Edmonton International Airport (EIA/YEG)

[David A]

You may be correct there, YYC would probably be more likely to get a direct flight before YEG, but as other have noted, Calgary's advantages haven't stopped airlines like KLM from flying routes to both cities.

Speaking for myself, while I'm not anti-Calgary in any way, if I have to get a connection for an Asian flight and all things are equal I'll pick YVR over YYC very single time.

I'm sure I'm not alone there so I'll keep holding my breath and say YEG will get a direct Asian flight someday...

Vancouver seems to be the logical geographic choice for most flights to Asia from Canada, just as Edmonton makes sense for flights to Europe flying over us north anyways.

I have no problem with those flights starting in Calgary, adding people here and then continuing on to Europe. I do have a real problem with Edmontonians having to drive or fly south, only to have to fly back over our city.

 

[HappyJazzz]

I do have a real problem with Edmontonians having to drive or fly south, only to have to fly back over our city.

Yeah, I get that. Its an absurd situation, but a situation that were stuck with as they've taken the business crown for the province.

I still maintain that HSR will change that dramatically.

Business travelers will be able to board a train downtown and 10 minutes later be at YYC.

Or, if for some reason that flight time doesn't work for them, they can take a 1 hour train ride up to YEG instead for a better timed flight.

In a first class car, with drink service, making that hour not much different than relaxing in an airport lounge.

That's a much more compelling proposition than taking a connecting flight between the airports, and will lead to YEG getting some new flights that wouldn't be viable without the HSR catchment.

 

[blue12]

Yeah, I get that. Its an absurd situation, but a situation that were stuck with as they've taken the business crown for the province.

I still maintain that HSR will change that dramatically.

Business travelers will be able to board a train downtown and 10 minutes later be at YYC.

Or, if for some reason that flight time doesn't work for them, they can take a 1 hour train ride up to YEG instead for a better timed flight.

In a first class car, with drink service, making that hour not much different than relaxing in an airport lounge.

That's a much more compelling proposition than taking a connecting flight between the airports, and will lead to YEG getting some new flights that wouldn't be viable without the HSR catchment.

I would argue the opposite for the latter part of your last statement. YYC already provides a lot more connects to YEG than YEG does for YYC, and having HSR between the two will just make it even easier to Edmontonians to catch a flight out of the better connected YYC than their own airport with a stopover. Edmonton's lack of service is 100% partially due to it's proximity to Calgary, and better access to the Calgary airport may not make that better.

 

[Oilguy]

I would argue the opposite for the latter part of your last statement. YYC already provides a lot more connects to YEG than YEG does for YYC, and having HSR between the two will just make it even easier to Edmontonians to catch a flight out of the better connected YYC than their own airport with a stopover. Edmonton's lack of service is 100% partially due to it's proximity to Calgary, and better access to the Calgary airport may not make that better.

Agreed and the proximity of the mountains to Calgary is always going to give them an advantage. I’m not a proponent of hsr, it’s too much money, the population density I think would be some of the lowest globally to try to support it, and I don’t think it actually benefits our city.

Back to the airport, I do find the discussion about hail an interesting one, if I was running the risk register at Westjet, that would be a big one on my list. One of the mitigations is not have all your eggs in one basket and that would mean decentralizing the hub a bit. Is the risk high enough to do that? Might be getting close.

 

[David A]

Agreed and the proximity of the mountains to Calgary is always going to give them an advantage. I’m not a proponent of hsr, it’s too much money, the population density I think would be some of the lowest globally to try to support it, and I don’t think it actually benefits our city.

Back to the airport, I do find the discussion about hail an interesting one, if I was running the risk register at Westjet, that would be a big one on my list. One of the mitigations is not have all your eggs in one basket and that would mean decentralizing the hub a bit. Is the risk high enough to do that? Might be getting close.

I don't think HSR rail improves our air service any, although it may have other benefits. Most likely it may not make it worse.

I feel there may be some shift away from having a few main hubs for various reasons these days, including risk mitigation, which could benefit us some.

As Edmonton grows it is also harder to continue to treat it as a spoke. We are more than three times the size of the city of Halifax and almost twice the size of Winnipeg.

 

[HappyJazzz]

I would argue the opposite for the latter part of your last statement. YYC already provides a lot more connects to YEG than YEG does for YYC, and having HSR between the two will just make it even easier to Edmontonians to catch a flight out of the better connected YYC than their own airport with a stopover. Edmonton's lack of service is 100% partially due to it's proximity to Calgary, and better access to the Calgary airport may not make that better.

The YYC pull may continue at first, but airports don't have infinite runways or landing slots.

During past oil booms there was plenty of discussion down south around building a second airport as YYC was nearing capacity at peak times.

Connecting YEG to YYC in an hour or less ensures that never happens.

The immediate win for YEG (and Edmonton) from HSR is getting a 15 minute connection to downtown.

Getting better international routes is the medium term win, and of course dependant on overall growth within the province.

Even if that takes longer than I expect, it's still good for travelers and the environment to get rid of those annoying short haul flights between the cities.

 

[HappyJazzz]

Agreed and the proximity of the mountains to Calgary is always going to give them an advantage. I’m not a proponent of hsr, it’s too much money, the population density I think would be some of the lowest globally to try to support it, and I don’t think it actually benefits our city.

Back to the airport, I do find the discussion about hail an interesting one, if I was running the risk register at Westjet, that would be a big one on my list. One of the mitigations is not have all your eggs in one basket and that would mean decentralizing the hub a bit. Is the risk high enough to do that? Might be getting close.

