7625 replies to this topic

[spanky123]

^ A bit of an exaggeration. From downtown (Capital City Station) it is 70 minutes, and that includes the transfer at McTavish or walking from Bazan Bay. That’s a 90% savings over taking the shuttle, excluding the “fuel surcharge”. Whether the extra 35 minutes is worth $23 is a matter of preference.

 

Most people don't live next to the downtown exchange! I used google maps to sample times from places like the Hillside mall, Oak Bay rec, and the Langford town centre.

[FogPub]

If I'm flying to Vancouver just to wait around to then fly to somewhere else then using either local transit/ferry, or the BC Ferries Connector bus, or even Harbour Air to get to YVR are all viable (and sometimes preferable) alternatives to going through Victoria airport.

 

Local transit/ferry - takes lots more time but saves gobs of money

BC Ferries Connector - used to be good when it ran more often; now close to useless unless by sheer luck one gets you to YVR just when you need to get there

Harbour Air - saves tons of time but costs more...though not all that much more than a YYJ-YVR flight

[vortoozo]

Harbour Air is risky though due to weather cancellations. Much more susceptible to cancellation than YYJ-YVR flights.

A bit of wind or low cloud and you've just messed up your whole itinerary. If not cancelled, then you have to spend time waiting for a shuttle and heading over to the main terminal and starting the check in process from the beginning vs. departing from YYJ & connecting.

[LJ]

I give friends rides to the airport and/or ferries all the time, I expect them to reciprocate.

[Victoria Watcher]

I give friends rides to the airport and/or ferries all the time, I expect them to reciprocate.

 

i bet that's actually the most common scenario for pleasure travel.  it's always fun to get rid of friends and family for a while.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 May 2019 - 03:27 AM.

[sdwright.vic]

Do you know how I know I am not saving money by flying out of YYJ? I never look at any other option except a YYJ departure. My time is worth more than a hour bus ride to Swartz Bat, an hour and 35 minute ferry crossing, another hour from Tsawwassen to YVR, lugging two piecea of luggage around that entire time, arranging all this so that I get to YVR the required amount of time you need to get to the airport.

[Mike K.]

100%. I’ve done the Seattle trek a couple of times and never again.

[jonny]

Do you know how I know I am not saving money by flying out of YYJ? I never look at any other option except a YYJ departure. My time is worth more than a hour bus ride to Swartz Bat, an hour and 35 minute ferry crossing, another hour from Tsawwassen to YVR, lugging two piecea of luggage around that entire time, arranging all this so that I get to YVR the required amount of time you need to get to the airport.

A 9 hour travel day is sooooo much better than a 16 hour travel day.

[Mike K.]

The ferry component is absolute misery on the return leg of a long trip.

I can’t even remember the last time I sailed on a BCF to the mainland. If I can’t fly, I don’t go. And with the volume of passengers now the terminals are overrun, if you don’t reserve you’re stuck waiting two sailings, and vessels can be so busy that it’s just unpleasant to be on board after a long day (and you can’t hang out in your vehicle any more).

[sdwright.vic]

Especially since most the places I am going require me to be physically at YVR by 7:30 to 8:30 AM. Which means with an international flight, I would need to be at YVR at 4:30 in the morning.

[spanky123]

Do you know how I know I am not saving money by flying out of YYJ? I never look at any other option except a YYJ departure. My time is worth more than a hour bus ride to Swartz Bat, an hour and 35 minute ferry crossing, another hour from Tsawwassen to YVR, lugging two piecea of luggage around that entire time, arranging all this so that I get to YVR the required amount of time you need to get to the airport.

 

I agree with you when I am travelling by myself. When you have a larger family and are travelling on a longer trip, the difference can amount of thousands of dollars which pays for a lot of meals and upgrades.

[spanky123]

Especially since most the places I am going require me to be physically at YVR by 7:30 to 8:30 AM. Which means with an international flight, I would need to be at YVR at 4:30 in the morning.

 

Or if you have a Nexus pass then you can show up at 7:25 :-)

[sdwright.vic]

My travelling is never in a pack larger than two.

[G-Man]

I agree with you when I am travelling by myself. When you have a larger family and are travelling on a longer trip, the difference can amount of thousands of dollars which pays for a lot of meals and upgrades.

The savings is unlikely to be thousands of dollars unless you have an unusually large family or have booked first class tickets to Dubai. The per ticket cost difference is almost never more than 200 dollars round trip. If it is just fly Pacific Coastal. So to save thousands you would need to be buying at least 10 tickets.

[ryno8097]

Looking at Flightradar right now it appears Kelowna has lost A/C and Westjet Toronto flights. Whether this is due to the continued 737 Max groundings and/or perhaps they aren't operating daily, this will help YYJ numbers stay close to YLW.

A/C also appears to be operating smaller planes between YVR, YYC and Kelowna as well - most are DH8C's and Q400's and zero A319's in use.

Kelowna may see more seasonal sun destinations but the year round schedules, I think, certainly suggest YYJ ultimately a bigger player.

Has anyone heard if Alaskan will add flights once Delta departs? I remember Alaskan used to have five daily flights prior to Delta's invasion.

[G-Man]

I would love it if they added a YYJ - Portland instead as it is a bit of an Alaska hub too and you could skip out on some of the SEA craziness. Plus Portland is a fun city.

[spanky123]

The savings is unlikely to be thousands of dollars unless you have an unusually large family or have booked first class tickets to Dubai. The per ticket cost difference is almost never more than 200 dollars round trip. If it is just fly Pacific Coastal. So to save thousands you would need to be buying at least 10 tickets.

 

Sure it can be. Just a few weeks ago we compared flights here and we didn't even look at discount airlines or charters that fly directly from YVR or SEA

Edited by spanky123, 12 May 2019 - 01:49 PM.

[G-Man]

It is literally impossible for it to be unless you purposely trying to make more expensive. It is max 200 more RT unless you doing it on purpose.

[Mike K.]

If you schedule via Pacific Coastal you run the risk of missing your connection and forfeiting your flight. On the return leg you also run the risk of missing the last PC flight (~7PM departure), losing that flight, and still having to make your way back to Victoria.

This isn’t a gripe against PC, but introducing another airline that is not code-shared with your other flight(s) is a risk.

[Victoria Watcher]

ONEX is buying WestJet for a 67% premium.

does that make some employees wealthy?