YVR | Vancouver International Airport

[mr.x]

posted by raggedy13:




Vancouver airport will see more than $250 million worth of construction work each year until 2025 - Construction expected to be halted only for 2010 Olympics


About $1.2 billion will be spent on construction projects at YVR prior to the Olympics. Another $2.8 billion is expected to be spent by 2025.

BRIAN MARTIN
CORRESPONDENT
Dec. 10, 2007

There are people in the construction industry who call it the “never-ending project”. Some of them weren’t even born in 1968 when it all began.

For sure, all will likely be long gone before it is finished.

It is YVR – Vancouver International Airport. The domestic terminal at the existing airport opened nearly 40 years ago as the only terminal. Prior to that, activity centred around what is now known as the South Airport.

Today that area is limited to private flights and local charters. Since first opening, however, YVR has seldom if ever not been under construction.

John Lenahan, P Eng, is the manager of transportation and planning for the airport. On Nov. 28, he met with the Vancouver Regional Construction Association to bring them up to date on construction so far and outline the future.

Current construction projects at the airport will amount to $4 billion by the time 2025 comes around.

About $1.2 billion of that will be spent prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics. It’s not hard to see why expansion is required. In 1990 the airport handled 10 million passengers. By 2020 it is expected it will handle 25 million.

YVR is among the busiest airports in North America and right near the top when it comes to Asian markets. Major projects either underway or being planned include $420 million worth of upgrades to the International Terminal. Close to half of that has already been completed with the recent additions to the West Chevron (west wing).

That project scooped up two Gold Awards of Excellence for Keith Plumbing and Heating and one Gold Award for general contractor, PCL Constructors Westcoast Ltd in the recent VRCA Awards of Excellence competition.

The expansion now allows YVR to handle the new A380 double-decker aircraft recently launched by Airbus Industries.

Lenahan pointed out that although the giant airplane, which can carry close to 900 economy class passengers is not yet slated to serve Vancouver, YVR expects it won’t be long before it shows up. A further $100 million expansion to the West Chevron is planned for 2011-2013.

Between the domestic terminal and the international terminal is the Link Building which connects the two.

It is a $100 million project that is expected to be completed within days.

A second Link Building on the airside of the terminal will be built and finished in 2009. In addition to the International Terminal some $352 million is being spent on a series of smaller projects as well as $150 million worth of upgrades to the Domestic Terminal. YVR is also contributing $300 million towards the extension of the new SkyTrain line, currently under construction, connecting the airport in Richmond to Vancouver.

Initially there will be one station at the airport but provisions have been made for a second station to serve a new terminal in years to come.

The SkyTrain Canada Line should be completed by November of 2009. Airfield improvements, including items such as aprons and taxiways will add another $65 million, roadways and parking will come to $55 million and $60 million is being spent on upgraded baggage handling systems. The only time in the foreseeable future that there will not be construction underway at YVR, said Lenahan, is just before, during and after the 2010 Olympics.

“We don’t want the airport under construction during that time,” he said.

Other than during that period, somewhere between $250 million and $350 million worth of work will be completed annually at YVR.




Quite impressive. And they're planning to start construction on a $4-billion 12,000 foot out to sea runway in 2025. It'll take 10 years to fill in the ocean.

[city_thing]

Any renders of further details on upgrades to Vancouver airport at all?

[spongeg]

you can see some stuff here: http://www.yvr.ca/authority/construc...?id=northlands

they have a a section devoted to construction at www.yvr.ca if that link doesn't work - its on the menu on the left

[en]

Here are some pictures of the new YVR Link building that "links" the Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal.

The Link building consists of lots of offices for YVR (that you can't really see), expanded international check-in and the gateway for the Canada Line Airport station.

The 2nd floor of the atrium was not open. I think they will open that when the Canada Line station is completed.

My opinion is that the atrium looks really big from the outside but is actually quite small from the inside. You would think that the atrium would cover the new check-in counters so I am a little bit disappointed.

What should have been built is an atrium similar to the one at Surrey's Central City....(talk about the wrong building in the wrong place...)

Also there this thread seems to be lacking pictures, so there are other pictures of the Domestic Terminal and International Terminal.

The pictures are out of order. For a more organized description go to http://ngaie.blogspot.com

[spongeg]

great pics

was last there about 3 weeks ago - gets better everytime

[mr.x]

^ omg....wow. i love the contrast the wood roof makes, and the glass atrium is awesome.

