#OurYYC On the Road: A first look at the Calgary airport’s new terminal By Shannon Morrow Global News

[Guest]

http://globalnews.ca/news/2985292/ouryyc-on-the-road-a-first-look-at-the-calgary-airports-new-terminal/

[Super 80]

I don't know anyone at Air Canada or WestJet that has much good to say about this place.

[Guest]

Hmmm , strange ....

[Super 80]

Look up "call to gate" then imagine the once a year or less travelers on a Sunwing flight to Cuba partaking in it.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Super 80 said:

Look up "call to gate" then imagine the once a year or less travelers on a Sunwing flight to Cuba partaking in it.

So the regular traveler should be penalized so that the once a year or less passenger behave themselves?  Based on what the Call to Gate process, I can not see any reason for the regular sked carriers to dislike the system.  What am I missing?

The Art of Getting There

Calgary’s YYC moves 13 million air passengers a year. Most of them hardly even notice.

Calgary, Alberta

Passengers to Patrons▾

 

Call to Gate▴

The call-to-gate system both augments the customer experience and increases opportunities for revenue generation. It revolves around the nodal hold room, which collects passengers into one grand space, instead of in an isolated waiting area. This system has people up drinking, eating, and shopping–––and generally enjoying a far more pleasurable experience. Customers receive regular information updates and gate numbers are posted just prior to boarding––enough time to finish a drink and make one last purchase.

[chockalicious]

The new building drives labor costs. Call to gate takes more people to operate.

Some of the gates are in bad spots for call to gate. One of the big Canadian leisure carriers was furious after the recent trial. 

[Super 80]

I doubt the Flyertalk dweebs will perceive much direct benefit from it, while other travelers will find it confusing. Everyone understands a gate number on their boarding pass.

Airlines don't care about enhanced revenue opportunities for Cara. They want pax at the gate so they can efficiently board. This doesn't provide for that and just goes one of two ways, you either have people congregating at the gate regardless where there are few to no accommodations for them or your chasing down stragglers to the moment you have to close the door. Other airlines such as Delta dislike it because they're really into branding their space and a consistent experience. This is just manufactured chaos to no productive operational end.

[J.O.]

I've experienced call to gate in Manchester, London Heathrow and Gatwick a few times. I hated it. It was wall to wall people and hotter than the inside of a volcano. After that I started buying lounge passes.

[Guest]

Now I understand.  I guess the problem is that the airlines are stuck with it?  

[CanadaEH]

I'm surprised WestJet would give that concept the green light given how important YYC is to its operations. 

[AIP]

This is really not a big deal.

My boys and I were part of a 1000 person trial Wednesday for the new terminal building.  From checkin, to security, to call to the gate, to "boarding", to customs. It was bright and new, and wide open, which will be a welcome change from the cramped and congested conditions now. 

This kinda reminds me of what YVR went through back in 1996 or so.  The new building and runway were a breath of fresh air.

While I don't agree with the YYC airport authority that this will turn YYC into some sort of global hub, one has only had to deal with the congestion when to AC widebodies board for Europe in the same general vicinity in the old "B" gates to understand, that this project is needed and necessary.

Same holds true for US Customs.

A thumbs up from me.

 

 

 

 

 

[AIP]

2 hours ago, CanadaEH said:

I'm surprised WestJet would give that concept the green light given how important YYC is to its operations. 

You really think WJ had that much sway ????

[Newman]

12 hours ago, CanadaEH said:

I'm surprised WestJet would give that concept the green light given how important YYC is to its operations. 

WestJet rejected the concept dating back to 2007 when YYC first presented their glorious plans for the new terminal.  WestJet also rejected the requirement that all international flights be operated out of that terminal (adding huge turn times and additional towing / resources for what were once quick domestic to international turns) and made a huge stink about the distance from the "D-Wing" to the new terminal for connecting Guests (passengers for the benefit of a few posters here).  Looks like WestJet ended up getting an in-terminal connector bus to help move people.

