kEiThZ
Superstar
I doubt it's a regular occurrence. There had to be a special reason for that for sure. Porter doesn't even have many overnight staff. I doubt they do ops that early in the morning.
Toronto Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport | ?m | ?s | Ports Toronto | Arup
I doubt it's a regular occurrence. There had to be a special reason for that for sure. Porter doesn't even have many overnight staff. I doubt they do ops that early in the morning.
sjc
Active Member
Increased service to Ottawa
It looks like they will be increasing their service to Ottawa again to 17 flights a day. When you combine that with Air Canada and Westjet, there are starting to be a lot of flights flying back and forth between Toronto and Ottawa every day.
New Ottawa lounge offers passengers complimentary amenities
It looks like they will be increasing their service to Ottawa again to 17 flights a day. When you combine that with Air Canada and Westjet, there are starting to be a lot of flights flying back and forth between Toronto and Ottawa every day.
New Ottawa lounge offers passengers complimentary amenities
jn_12
Senior Member
That's really strange. They only have 2 or 3 mechanics working over night. No one else. Also, if planes are diverted to Pearson the night before, they never ferry the planes back to the Island until at least 6am, and rarely do they actually leave for the island at that time. I'm stumped. It doesn't sound like Porter at all.
Woodbridge_Heights
Senior Member
If there are planes at 2 or 4 am can those that saw (or heard) them confirm that they are porter planes? There are many other operators on the Island aside from Porter.
That's like saying I saw an A380 land at Pearson so therefore Air Canada (the primary tenent) must have an A380
** Edit **
Furthermore this site doesn't seem to show any flights during this period
That's like saying I saw an A380 land at Pearson so therefore Air Canada (the primary tenent) must have an A380
** Edit **
Furthermore this site doesn't seem to show any flights during this period
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Jonny5
Senior Member
I'm sure the island residents will love that one. Walk 5 kilometres to the airport tunnel vs. walk .5km to the ferry. Or are we going to pay someone to drive them back and forth all year? At city wages of say $30.00/hour? Either he is being deliberately agitating or he has no idea how far away those people live. Then again, he could be forgived for not knowing as they complain like they live on the tarmac.
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Eug
Senior Member
Old foes dig in again over tunnel to island
Repeat after the Toronto Port Authority.
This is not the 2003 bridge debate. This is not the 2003 bridge debate. This is not the 2003 bridge debate.
"It's like comparing mountain climbing and scuba diving," board chairman Mark McQueen said yesterday.
In what way?
"Bridges and tunnels," McQueen said in an interview, with an air of nonchalant finality.
After a moment's pause, he elaborated. Unlike a bridge, no taxpayer can call a pedestrian tunnel an eyesore. Unlike a bridge, no sailor can call a tunnel an obstacle.
---
Yet many of the key players from the last battle have returned for this one. Miller the would-be bridge slayer is now Miller the would-be tunnel terminator. Deluce the bridge backer is now Deluce the passageway proponent. Community AIR, the residents' group that vocally opposed the bridge, is now vocally opposing the tunnel.
The issue, once more, is whether Torontonians see the intensification of air traffic on the island as a boon or a problem.
Though Deluce said he does not think installing a tunnel would "necessarily affect the total number of passengers" Porter flies, port authority chair McQueen said the proposal is expressly designed to allow Porter to serve more people.
"I would hope so," he said in an interview. "That's the point."
"If that's true," said Community AIR chair Brian Iler, "it's the same fight as 2003 all over again."
Repeat after the Toronto Port Authority.
This is not the 2003 bridge debate. This is not the 2003 bridge debate. This is not the 2003 bridge debate.
"It's like comparing mountain climbing and scuba diving," board chairman Mark McQueen said yesterday.
In what way?
"Bridges and tunnels," McQueen said in an interview, with an air of nonchalant finality.
After a moment's pause, he elaborated. Unlike a bridge, no taxpayer can call a pedestrian tunnel an eyesore. Unlike a bridge, no sailor can call a tunnel an obstacle.
---
Yet many of the key players from the last battle have returned for this one. Miller the would-be bridge slayer is now Miller the would-be tunnel terminator. Deluce the bridge backer is now Deluce the passageway proponent. Community AIR, the residents' group that vocally opposed the bridge, is now vocally opposing the tunnel.
The issue, once more, is whether Torontonians see the intensification of air traffic on the island as a boon or a problem.
Though Deluce said he does not think installing a tunnel would "necessarily affect the total number of passengers" Porter flies, port authority chair McQueen said the proposal is expressly designed to allow Porter to serve more people.
"I would hope so," he said in an interview. "That's the point."
"If that's true," said Community AIR chair Brian Iler, "it's the same fight as 2003 all over again."
