The airport has won several notable international best airport awards. It won the
Skytrax Best North American Airport award in 2007 and 2010 through 2022, for a record of 12 consecutive years.[7] The airport also made the top 10 list of airports in the world for the first time in 2012, rated at 9th (2012), 8th (2013), and 9th (2014) overall.[8] It is the only North American airport included in the top 10 for 2013 and 2014.[8][9][10][11] YVR also retains the distinction of Best Canadian Airport in the regional results.[12]
YVR covers a total expanse of about 1,340
hectares (3,311
acres) of airport property.[14]
History
In 1929, the City of Vancouver purchased land located on Sea Island to be used for aviation purposes, replacing the original grass airstrip at
Minoru Park on
Lulu Island. During
World War II, the airport and its original terminal, now the South Terminal, were leased to the federal government and operated by the
Department of National Defence and the
Department of Transport as
RCAF Station Sea Island. The airport was used for the
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The crews and their families were housed in a new town-site on the island, named
Burkeville, after Boeing president Stanley Burke. Funds from the lease were used to purchase additional land for new hangars and a production plant for
Boeing Aircraft of Canada[15] (now Boeing Canada).
The present main terminal was completed in 1968 and has since been expanded to include separate domestic and international terminals. A north runway was completed in 1996.[16]
A United States border pre-clearance facility was created in the 1970s, and as of 2024 has the largest operating hours of any US pre-clearance facility, operating from 4:30 AM to midnight the next day. [17]
In 2011, the airport announced that it would enact a program aiming to encourage airlines to start more flights between Vancouver and Asia.[18] As of 2022, the program has succeeded in many of its goals.
The airport has often been described as a major trans-Pacific hub, due to its location in the
Pacific Northwest and destinations in the Americas, Asia, and Australia, which help facilitate connecting flights. In 2019, Craig Richmond, President and CEO of the Vancouver Airport Authority, said that the recent growth of
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport in the
United States could challenge Vancouver's status as a trans-Pacific hub, although
Seattle–Tacoma is already the larger airport.[5]
Terminals
Vancouver International Airport has two
terminals: the Main Terminal and the South Terminal. The Main Terminal contains Domestic and International concourses. Free
internet access is available in all sections of the airport. Throughout the airport, there is trilingual English, French, and Chinese signage.[19] The South Terminal, along with the adjacent floatplane docks, is referred to by airport management as "Airport South".[citation needed]
Domestic Concourse
The Domestic section of the terminal was constructed in 1968 by the
Vancouver-based firm Thompson, Berwick and Pratt[20] and was given a top-to-bottom renovation in 2005 by Vancouver architect Kasian Kennedy.[21] The Domestic area consists of three piers (A-C).
Pier B consists of 15 gates: gates B13 through B27. Gates B14 to B17 can receive international and US arrivals. Gate B23 to B25 are ground loading ramps. Pier B is the hub for domestic flights for
WestJet, and additionally serves domestic flights by
Air North,
Air Transat,
Flair Airlines and
Porter Airlines.[citation needed]
Pier C consists of 24 gates: C29 through C52. This is the hub for
Air Canada and
Air Canada Express domestic flights. Gates C48 to C52 are
swing gates, which can be used for international departures (designated as D48 to D52) as well as international and US arrivals.
International & U.S. Concourse
The International concourse was designed by
Vancouver-based Architectura, now
Stantec,[22] with
Kansas City–based
HNTB Corporation (1994–1996).[20] It was expanded to the west between 2017 and 2021 to allow for more gates and more remote stand operations.[23] YVR is one of eight Canadian airports with
United States border preclearance facilities, which are situated in this section of the terminal. All international concourse gates can accept flights arriving from international and U.S. origins; passengers are directed onto overhead walkways which lead to the
Canada Border Services Agency screening area.
Pier D (International Pier)
Pier D consists of 31 gates: D48 to D78, of which 7 (D56, D57, D59, D60, D61, D63, and D65) are bus gates for remote stands.[24] All international-bound flights, excluding those to the United States, depart from D gates. All gates can handle
wide-body aircraft; 11 gates are fitted with 2
jet bridges, and four of these gates can handle the
Airbus A380, a service of which was seasonally operated to Vancouver by
British Airways until September 26, 2022. Gates D48 to D52 are swing gates which can be used for domestic departures (designated C48 to C52), and gates D71 through D78 are swing gates which can be used for
United States border preclearance flights (designated E71 through E78).
Preclearance was added to the airport in the 1970s. [17]
Pier E is the
US border preclearance area and consists of 25 gates: E71 to E88 and E90 to E96. Gates E71 to E78 are
swing gates which can be used switched to international departures (as gates D71 to D78) as needed. Gate E84 is a bus gate for remote stands. Gates E90-E96 are located in a smaller satellite building connected via a ground-level walkway. Gate E95 accesses ground-loading stands 95A and 95B.
