Calgary International Airport - New Terminal, Runway, Control Tower

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I've been meaning to post for a while that I've been through the new terminal a few times now and it's been fantastic by all accounts. The interior finishes are beautiful and the food and beverage options are great. Security and customs have gone very smoothly, both for preclearance and returning to Canada.

The only negative for me is that the departure piers are a bit sparse with that rubber, arena style flooring. Obviously it's because that space is not intended to be a waiting area but it's something that can always be upgraded.

I can't help but question the intelligence of the people complaining about the terminal when it first opened.

I can't help but question the intelligence of people who think this terminal is anything but a failure.

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[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I can't help but question the intelligence of people who think this terminal is anything but a failure.

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"Why are these people so much smarter than me?"

New terminal is great. Certainly improved the overall YYC experience by a huge margin and is roughly in-line with what you would expect for the population it serves while looking quite capable of handling growth as well.

I haven't had a single issue yet (admittedly not that picky) and I like it, why don't you? What other similar airport terminals does it fail to compare to for you?

[Strange Brew]

Love the new terminal and compares favorably to other airports IMO. Spacious and the process through customs is so much better than before. The lack of a Tim Horton's is rather inexplicable though.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Love the new terminal and compares favorably to other airports IMO. Spacious and the process through customs is so much better than before. The lack of a Tim Horton's is rather inexplicable though.

No Timmies?!? The horror! Is there at least another place to get bad coffee, stale donuts, and average sandwiches?

I'll be flying into the new terminal for the first time in August. Looking forward to checking it out and providing a review.

[TheAlpineOracle]

So I'm flying to Seattle Friday at 7:30 am. Has the morning situation improved itself any since I last did this (terminal was just new then and staff were still getting adjusted)? I would prefer not to have to show up there at 4:30 AM (5:30 sounds better to me), but i'm scared 2 hours still won't be enough with the morning rush. People have told me the morning rush is still no better even with the new terminal.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

So I'm flying to Seattle Friday at 7:30 am. Has the morning situation improved itself any since I last did this (terminal was just new then and staff were still getting adjusted)? I would prefer not to have to show up there at 4:30 AM (5:30 sounds better to me), but i'm scared 2 hours still won't be enough with the morning rush. People have told me the morning rush is still no better even with the new terminal.

7:30AM flights are generally better than the 6:00AM flights. I had a 7:45AM flight from YYC to LAS a month and some ago and the wait to get through security wasn't too long.

Security is a bit better now that the CATSA workers aren't taking the bins your things go in and placing them on the table for you, but your bins are still going to come out of the scanner separated, so you're responsible for grabbing them and putting them on the table to sort it all out.

Still no trusted travellers line, just the line jump, which sucks.

[Bigtime]

First flight of Edelweiss Air summer service to Zurich is tomorrow:

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/E...130Z/LSZH/CYYC

Operated by an A340-300. The type used to be a regular visitor when AC operated them (on the LHR and FRA routes).

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

First flight of Edelweiss Air summer service to Zurich is tomorrow:

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/E...130Z/LSZH/CYYC

Operated by an A340-300. The type used to be a regular visitor when AC operated them (on the LHR and FRA routes).

I love the 340's with the washroom block in the lower level. Such a great idea.

[Jimmy Stang]

I'll get to check out more of the new terminal on Thursday evening when I head off to the States. As it is my first time going Stateside from the new terminal, a question if I may:

How early should I show up? I'll be checked in in advance but will be checking a bag. I'm planning on being at the terminal two hours in advance of my flight, which I feel should be more than enough to drop my bag, clear security and customs, etc.

I understand that the AM rush is a bit chaotic, but the evening should be a little less busy I'm hoping.

[oilyfan]

2 hours is more than enough. I have got through within 40 mins max on many flights. The only time I have seen long lines is charter flights going to warm destinations.

[TheAlpineOracle]

So customs was a breeze, but clearing security before that was an absolute joke. 7:30 am flight to Seattle which is a very busy time at the airport and they got one line open and about ten sitting empty. Huge line and one friggin security line open. People were justifiably livid. That's just poor planning or cheapness on the part of YYC. This was a peak time of the day.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Also, have they completely abandoned the call to gate system? I noticed way more seating at the gates than last time and flights right under until 11 am had their gate posted in the screens as early as 6:00 am.