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
I'm at Wellesley & Jarvis with a clear view south to about the eastern end of Centre Island, everything east of that is clear from my POV. Given that's it's dark and that I'm about a mile away I myself can't confirm the aircraft but I'm very familiar with the approach of the planes and I know these are obviously not helicopters. It's possible they are private planes or possibly empty craft returning to the island airport. Bottom line, it's not uncommon to see them coming in for a landing in the middle of the night.
sjc
Active Member
There is currently a free Porter bus that goes from the Royal York to the Airport ferry terminal. That bus could be extended so that it gets on the ferry, drives across the runway and then over to where the houses are. There is a road from the runway to Hanlan's Point, so it would not be difficult to do.
Porter would likely want the city to toss in at least some cash in that case. I expect that the Porter bus drivers don't make city wages, so it would likely be cheaper than having the city run the service.
AKS
Senior Member
So the city should spend tax payers money to build the bridge. Then pay for the bus drivers to drive into the island? There are several issues with this.
If they have to pay bus drivers, they might as well just offer free rides on the ferry for the island people (not feasible). Second, cars are not allowed on the island. Third, if the residents can't afford to pay for the ferry service and it's so inconvenient for them, why don't they just move off the island? There are tons of people in line wanting to purchase a house there. The tunnel/bridge is primarily for Porter's use. If they want it, they should build it. If they're making money, spend it on a tunnel or bridge. Toronto is already lacking in so much more important infrastructure we can spend the money on.
js97
Senior Member
Well, the CITY already pays of infrastructure delivery to the 100 or so households that live on the island. Considering they are paying a FRACTION of what their homes are worth in taxes, we are already subsidizing them substantially. Please lets' not forget it's obviously proportionately more expensive to deliver Utilities (sewage, electricity, water, etc) since they are on an island, away from basic city infrastucture.
This is no different than tax payer's dollars that will be spent on buildign the PEarson Airport Rail Line.
If anything, Pearson services many international airlines that would benefit from this rail. I would rather see money go to a LOCAL company that hires LOCAL employees (mostly Torontonians!). Considering the amount of Economic benefit porter generates (how many Torontonians do they hire? Business they bring in to Hotels etc., I think this is EXACTLY the type of business/infrastructure 'stimulus' package that should be spent.
What else Do you guys think Miller will spend that kind of money? I'm Guessting 8 million on building Bike lanes on Jarvis, another 8 mill to 'STUDY' the idea of taking down the gardiner, oh, let's not forget, study and establish a few 'Drug injection' sites within our city.
AKS
Senior Member
The money could be better spend on speeding up the Pearson airport rail, DRL, Union station, Donland projects and other projects. Pearson airport should be priority. Even Vancouver is getting a rail from the city to the airport. We don't have one. Are you saying if Pearson airport rail won't be built by Torontonians but outsourced for others to build? But Porter tunnel will hire Torontonians to build? Pearson is a big airport, we need a rail to help international visitors and business people to get into the city more comfortably and easier. The Porter is only a short ferry ride. Pearson is much further. Travel weary passengers takes about an hour by bus. And that's assuming no traffic jam. 1 minute ferry is more taxing than 1 hour bus?
Anyhow, do you think people will walk all the way across the island to take the bridge at Porter? Unless you have a bus. Cars are not allowed on the island! Later, there will probably be a bridge to the island. But from the east end at lower donland. But people will still take the ferry because it's more convenient.
Anyhow, do you think people will walk all the way across the island to take the bridge at Porter? Unless you have a bus. Cars are not allowed on the island! Later, there will probably be a bridge to the island. But from the east end at lower donland. But people will still take the ferry because it's more convenient.
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Towered
Senior Member
The express rail link between Union and Pearson will make the island airport redundant.
kEiThZ
Superstar
Not really. 10 minute free ride on a Porter shuttle with an airline that allows me to check-in only 30 minutes before a flight vs. a $20 one-way ride that takes 25-30 mins (that 22 min plan is out the window now), on a train to take an airline that requires me to check-in 1 hour prior.
Even if AC brings back its Rapidair service as rumored, there's still the price of the train ride...and Porter's service!
Whoaccio
Senior Member
Rather than just moaning about big bad Porter and working on ridiculous logic that some Torontonians are more equal than others (i.e. rich lakefront condo dwellers = "common man", anybody whose job requires a frequent travel to Porter destinations = capitalist destroyer), opponents to YTZ should actually suggest something that doesn't center around creating parkland that is effectively inaccessible to 99% of Torontonians. That will probably require kicking out squatters and turning the islands, to some extent at least, into an integrated part of the city with commercial, residential and recreational land use linked by effective transportation to the rest of the City.