Kamloops Transportation Discussion

[bradleykerr]

Phase two of the road construction will see the new connector road extended and it will come out beside Home Depot, which will open up a large chunk of develop-able land.

[Rhino]

So , is this going to run on the left hand side of Home Depot then? Thats the only place I could see that happening. There is a lot of things it would have to go around too, like the sunmore ginseng building and the B.C. Hydro building.

[Anon2]

it will run around the base of kenna cartwright park., parallel to mcgill through the industrial area, but on the other side of home depot, the brewery, sunmore, city of kamloops public works etc.

get it?

[Mr.A]

How about the new reliability? Today low ceiling and cancelled flights!

An instrument landing system (ILS) is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), such as low ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or blowing snow.

[Mr.A]

After some checking i realized that the weather was to much even for the new system.
source:[URL="http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/CYKA/weather"]

[Trey]

our airport needs more flights at night, its such a bitch trying to fly from east to kamloops, i always have to stay the night in calgary or vancouver and this is at like 10 pm. does our airport shut down at 9 or something?

[Rhino]

I agree, and now west jst is pulling its Vancouver service soon too, saying its a seaonal service. But they are doing this at the same time as they add a flight to Edmonton....

[Rhino]

Airport use soars above the rest


As the economy taxis for takeoff, air travel in Kamloops has been soaring, airport director Fred Legace reported Friday.

Airport use during December rose 22 per cent over the same month in 2008 — from 22,000 people to almost 27,000. Overall, the airport served 15 per cent more travellers last year than in 2008.
And that was in the midst of a recession.

“We’re the only airport to show that kind of growth,” Legace said. “Essentially we’re No. 1 for growth in the province. We’ve been at double-digit growth pretty much the entire year.”

The increased traffic dovetails with airport improvements completed over the past year, but runway and terminal enhancements don’t fully explain the increase. Seat sales — reflecting the stiff competition between Air Canada and Westjet — are more likely a major contributor to the growth, Legace said.

“We’re seeing visiting friends and relatives kind of traffic, a price-sensitive part of the market, that we don’t normally see here,” he said.

Keeping tabs on usage, Legace has also noticed an increase in tourists arriving for golf in the summer and skiing in the winter. Tourism Kamloops’ marketing appears to be paying off, he noted.

Even in the face of a recession, business travel has held its own.

“Kamloops is not seeing nearly the effect of the recession that other parts of the country are seeing, not the extent they’re seeing in the rest of North America.”

Some airports back East, particularly in country’s industrial heartland of southern Ontario, have suffered traffic declines of 40 to 60 per cent over the past year. American carriers are also grappling with the blow.

“We are definitely an exception to the trend.”

There were some ups and downs in the trend, Legace noted. The ongoing problem with aircraft approach procedures in using the new NavCanada landing system has caused some concern and cancelled flights.

Legace said it is up to NavCanada to resolve the problem. He expects to see improvements in airport usabililty in the next few months.


* does anyone remember when the last time our airport had a bad month?

[Mr.A]

Good news!
Just a correction. this is not the waiting room at YKA.
this one is. (my photo)
image hosted on flickr

image hosted on flickr

[Rhino]

opps. thanks for the pic. Man I feel dumb now. lol.

[dangerdude]

We have been discussing Horizon Airlines for direct US flights but what about Delta?

Delta Air Lines will fly to Canadian Rockies International Airport for the 2009/2010 Winter season. Jet air service between Cranbrook and Delta’s western hub at Salt Lake City begins December 19, 2009 and will run until March 28, 2010.

Delta Air Lines winter service offers Easy Access to the Canadian Rockies - with one stop service from over 45 airports in the US via the Salt Lake City (SLC) to Canadian Rockies International Airport (Cranbrook YXC) Easy and convenient access to Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort and many other resorts and heli/cat ski operators in the region

[dangerdude]

RMR into Kamloops Six consecutive days a week



Rocky Mountaineer is changing its schedule starting in April, bringing a steadier flow of tourists through Kamloops.

James Terry, the rail tour company’s executive vice-president and chief operations officer, will discuss the change this evening in a presentation to the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association’s AGM. The meeting takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Plaza Heritage Hotel, 405 Victoria St.