[Outside Looking In]

26 minutes ago, Newman said:

WestJet rejected the concept dating back to 2007 when YYC first presented their glorious plans for the new terminal.  WestJet also rejected the requirement that all international flights be operated out of that terminal (adding huge turn times and additional towing / resources for what were once quick domestic to international turns) and made a huge stink about the distance from the "D-Wing" to the new terminal for connecting Guests (passengers for the benefit of a few posters here).  Looks like WestJet ended up getting an in-terminal connector bus to help move people.

Don't kid yourself connector bus will not eliminate the above mentioned costs which at the time presented to the AA were much smaller than the real impact today based on the diff in growth relative to what was projected at the time. A rejection of the terminal back in 07 might be a little strong. I don't recall any point where Garth and the team ever sought permission. It was more of an info session on what to expect. Looking forward to seeing how operationally it measures up to all the talk over the years. I do agree the Call to Gate concept has the AA blinded by all the $$ they are dreaming of generating in retail. In  about 12-24 months you will hear from the carriers on how it has not translated into lower fees.

[better4me]

 Went through the the trials in late September. 

 

Overall the call to gate process will not have a major negative impact on passenger experience. I have flown out of YYC transborder half dozen times this spring and summer. About half the time the gate will change in the last 90 minutes before departure, especially when flying UA or WS. The family summer vacation on WS had a gate swap from 21 to 38 after we had checked in. How is gate swap different from call to gate?

The bigger issue for the flyer talk crowd is the security process. Four travellers side by side and each person only has space to load one bin at a time. Need two or three bins and your stuff comes out the other side mixed with other travellers. All iPads and laptops look alike so stuff is going to get mixed up and accidentally taken by wrong person. 

However universally the the biggest issue with the flyer talk crowd is lack of Maple Leaf Lounge for transborder combined with an excruciating cumbersome process for international flights 844, 850, and 009. For international flights, MLL users will have to check in at the international terminal, walk back to checkpoint C, go into the MLL. Finally walking to gate 70 or 73. If the MLL users go through checkpoint D, they will not be able to access the MLL. 

I had hoped that AC would spring for Aspire Lounge passes for its MLL eligible passengers on their flights, but this does not appear to be the case. The last hope is that AC will see their error and get a contract with Aspire in time for summer 2017 schedule. 

[better4me]

14 hours ago, CanadaEH said:

I'm surprised WestJet would give that concept the green light given how important YYC is to its operations. 

Westjet is the main beneficiary of the new terminal. 

Pall summer Ling WS 2 arrived after AC845 and AC 851 and on Thursdays WS had to be gated on The transborder concourse as HU, KL, and TS took up the international gates in A. 250 WS 2 pax got their first experience into YYC by having a long wait for CBSA on the third level corridor. Then TAC towed the aircraft over to concourse A for departure of WS 1. 

Self bag drop machines should lighten up payroll by a few Westjetters. Westjet has all the international and transborder counter space they will ever need. 

WS domestic to transborder/international connections process will have long walks, but WS YVR has been dealing with this scenario for years. Also, any operation with 100+ flights to 30+ destinations is a big operation requiring lots of time and energy to handle connections. 

[boestar]

LGW, LHR and many others have Call to gate systems and I find them to be far superior to the Crowd the Gate system.

[CanadaEH]

Interesting thoughts and perspectives. I might be going through the new terminal in a few months so I'll be following the progress. I've heard from quite a few skeptical people in WS about crew connection times, operational impact etc. but I haven't heard much about the positive impact. 

[Super 80]

I have on good authority that call to gate is working every bit as well as predicted today with confused and irritable pax sitting on the floor at their gates and complaining about a lack of seating. Surprise!

 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Super 80 said:

I have on good authority that call to gate is working every bit as well as predicted today with confused and irritable pax sitting on the floor at their gates and complaining about a lack of seating. Surprise!

