Calgary International Airport

Calgary International Airport
Control Tower
IATA: YYC – ICAO: CYYC
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		Transport Canada[1]
Operator		Calgary Airport Authority
Serves		Calgary, Alberta
Hub for		Air Canada Air Canada Jazz WestJet
Elevation AMSL		3,557 ft / 1,084 m
Coordinates		51°06′50″N 114°01′13″W / 51.11389°N 114.02028°W / 51.11389; -114.02028 (Calgary International Airport)
Website		www.calgaryairport.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
07/25	6,200	1,890	Asphalt
10/28	8,000	2,438	Asphalt
16/34	12,675	3,863	Asphalt
Statistics (2008)
Number of Passengers			12,506,893
Aircraft Movements			246,370
Source: Canada Flight Supplement[2] Statistics from Transport Canada.[3] Passenger statistics from Calgary Airport[4]

Calgary International Airport, (IATA: YYC, ICAO: CYYC), is an international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately 17 km (11 mi) northeast of the downtown core. The airport offers scheduled daily nonstop flights to major cities in Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, the United States, and soon Asia when it begins service to Tokyo in March 2010.

Calgary International Airport is the base city and headquarters of WestJet Airlines, is a hub of flag carrier Air Canada, and is also a hub for Air Canada Jazz and Central Mountain Air. The airport is one of eight Canadian airports that has US Border Pre-clearance facilities. The airport is operated by the Calgary Airport Authority as part of Transport Canada's National Airports System. It is Canada's fourth busiest airport by passenger traffic^[5] and third busiest by aircraft movements, with 12.5 million passengers^[4] and with 246,370 aircraft movements in 2008.^[3] In October 2008, the Calgary Airport Authority was named one of Alberta's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc^[6][7]

Terminal

The terminal has three concourses, one of which is officially split into two, to accommodate transborder and international flights. There have been plans to build another concourse^[8].

Concourse A

Concourse A comprises Gates 1 to 19, included a regional gates on the first level. The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge is located just beyond security on Concourse A. Concourse A has five security lanes, passengers can also use the Concourse B security facilities during peak periods. Jet bridges are used by Air Canada and regional gates are used by Air Canada Jazz, Central Mountain Air and others.

Concourse B

Gates 20-29 are swing gates between Concourse B and C. Any US bound flight is treated as a "C" Gate, whereas any Canadian-bound/International-bound flight is treated as a "B" Gate. Concourse A and B are connected behind security by a walkway, facilitating connections for Air Canada flights. When all Gates in the B/C section are "C" gates, then this walkway is closed due to US Customs & Border Protection preclearance for USA-destined flights. All Air Canada international flights and some domestic flights depart from the B concourse. During Domestic and International operations the B Concourse security facilities (two lanes) are open. Passengers utilise the Concourse A security facilities during off-peak periods.

Concourse C

Gates 20 to 34 are swing gates. Gates 31 to 34 will swing between Concourse C and D. On flights originating in Calgary passengers bound for the United States go through United States Border Preclearance (U.S. Customs and Immigration) prior to boarding their flights. The flight is then treated on arrival in the U.S. as a domestic flight. Concourse C has four dedicated security lanes after USA preclearance facilities. Concourse C is only used for US bound flights. The C concourse contains the Servisair Calgary Rocky Mountain lounge (co-branded as the WestJet Lounge).^[9]

Concourse D

Gates 31 to 50 are located on this concourse. Gates 31 to 34 can also be used for USA bound flights and are shared with Concourse C. Gates 41, 42, 43 and 44 can be utilized for international arrivals and departures. There are six security lanes dedicated to Concourse D flights. The D concourse contains the Servisair Calgary Chinook lounge (co-branded as the WestJet Lounge)^[10].

Airlines and destinations

Inside the terminal

Main airport hall

View of downtown Calgary from airport

Part of Concourse A, usually reserved for prop operations

Airport overview, Concourse A at right, D at left

Notes

1. ^{^}  Some flights are operated by Central Mountain Air

Charter Flights

Cargo

Other operations

The following airlines operate out of their own private facilities:

• Alta Flights
• Bar XH Air
• Corporate Express
• Kenn Borek Air
• Skyxpress Airline
• Sunwest Aviation
• Swanberg Air ^[13]

Potential routes

• In June 2009 Emirates Airline expressed interest in flying non-stop to Dubai. Current government restrictions limit the airline to three flights a week to Canada.^[14]

Ground transport

Calgary Transit bus #57 connects the Arrivals level of the airport to the Whitehorn C-Train station and #430 to North Pointe terminal, where passengers can board the BRT route #301 to downtown. Also, Airporter bus links the airport to several downtown hotels.