[Canadian74]

Nice pictures...

[Elkhanan1]

Wonderful.

[mr.x]

Vancouver International Airport Expansion


2007 passengers: 17.5 million

Projected growth: 23.8 million by 2015

Expansion: $1.5-billion program includes international terminal expansion and upgrades, new building linking domestic and international terminals and new Canada Line rapid transit service

Airport Improvement Fee: $5 for passengers travelling within B.C. and Yukon, $15 for all other destinations

Neat features: Bill Reid's iconic sculpture - The Spirit of Haida Gwai, The Jade Canoe - and a 114,000-litre saltwater aquarium featuring local marine life


By November 2009, in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Canada Line, a rapid transit line running from Richmond to the airport to downtown Vancouver, will be completed, for which Vancouver International Airport is contributing up to $300 million. The total cost of the project is $2 billion. A Link Building ($117 million, completion 2007) will be the docking area for users of the line and will link the international terminal with the domestic terminal. A nine-gate international terminal expansion will be done in two phases ($420 million; Phase 1 – 2007; Phase 2 – as soon as 2010). The first phase will see four new gates with two conventional wide-bodied gates and two able to accommodate the Airbus A380. The international terminal addition will have several examples of beauty in British Columbia, including a stream in a proposed pathway and fish and jellyfish tanks.





Originally posted by en2:























































Pictures by Tafryn of the newly built Link Building (connects the domestic and international terminals with the new Canada Line):







image hosted on flickr



























The new Canada Line stations at the airport (YVR Airport, Sea Island Centre, Templeton):

[deasine]

I was waiting for someone to start a thread like this. Great start Mr.X =D

[skytrax]

beautiful

[urbanfan89]

Nice people mover there.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by urbanfan89

Nice people mover there.

It may be the world's smallest metro system, but it definitely is the world's largest people mover!

[en]

I see my pics reposted here, awesome, I had wondered where the original YVR thread was...

Kind of related to the thread topic:

A closer look at airport expansion across Canada

Canwest News Service

Friday, July 04, 2008

More than $7 billion worth up upgrades are planned at major airports across Canada so they can handle millions of extra passengers. Separate factboxes of spending plans and capacity targets for 13 cities:

Victoria International Airport

2007 passengers: 1.48 million

Projected growth: 1.55 million passengers by 2010; 1.8 million by 2015

Expansion: $133 million through 2025 to extend main runway, aprons and taxiways, new loading bridges, terminal and customs facility expansion, increased parking and improving access to airport from highway.

Airport Improvement Fee: $10 for departing passengers

Neat feature: Illarion Gallant's "Bouquet of Memories" art installation

outside departures terminal

Major complaint: Limited direct flights to/from Victoria major destinations



Vancouver International Airport

2007 passengers: 17.5 million

Projected growth: 23.8 million by 2015

Expansion: $1-billion-plus program includes international terminal expansion and upgrades, new building linking domestic and international terminals and new Canada Line rapid transit service

Airport Improvement Fee: $5 for passengers travelling within B.C. and Yukon, $15 for all other destinations

Neat features: Bill Reid's iconic sculpture - The Spirit of Haida Gwai, The Jade Canoe - and a 114,000-litre saltwater aquarium featuring local marine life

Major complaint: Long customs lineups



Calgary International Airport

2007 passengers: 12.26 million

Projected growth: 30 million annual capacity by 2030

Expansion: $3 billion by 2018 - includes international transborder concourse, which will add 20 new gates and associated aircraft apron; expansions to the transborder baggage facility and Canadian Inspection Services area; more surface parking and 2,000-stall addition to car parkade; fourth runway, 4,267 metres

Airport Improvement Fee: $20 for all departing non-connecting passengers

Neat features: White Hat volunteers. Space Port Educational Facility. 30-minute free parking

Major complaint: Congestion at U.S. transborder concourse



Edmonton International Airport

2007 passengers: 6.1 million

Projected growth: 9 million passengers by 2012

Expansion: $1.1 billion by 2012 for new passenger concourse, 13 new airplane gates for total of 30, more parking

Airport Improvement Fee: $15 for departing passengers

Neat feature: Jack Shadbolt's historic Bush Pilot in Northern Sky mural

Major complaint: $48 taxi fare to downtown



Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport

2007 Passengers: 1.04 million

Projected growth: 1.2 million passengers by 2011

Expansion: $70 million between 2009 and 2018 for runway reconstruction, terminal renovations and expansion

Airport Improvement Fee: $10 for departing passengers

Neat Feature: Split-level terminal design to improve efficiency and passenger flow

Major Complaint: Shortage of taxis



Regina International Airport

2007 passengers: 962,962

Projected growth: 1.5 million passengers by 2027

Expansion: $100 million over the next 20 years

Airport Improvement Fee: $15 for departing passengers (increased from $10 in April 2007)

Neat feature: Circular skylight-sundial in arrivals lobby.