Flights from an international origin continuing on to the US after a stopover in Vancouver (none of which currently operate) do not use the preclearance facility and must use D gates.[citation needed]
Airport South
The Airport South complex includes the South Terminal, the Floatplane Facility, and other adjacent operations.
South Terminal
The South Terminal, a portion of the original pre-1968 terminal which is still in use, also houses the corporate headquarters and main base of
Pacific Coastal Airlines[27] and
Harbour Air.[28]
The South Terminal serves
regional airlines which fly mostly within British Columbia, such as Pacific Coastal Airlines and
Central Mountain Air, in addition to chartered flights.[29] A nearby building serves as the YVR terminal for
Helijet.[30]
Floatplane facility
The
Vancouver International Water Airport (
TCLID: CAM9) is located on Inglis Drive, a short distance from the South Terminal. This facility allows floatplanes to land and dock on the South Arm of the
Fraser River. The facility is served by all floatplane operators other than
Harbour Air, which maintains a separate dock and terminal at the Flying Beaver Bar and Grill nearby.[31]
^1 Air China's flight from Vancouver to Beijing–Capital has a technical stop in Shenyang, Air China does not sell tickets solely from Vancouver to Shenyang.
Vancouver International has seen a steady increase in passenger volumes from 2010 to 2019. Between 2020 and 2021, patronage dropped significantly due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The airport has seen a steady recovery of passengers, however; the patronage in 2022 was about 72% of the patronage in 2019.
Annual traffic
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on
Phabricator and on
MediaWiki.org.
Annual passenger traffic at YVR airport.
See
Wikidata query.
Annual passenger traffic (enplaned + deplaned) at YVR, 1992–2012[113]
Year
Passengers
% Change
1992
9,935,285
1993
10,235,015
3.2%
1994
10,830,796
5.8%
1995
12,006,973
10.8%
1996
14,037,174
16.9%
1997
14,818,564
5.5%
1998
15,508,109
4.6%
1999
15,806,499
1.9%
2000
16,032,531
1.4%
2001
15,476,762
–3.4%
2002
14,877,536
–3.8%
2003
14,321,504
–3.7%
2004
15,725,694
9.8%
2005
16,418,883
4.4%
2006
16,922,226
3.0%
2007
17,495,049
3.3%
2008
17,852,459
2.0%
2009
16,179,312
–9.3%
2010
16,778,774
3.7%
2011
17,032,780
1.5%
2012
17,596,901
3.3%
Annual passenger traffic (enplaned + deplaned) at YVR, 2013–present[113][3]
^
abStatistics reflect a large reduction in the amount of travellers due to the
COVID-19 pandemic since March 2020.
Ground transportation
Rapid transit (SkyTrain)
The airport has a station on the
SkyTrain network called
YVR–Airport, the terminus of the Sea Island branch of the
Canada Line. As part of the Canada Line's funding, the airport authority contributed $300 million towards construction.[114] A pedestrian footbridge ($117 million, completed in 2007) links the international terminal with the domestic terminal and serves as the arrival and departure area for users of the Canada Line.[115] The Canada Line itself opened in August 2009 as the third line of Vancouver's
rapid transit network, in advance of the
2010 Winter Olympics which took place the following February.[116] It was the only
airport rail link service of any kind in Canada until the opening of Toronto's
Union Pearson Express in 2015.
Bus
When Canada Line service is interrupted, such as overnight or other service disruptions, the N10
night bus operated by
Coast Mountain Bus Company (under contract to
TransLink) connects the airport's international and domestic terminals to Richmond and downtown Vancouver. The airport's south terminal is served by the 412 bus, which connects to the Canada Line at
Bridgeport Station.[117] Between 2001 and the Canada Line's opening in 2009, regular bus service was provided by TransLink route 424.
Coach to Whistler, Squamish, and Victoria
YVR Skylynx[118] is an official partner of YVR Vancouver Airport.
YVR Skylynx buses to Whistler run directly from YVR Vancouver Airport and Vancouver City Centre to Squamish, Creekside Village, and Whistler using up to 16 services a day. YVR Skylynx also operates daily services to Victoria from YVR Vancouver Airport via
BC Ferries Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route.
Expansion
In preparation for the
Vancouver 2010Winter Olympic Games, YVR completed a $1.4-billion multi-year capital development plan, which included a four-gate expansion to the International Terminal Wing, completed in June 2007.[citation needed] Two of the four new gates are conventional wide-bodied gates and two can accommodate the
Airbus A380. The international terminal addition includes interior design elements intended to represent British Columbia, including a stream in a pathway and fish and jellyfish tanks.
A five-gate expansion was completed in 2009 for Domestic Terminal's C-Pier. Food and retail expansions were also completed for the C Pier at this time. The train that links downtown Vancouver, YVR, and Richmond opened in August 2009.
