the worst. Acey, I agree with you in that the walk isn't. Chicago (ORD) is way worse when you arrive from Canada and connect to somewhere in the US. That walk is long and they don't have the trams like Houston or Dallas have. The new wing at Charlotte is also a pretty decent walk.

I have still to experience the cluster-f%&k people describe for clearing customs. With the terminals it has always gone pretty smooth in my experience. Much better than returning from Mexico into Houston. They have something like 30 booths but only 4 open. Reminds me of Walmart's philosophy.

The food selections are not abundant here but most in most airports the extra choices are just more of the same fast food joints. You want a #### experience at an airport I recommend trying Newark or Mexico City.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Acey

I'm here pretty much everyday and the temperature and humidity are fine.

There is no 3 km walk anywhere in the airport.

I've already addressed the issues with the swing gates. I don't know what CHI is, but ORD has potentially way more walking than YYC could ever dream of, depending on where you're going.

We mostly hate IFP too, but let's at least be somewhat accurate with the hate.

I'm not sure why you are such an apologist for that airport, but the temperature is not fine. Its always hot as balls. The summers are a disaster.



I've been to the international terminal several times, and the US terminal about 4x month since it opened. It's not everyday like you, but I have some cred.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by rotten42

I know the Calgary terminal has flaws but it is by no means among the worst. Acey, I agree with you in that the walk isn't. Chicago (ORD) is way worse when you arrive from Canada and connect to somewhere in the US. That walk is long and they don't have the trams like Houston or Dallas have. The new wing at Charlotte is also a pretty decent walk.

I have still to experience the cluster-f%&k people describe for clearing customs. With the terminals it has always gone pretty smooth in my experience. Much better than returning from Mexico into Houston. They have something like 30 booths but only 4 open. Reminds me of Walmart's philosophy.

The food selections are not abundant here but most in most airports the extra choices are just more of the same fast food joints. You want a #### experience at an airport I recommend trying Newark or Mexico City.

I must have got lucky this weekend. Just had to go down the escalator and on those moving sidewalks and up to my next gate. Took no more than 5 minutes. I could see how it could be longer though - that was my first time at O'hare.


The problem I have with the YYC international is that it is brand new and they claimed they did all this research to make it amazing and it is amazingly average at best.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by rotten42

. You want a #### experience at an airport I recommend trying Newark or Mexico City.

I'll be trying MEX in the near future, now I'm excited!

[nik-]

The most annoying part of O'Hare is when your arriving and connecting flights are at the opposite end of the V's

So much wasted walking.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I'm not sure why you are such an apologist for that airport, but the temperature is not fine. Its always hot as balls. The summers are a disaster.



I've been to the international terminal several times, and the US terminal about 4x month since it opened. It's not everyday like you, but I have some cred.

I'm not an apologist, I clearly said we hate it. I'm simply responding to the things stated that are blatantly wrong.

More walking than ORD is blatantly wrong.
3 km walk is blatantly hyperbolic and wrong.
The temperature is whatever... maybe I'll pull out a thermometer this weekend and show it's no different than A wing or B wing.
It's fine to hate on gate 73 too, we all hate it... I'm just saying there's an actual purpose for it to be like that, which I've already explained, because the vibe I get is that people think it was a blatant disregard by designers for walking distance, when really you have WestJet to thank.

[topfiverecords]

I love O'Hare and would be greatly disappointed if I didn't get to go through the Neon Walkway to get to my gate.

At least at most airports, even really terrible ones you feel like you're getting some kind of experience. At YYC it feels like you're walking through Chinook Mall with a herd of soccer mom SUV suburbanites on their way to their annual family Puerto Vallarta all inclusive.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by rotten42

I know the Calgary terminal has flaws but it is by no means among the worst. Acey, I agree with you in that the walk isn't. Chicago (ORD) is way worse when you arrive from Canada and connect to somewhere in the US. That walk is long and they don't have the trams like Houston or Dallas have. The new wing at Charlotte is also a pretty decent walk.

I have still to experience the cluster-f%&k people describe for clearing customs. With the terminals it has always gone pretty smooth in my experience. Much better than returning from Mexico into Houston. They have something like 30 booths but only 4 open. Reminds me of Walmart's philosophy.

The food selections are not abundant here but most in most airports the extra choices are just more of the same fast food joints. You want a #### experience at an airport I recommend trying Newark or Mexico City.

Is that recently? I have never had more than a very small wait flying back into Houston internationally. But I don't travel to Mexico much.

Dubai airport was the worst I've had to walk. Pretty sure it was a 20 minute walk to our gate last year. No Timmies in the airport, but there was one at the mall!

A question: going to Sydney NSW with a connection in Vancouver. Do I go to the domestic wing?

[rotten42]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I'll be trying MEX in the near future, now I'm excited!

They have been doing renovations but I don't know how far they are got. It was such a dirty airport.