Vancouver International Airport in Canada, also known as YVR, is the second largest airport in the North America’s west coast. Situated about 15 kilometers from Vancouver, on Sea Island, in Richmond, in British Columbia, Vancouver International Airport is the shortest as well as fastest route to many of the major cities in Asia.
For instance, Vancouver is just about 1250 kilometers away from such Asian destinations as Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. As a result, the YVR serves as a foremost getaway between North America and Asia. The airport also operates non stop flights to several destinations in Europe as well as Mexico, apart from a large number of destinations in the US, Caribbean, and Canada. The airport consists of three terminals, such as, Domestic Terminal, the International Terminal, and the South Terminal.
The Domestic and International terminals are connected each other via an enclosed corridor. However, the South Terminal is a separate facility, and is primarily used to serve as a regional hub for helicopters, corporate charters, float planes, and small aircrafts.
In other words, the South Terminal mainly operates flights to places within British Columbia. Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz, Air Canada Tango, Canadian Western Airlines, Northwest International Airways, Western Express Airlines, and Zoom Airlines are some of the airlines operated by the Domestic Terminal. Among the airlines served by the International Terminal are Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Oasis Hong Kong International, Northwest Airlines, Aloha Airlines, Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines, and United Airlines. The airlines served by the South Terminal include Canadian Western Airlines, Hawk Air, KD Air, Seaair Airplanes, and West Coast Air.
Managed as well as operated by the Airport Authority (AA) – a not for profit, community based organization, since 1992, the Vancouver International Airport is among the top ten international airports in the world, and in 2007, it won the won the Skytrax ‘Best North American Airport’ award. It is estimated that the airport serves about 18 million passengers per year. The airport is also a major getaway to international trade and commerce.
Beyond arrival, departure, and three terminals serving an array of airlines from across the world, the Vancouver International Airport in Canada provides a diverse range of most sophisticated facilities as well as attractions for passengers. For instance, if you are at the airport and want to communicate with your friends, relatives, or business colleagues, then take advantage of leading edge communication facilities available at the airport.
There are about 500 voice payphones, spread across different sections of the International and Domestic terminals. The airport also provides a number of eMillennium payphones coupled with high speed internet access. Apart from these, wireless internet access is also available at the airport. Likewise, if you are a busy traveler or a passenger whose flight time is delay, then the airport offers superb options to relax and rest. The hotel at the airport is attached with accommodation choices replete with high end comforts. Further, a host of facilities are available at the hotel, such as, business center, executive meeting room, luxury day spa, and fully equipped health club.
Further, excellent facilities are available for passengers touring with children. A plenty of play areas can be found throughout the airport, which in turn allows kids to enjoy and unwind. Since these play areas are close to security checkpoints, you needn’t have to worry regarding the safety and security of your children.
For travelers, who are required to stay at the airport for long hours, one of the best ways to avoid boredom is to take a walk around the airport and enjoy its incredible interior designs. There is an art foundation within the airport, which is a dramatic as well as colorful depiction of the natural scenery and native wildlife of the country. Fine examples of Northwest Coast Aboriginal Art can also be found here in the form of totem poles and wooden sculptures.
Superb dining and shopping facilities are also there within the airport, with an array of outlets to cater every taste and budget. Above all, excellent transportation options are available to and from the Vancouver International Airport, boasting of more than 400 taxi providers. For travelers seeking luxury and comfort, better options are available in the form of limousine services are available. A large number of car rental outlets are also within the airport.
Hong Kong International Airport, otherwise known as Chek Lap Kok Airport, is the Hong Kong’s main airport. Situated off the Lantau Island, in Chek Pak, Hong Kong International Airport is regarded as the gateway to mainland China and other destinations in South-East Asia.
The airport is only 35 kilometers from the Hong Kong Island and 22 kilometers from Kowloon. Sprawling over an area of about 12.50 square kilometers, it is the world’s fifth busiest airport in connection with cargo movement and international passenger. Opened its door in July 6, 1998, the airport is under the control of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, which in turn is a statutory body administered by the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR.) It took about six years for the completion of construction procedures and about US $20 billion to erect it. The airport is now regarded as the prime hub for such major airlines as Oasis Hong Kong Airlines, Hong Kong Express Airways, Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, Air Hong Kong, and Dragonair.
One of the specialties of the airport is that its Passenger Terminal building is situated on a man-made island reclaimed from Chek Lap Kok and Lam Chau. Since the airport is situated on an island, it usually takes an hour or more in order to travel to and fro the airport. However, the airport is easily accessible via such modes as airbus, taxis, and the Mass Transit Railway high-speed airport express, which in turn are special trains that connect the airport with urban areas as well as the subway.
