Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport

Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, also known as Jean Lesage International Airport (French: Aéroport international Jean-Lesage de Québec, or Aéroport de Québec) (IATA: YQB, ICAO: CYQB) is the primary airport serving the Canadian city of Québec. Located 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) west southwest of the city, it is the eleventh-busiest airport in Canada, with 1,670,880 passengers[4] and 121,680 aircraft movements in 2017.[3] More than 10 airlines offer 360 weekly flights to destinations across Canada, the United States, Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe.

Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport

Aéroport international Jean-Lesage de Québec
Summary
Airport typePublic/Military
OwnerTransport Canada
OperatorAéroport de Québec Inc.
ServesGreater Quebec
LocationSainte-Foy, Quebec
Focus city for
Time zoneEST (UTC−05:00)
 • Summer (DST)EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL244 ft / 74 m
Coordinates46°47′28″N 071°23′36″W
Websitewww.aeroportdequebec.com
Map
CYQB
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 9,000 2,743 Asphalt
11/29 5,700 1,737 Asphalt
Statistics (2019)
Passengers1,789,005
Aircraft movements144,963
Sources: Canada Flight Supplement[1]
Environment Canada[2]
Movements from Statistics Canada[3]
Passenger statistics from Aéroport de Québec.[4]

Overview
Inside the airport terminal

The airport was established in 1939, a year after the closure of the Aérodrome Saint-Louis. First established as a training facility for air observers, the first flight occurred on September 11, 1941. First known as the Aéroport de l'Ancienne Lorette, then the Aéroport de Sainte-Foy, and later the Aéroport de Québec, it was renamed to Aéroport international Jean-Lesage in 1993, in honour of the former Premier of Quebec, Jean Lesage. The airport is managed and operated by Aéroport de Québec inc., a non-profit and non-share corporation. The current terminal building has a capacity of 1.4 million passengers annually.[5]

Beginning in 2006, with a budget of $65.8 million, Québec/Jean Lesage International Airport underwent a modernization designed to increase the terminal's capacity and substantially enhance the level of passenger service. The modernization included a reconfiguration of the terminal on 2 levels, a restructuring of the baggage handling area and arrivals area, as well as a reconfiguration and enlargement of the waiting rooms. Fifty-four percent of the financing was provided directly by Aéroport de Québec inc. Completed in June 2008, the new configuration of the airport now enables it to handle 1.4 million passengers a year.

Based on the passenger figures for 2009 and 2010, it became clear that the terminal building would reach its design capacity by 2012. Aéroport de Québec inc. is therefore planning further investments of nearly $300 million to further expand the terminal building.[5] Presently the terminal has 17 gates: 12 contact gates and 5 walk-out aircraft positions. This number will increase to 24 gates by 2025.[6]

On July 4, 2011, work began on the second phase of the airport expansion, which lasted until 2017. Partially funded through an Airport Improvement Fee, the terminal building doubled the size, at a cost of $224.8 million. The work included an expansion of the international facilities, construction work on the runways, taxiways and de-icing pads, as well as enhancements to customer service facilities.[7] On September 19, 2013, runway 12/30 was renamed to runway 11/29.

The airport charges an Airport Improvement Fee (AIF) to each passenger, it is amongst the highest in Canada at $35 per passenger.[8]

In 2015 the airport was the 12th-busiest airport by total passengers and in 2014 it was the 14th-busiest by aircraft movements in Canada.[9] On 10 March 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the addition of the airport to the list of Canadian airports containing U.S. border preclearance facilities.[10]

On December 11, 2017, the first phase of YQB2018, the expansion project, was completed with the opening of the new international terminal. The new facility features more dedicated baggage carousels serving international flights, new customs area, expanded food court and restaurant areas including banners such as Starbucks, Pidz and Nourc, four new gates (34 to 37), improved and larger loading area for cars and buses and a larger capacity baggage area.

The last expansion phase was completed in summer of 2019 with the domestic and international terminals being linked all together.

Also added as part of the most recent expansion are 10 holes in the security fence placed at positions determined jointly by the airport authority and a local plane spotting group. These holes are sized to allow photographers to insert telephoto lenses, and are specifically reserved for their use. In 2019, the American website Digital Photography Review called the airport "the number one spot for aviation photographers".[11]

