Edmonton International Airport
Encyclopedia
Edmonton International Airport is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility in the Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...

 region in the Canadian province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...

 of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

. It is a hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...

 facility for Northern Alberta
Northern Alberta
Northern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Its primary industry is oil and gas, with large heavy oil reserves being exploited at the Athabasca Oil Sands and Wabasca Area in the east of the region...

 and Northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...

 providing regularly scheduled nonstop flights to over fifty communities in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages  – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...

 and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

. It is Canada's largest major airport by total land area, 5th busiest airport by passenger traffic, and the 13th busiest by aircraft movements. Operated by Edmonton Airports
Edmonton Airports
Edmonton Airports, officially the Edmonton Regional Airports Authority, was formed in 1990, under the Regional Airports Authorities Act passed by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1989, and is responsible for the management and operation of four airports in the Edmonton area...

 and located 14 NM south southwest of downtown Edmonton
Downtown Edmonton
Downtown Edmonton is bounded by 109 Street to the west, 105 Avenue to the north, 97 Street to the east, 97 Avenue, 100 Avenue, and Rossdale Road to the south and Jasper Avenue to the southeast , though many people consider part or all of the surrounding neighborhoods to be part of downtown...

, in Leduc County
Leduc County, Alberta
Leduc County is a municipal district located immediately south of the City of Edmonton. It is east to west and north to south, and has a population of over 12,000 people. The municipal district is home to scenic prairie parkland and several lakes...

, it served approximately 6.08 million passengers in both 2009 and 2010.

Airline usage

Edmonton International Airport is one of WestJet
WestJet
WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1996, WestJet is currently the second largest Canadian air carrier, behind Air Canada, operating an average of...

's largest focus cities; the airline operates to 28 non-stop destinations from Edmonton. WestJet is by far the largest carrier at Edmonton International Airport, holding more than 50% of the market share. Edmonton is also a focus city for flag carrier Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...

 and Air Canada Express
Air Canada Express
Air Canada Express is a brand name under which four regional airlines operate feeder flights for Air Canada. They primarily connect smaller cities with Air Canada's domestic hub airports and focus cities, although they offer some point-to-point service. On April 26, 2011, it was reported that Air...

, which combined operate to 13 destinations.

Air North
Air North
Air North Charter and Training Ltd., operating as Air North, Yukon's Airline is a Canadian airline based in Whitehorse, Yukon. It operates scheduled passenger, charter, cargo and ground handling services throughout the Yukon, with flights to the Northwest Territories, Alaska, British Columbia, and...

, Canadian North
Canadian North
Canadian North Inc. is an airline based in the Northwest Tower in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It operates scheduled passenger services to major communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Southern gateways include Edmonton and Ottawa...

, WestJet, and First Air
First Air
Bradley Air Services Limited, operating as First Air, is an airline headquartered in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. It operates services to 30 communities in Nunavut, Nunavik, and the Northwest Territories. The majority of its fleet is available for charters worldwide...

 connect their northern networks through Edmonton.

Edmonton International Airport offers US Border Pre-clearance facilities
United States border preclearance
The United States operates border preclearance facilities at a number of ports and airports in foreign countries. They are staffed and operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Travelers pass through Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Department of Agriculture inspections...

.

History

Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...

 selected the current site for Edmonton International Airport and bought over 7000 acre (28.3 km²) of land. When the airport opened in 1960, its first terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....

 was an arch hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...

. Today, it is in use by L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. is a company that supplies command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems and products, avionics, ocean products, training devices and services, instrumentation, space, and navigation products. Its customers include...

. In 1963, a passenger terminal, built in the International Style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...

, was opened. It remains in use as the North Terminal. Artwork, fired by Alberta Natural Gas, adorned the departures area exterior. A large mural, (commissioned by the Federal government in 1963 for $18,000) "Bush Pilot in Northern Sky" by Jack Shadbolt
Jack Shadbolt
Jack Leonard Shadbolt, OC, OBC was a Canadian painter.-Early life:Born in Shoeburyness, England, Shadbolt came to Canada with his parents in 1912...

, remains from this time period. An appraisal in 2005 indicated the mural was worth $750,000 and a restoration of the mural was undertaken in 2007.

During the 1970s, the airport experienced rapid passenger traffic growth as the city of Edmonton grew, serving approximately 2 million passengers by 1980.