Major complaints: Shortage of taxis at peak periods, inability to get more international flights due to Canada Border Services Agency staffing policies



James Richardson International Airport (Winnipeg)

2007 passengers: 3.57 million

Projected growth: 4 million by 2015

Expansion: $585 million, 51,000-square-metre terminal under construction. To open in 2010 with boarding/departure gates increasing from nine to 15

Airport Improvement Fee: Increased from $15 to $20 for departing passengers on Jan. 1, 2008

Neat Feature: $6.3-million Greyhound bus terminal, $100 million Canada Post mail sorting plant and a proposed $20-million, seven-storey hotel

Major complaint: Old terminal won't be preservedJames Richardson International Airport (formerly Winnipeg International Airport)



Windsor Airport

2007 passengers: 245,000

Projected growth: 400,000 passengers by 2018

Expansion: $600,000 to add pre-boarding area including cafe, business lounge, children's play area.

Airport Improvement Fee: None

Neat feature: Mural of Windsor's Willistead Manor, designed by architect Albert Kahn for Henry Chandler Walker

Major complaint: Not enough direct-flight options



Toronto Pearson International Airport

2007 passengers: 31.5 million

Projected growth: 36 million by 2010 and 42 million by 2015

Expansion: Airport development program $4.4 billion, 10-year construction plan completed in 2007 - new terminal one, expanded terminal three, new runway and new firehalls

Airport Improvement Fee: $20 for departing passengers, $8 for connecting passengers

Neat feature: Artwork by Ingo Maurer - giant water tank with small moving cubes

Major complaint: Not enough taxis, especially in poor weather



Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport

2007 passengers: 4.09 million

Projected growth: 4.5 million by 2010, 5.9 million by 2020

Expansion: Phase II by late 2008, budgeted at $111 million, includes addition to parking garage, construction of major addition to new passenger terminal building. Phase III sometime after 2017

Airport Improvement Fee: $15 for departing passengers

Neat feature: Three-level water feature that represents the various

waterways in Ottawa

Major complaint: Lack of large round analogue two-handed clocks



Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (Montreal)

2007 passengers: 12.4 million

Projected growth: 14.6 million passengers by 2012

Expansion: $1.5 billion spent since 2000 in relocations of service hangars and reconfiguration of road network, construction of new transborder departures hall to be completed in 2009, new Marriott hotel to open in fall of 2008

Airport Improvement Fee: $20 plus GST for departing passengers

Neat feature: Montreal's only passenger airport

Major complaint: Noisy night flights



Halifax Stanfield International Airport

2007 passengers: 3.47 million

Projected growth: 4.1 million passengers by 2012

Expansion: Midway through 10-year, $97.5-million capital improvement plan for new terminal facilities, restored runways, parking and passenger amenities.

Airport Improvement Fee: $10 for departing passengers

Neat Feature: International arrivals lounge features life-size model of Alexander Graham Bell's Silver Dart bi-plane.

Major complaint: Lack of parking (airport is constructing 2,300-space parkade)



St. John's International Airport

2007 passengers: 1.2 million

Projected growth: 3.4 million by 2015

Expansion: Five-year, $65-million capital program beginning spring 2009. To include terminal building expansion, new and renovated operations buildings, rehabilitation and resurfacing of secondary runway, and fleet replacement

Airport Improvement Fee: $15 for departing passengers

Neat feature: Memorial display for service people stationed or passed through airport during WWII

Major complaints: Poor road signage for airport turnoff; lack of rental cars in peak seasons
© Canwest News Service 2008

[en]

You said it: frequent flyers comment on Canadian airports
Here's what Canadians feel about some of their major airports

Canwest News Service

Friday, July 04, 2008

VANCOUVER

. Vancouver travel agent Scott Clute likes the physical layout of Vancouver International Airport because it's easy to access and everything is under one roof.

"At least you can physically get from one end of the airport to the other without leaving the building," he said. "It's not like other airports with separate terminals that force you to connect by shuttle bus."