 

Must be cons awaiting the last call.   Now from the first passengers: http://globalnews.ca/video/3037143/new-terminal-officially-open-at-yyc-calgary-international-airport/

And OMG no Tim's beyond security.  Nothing but tribulation.  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-airport-international-terminal-1.3828646

[chockalicious]

No mentions of the many airside ops that did not work, bridges, elevators, doors, etc.

 

No mention of the pushback that caught on fire while towing an aircraft. Was happy to see the media missed it.

[Guest]

Calgarians weigh in on the airport's new International Terminal

Travellers' reactions were mostly positive to the terminal which opened early Monday

Elizabeth Cameron / For Metro

Travellers walk through the new International Terminal at the Calgary International Airport on Monday.

By: Elizabeth Cameron For Metro Published on Tue Nov 01 2016 06:00:00

Calgary’s new International Terminal opened up to travellers at 3 a.m. Monday morning. 

The first flight has taken off, but what do Calgarians think?

“It’s spacious. It’s actually quite nice,” said Charles Morris, who was dropping someone off at the new terminal.

The new terminal is bright, open, and streamlined. Most of the displays inside are by artists from Alberta. 

Departing travellers can choose to check in with their airline directly, or use one of the six automated check-in kiosks, which are standard to any carrier.

“They (the kiosks) ask for your phone number, which I didn’t like, but you can skip it,” said Shauna MacRae, who was travelling to the U.S. from the new terminal. 

“It was slightly faster,” said Loetta Cole, who also used the automated kiosks to check in.

Elizabeth Cameron / For Metro

A traveller at the Calgary International Airport uses the new multi-airline self check-in kiosks inside the new International Terminal.

A shuttle service, YYC Link, was launched at the same time as the new terminal. The new transit system has four stops in total, so travellers don’t have to walk between concourses.

There is a new call-to-gate system, which is the first of its kind in North America. Gates are assigned about an hour before a flight departs, but passengers can roam the terminal as they please until it’s time to board. 

All gates are within a five-minute walk of the central area.

“It basically allows people to be in a central area, where they can shop, eat, or relax. It’s a nice place to wait,” said Mark Sawdon, one of approximately 160 newly-hired Customer Care Ambassadors with the Calgary International Airport.

Plenty of the ambassadors were on hand to answer any questions travellers might have.

“The new terminal is so automated – but we’re around to guide people through,” Sawdon said.

“We’ve had very positive reaction. People are saying it’s beautiful and different."

[Guest]

10 hours ago, chockalicious said:

No mention of the pushback that caught on fire while towing an aircraft. Was happy to see the media missed it.

And talking about no mention, whose pushback was that? Hard to blame that on the new terminal.

[chockalicious]

Not sure where I blamed the new terminal for pushback catching on fire while towing.

Point was that it was nice the media didn't report on an incident that could've overshadowed the airport opening.

[Outside Looking In]

On ‎2016‎-‎10‎-‎07 at 11:17 AM, Outside Looking In said:

Don't kid yourself connector bus will not eliminate the above mentioned costs which at the time presented to the AA were much smaller than the real impact today based on the diff in growth relative to what was projected at the time. A rejection of the terminal back in 07 might be a little strong. I don't recall any point where Garth and the team ever sought permission. It was more of an info session on what to expect. Looking forward to seeing how operationally it measures up to all the talk over the years. I do agree the Call to Gate concept has the AA blinded by all the $$ they are dreaming of generating in retail. In  about 12-24 months you will hear from the carriers on how it has not translated into lower fees.

Surprised to see the new terminal actually made it on the list of go forward impacts to CASM on the WS conf call today. I believed the number GS referenced was 200 FTE's. If that is the case the impact is in fact higher than discussions back in 2007. Can we expect utilization discussions going forward with what I am sure is an increase to minimum connection times?