From the early 1980s until 1995, traffic declined. This decline was attributed to the continued usage of Edmonton City Centre Airport
Edmonton City Centre (Blatchford Field) Airport
Edmonton City Centre Airport, , is located within the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is bordered by Yellowhead Trail to the north, Kingsway to the south, 121 Street to the west, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to the east. It encompasses approximately of land just north...

, in addition to a slowing economy. Edmonton City Centre did not have the facilities to accept large aircraft, and airlines used City Centre to fly short-haul flights to hubs in other cities.

Growth returned in 1995. In a municipal plebiscite in that year, 77% of voting Edmontonians voted to consolidate all scheduled jet passenger service at Edmonton International Airport.

In 1998, the airport underwent a CAD$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...

350 million "1998–2005 Redevelopment Project". This included the construction of a south terminal and central hall concept, a commuter facility, doubling of the apron
Airport ramp
The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled or boarded. Although the use of the apron is covered by regulations, such as lighting on vehicles, it is typically more accessible to users than the runway or taxiway...

, and a multistory parkade. This redevelopment project expanded the passenger capacity to 5.5 million.

By 2005, the expansion project was completed. Continued passenger growth triggered planning for another expansion.

In 2008, additional parking opened as a first phase of this second major expansion. Construction on this expansion continues to date.

In March 2010, the airport launched a campaign aimed at "repatriating" travellers who drive to the southern Alberta
Southern Alberta
Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of the year 2004, the region's population was approximately 272,017. The primary cities are Lethbridge and Medicine Hat...

 city of Calgary to catch their flights, rather than using Edmonton International. The campaign, poorly received in Calgary, uses television and radio ads featuring "addicts" recovering from their "Calgary habit", and advises Edmontonians that, "When you head south, so does your air service".

The airport hopes the campaign will help reduce the estimated 750,000 Edmontonions who drive to Calgary's larger airport
Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary...

, and therefore support more air service at Edmonton.

In Edmonton, citizens and businesses are upset that Calgary has more flights, despite the populations of the two centres being nearly equal. Calgary's larger airport is attributed to active hubbing by airlines like Air Canada and its Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...

 partners, and WestJet.

US Quick Connect

Passengers from domestic flights connecting in Edmonton to a US destination use EIA's Quick Connect, which relieves passengers from having to claim and recheck baggage
Baggage claim
In airport terminals, a baggage claim area is an area where arriving passengers claim checked-in baggage after disembarking from an airline flight. The alternative term baggage reclaim is used to mean the same thing at many airports outside the USA In airport terminals, a baggage claim area is an...

 during the connection, and the passenger remains post-security the entire trip.

Growth in destinations

Recently added destinations include year-round service to Houston-Intercontinental
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...

, the reintroduction of seasonal winter service to Kahului-Maui
Kahului Airport
Kahului Airport is a regional airport in the state of Hawai'i, located east of the Kahului CDP in Maui County on the island of Maui near Haleakala. Most flights into OGG originate from Honolulu International Airport; the Honolulu–Kahului corridor is one of the busiest air routes in the US,...

, as well as the introduction of seasonal service to Orlando
Orlando
Orlando is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida.Orlando may also refer to-Places:* in Florida** Orlando, a major city** Greater Orlando, the 27th-largest metropolitan area in the United States...

. However since 2008, routes to Frankfurt, Kamloops, Salt Lake City, and Mexico City, have been cancelled.

Future expansion

A $1.1 billion expansion plan was approved in October 2007.
The $1.1 billion airport expansion program will include:
  • 13 new aircraft bridges
  • New apron for aircraft parking
  • Higher efficiency flow-thru deicing
    Deicing
    For snow and ice control on roadways and similar facilities, see Snow removalDe-icing is defined as removal of snow, ice or frost from a surface...

     capability
  • 85% increase in car parking inventory
  • Redesigned and expanded food, beverage, and retail space
  • Improved access from the city and surrounding communities
  • Common use airline facilities
  • No increase in aircraft fees


Phase One – Construction of 253000 m² (302,585.5 sq yd) apron expansion to accommodate the terminal expansion. (Completion-2010) Phase One also includes the implementation of "Terminal Express", a temporary hyperlink tunnel to anchor the jet bridges of Gates 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70. These bridges had to be disconnected from the current south terminal in order to accommodate construction of the new hammerhead terminal. Upon completion of the new terminal, Terminal Express will be dismantled and the bridges installed into the new terminal.

