Toronto Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport | ?m | ?s | Ports Toronto | Arup

themarc said:
Where abouts? Got any pics? Is it over by the Hanlans Gate?
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Finally remembered to do this.
oldterminal.jpg
 
I saw it up close a couple weeks ago and it's really not in good shape in some spots. It is bowing and I'm really surprised that they were able to move it that far in one piece.
 
jn_12 said:
I saw it up close a couple weeks ago and it's really not in good shape in some spots. It is bowing and I'm really surprised that they were able to move it that far in one piece.
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It is a surprisingly solid timber building that just needs some TLC.
 
Porter Airlines capitalizes on new Washington route

TORONTO, April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Porter Airlines arrived in America's capital region today with its inaugural flight from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport.

Already topping the polls in each of its other 18 markets, Porter's arrival in Washington is expected to be a great success. Demand for the service has increased steadily since the route was officially announced, resulting in the addition of a fourth daily roundtrip flight, available as of May 14.

The flight's arrival was met with a traditional water cannon salute, followed by a welcome reception at Dulles airport.

"Porter has been resetting expectations about what short-haul air travel can be for more than five years," said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines. "It's about living up to our brand promise of 'flying refined,' and delivering an unparalleled level of customer service. Washington is now the latest destination to experience this first hand."
More: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/666140#ixzz1sHzUPonk
 
Porter's flights are massively convenient on the Toronto end, but they suffer from these out-of-the-way airports in the States. Obviously they're still doing pretty well, but I find using Newark to be a real pain. Unless you're traveling during the day on a weekday, the public transit options just aren't reliable. If you go at rush hour, the lines at the ticket machines at Penn can make you miss two or three trains as you wait.
 
That's really just Dulles and Newark. I found the ride in from Newark via NJ Transit pretty good on a weekday evening (around 9PM). Logan and Midway are certainly not out of the way.

Dulles is understandable as YTZ doesn't have pre-clearance to use National (which has extra security due to the river approach), the only other option is BWI, which has its own issues in terms of connecting to Washington.
 
unimaginative2 said:
Porter's flights are massively convenient on the Toronto end, but they suffer from these out-of-the-way airports in the States. Obviously they're still doing pretty well, but I find using Newark to be a real pain. Unless you're traveling during the day on a weekday, the public transit options just aren't reliable. If you go at rush hour, the lines at the ticket machines at Penn can make you miss two or three trains as you wait.
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I fly Porter to Newark on a regular basis and find the NJTransit rail connection to NY Penn Station incredibly convenient. I've often found myself at my midtown Manhattan hotel within an hour of landing in the morning. I believe the train is US$15 and is only 3 or 4 stops. This beats LaGuardia hands down, as there is still no subway connection to that airport. And, I find I can get to Newark in half the time as JFK.

As for waiting for tickets at Penn Stn, well, I guess I've just had good luck. There's quite a few machines and I've never had to wait.

My only complaint about Newark airport is the horrendous food selection. For an international terminal serving the world's flagship carriers, the selection of "restaurants" is truly embarassing.
 
I guess it just depends on exactly where you're going. For me, I can walk to the M60 so that makes LGA much more convenient than if I had to take the subway up to Harlem. I can see going to a hotel in Midtown being much more convenient from Penn. The issue I have with the EWR service is late at night or on a weekend, where 45 minute or 1 hour waits for the train are common.

Can't argue with you about the food services. LGA is even worse!
 
There's really no convenient airport in New York. Flying into LGA or JFK would be better for some people, but worse for others. At least EWR has the option of a reasonable transit link to midtown.

It seemed like Porter's initial US expansion strategy was to focus on the cities with convenient, central airports (Logan, Midway). Though the choice of dulles over philadelphia, for example, has put an end to that.
 
jwill said:
There's really no convenient airport in New York. Flying into LGA or JFK would be better for some people, but worse for others. At least EWR has the option of a reasonable transit link to midtown.

It seemed like Porter's initial US expansion strategy was to focus on the cities with convenient, central airports (Logan, Midway). Though the choice of dulles over philadelphia, for example, has put an end to that.
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I don't see it as puting an end to it. I don't think it was a "Philadelphia or Dulles" decision. I think they still have Philadelphia as a desired destination....just that the opportunity progressed faster in Washington and it was a "Dulles or not going to DC" decision.

Since day one, I believe, they had targetted DC as a destination.....and, for Porter/Island flights, that means Dulles.
 
Automation Gallery said:
I believe i heard a while back that Philly, Pittsburg and Cleveland are very much in their radar
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Does anyone think that there is a chance for flights into the Cleveland waterfront airport (the one that is next to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Browns stadium)?

There is an article in the Star yesterday about the traffic/cab issues on the airport approach. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1163125--airport-pick-ups-create-taxi-chaos-next-to-school?bn=1

When a business gets more customers and impacts the surrounding community, how much of the responsibility to make community changes falls on the business and how much on the city? If the road needs reconfiguring 500 feet away from TPA property to provide better/safer access for the school, is that up to the city to deal with?

Why haven't we seen any discussion about public transit access the airport? How many places in Toronto get 2 million (non-personal-car) visits per year without having transit within 500 feet? What if they were to bring the streetcars down Bathurst to the airport, so that people could take the streetcar up to the Bloor subway, rather than take a cab? There is a streetcar stop 500 feet away, but that's not a very attractive option in the winter with luggage.

Is the Waterfront planning putting any thought into how the airport connects to the rest of the waterfront? You would think that the opportunity to steer thousands of foreign visitors (who are arriving by ferry/tunnel on foot) into local businesses would be something that would be worth pursuing.

EDIT: It looks like London is a potential Porter destination "in due course": http://www.ctvlondon.ca/2012/04/porter-airlines-has-london-on-radar/
Back in the 90s, Air Ontario used to fly from London to YTZ. It was a very short flight. I think the plane continued on to Montreal.
 
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