[Bigtime]

CATSA is the culprit when it comes to security lines and lack of staffing, make sure to write to them with your experience and cc in the Airport Authority.

Also yes the Call to Gate system has pretty much been scrapped, I believe airlines can now post gate times as was usual before.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

CATSA is the culprit when it comes to security lines and lack of staffing, make sure to write to them with your experience and cc in the Airport Authority.

Also yes the Call to Gate system has pretty much been scrapped, I believe airlines can now post gate times as was usual before.

I flew the day after it was opened and my boarding pass had my gate number on it at least two hours ahead of departure. I think the US Airlines didn't bother with the call to gate since day one.

I noticed yesterday that they opened the 2nd screening conveyor it was dedicated to non-priority passengers. It was so brutal when both lines merged into one. Granted, it's still brutal since trusted travelers and first class are treated the same as non-trusted, but that's another story.

[Dynamic]

Thanks YYC travel deals! Just had a great trip to Ecuador on the cheap and was my first time using the new terminal. Last fall on another trip I used to old terminal for a US flight.

My impressions were mostly good. I'm a semi regular flyer (once/twice) a year and the new terminal feels like a great upgrade on the old space. My first time in YYC was last year in the old part. I usually fly from YEG and I was surprised how so small and cramped it was. The new terminal is much more in line with current airports. One cool little thing is I was on the inaugural flight to Mexico City on Aeromexico so there was a bunch of stuff going on and stuffing myself full of cupcakes before the flight contributed to a good nights rest on the red eye.

Ummmm still not sure what to think of the call to gate thing. I was there at night and the terminal was empty so I could hear all the festivities at the gate but being a normal day would be different. I'm old school I guess and I like hanging out near the gate an hour before. Also when returning from Mexico City I am not sure the benefit of putting your declaration card in the machine and getting a receipt, then getting in another line to see a border agent anyways. I'm sure there is a reason but it seemed odd to line up twice. I do recall doing this in Seattle last year as well.

But overall great trip and Aeromexico was great. All 4 legs of my trip were early and liked the new YYC.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

CATSA is the culprit when it comes to security lines and lack of staffing, make sure to write to them with your experience and cc in the Airport Authority.

Also yes the Call to Gate system has pretty much been scrapped, I believe airlines can now post gate times as was usual before.

Is it even worth complaining? I doubt CATSA or the Airport Authority care much at all.

[Bigtime]

CATSA's staffing levels have been an issue since day one of the new terminal apparently. The more that complain the better, and gives the airport authority more leverage to go after them to get staffing levels proper for peak times.

I think the Airport Authority does care, if passengers aren't having a good experience they may not choose to fly through YYC next time. A lot of our pax numbers are connecting folks, if the experience suffers they will choose another connection point next time (YVR, YEG, YYZ).

[Bigtime]

Frontier Airlines is returning to YYC (last served in 2006), service from Denver and looks like a start in Spring 2018:

https://www.flyfrontier.com/news/

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

CATSA's staffing levels have been an issue since day one of the new terminal apparently. The more that complain the better, and gives the airport authority more leverage to go after them to get staffing levels proper for peak times.

I think the Airport Authority does care, if passengers aren't having a good experience they may not choose to fly through YYC next time. A lot of our pax numbers are connecting folks, if the experience suffers they will choose another connection point next time (YVR, YEG, YYZ).

A nexus user in front of me a couple weeks ago asked the guard why they don't have expedited screening for trusted travelers. The CATSA guy said nexus has nothing to do with trusted traveler, it's ONLY for expedited customs. The nexus user then told him that it's actually for both, and the CATSA guy raised his voice and told him NO IT'S NOT! It's only for customs! Has nothing to do with security!

Nexus user became disgruntled, and I continued to be inconvenienced with that ridiculous airport setup.

[rotten42]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I can't help but question the intelligence of people who think this terminal is anything but a failure.

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Some people are never happy. I fly through there on a monthly basis and have never had a problem.