Vancouver International Airport Authority has developed a 2017–2037 Master Plan, named Flight Plan 2037 which includes 75 projects at a projected cost of $5.6 billion. The plan allows for the airport to serve 35 million passengers by 2037. The plan is calling for the expansion of facilities around the existing large terminal. New piers and gates are to be added, as well as a second parking garage and taxiways. It is also planned to improve vehicle access. Eight gates were added to the international terminal in the first phase which was completed in February 2021.[119] Final approval of the plan by the
Ministry of Transport is needed.[120]
Distinctives
Architecture
YVR's interior has a uniquely British Columbian theme, featuring an extensive collection of
Pacific Northwest Coast Native art, and blues and greens to reflect the colors of the land, sea, and sky. This theme was designed by Vancouver-based firm Architectura. The airport uses a great deal of carpet and vast expanses of glass to let in large amounts of natural light. One of the most noticeable places for an arriving passenger is the international arrivals hall, a large area where customs and immigration procedures are completed. Arriving passengers come down escalators leading to a platform across a large waterfall.
In 2020, the expansion of International Pier D was completed with a glassed-in island forest with access to the outdoors and an immersive digital experience that explores the rugged British Columbia Coast.[121]
Art
The YVR aboriginal art collection includes wooden sculptures and
totem poles.
Bill Reid's sculpture in bronze, "The
Spirit of Haida Gwaii, The Jade Canoe", is displayed in the international departures area. This is the second of two castings of this sculpture; the first casting, "The Spirit of Haida Gwaii, The Black Canoe", is now displayed outside the
Canadian Embassy in
Washington, D.C.[122] The Pacific Passage area includes artwork by Stan Wamiss and
Connie Watts.[123] The Institute for Stained Glass in Canada has documented the stained glass at Vancouver International Airport.[124]
Since 1992, Vancouver Airport Authority has been working with an independent accessibility consultant to eliminate the physical barriers in the built environment and is "committed to providing fully accessible terminal facilities for people of all backgrounds and capabilities".[125]
In 2004, the airport received the Rick Hansen Accessibility Award, which recognizes "facilities and communities that improve the quality of life for people with mobility limitations".[126]
Designated short-term parking spaces and curb-side ramps are available on each level of the terminal building for vehicles displaying a valid SPARC permit. Accessible counters with toe clearance for wheelchair users are also available at the check-in, customer care, and retail area in Vancouver Airport. Bathrooms have also been designed to be wheelchair-accessible with doorless and no-touch entry features, lowered sinks, and hands-free bathroom dispensers. Grab bars and emergency call buttons are also present in all wheelchair-accessible toilet stalls.[127]
Low resistance carpeting and other materials such as laminate flooring have been utilized throughout the airport to make it easier for people using wheelchairs and walkers to move throughout the airport. Elevators are large and allow for easy turning in a wheelchair and special wheelchairs designed to fit down aircraft aisles are utilized to assist with boarding and de-planing. Wheelchair lifts have been installed at aircraft gates.[125]
"Visual pagers" are dedicated video monitors that are located throughout the airport and convey important information to travelers who have hearing impairments.
Various types of flooring are utilized throughout the terminal and function as a textured guide to assist travelers in identifying their location within the airport. In areas with tile, patterns in the tile help to identify exits. Tactile maps are also available at customer service counters throughout the airport, and braille and tactile lettering are used throughout the airport to indicate building features such as washrooms.[127]
Green Coat Ambassadors
Vancouver Airport Authority was one of the first airports in North America to institute a volunteer program in 1989.[128] Volunteers in a green vest/jacket are deployed around the airport to provide information, customer service and be the 'eyes and ears' for the various partners in the airport community between the hours of 6am to 10pm every day.[129] Volunteers are given basic training in airport operations and undertake many of the similar trainings mandated to airport employees. Each volunteer is required to obtain a Transportation Security Clearance and Restricted Area Identification Card to access the restricted and sterile areas of the terminal.
Following the
September 11 attacks, the airspace over the United States was shut down. Aircraft over the North Atlantic and Pacific bound for the United States were therefore diverted to Canadian airports. Vancouver International Airport accommodated 34 of these flights (3rd highest after
Halifax and
Gander) amounting to a total of 8,500 passengers.
The airport won the 2001 Airport Management Award from the B.C. Aviation Council[130] and was cited for overcoming many challenges in a professional and compassionate way.[131]
Emergency Services
Vancouver International Airport Emergency Services Team is the primary fire services at the airport. The airport fire station has 4 tenders that are owned by the Vancouver Airport Authority. Richmond Fire has additional resources when required from Richmond Fire Hall #4 (Sea Island) at 3900 Russ Baker Way, as well as the
Canadian Coast Guard.
