Stranger

Isn't the new terminal ready for OSS?

ridefar

Is it? That's an honest question, I have no idea. And even if it is, are they implementing it?

(This, along with no longer needing to pick up checked bags while transiting YYZ is what I was alluding to with the changes YYZ is making.)

rehoult

YYC OSS can currently handle USA-Canada, International-Canada, USA-International, and Canada-International. For USA/International in-bound, there is a separate transfer area that dumps you airside after seeing CBSA.

It is designed to handle Canada/International-USA OSS, but can't until CBP signs off on it. Once they do, the separate D/E securities can be merged into one and the airside security station for screening US-bound pax be can shutdown. How long until that happens is anyone's guess, but the terminal was designed for it.

Jasper2009

Once upon a time there was something called "journalistic integrity" and a desire to present isues in a balanced way (and yes, I know I'm extremely old-fashioned...)

But it shouldn't take a genius to:

1) figure out that visiting an airport during operations (in addition to the pre-opening press tour) may be useful

2) ask management is simple question like "What sets this terminal apart from other terminals?" and maybe a follow-up "What are the pros/cons of this new concept?"

3) spend 10min googling "why the YYC new terminal is great / terrible" enroute to the meeting (since journalists no longer have the time/resources to do any meaningful research in advance) and come up with 2-3 semi-intelligent questions

ridefar

I agree with you (to an extent). Maybe my expectations of the local journalism pieces were so low because my expectations of most journalists are so low. But, as a counter point, ask yourself this question: how many questions are asked on FT to which we (experienced flyers) think "it shouldn't take a genius" to figure that out? I don't think the average local news journalist flies very much, so the other reason my expectations were low is they simply don't have the background to understand this like we do. And that is where you are right--they shouldn't have just reached out to FT for some more insight.

rehoult

Received a proactive message from the YYC Concierge today, which included the following:

ridefar

Maybe I am just delusional (probably) but when I read this I hear the YYC management thinking: maybe if we block access, then we can force AC to pay out rent for a second lounge space in the international departures terminal.

rehoult

I think they are having issues with CATSA costs / staffing, and my guess on the end result is that International is allowed access but US isn't.

It's easy to staff C security for the couple AC international flights a day, and they don't require re-checking before being let into D. US-bound OTOH has a significant number of AC and UA flights all day, and allowing them through C also means staffing up the airside US-bound security checkpoint, which I'd guess is where the problem is coming from.

ffsim

Or maybe they want pax to spend some money in the restaurants.

All that being said, I'm looking forward to giving YYC's USA-Canada OSS a shot in early January. At least I'll have lounge access once I'm done CBSA formalities

xLuther

This all sounds typical of YYC management, they have no concept of how to setup an airport to allow 'transiting' as opposed to local departure and arrival.

I marvel at how they continue to not graspe what they have to do in order for people to stop avoiding or hating transiting YYC.

Me I'll do my annual transit YYC once, to see if they fix anything, get pissed off and avoid for another year.

YYT82

I recently booked an itinerary where I had a choice of transiting through YYC from LHR. Instead, I booked it to transit through YVR. With YVR getting an AC daily flight to FRA in summer 2017, I will no longer need to go through YYC for any TATL or NRT flights if departing from YEG.

LAman

We arrived at the new terminal this morning from OGG. The moving sidewalks weren't working, and there seems to be few washrooms. In the bag claim area, there is one in one corner, but it took us a while to find it. We were over our limit so we had to see the cashier, the location of which was not obvious at all - no signage, nothing. When we did find it, it is in the opposite direction from the exit. The customs fellow at the exit apologized for the confusion. Outside, it is a long walk between washrooms. Our daughter picked us up and she parked on the ground level of the parkade across from the new terminal. But there doesn't appear to be any crosswalk with ramps for luggage carts (maybe I was just tired). I suppose they want people to go upstairs and walk across there and then take the elevator in the parkade, but if you're parked on the ground level, wouldn't it make sense to have a crosswalk outside of the arrivals area which is also on the ground level? Not impressed so far.

cur

because airports are important pieces of infrastructure to a local economy?
because airport authorities in canada are corrupt?
they have zero accountability to anyone?
they fleece pax with aif yet the experience gets worse?
because this thing cost 2 billion and is a year late?

ridefar

If you have evidence of corruption, provide it (wrt to airport administration and management).

Other than that, I agree with you 100%. But how many people in the audience know or care? How many understand how airports are paid for? The only reason people know in Calgary is because of the tunnel. I would love to see a real hard news piece expose the whole thing, because there is zero accountability and because it does cost a ton of money and because the experience is degrading. But most people just don't care. And television news exists to sell commercials. Anyways, very far from AC. Bringing it back: it is shocking that with 140 international (including US) flights a day, AC and the other airlines have no access to a lounge.

rehoult

Went through for the first time today enroute to SFO. I'd rate it as having a lot of possibility, but presently implemented poorly.

- There was a Nexus / GE lane to skip the line, but as noted no change in screening. There was no Priority line.
- Transfer passengers have to be handled separately (or so they said), which results in randomly shutting the right hand lane so it can take a batch of transfers. The YYC original pax who should feed into that lane get tossed left when that happens, disrupting all the lanes
- Security still has a lot of unnecessary tight pinch points (i.e. the left 3 lanes all need to go around one corner) that slowed down the line considerably.
- SSSS is a mess. The have to manually handle the pax throughout, with their ID and boarding pass in a red sleeve being passed from employee to employee They should just make a SSSS lane and send everyone with it there.
- CBP was fine, but a dedicated "No Checked Bags" lane would be a good addition.
- There is a lot of empty space near the gates, so additional seating could easily be installed if required.

Plus side, the new Aspire lounge is quite nice and completely empty.

I was flying with a colleague who just barely made the flight due to the security delays. To quote her, "That's enough of a reason to route via YVR".