Clute said he also likes the airport's outside signage that makes it clear to departing passengers where each airline is located.

But he feels there are not enough security checkpoints to handle the volume of passengers, which creates large lineups. He also complained that security measures at the airport are not consistent.

"Passengers have to go through rigorous security but I've seen catering trucks go through the airport perimeter without being checked," Clute said.

. Calgary resident Lindsay Clarkson, who often flies to Vancouver on business, said the customs area at the airport is a "zoo" if a few international flights arrive at the same time and has often waited up to an hour to clear customs.

She also complained that a moving sidewalk in the domestic terminal always seems to be broken, forcing a long walk from one gate to another.

But Clarkson stressed the international terminal - with its water features and artifacts - is "absolutely beautiful," an opinion she has heard from many other frequent flyers.

"It's a nice airport but it just seems to be always in transition and always under construction," she said. "Will it ever be finished?"

EDMONTON

. Ron Cocking, of Melbourne, Australia, who was recently in Edmonton to visit friends, said he thinks the airport "is fantastic."

"We got dropped off, walked over, pressed a few buttons (on the self-check-in kiosk) and we were through."

Added Diana Cocking: "We got through customs in five minutes coming in. Melbourne's a very good airport, but it takes longer there than here. You can find you way around here very easily too."

. Linda Farching, of Edmonton: "The shuttle dropped me off at the right gate and the self check-in is very quick. The security screening is quick too. In Saskatoon I've lined up for 15 or 20 minutes."

. Anne Steiner, of Strathcona County, visiting her daughter in Fort McMurray: "I don't drive so I took a bus from Strathcona County to the Hotel Macdonald and took the Sky Shuttle. It's great and only $15. The self check-in is good but I need help with it and I can usually find someone. At Fort McMurray my daughter helps me with it.

"I get easily lost at large airports but Edmonton is easy to get around."

. Roy Winder, of Edmonton, seeing off his daughter to Vancouver: "It's a good airport but it depends on where you park. They're going to need more parking soon. My wife uses a wheelchair and at other airports they have golf carts to get people like that around."

. Jenna Winder, of Vancouver: "It's way better than Vancouver. The fast check-in is fabulous. Vancouver's only an hour-and-half flight so I don't bother with the food services here, but there seems to be a good choice."

WINDSOR

. Roger and Ann Sadler, who live in Windsor, travel regularly to Winnipeg to visit relatives and would like see direct flights from Windsor to Western Canada, rather than having to make connections at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

But Roger Sadler, who is retired from Chrysler Canada, said: "We've never had any problems flying through here and the fact we live 10 minutes away makes any flight from here very convenient.

"I'd like see a few more amenities, such as more food and beverage locations, but generally it's a hassle-free experience."

. Roger Friis, who works for Mackenzie Financial and lives about 45 minutes from the airport, travels regularly to Toronto on business and also finds Windsor to be easy and convenient.

"You don't have to arrive 90 minutes ahead of time. You can basically get here 30 minutes before the flight and walk right on," said Friis.

"As a result, I don't find the lack of amenities an issue because I'm rarely here long enough to notice," he said. "Parking's cheap and even the long-term lot is only a two-minute walk, so this airport provides a much more enjoyable flying experience than some of the larger airports."

. For Colette Hooson, a Windsor-based national representative for the Canadian Auto Workers union, the lack of amenities is more than balanced by the convenience.

"No matter where you live in Windsor, you're no more than 20 minutes away. Parking's always plentiful and available and it's always spotlessly clean," said Hooson, who flies to Toronto on union business on a regular basis.

. Jeffrey Dale, chief executive of the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation, a lobby group, said most airports like Ottawa need more gates.

"Have you ever sat in an airplane at 5 p.m. on a Friday, waiting 30 minutes or more for a gate to open?"

He said that Canadian airports have generally managed growing traffic demand prudently.

The addition of custom pre-clearance services and more direct flights to major U.S. and European centres is relieving pressure at major hub airports like Toronto and reducing the environmental and fuel costs of takeoffs and landings.

He said that concerns about high fuel costs and the environmental costs of air travel is leading more companies to use advanced teleconference technology and other communication tools.

"But most deals still require face time and that means continued business travel."

OTTAWA

. Rod Bryden, former Ottawa Senators owner and chief executive of Plasco Energy, which makes technology that turns garbage into energy, doesn't see the current airport building boom ending soon.