Policing at the airport is provided by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Richmond detachment. Airport emergency health services are provided by the
British Columbia Ambulance Service, with Station 270 providing a dedicated bike squad for rapid EMS response to passengers and staff. In addition, BCAS air ambulance Station 280 is located near the YVR South Terminal, providing air ambulance service with two
Sikorsky S-76 helicopters, two
Beechcraft Super King Air turboprop aircraft, and one
Cessna Citation Bravo jet.
Accidents and incidents
On February 7, 1968, a
Canadian Pacific AirlinesBoeing 707 overran a runway and hit two buildings, vehicles, and parked aircraft while landing in heavy fog, killing one crew member and one person on the ground.[132]
On March 1, 1970,
Vickers Viscount CF-THY of
Air Canada collided in mid-air with an
Ercoupe 415 CF-SHN on approach to Vancouver International Airport. The Ercoupe pilot was killed.[133]
On June 23, 1985, two pieces of unauthorized luggage containing bombs were checked in at the airport and loaded onto Canadian Pacific Airlines Flight 60 to Toronto and Canadian Pacific Airlines Flight 3 to Tokyo respectively. Upon exploding, the former killed all 329 on board
Air India Flight 182, and the latter, intended for Air India Flight 301,
exploded at Tokyo Narita International Airport, killing two baggage handlers.
On August 19, 1995,
Douglas C-47B (DC-3) C-GZOF of
Air North crashed during an emergency return to the airport, killing one of the three crew. The aircraft was on a ferry flight to
Prince Rupert Airport when the starboard propeller went into
overspeed and the decision was made to return to Vancouver International.[134]
On October 19, 1995, a
Canadian AirlinesMcDonnell Douglas DC-10 aborted takeoff on runway 26 (now 26L) two seconds after the
V1 call. The aircraft ended up in the soft ground west of the end of runway, causing the failure of the nose gear. All 243 passengers and 14 crew escaped with no more than minor injuries.[135]
On October 14, 2007, a Polish immigrant,
Robert Dziekanski, died after being shot with a
taser by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the airport. Dziekański, who did not speak English, became agitated after waiting approximately 10 hours at the arrivals hall because he could not find his mother. While police were attempting to take Dziekanski into custody he was tased by officers and subsequently died. The subsequent
Braidwood Inquiry began in May 2008. In June 2010, the judge found that the use of the taser was not justified. The RCMP issued an apology to Dziekanski's mother. The commission also found that tasers have the capability to injure or kill by causing heart irregularities, especially where the individual is medically or emotionally compromised.[136]
On October 19, 2007, at approximately 4:10pm, a
Piper Seneca bound for
Pitt Meadows Airport took off from YVR and crashed into a nearby apartment building in Richmond. The pilot was the sole occupant of the plane. He was killed in the crash. Two others were injured, both of whom were in the apartment building at the time.
On September 18, 2008, in the afternoon, an Air Canada
Airbus A340 collided with an
Air Canada JazzDash 8 aircraft. The Jazz flight was
taxiing on the runway when it collided. The Air Canada flight was bound for
Hong Kong. Both aircraft received damage but there were no injuries or fatalities.
On July 9, 2009, at approximately 10:08pm, a
Piper Navajo airplane originating from
Victoria crashed into an industrial area in
Richmond, British Columbia. The two pilots were killed. It was owned and operated by
Canadian Air Charters and was carrying units of blood for
Canadian Blood Services at the time. Officials say that wake turbulence was the main cause of the crash. Fatigue, along with diminished depth perception in darkness, was also a factor.[137]
On October 27, 2011, a
Northern Thunderbird AirBeechcraft King Air 100 attempted to land on the south runway but missed by about 900 metres (3,000 ft), hitting a lamppost and a car, then crashing on the nearby intersection on Russ Baker Way and Gilbert Road at the west end of the
Dinsmore Bridge. There were seven passengers and two crew members on board; only the pilot was confirmed dead at 9:00pm that evening, while the others survived with various injuries. Two on the ground were also injured.[138] On November 16, 2011, the co-pilot of the flight died in hospital.[139]
On May 9, 2021, a 28-year-old man was fatally shot outside the international terminal.[140] The
Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said the shooting was targeted and linked to ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict in Metro Vancouver. Richmond RCMP pursued a suspect vehicle from the terminal to
Lulu Island, where the suspects reportedly shot at police. The vehicle was later found burned-out in
Surrey.
^stained glass at Vancouver International Airport.
"Archived copy". Archived from
the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2011.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link)
^Picard, A. (June 12, 2004). Vancouver Airport Wins New Hansen Prize for Accessibility. The Globe and Mail
^
abGovernment of Canada. (n.d.). Access to Travel. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from Accessibility of Airport Terminals: accesstotravel.gc.ca/9b3.aspx?lang=en