Calgary, AB. – 2013-02-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — It was another record-breaking year at Calgary International Airport (YYC), with over 13.6 million passengers travelling through the airport in 2012. While passenger traffic grew just over six per cent last year, cargo activity also grew with an increase of five per cent to over 117,000 metric tonnes. YYC is the leading passenger hub and cargo gateway in Alberta with the most extensive passenger service network in central Canada and is one of only three airports in Canada to offer passengers nonstop scheduled service to both Europe and Asia.
Commercial Development Highlights:
The landscape of YYC is changing both outside and inside the facility with new shops and services, including some firsts for Canadian airports. A new boutique iStore and iStore express automated retail shop opened in 2012, along with the only Burger King Whopper Bar in a Canadian airport. HSBC also made YYC part of an exclusive group of 43 worldwide airports with the introduction of the newly branded HSBC passenger bridges. YYC is one of only four Canadian airports to join this exclusive group.
The process to fill the new international terminal with world-class retailers and restaurants has begun. A Request for Expressions of Interest (REFI) was issued in 2012. The YYC Commercial team is now reviewing the submissions to ensure the new expansion offers the best selection of shops and services to YYC passengers. Stay tuned for more details in 2013.
Air Service Highlights:
There is more great news on the passenger network front at YYC. Calgary saw more frequencies in 2012 and new destinations with WestJet’s announcement of their new services to Chicago and Manzanillo. Alberta’s only connection to Asia continues to be a tremendous success story, with Air Canada’s announcement of an increase in frequency from three to five flights to Tokyo, Narita in the summer and three flights a week in the winter. YYC’s European connection also continues to be strong with KLM’s announcement of an increase in frequency on their Amsterdam route. The service now offers daily flights in the summer and flights five days a week in the winter. Albertans now have more destinations and airlines to choose from when flying out of YYC.
Land Development at YYC:
YYC added over 1.8 million square feet of warehouse space on airport land in the last decade, more than any other airport in the country. Land development activity at YYC continued to track according to plan in 2012 with the development of the Deerfoot North Trade Park. Construction began on Sunwest Aviation’s 130,000 square-foot combined hangar and office complex, and Million Air, a fixed-based operator for private aviation services, broke ground at YYC. The Million Air facility will contain a departure lounge, offices and a 50,000 square-foot hangar. Also in 2012, Northwest Geomatics erected a 50,000 square-foot hangar at the Deerfoot North Trade Park. Phase 1 of the development consists of a large hangar and accompanying offices.
Airport Development Program:
The Airport Development Program (ADP) is on time and on budget. The addition of the new runway and the expansion of the terminal building is the largest construction project in Calgary’s history. The Program made major headway as we move towards opening the runway in 2014 and the terminal in 2015.
A significant amount of work has taken place in the past 12 months on the Runway Development Project (RDP) site.
· Over 8.3 million cubic metres of material has been moved
· Over 163,000 cubic metres of concrete has been placed
· 1,865 inset lighting base cans have been installed
The International Facilities Project (IFP) is well underway. The addition to YYC has started to take shape with windows and walls forming the main terminal building area of the new international check-in hall.
· Building excavation is now complete with 470,000 cubic metres of material removed
· Over 67,600 cubic metres of concrete has been poured
· Over 521 geothermal holes have been drilled (89 per cent complete).
· The Departures check-in hall roof has 18 of 38 structural steel trusses installed
· The first IFP escalator has been installed
The ADP will provide much needed airport capacity, vital to our airport partners’ growth and development, and will solidify YYC’s position as an important economic growth generator for the city, region, and province.
Other 2012 highlights:
For a third time, The Calgary Airport Authority was named a ‘Top Employer’ in Alberta. This special designation recognizes employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.
WestJet also announced Calgary was selected to be the headquarters of their new regional airline, Encore. The new addition to the WestJet family will be located on the YYC campus and final designs for their facilities are currently underway.
About The Calgary Airport Authority
The Calgary Airport Authority is a not-for-profit, non-share capital corporation incorporated under the Alberta Regional Airports Authorities Act. Since 1992, it has been responsible for the management, maintenance and development of Calgary International Airport and Springbank Airport under long-term lease from the Government of Canada. YYC is Canada’s fourth busiest airport and is an important economic engine for the city, region and province, generating over $6 billion in economic activity.
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