Phase Two – Construction of new terminal south of present terminal. (Completion-2010)

Phase Three – Construction of concourse linking the new terminal to the existing south terminal. (Completion-2012)

The airport was expected to handle 9 million passengers annually by 2012 and 21 million passengers annually by 2020 based on the 2006 and 2007 growth rates. Passenger numbers declined in 2009 and remained flat in 2010. The expansion will increase the number of gates
Gate (airport)
A gate in aviation is a long, movable, "bridge" that allows passengers to embark and disembark their aircraft.* Jetway bridges* Air stairs, either built into the aircraft or from a mobile vehicle* Mobile lounges...

 by 13. Common-use gates among other improvements have allowed the airport to accommodate up to 7.5 million passengers per year if necessary using the present building, helping to accommodate potential passenger growth before the expansion is complete.

A Courtyard by Marriott
Courtyard by Marriott
Courtyard by Marriott is a brand of hotels owned by Marriott International. Courtyard by Marriott is designed for business travelers but also accommodates to families. Its rooms feature large desks, couches, free broadband Internet access, and "big" breakfasts. The majority of locations have...

 hotel is under construction adjacent to the North terminal.

Edmonton International will become an Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...

-compatible airport. Taxiway widening and other improvements are being undertaken.

On the cargo side, EIA is planning Port Alberta
Port Alberta
Port Alberta is a project by Edmonton International Airport in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to combine air, rail, and road transportation infrastructure at a single point, with future connections to the Port of Prince Rupert and the Port of Vancouver....

, a conceptual plan to create a multi-modal cargo hub at EIA. EIA plans to leverage its proximity to shipping and intermodal facilities in Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...

 and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, as well as Edmonton's location on the CN rail line
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....

. Port Alberta will feature common space for the easy handling of three types of cargo – air, rail, and ground freight.

Airlines and destinations

Note: denotes charter operators and their destinations

Other operations

The following airlines operate out of private facilities:

Cargo

Cargo Airlines at EIA
Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...

Atlas Air
Atlas Air
Atlas Air, Inc. is an American cargo airline based in Purchase, Harrison, New York. It operates scheduled freight flights on a wet lease basis for some of the world's leading airlines, flying to 101 cities in 46 countries. Its crew bases include: Miami International Airport, New York's John F...

Aviacon Zitotrans
Aviacon Zitotrans
JSC "Aviacon Zitotrans" is an airline based in Yekaterinburg, Russia. It was established and started operations in June 1995 and operates charter cargo flights worldwide including Canada where it operates on behalf of the Canadian Military. It has 250 employees and its main base is Koltsovo...

Cargojet Airways
Cargojet Airways
Cargojet Inc. is a scheduled cargo airline based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It operates cargo services in Canada and internationally, as well as full aircraft charters. Its main base is John C Munro Hamilton International Airport...

Canadian North Cargo
Canadian North
Canadian North Inc. is an airline based in the Northwest Tower in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. It operates scheduled passenger services to major communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Southern gateways include Edmonton and Ottawa...

DHL Express
DHL Express
DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....

FedEx Express
FedEx Feeder operated by Morningstar Air Express
Morningstar Air Express
Morningstar Air Express Inc. is a cargo airline based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It operates a contract all-cargo service from Montreal to Winnipeg for FedEx Express, as well as all-cargo charter services. Its main base is Edmonton City Centre Airport....

Carson Air Polar Air Cargo
Polar Air Cargo
For the Russian aviation company see: Polar AirlinesPolar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. is an American cargo airline based in Purchase, Harrison, New York, USA. It operates scheduled all-cargo services to North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East...

Purolator Courier
Purolator Courier
Purolator Courier Ltd. is a Canadian courier that is 91% owned by Canada Post Corporation, 7% owned by Barry Lapointe Holdings Ltd. and 2% by others....

 operated by Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd.
Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd.
Kelowna Flightcraft Ltd. is an Approved Maintenance Organization which operates two Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facilities in Canada, one in Kelowna, British Columbia, and the other in Hamilton, Ontario....

