payam81

Considering the oil boom is effectively over and the inevitable up-coming contraction in Alberta's economy, I wouldn't be surprised if they pushed back the terminal opening.

drvannostren

I would say most complaints about YYC are a bit overblown, but THIS is totally accurate lol. I transit through YYC every couple of weeks, luckily just dom-dom so it's kinda painless. But the other day I had a long wait due to my connector being 1:20 late. I was hoping to eat somewhere other than Chili's or Timmies so I started to walk out to the public side, as their website indicated there was some other food options. This was around 16:30 on a Tuesday...all security lines open, all full, totally at capacity lineup out the door and seemingly no fast track like YVR, or if there is, it's not fast lol. I decided I'd be better off staying on the secure side .

The MLL is a minor issue but it's getting better, also the one time my YMM-YCC flight landed and parked way out in the sticks, that kinda sucked I don't mind walking, even if it's long range, but it seemed REALLY far and my connection time was a bit short so I was kinda stressing. First and only time I've ever parked out there.

For a 2 hour trip to YYC, honestly you'll be fine, you might be a bit held up getting back out, but it's nothing a seasoned pro can't deal with.

In the end it's not a good airport currently, it CAN be totally fine if you're there at the right time of day, but with the amount of PAX the place has grown to, coupled with the amount of weather delays and issues it suffers, the airport should be much bigger and hopefully the new terminal gets that done. I honestly don't know anything about the WS side, never flown them there, but the AC side is pretty damn crowded and there's seemingly lots of terminal that's not used.

hearna

The LHR and FRA flights go out within minutes of each other; so that entire corner of the airport becomes a sea of chaos.

The kicker is the YOW flight (one I usually take) is parked right next to it; to even get to the gate can be a challenge.

Please upgradsecret; point out the hyperboles; what is non factual in the above?

tomvancouver

If the airport is badly managed a new terminal won't necessarily work well.
We can but hope (and wait)

Diabeetus

You are my hero. I am doing that next time. Except I will say "no Engrish".

Diabeetus

The WS side has a lot less passengers, and a lot less frequent fliers.

The Nexus security line is empty.

The priority security line is empty.

The terminal is more spacious than the AC side (WS side has moving side-walks).

The Servisair lounge is cavernous and usually very empty.

The clientèle over there, however, are clearly lower social-economic status than on the AC side.

DavidYYC

The new terminal is long overdue.

Apart from the OP comments which I am sure are true, these are the other issues I have at YYC:

1) Terrible security line waits on the domestic and US side. (this prompted me to get NEXUS so we will see how that works out)

2) Awful waiting areas and restaurant choices on the US pre-cleared side.

3) Cramped AC domestic waiting areas, (at peak times) and very pathetic AC LHR and FRA departure gates.

4) One of the worst baggage delivery wait times especially on int arrivals. (Almost rivalling the wait times I have to endure at YYZ)

Diabeetus

I am overjoyed whenever the dividers in the transborder side allow access to the Jugo Juice. Otherwise it's a crappy diner, burger king, or timmy's.

Oh, and Starbucks.

24left

All the basic food groups.

Diabeetus

Coffee. Alcohol. Fries. and Coffee.

Statement checks out. Please continue.

24left

Adding these Basic Food Groups from the Lounge Food thread (just in case YYC wants to improve things):

catgirl

Yeah, this. Don't hold your breath on Nexus helping you with this. The brilliant minds here routinely send non-Nexus holders through the Nexus line to keep all their lines "equal". I have lost count of the number of times I am behind the first-time traveler with her dozen containers of yogurt, or loveable gramma and gramps who have no clue what to take off and what to keep on, or the 15-person school group with the two chaperones shouting instructions. I once actually sent them an email with some "suggestions for improvement" and got a useless phone call back from someone in CATSA who spent the next 15 minutes blaming everyone else. I posted about the sordid details here on FT but I can't find the link easily on my iPad. Anyway that phone call was precious minutes of my life that I'll never get back! I just go in now prepared to be stuck behind an infrequent traveler in the line that is supposed to be for frequent travellers (go figure!)

Edited to add the link: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trust...rity-line.html. My story is post #30.

xLuther

Did 3 trans border flights through YYC , total gong show. Spent a night on one of them in YYC due to missed connection.

The common repeated comment ( tongue in cheek) those of us caught in the mess was " but it will all be fixed in 2016 "

it remains an embarrassing joke as far as an airport when it comes to trying to transit through.

superangrypenguin

As was pointed out to me by FT, I thought I'd share. NEXUS is a line meant for pre approved low risk travelers, not frequent travelers. However, I do completely agree with you. Either a) jack up the price for NEXUS or b) require those who have it (at least for air travel) to fly X segments per year. The fact that one only has to pay $50 is not enough. I, as you write in your post, feel the same way about those who have NEXUS slowing down the whole line. Infuriates me. I don't use this emoticon much, but comes to mind.

Stranger

Issue is not infrequent Nexus travelers, but that the CATSA people send non-Nexus folks to the Nexus line.

While on one hand I understand that there is no point in having one of the stations idle while the others have a line up, the proper way to handle this would be to have Nexus holders cutting in front of non-Nexus folks sent by CATSA to that line.

Not sure why apparently no one has come up with that simple idea.


Not totally convinced we need our own Taj Mahal, a la YVR or YYZ, just for the sake of half a dozen FFs from north of Red Deer.