In short, the airport is served by an excellent as well as comprehensive transport network system. For instance, the Ground Transportation Centre features a station exclusively to handle the Airport Express trains. There is also a public transport interchange with transportation facilities including franchised bus, private cars, and taxis. The coach station in the airport’s Terminal 2 (T2) caters to the passengers for tour coach such as hotel shuttle bus services and mainland coach services. Likewise, the Hotel and Travel Agent Limousine Lounge in the Terminal 1 (T1) of the airport deals with limousine services. Additionally, all of the sections as well as the departure and arrival areas in the terminal building are clearly defined in order to make all procedures hassle free and pleasurable.
Facilities available in the Hong Kong International Airport also include superb shopping and dining options. With an array of shops, you can purchase a variety of items from here including books and magazines, art and craft items, casual and sports wear, toys and games, leather as well as designer accessories, duty free liquor and tobacco, flower items, health and beauty related items, luggage and travel accessories, packaged food items, and telecommunication services. Dining facilities in the airport ranges from Asian, Chinese, and Western restaurants to coffee shop, cafe, and bakery and dessert shops.
Further, in order to make available best possible services to the customers, the airport has imposes certain safety measures, such as, striving for the maintenance of a safe as well as efficient airport for Hong Kong; providing a comfortable environment for the traveling public; ensuring high standard of cleanliness in the airport’s public areas and other such facilities; ensuring high standards of services from the contractors, concessionaries, and franchisees of the airport authority; quick responses to queries and enquiries; and management of environmental issues throughout the airport.
Apart from these, the Civil Aviation Department within the airport has implemented certain security measures in connection with cabin baggage, which in turn comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s new guidelines.
Included in the cabin baggage security measures are:
- All aerosols, liquids, and gels within the cabin baggage must be packed in containers with a capacity not exceeding 100 ml. In case, the aforesaid items are packed in containers larger than 100 ml, it will not be accepted, although the containers are partially filled
- All containers must be kept in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag. This plastic bag must be kept separately from other cabin baggage for the convenience of visual examination at the screening point
- There are exemptions in the case of such items as baby food items and certain types of medications
Above all, in order to ensure utmost safety and security, the airport is also attached with services such as the Air Traffic Control Complex, which controls the entire air traffic system in the airport; the Hong Kong Flight Information Region (FIR), which is set up to ensure safety and efficiency in connection with flow of aircraft movements; the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, which operates to handle the rescue as well as fire fighting services; and backup air traffic control centre.
No music soundtrack version. This is a landing at the new Hong Kong airport CLK. Yes, it’s a bit of a firm landing It’s a training flight, and yes, I did flare, just not enough. It was landing #2 or #3 in the plane. Idle reverse because it’s so light and the engines are big enough to slow it down. www.airboyd.t
The Hong Kong International Tea Fair is organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Chinese Tea Culture International Exchange Association. The most important exhibit groups comprise of packaging, processing, art, media and processing equipment related to the industry. The exhibitors are mostly local, but there is also a representation from China, India, Sri Lanka and other parts of the Asian Pacific.
Cities all around the globe have taken up tea drinking as a way of life. Moreover, tea has benefits for health and well-being. This is in addition to tea being a refreshing drink which can be enjoyed any time of the day. The Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be worked off from 13th to the 15th of August 2009 and will unquestionably be the hallmark for tea merchants and other manufacturers associated with tea. What makes this trade fair out of the ordinary is that Hong Kong does not produce tea and as a result is neutral in its endorsement of tea.
Tea is considered as the countrywide drink of China. Moreover, 2009 is the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. This makes the Hong Kong International Tea Fair the ideal place for tea traders to display their product and the Chinese tea culture to the whole planet. Connected with the fair are programs targeted at imparting a routine of drinking tea. This will consist of a tea gallery, tea competition, and tea ceremony demonstration, attracting guests and getting the attention of the media.
The Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be held at the same time as the HKTDC Food Expo 2009 and the International Conference and Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products 2009 for the delight of consumers. Foreign guests looking for a hotel in Hong Kong should consider the Hotel Jen which offers a good accommodation for a pleasurable stay.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
It’s a training flight, and yes, I did flare, just not enough. It was landing #2 or #3 in the plane. Idle reverse because it’s so light and the engines are big enough to slow it down. www.airboyd.t
