Calgary International Airport - New Terminal, Runway, Control Tower

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I thought that central de icing would be the preferred method until I flew out of an airport that had such a facility this winter. Central de-icing wasn't any quicker or efficient. It actually seemed to take longer because there was more stopping and waiting. We were pushed back from the gate but had to wait on the pad for quite a while. Then we started to taxi towards the facility but we had to hold twice to allow other aircrafts to proceed. Finally at the de-icing facility we seemed to have a lower proirity in a smaller aircraft as larger planes proceeded before us. Maybe that was just a uniquely bad experience but it seemed to take forever and the system in Calgary seemed better.

Issue for us was the aircraft on our gate pushed on time but then had to deice before leaving the gate. Then the trucks came in to sweep up the fluid. All this time our aircraft was waiting to get onto the gate so it could get turned around and we could leave. So despite our plan arriving on time (it began the day elsewhere) and the flight ahead of us that was using our gate actually pushing back on time we ended up being about 30 minutes late leaving due to the deicing. Had the first AC been able to push and go to a central facility our AC could have gated on time, turned around, and departed on time.

[Bigtime]

Something is up with AC serving Narita next winter, looks like it has been dropped from the schedule completely.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Something is up with AC serving Narita next winter, looks like it has been dropped from the schedule completely.

From YYC or the entire AC network?

[Ryan Coke]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Issue for us was the aircraft on our gate pushed on time but then had to deice before leaving the gate. Then the trucks came in to sweep up the fluid. All this time our aircraft was waiting to get onto the gate so it could get turned around and we could leave. So despite our plan arriving on time (it began the day elsewhere) and the flight ahead of us that was using our gate actually pushing back on time we ended up being about 30 minutes late leaving due to the deicing. Had the first AC been able to push and go to a central facility our AC could have gated on time, turned around, and departed on time.

While that is a legit point, the upside to gate deice is that it takes less time overall to get sprayed usually. As well, you aren’t sitting and burning jet fuel while you wait.

For me I would say that I have rarely had waits like the one you are describing, but have had far more long waits at central deice facilities with engines running.

Of course there are other variables involved, but from my standpoint I typically love the fact that YYC hasn’t instituted a CDF for us yet.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

From YYC or the entire AC network?

Just from YYC.

While I don't post on SSP anymore I still lurk the airport thread because of a lot of great insider info from posters there. That is where it is being discussed. There is also the factor that AC's joint venture with Air China is getting close to being a done deal and that may see them launch YYC-PEK potentially. Still seems like Shanghai is not on the radar at all.

[rotten42]

I just don't really understand thew hate for the Calgary terminal. Sure it has its issues but all airports do. These days I fly quite a bit and compared to some other airports it really isn't that bad. (I try to avoid Chicago at all costs) Yes, being new they could have done some things better but I haven't had a bad experience with the airport yet. Coming back from US flights I'm usually out the door in under 25 minutes.

By the Beginning of May I will have been at these airports this year:
YYC
YYZ
IAH
IAD
PVR
CUN
ORD
CLT
DFW
MSP
DEN
EWR (I got to say I was not looking forward to flying though Newark with all the horror stories. It looks like the are making progress on the renovation though. I think it was Gate C that is done and it is really nice. Gate A is still a sh@t hole.


Oh...and these 4 little airports too.
CEF4
CEA3
CEG4
YQF

[Bigtime]

CEG4! Now that brings back memories of my flight instructing days.

[rotten42]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

CEG4! Now that brings back memories of my flight instructing days.

My buddy has a little Comanche that he flies out of Airdrie. We do a bunch of day trips in the winter with it. We wanted to fly up to Lac La Biche for the ice races again this year but the weather turned bad.

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

CEG4! Now that brings back memories of my flight instructing days.

Scariest touch-and-go of my life was there in a 172. Skating rink, torque effect sliding me left, toward the runway lights/snowbank. Made it unscathed, but there was major pucker factor.

[Johnny199r]

I was in Calgary airport 3 weeks ago, my first time. They have some nice tucked away poopers in between terminals. Quiet and clean. The best airport dump of my trip by far, between Vancouver, Las Vegas and Calgary.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Something is up with AC serving Narita next winter, looks like it has been dropped from the schedule completely.

An update on this one, the flight looks to be coming back March 23 daily. AC indicating the temporary suspension is due to equipment shortages.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

I was in Calgary airport 3 weeks ago, my first time. They have some nice tucked away poopers in between terminals. Quiet and clean. The best airport dump of my trip by far, between Vancouver, Las Vegas and Calgary.

I must say this is the first time I have seen a terminal building evaluated in this respect.

[fliguy]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

An update on this one, the flight looks to be coming back March 23 daily. AC indicating the temporary suspension is due to equipment shortages.

The YYC-NRT 3x weekly in winter slot is being given to YUL winter 2018/19 as we were told. I guess they want to see if YUL will work better than YYC in the winter.

[Acey]

The frame is already accounted for with the extension of YYZ-MXP through winter, unless you're saying they're launching YUL-NRT on the 763? Anybody who remembers how well YYZ-NRT went on the 763 knows the same venture from YUL would get wrecked with restrictions to the extent that you couldn't draw any meaningful conclusion from it.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

I was in Calgary airport 3 weeks ago, my first time. They have some nice tucked away poopers in between terminals. Quiet and clean. The best airport dump of my trip by far, between Vancouver, Las Vegas and Calgary.

It's a bit ironic, Narita is being talked about separately from this post, as it's actually quite relevant.

[Bigtime]

WestJet introduces summer seasonal YYC-Quebec City:

4x weekly from June 29 to September 8
3x weekly from September 10 to October 26

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

WestJet introduces summer seasonal YYC-Quebec City:

4x weekly from June 29 to September 8
3x weekly from September 10 to October 26

Beautiful city to visit, especially in the summer.

[fliguy]

Originally Posted by Acey

The frame is already accounted for with the extension of YYZ-MXP through winter, unless you're saying they're launching YUL-NRT on the 763? Anybody who remembers how well YYZ-NRT went on the 763 knows the same venture from YUL would get wrecked with restrictions to the extent that you couldn't draw any meaningful conclusion from it.

No, I don't mean the frame, I mean the slot in NRT. The 763's are being retired and soon will be gone, by 2019 I believe. YUL-NRT is starting this summer with the slot that was YYZ-NRT daily. Then this coming winter, the 3x weekly slot is being given to YUL instead of YYC, flying on a 788. I'm not sure where the daily slot is going for the winter sked.

[Acey]

Yeah I know all that, I thought you were saying YUL-NRT was flying on the 763 which had me confused. My bad.

While AC will claim YUL-NRT is launching to cater to US connections, it's also a better way for YYZers to get to ANA cnx at NRT vs AC9 out of YYC. This is not good for us.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by fliguy

The YYC-NRT 3x weekly in winter slot is being given to YUL winter 2018/19 as we were told. I guess they want to see if YUL will work better than YYC in the winter.

god dammit