Instead of simultaneous departures from Calgary and Vancouver arriving in Kamloops at the same time, the company will stagger departures. This means Rocky Mountaineer trains will be pulling into Kamloops six consecutive days a week, excluding Saturdays, instead of three times a week.

“Obviously we’re marketing and selling like crazy to get back to where we were prior to last year’s challenges,” Terry said. “We see better opportunities for growth.”

Although visitor numbers won’t necessarily change overall, the experience should be enhanced with only half the passengers arriving at the same time, he noted.

February 10,2010 Kamloops Daily News

[Rhino]

Maybe this will fuel the fire for a new Hotel downtown. Not a disapointment like whats being planned already.

[YKA]

I think a direct connection of flight to Vegas would be a no-brainer. If Westjet won't do it, try to coax Allegiant Air or someone company who would do it.

I'm surprised at Delta going into.... CRANBROOK????!!

Originally Posted by dangerdude

We have been discussing Horizon Airlines for direct US flights but what about Delta?

Delta Air Lines will fly to Canadian Rockies International Airport for the 2009/2010 Winter season. Jet air service between Cranbrook and Delta’s western hub at Salt Lake City begins December 19, 2009 and will run until March 28, 2010.

Delta Air Lines winter service offers Easy Access to the Canadian Rockies - with one stop service from over 45 airports in the US via the Salt Lake City (SLC) to Canadian Rockies International Airport (Cranbrook YXC) Easy and convenient access to Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort and many other resorts and heli/cat ski operators in the region

[dangerdude]

YKA... totally agree, a Kamloops to Las Vegas flight would be a no brainer... see the development thread, it was one of my many predictions for 2010 Even a twice a week schedule would work. Flights outbound and inbound on sundays and wednesdays would fit those wanting to go to Vegas for 3 nights or 4 nights.

If we do this before Kelowna, we might be able to draw business from the Okanagan as well.

[Anon2]

Salt Lake to Cranbrook is no surprise.

They are both very heavy Mormon enclaves are they not?

[Rhino]

I remember a few years ago there was talk of a Kamloops Mexican flight. What happen there?

[Rhino]

YKA Airport Numbers


ANOTHER MONTH ANOTHER INCREASE IN PASSENGER TRAFFIC AT KAMLOOPS AIRPORT. NUMBERS SHOW JUST UNDER 25-THOUSDAND-500 PEOPLE USED KAMLOOPS AS PART OF THEIR TRAVEL PLANS -- THAT'S A HIKE OF 6%, OR ABOUT 16-HUNDRED PEOPLE, OVER MARCH LAST YEAR. COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, NUMBERS FOR THE YEAR TO DATE ARE UP 5% -- FROM JUST UNDER 71-THOUSAND 300 LAST YEAR TO OVER 74-THOUSAND-660 SO FAR THIS YEAR. AIRPORT MANAGER FRED LEGACE SITES SPRING SKIERS AS A BIG REASON, AS WELL AS LOW AIR FARES, AND A GOOD BUSINESS TRAVEL NUMBERS.

[Rhino]

Westjet Takes Off to Edmonton

A LONG-AWAITED FLIGHT HAS TAKEN OFF FROM THE KAMLOOPS AIRPORT. WESTJET'S INAUGURAL DIRECT TO EDMONTON FLIGHT BEGAN SUNDAY AFTERNOON. FULTON FIELD MANAGER FRED LEGACE SAYS KEEPING THE RUN WILL DEPEND ON DEMAND. IT RUNS THREE DAYS A WEEK.

[Rhino]

Sun Peaks to upgrade road


Sun Peaks Resort Corp. has applied to Front Counter B.C. for a permit to improve a forest service road to McGillivray Lake.

The 3.5-kilometre extension is intended to remove beetle-infested wood that threatens the community with fire and to improve an emergency route of escape in case of wildfire.

“At this point it’s a fire protection scenario,” said resort general manager Darcy Alexander.

Front Counter B.C. oversees approvals for works and permits on Crown land.

The project would widen and bring the road up to a higher standard. It also involves altering and moving some cross-country ski trails.

On the long term, Sun Peaks wants to see a second, paved route to the mountain from the Trans-Canada Highway near Chase.

Alexander said the section the corporation wants to improve is intended to eventually form part of that route.