Astar Air Cargo
Astar Air Cargo
ASTAR Air Cargo is an American cargo airline based in Miami, Florida, USA. It operates regularly scheduled cargo charter services to over 34 US airports and nine international airports, as well as worldwide charter freight services. It provides air freight services to six domestic and foreign...

 Operated by Nolinor
Nolinor Aviation
Les Investissements Nolinor Inc., trading as Nolinor Aviation, is a charter airline based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It operates passenger charter and cargo services within Canada and to the USA. Its main base is Montréal-Mirabel International Airport. It has 115 employees.- History :The airline...

United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...

 UPS
AmeriFlight
Ameriflight
Ameriflight LLC is an American cargo airline with its headquarters in Hangar 1 on the grounds of Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. It is the largest United States FAA Part 135 cargo carrier, operating scheduled and contract cargo services to destinations in 30 US states, Canada, Mexico, and...

Volga-Dnepr

Public Transit Connections

Edmonton International Airport has limited connectivity to the Edmonton Transit System
Edmonton Transit System
The Edmonton Transit System, also called ETS, is the public transit service owned and operated by the city of Edmonton, Alberta. It operates Edmonton's bus and light rail systems.-Service:...

. Route 590, also known as the C-Line, operates during peak hours only. There are four trips from the Century Park LRT Station
Century Park (ETS)
Century Park Station is an LRT station as part of the Edmonton Transit System's South LRT Expansion Project. It's named after a transit-oriented development called Century Park, located on the former Heritage Mall site next to the station...

 to the airport in the morning (returning to the city through Leduc
Leduc, Alberta
- Demographics :The population of the City of Leduc according to its 2011 municipal census is 24,139, a 3.6% increase over its 2010 municipal census population of 23,293....

), and four trips to the airport in the evening.

Weather

Edmonton International Airport enjoys ideal flying conditions year-round. 99% of the year is fog-free, and in the last ten years, the runways have been closed for a total of 3 hours (due to heavy snow conditions). An on-site 24 hour meteorological service provides weather observation and information to pilots, flight service station
Flight service station
A Flight Service Station is an air traffic facility that provides information and services to aircraft pilots before, during, and after flights, but unlike air traffic control , is not responsible for giving instructions or clearances or providing separation...

 staff, air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...

lers, and the general public.

Summer highs can reach 35.3 °C (95.5 °F), while winter lows can reach -48.3 C, creating one of the widest temperature swings of a major airport in Canada. Humidity however, is typically low in all seasons.

Size

Edmonton International Airport is the second largest airport in Canada as measured by land mass, comprising an area of over 7000 acre (28.3 km²).

Other

EIA has a wide catchment range encompassing Central
Central Alberta
Central Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Central Alberta is the most densely populated rural area in the province...

 and Northern Alberta, northern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, and Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....

 and the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...

. Total catchment area is 1.8 million residents.

Edmonton International Airport is located within the Edmonton Capital Region
Edmonton Capital Region
The Edmonton Capital Region , also commonly referred to as the Alberta Capital Region, Greater Edmonton or Metro Edmonton, is a conglomeration of municipalities centred around Edmonton – Alberta's provincial capital....

, close to the towns of Devon
Devon, Alberta
Devon is a town in the province of Alberta, Canada, situated southwest of Edmonton, the provincial capital, and located along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.- History :Devon owes its existence to one of the largest oil discoveries in the world...

 and Beaumont, the city of Leduc
Leduc, Alberta
- Demographics :The population of the City of Leduc according to its 2011 municipal census is 24,139, a 3.6% increase over its 2010 municipal census population of 23,293....

, and adjacent to the Nisku industrial park. It is immediately west of the Queen Elizabeth II Highway, south of Highway 19, and 1.6 km (0.994196378639691 mi) north of Highway 39. Within this immediate radius of the terminal there are many full-service hotels and offsite parking lots complete with terminal shuttle service to offer a full range of services to the traveling public.

Air traffic control

The Edmonton Area Control Centre  operated by NAV CANADA
NAV CANADA
Nav Canada is a privately run, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system .The company employs approximately 2,000 air traffic controllers , 800 flight service specialists and 700 technologists...

 is located at the airport. It is responsible for all aircraft movements over Alberta (including Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...

) and most of northern Canada, including the high Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...

.

Gallery

External links

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