Ground handling

There are only a few ground handling companies in Calgary but each provides different services to the airlines they serve.

Airport Terminal Services

Airport Terminal Services (ATS) provides cargo, passenger, and ramp services to select airlines in Calgary. Passenger services are provided to Aeromexico, Mexicana, and Northwest Airlines. Ramp services are provided to Aeromexico, Continental Airlines, Horizon Air, Mexicana, Northwest Airlines, Compass Airlines (Northwest Airlink), United Airlines Express (Skywest), Delta Connection (Skywest), Flyglobespan and United Airlines. Cargo handling services are provided to UPS and DB Schenker.

Air Canada Ground Handling Services

Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz operations at the Calgary International Airport.

Servisair provides cargo, lounge, passenger, and ramp services in Calgary. Passenger services are provided to Air Transat, SkyService Airlines, Sunwing Airlines, and US Airways. Ramp services are provided to Air North, American Airlines, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Monarch Airlines, Sunwing Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, as well as many ADHOC carriers. Cargo ground handling for Asiana Cargo, Cargolux, and Cargojet is also performed. As of April 24, 2009 Servisair will provide De-Icing for Jazz Airlines. Servisair also operates a business lounge for airlines using the C (USA) and D Concourses.

WestJet Turn Around Crew (TAC)

WestJet TAC is the sole provider of ground handling services for WestJet at Calgary International Airport.

WingTips Airport Services

WingTips Airport Services (WingTips) provides passenger services for Air North, Lufthansa, Flyglobespan and Thomas Cook Airlines.

Cargo facilities

Apron II is the main cargo facility at the airport which can park up to four Boeing 747s. Apron VII is also used as a cargo facility, primarily for FedEx Express and Purolator Courier. FedEx is among the cargo carriers that use Calgary as a hub at Apron VII. Purolator has a facility in the northwest corner of the field adjacent to Apron VII. Apron VII used to hold just two Boeing 727s but has been able to park an additional three McDonnell Douglas MD-11s for FedEx since November 2004.

As of November 2007, expansion construction are in progress for Apron VII to allow seven parking pads, including three for Purolator and four for FedEx. UPS Airlines has begun construction of a new centre, including an apron directly southeast of FedEx's facility.

General aviation

General aviation facilities are located on the south side of the field. These facilities include a Shell Aerocenter, an Esso Avitat, Calgary Flight Training, a customs building, and more.

Runways

There is a plan to build a 14,000 ft (4,267 m)^[5] parallel runway east of the airport (16L/34R)^[8].

Runway 16/34 is the longest runway in Canada.^[2] This can be attributed to the relatively high elevation, 3,557 ft (1,084 m), of the airport and the need to support the largest passenger aircraft types. Aircraft require more distance to take off at higher elevations, because of the reduced air density associated with altitude.

References

1. ^ Airport Divestiture Status Report
2. ^ ^{a b} Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 7 May 2009 to 0901Z 2 July 2009
3. ^ ^{a b} Total aircraft movements by class of operation — NAV CANADA towers
4. ^ ^{a b} 2008 Calgary Passenger Statistics
5. ^ ^{a b} Calgary Herald - YYC loses title of third busiest airport, April 16, 2009
6. ^ "Calgary Herald, "Alberta’s top 40 places to work”, October 18, 2008". http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/story.html?id=02b19397-2fdf-4039-ba29-b93eaf908adb. 
7. ^ "Reasons for Selection, 2009 Alberta's Top Employers competition". http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-calgary-airport-authority. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Calgary Airport Development - 20 year airport master plan
9. ^ https://www.westjetlounges.com/en/lounges/choose_lounge.asp?station=80
10. ^ https://www.westjetlounges.com/en/lounges/choose_lounge.asp?ID=WJ&station=66
11. ^ http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Air-Canada-to-launch-cnw-3350225399.html?x=0&.v=1
12. ^ FlyGlobespan
13. ^ http://www.swanbergair.com/
14. ^ http://www.financialpost.com/most-popular/story.html?id=1659581

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Calgary International Airport

• Calgary International Airport Homepage
• Page about this airport on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory
• Past three hours METARs, SPECI and current TAFs for Calgary International Airport from NAV CANADA as available.