He has travelled extensively for years, for the NHL hockey club, as chief executive of WorldHeart Corp. and now in his involvement with several ventures, including Plasco.

"I think the airports are likely to be congested for the foreseeable future. We also will fill the highways with additional traffic, despite the fact that road transport is the largest single source of greenhouse gases."

. Bob Ridpath, director of global travel for Nortel Networks, says business travel in India is significantly cheaper than in other countries. In addition, expansion of airports in Delhi and Mumbai has improved travel times and efficiency.

Vancouver Sun, Edmonton Journal, Windsor Star and Ottawa Citizen
© Vancouver Sun 2008

[en]

Air Canada slashes flights to China
Tourism officials concerned about possible impact on number of Chinese visitors to B.C.

Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, July 04, 2008

Air Canada has slashed its Vancouver-to-Beijing/Shanghai service from 14 flights a week to seven as the airline cuts costs in response to record fuel prices.

The airline announced Friday that effective Oct. 26, it will fly from Vancouver to Beijing three times a week and from Vancouver to Shanghai four times. It currently offers a daily service to both Chinese cities.

The service reduction worries B.C. tourism officials trying to boost the number of Chinese visitors to the province. Travel to B.C. will be showcased to media and tour operators in Beijing this summer during the Olympics.

"Obviously this is troubling for us because we're completely at the mercy of airlift capacity to drive long-haul business," Tourism BC president Rod Harris said in an interview.

Canada is still trying to nail down an Approved Destination Status deal with China, which would allow more Chinese residents to travel to this country. But Harris notes that even without that status, China remains a vital market for B.C.

More than 91,000 Chinese residents visited B.C. last year, putting it ahead of other international markets like Germany, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The average Chinese visitor in 2006 spent more than $2,800.

Tourism BC expected a modest increase in Chinese visitations to B.C. this year, but Harris said those prospects could be affected by the reduction in Air Canada's flights.

The airline announced last month it would cut its system capacity by seven per cent and shed up to 2,000 jobs to become more efficient as fuel costs skyrocket. Previously announced route cancellations and suspensions include Vancouver-Osaka, Vancouver-Sacramento, Calgary-Prince George, Calgary-Comox and Toronto-Kelowna.

"We prefer to maintain the integrity of the network by opting for reduced flight frequencies, rather than cancellations, and that's what we have done here by keeping a daily non-stop service between Vancouver and China," Air Canada representative Angela Mah said in an interview.

She noted the service cuts don't take effect until the fall, when demand traditionally drops off - indicating the airline is satisfied with the current passenger load.

"We match capacity with demand, so we will maintain our double-daily flights from Vancouver to China throughout the summer," Mah said.

She said service cutbacks announced at the airline so far represent the "vast majority" of planned autumn and winter schedule reductions, although Air Canada will continue to evaluate future demand.

University of B.C. associate professor Marc-David Seidel doubts the cutbacks will have a huge impact on travel between Canada and China, noting Air China and China Eastern Airlines still offer regular services from Vancouver to Beijing and Shanghai.

He said Air Canada's decision to maintain a reduced service to the two cities will make it easier to boost it in the future when the need arises.

"If they had pulled out entirely, it would have been harder to re-enter in the future because they'd have to renegotiate local contracts," Seidel explained. "By keeping some service, it's very easy to add capacity later."

Cathay Pacific Airways recently announced rising costs would force it to reduce its Vancouver-to-Hong Kong service from 21 flights a week to 17 by mid-September.

Vancouver International Airport Authority chief financial officer Glenn McCoy said the airport has expected airline cutbacks, given the rising cost of fuel.

"It's a concern whenever you have a reduction in capacity," he said. "But I think we still have a very good stable financial base that will allow us to withstand the impact of this."

bconstantineau@png.canwest.com


© Vancouver Sun 20

[hkskyline]

The Air Canada cuts are quite dramatic - about 50%. Are they having major loading issues on those routes?

[urbanfan89]

All the Air China flights I've been on from YVR have been full, and I can't imagine demand for Vancouver-China flights decreasing right now. It's probably the higher Canadian wages combined with soaring fuel prices.

[mr.x]

Cathay Pacific is lowering its weekly Vancouver-Hong Kong flights from 21 to 17 and will be using more of its smaller and even older planes.....fuel costs are at fault once again.


Too bad, both Cathay and Air Canada are lowering their weekly flights to China when there is so much demand between China and Vancouver.

[hkskyline]

By Chan Cheuk Hang Calvin from HKADB :