The hail issue is definitely a serious one for WS and YYC.

If I was on the Westjet board, I'd consider starting to move more of the maintenance work up to YEG and free up hangars at YYC for use as hail shelters.

But only if there was a fast convenient way for workers to get between facilities of course

 

[Vanfan123]

I would argue the opposite for the latter part of your last statement. YYC already provides a lot more connects to YEG than YEG does for YYC, and having HSR between the two will just make it even easier to Edmontonians to catch a flight out of the better connected YYC than their own airport with a stopover. Edmonton's lack of service is 100% partially due to it's proximity to Calgary, and better access to the Calgary airport may not make that better.

True & plus Calgary YYC is closer to US/Canada border gives them a advantage in more US flights nonstop & with planes like : Boeing 777 / 787 or Airbus A330/A350 that fly longer distances nonstop (both directions), a lot planes heading for Europe out of YYC, Seattle SEA , Portland PDX, San Francisco SFO, Los Angeles LAX or Vancouver YVR can overfly Edmonton YEG all together without stopping .

Yes,YEG Airport on the map is a lot closer to Asia & Europe than YYC & even US airports are, but it doesn’t “guarantee” any new routes to there, as its passengers demand that will & up to the airlines.

 

[BrettB]

StatsCan has published its latest data on screened passengers at Canadian airports and the data is pretty positive. From the report:

In November 2024, all of Canada's eight largest airports experienced higher year-over-year total screened passenger volumes.

Indeed, the rebound in domestic passenger traffic in November helped the four smallest top airports post double-digit increases over November 2023: Winnipeg/James Armstrong Richardson International (+17.2%), Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International (+15.7%), Halifax/Robert L. Stanfield International (+14.6%), and Edmonton International (+13.7%).

2024	July ​	August​	September​	October​	November​
Total passengers	340,233​	342,701​	280,863​	292,821​	282,263​
Domestic sector passengers	287,424​	291,603​	235,862​	237,916​	212,593​
Transborder sector passengers	44,272​	42,407​	38,235​	43,243​	40,125​
Other International sector passengers	8,537​	8,691​	6,766​	11,662​	29,545​

 

[David A]

StatsCan has published its latest data on screened passengers at Canadian airports and the data is pretty positive. From the report:

2024	July ​	August​	September​	October​	November​
Total passengers	340,233​	342,701​	280,863​	292,821​	282,263​
Domestic sector passengers	287,424​	291,603​	235,862​	237,916​	212,593​
Transborder sector passengers	44,272​	42,407​	38,235​	43,243​	40,125​
Other International sector passengers	8,537​	8,691​	6,766​	11,662​	29,545​

Yes, this is good news. The only issue is a perceptual one in how we continue to get lumped in as a "smaller" airport. Actually we are considerably larger than the other three.

 

[blue12]

YEG apparently reached out to the city of Kumamoto, Japan, in hopes for a direct air route between the two cities. The article says they hope it starts off as chartered flights and move to regularly scheduled if demand persists.

I can't help but think of how strange this is, but for Edmonton's sake I hope it works out.

Possibly a cargo route? That would make a lot more sense, but the source doesn't specify. Interesting regardless.

【独自】熊本空港に初の「北米路線」か　カナダの空港運営会社が熊本県に開設打診　TSMC進出に着目｜熊本日日新聞社

カナダ西部アルバータ州にあるエドモントン国際空港を運営する公団が、熊本空港（益城町）と結ぶ航空路線の開設を熊本県に打診していることが7日、分かった。県側も前向きに受け止めており、実現すればアジア路線のみだった熊本空港で初の北米路線になる。

kumanichi.com

 

[BASE]

Saw a newer looking sign about Phase 2 leasing in 2025, looks like airpoint II will be just west of Costco. I see there is a new Shell station going in across the street next to the new firehall so things are getting busy in the area.

AirPoint II — Avatex Group of Companies

avatex.ca

 

[Vanfan123]

Vancouver seems to be the logical geographic choice for most flights to Asia from Canada, just as Edmonton makes sense for flights to Europe flying over us north anyways.

I have no problem with those flights starting in Calgary, adding people here and then continuing on to Europe. I do have a real problem with Edmontonians having to drive or fly south, only to have to fly back over our city.

Fair points.

It’s up to airlines that decide & most airlines rather fly it nonstop (both directions) .

Speaking of a Calgary YYC route over flying Edmonton YEG, on Monday January 13 2025 -WS WestJet plans to announce a *new* international destination out of its YYC Fortress Hub in Canada for (S25).

MEDIA ADVISORY - WestJet to augment summer 2025 schedule with new international destination out of Calgary

/CNW/ - Media are invited to join WestJet this Monday, January 13, 2025, for an announcement regarding the airline's 2025 summer schedule. A business and...

www.newswire.ca

 

[blue12]

Fair points.

It’s up to airlines that decide & most airlines rather fly it nonstop (both directions) .

Speaking of a Calgary YYC route over flying Edmonton YEG, on Monday January 13 2025 -WS WestJet plans to announce a *new* international destination out of its YYC Fortress Hub in Canada for (S25).

MEDIA ADVISORY - WestJet to augment summer 2025 schedule with new international destination out of Calgary

/CNW/ - Media are invited to join WestJet this Monday, January 13, 2025, for an announcement regarding the airline's 2025 summer schedule. A business and...

www.newswire.ca

The event to announce the route is being held at a Mexican Restaurant…. So it’s safe to assume it will be to Mexico.

 

[IanO]

Mexico City? Please!