AC kicked out of SEA gates?
Mar 31, 2019, 8:10 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AC 1MM/SE 100K, MR Lifetime Premiere Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 145
AC kicked out of SEA gates?
Hi,
For about two months now, all AC flights into and from SEA use an A20 gate that’s secretly a bus. Not only do you now walk 20 minutes to the gate, but you then wait 10 minutes for a bus which takes another 10 to get to the plane. The plane is usually parked in Alaska’s hangar. The first few times I thought this was a coincidence. When landing it’s even worse, as often there’s no buses around. Last night it took 45 minutes to deplane.
I’ve been told all sorts of answers from AC couldn’t pay for gate access to they got kicked out for abusing gates to the other airlines took over with payments etc... no clue what’s actuslly going on, but as this is adding an extra hour of travel time I’ll be flying other airlines out/in of SEA.
Just an FYI, I’d avoid either the airport or the airline for now (at this location).
For about two months now, all AC flights into and from SEA use an A20 gate that’s secretly a bus. Not only do you now walk 20 minutes to the gate, but you then wait 10 minutes for a bus which takes another 10 to get to the plane. The plane is usually parked in Alaska’s hangar. The first few times I thought this was a coincidence. When landing it’s even worse, as often there’s no buses around. Last night it took 45 minutes to deplane.
I’ve been told all sorts of answers from AC couldn’t pay for gate access to they got kicked out for abusing gates to the other airlines took over with payments etc... no clue what’s actuslly going on, but as this is adding an extra hour of travel time I’ll be flying other airlines out/in of SEA.
Just an FYI, I’d avoid either the airport or the airline for now (at this location).
Mar 31, 2019, 9:49 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YVR
Posts: 2,120
This happened to me at the start of the month ... strolled up to the gate at 5 minutes to boarding to realize they were calling LAST CALL. I had no idea it was a bus gate, would have shown up a touch earlier with that in mind.
When I arrived back at SEA I was amused/annoyed to realize I would have had about a 5 minute walk to my hotel had I just turned right upon disembarking (without the fences and such) vs the 25 minute bus-walk-shuttle process.
Is this just for the SEA-YYZ flight? Haven't done SEA-YVR in a while, but as a little Dash-8 I would imagine it still gets a normal mini-gate?
When I arrived back at SEA I was amused/annoyed to realize I would have had about a 5 minute walk to my hotel had I just turned right upon disembarking (without the fences and such) vs the 25 minute bus-walk-shuttle process.
Is this just for the SEA-YYZ flight? Haven't done SEA-YVR in a while, but as a little Dash-8 I would imagine it still gets a normal mini-gate?
Apr 1, 2019, 9:56 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 9
After CO and UA merged and Delta started their SEA expansion, it has been a merry-go-round for airlines for a few years now. UA/AC used to play in the North Terminal.
AC is running DH4s exclusively YVR/SEA these days.
The irony is that the cabin crew still tell customers that the reason they don't do gate-check's on DH4s is 'due to the gates at SEA' -- of course these are the same gates and hard-stands which Alaska uses and they seem to do the equivalent gate-check comfortably.
AC is running DH4s exclusively YVR/SEA these days.
The irony is that the cabin crew still tell customers that the reason they don't do gate-check's on DH4s is 'due to the gates at SEA' -- of course these are the same gates and hard-stands which Alaska uses and they seem to do the equivalent gate-check comfortably.
Apr 21, 2019, 4:10 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton G,Nexus, Amex MR Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 4,426
The last time in Feb I did SEA-YVR it was bus gate from A21 and I think this is the norm now. I did SEA-YYZ last week and it was A13 so no bus required. I think bus gates seem to have been allocated to the smaller planes while SEA-YYZ is a A321.
Apr 22, 2019, 1:38 am
#10
Join Date: May 2008
Location: YYZ/ZRH/BOS/NYC
Programs: Altitude E75K, Bonvoy Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 39
Same for me a few months ago.. inbound from YVR and out to YYZ, both bus gates. I had no idea except when I checked into the United Club I was told to go right to the gate because of the added time of the bus!
May 13, 2019, 6:07 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: YKM
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 135
Thanks to all on this one.
I'm going to YYZ in July and was looking at SEA-YVR-YYZ routes and maybe be in a dreamliner or something more interesting than a 737-800.
Looks like I'll either drive to YVR or PDX or something and avoid SEA all together.
I'm going to YYZ in July and was looking at SEA-YVR-YYZ routes and maybe be in a dreamliner or something more interesting than a 737-800.
Looks like I'll either drive to YVR or PDX or something and avoid SEA all together.
May 14, 2019, 1:28 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: YYJ
Posts: 4,137
Driving to PDX or YVR seems like an awful lot of trouble to avoid a bus gate. Allow yourself 15-20 extra minutes at SEA & you'll be fine.
AC doesn't operate the 737-800 so you'll certainly be on something other than that.
AC doesn't operate the 737-800 so you'll certainly be on something other than that.
May 14, 2019, 2:27 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: YKM
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 135
The X factor is I don't live in or near SEA. Both PDX and SEA are about three hours from here (GEG is also about three hours) and YVR is probably four depending on the border. If there is a long layover in YVR anyway, my quickest may be driving to/from YVR.
May 14, 2019, 4:21 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,925
- flying ex-USA into Canada could potentially be much cheaper than booking YVR-YYZ
- are you looking to fly business or economy? If business I believe there is a $300CAD surcharge to fly in "Signature" service on a wide body vs. "business" on a narrow body.
- if time is a major concern, or you're concerned about layover time, you may want to consider the non-stop flights SEA-YYZ. You'll likely end up on an A319/320 or E90. While those aircraft might not seem as appealing as a 777/787, you could end up with more leg room and much shorter travel time. Only you can decide if it is worth adding several hours onto your trip just to get an "interesting" plane.
Aug 12, 2019, 9:52 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC SE MM, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton G,Nexus, Amex MR Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 4,426
Last week YYZ-SEA flight parked near the Alaska gates and we had to take a bus to the terminal.
SEA-YVR left from A20 and we had to take a bus to our plane.
Seems like quite a few terminals have construction going on at SEA incl around gate A14 - not sure what they are doing but perhaps making changes to accommodate larger planes at those gates. So I suspect many more flights are SEA are being bused, not just AC.
SEA-YVR left from A20 and we had to take a bus to our plane.
Seems like quite a few terminals have construction going on at SEA incl around gate A14 - not sure what they are doing but perhaps making changes to accommodate larger planes at those gates. So I suspect many more flights are SEA are being bused, not just AC.