Facilities

Infrastructure

YQB International Airport receives a wide variety of long-, mid- and short-haul aircraft. The airport has two runways. Its longest runway northeast-southwesterly direction is 06/24, having a length of 2,743 meters (9,000 feet) long and 46 meters (150 feet) wide. Runway 24 is YQB's main approach pattern equipped with RNAV, RNP and NDB approach. Runway 06 has the same approaches with the addition of ILS and VOR/DME. There are six taxiways, Alpha (connecting the main apron with RWY24), Bravo (connecting the main apron with RWY29), Charlie, Delta (parallel to the 06/24), Echo (connecting the main apron with RWY24), Golf (which links Delta to RWY06 threshold) and Hotel (between Golf and RWY11/29) . The airport aprons can accommodate light to large aircraft (12 aerobridge and 9 remote) simultaneously and is designed to accommodate Wide-body jet airliners as large as the Boeing 747-400. YQB doesn't have a Visual Docking Guidance System (VDGS) or Parallax Aircraft Parking Aid (PAPA), all stands are assisted by Ground Operations using marshalling wands–handheld illuminated beacons. Ramp 3 is where all the Flight Schools and private airlines are located. Chrono Aviation, Skyjet/Air Liaison, Orizon Aviation, CFAQ, Strait Air and Avjet/TSAS are the main users of this apron.

Runway and aprons
Runway at YQB
RWYLengthWidthRWY Notes
06 → 9,000 ft
2,743 m		150 ft
46 m		 ← 24 Runway 06/24 is equipped with intensity runway edge lighting (HIRL). Runway 24 end has a Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI) system. 
RWY24 : RNAV, RNP, NDB  // RWY06 : ILS, RNAV, RNP, NDB, VOR/DME
11 → 5,700 ft
1,737 m		150 ft
46 m		 ← 29 Runway 11/29 is equipped with intensity runway edge lighting (HIRL) and Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI) system. 
RWY29 : RNAV, RNP, NDB  // RWY11 : RNAV, RNP

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Air Canada Express Montréal–Trudeau, Ottawa, Toronto–Pearson
Air Canada Rouge Toronto–Pearson
Seasonal: Cancún, Punta Cana
Air Inuit Kangiqsujuaq, Kangirsuk, Kuujjuaq, Montréal–Trudeau, Quaqtaq, Salluit, Schefferville, Sept-Îles
Air Transat Cancún, Fort Lauderdale, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Punta Cana
Seasonal: Cayo Coco, Holguin, La Romana, Montréal–Trudeau, Orlando, Puerto Plata, Puerto Vallarta, Samaná, Santa Clara, Vancouver (begins June 20, 2021), Varadero
American Eagle Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Philadelphia
PAL Airlines Montréal–Trudeau, Sept–Îles, Wabush
Pascan Aviation Bonaventure, Gaspé, Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Mont-Joli, Montreal–Saint-Hubert, Sept-Îles, Wabush
Porter Airlines Toronto–Billy Bishop
United Express Newark
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare
WestJet Encore Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 at Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport.

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Feeder
operated by Morningstar Air Express 		Montréal–Mirabel
UPS Feeder
operated by SkyLink Express 		Montréal–Mirabel
Glencore Kattiniq/Donaldson

Statistics
Passenger statistics[4][12][13] and aircraft movements[3][14][9][15][16] for Jean Lesage International Airport
YearTotal passengersAAircraft Movements
2000672,829142,612
2001642,767151,650
2002610,568135,646
2003628,545116,523
2004715,106109,180
2005793,735101,367
2006802,263109,031
2007899,612119,441
20081,022,862125,512
20091,035,026128,890
20101,190,088126,856
20111,313,432128,748
20121,342,840133,675
20131,475,717118,265
20141,574,699112,468
20151,584,713110,345
20161,615,750116,190
20171,670,880121,680
20181,774,871137,228
20191,789,005144,963
  • ^A Statistics prior to 2009 are from Transport Canada. From 2009 on statistics are from Aéroport de Québec (ADQ). Transport Canada's statistics are consistently higher than those of ADQ.

Top domestic destinations
Busiest domestic flights out of YQB by Frequency
RankDestinations (operated by)Carriers
1 Montréal Air Canada, Air Transat, Air Inuit, PAL Airlines
2 Toronto-Pearson Air Canada, Westjet
3 Saint-Hubert Pascan
4 Sept-Iles Air Canada, Air Inuit, Pascan
5 Gaspé Air Canada

Top USA destinations
Busiest international flights out of YQB by Frequency
RankDestinations (operated by)Carriers
1 Newark United Airlines
2 Chicago American Airlines, United Airlines
3 Philadelphia American Airlines
4 Fort Lauderdale Air Transat
5 Orlando Air Transat

Top international destinations
Busiest international flights out of YQB by Frequency
RankDestinations (operated by)Carriers
1 Punta Cana Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing
2 Cancun Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing
3 Varadero Air Transat, Sunwing
4 Santa Clara Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing
5 Paris Air Transat

Access

Public transportation to the airport is provided by Réseau de transport de la Capitale route 76 linking the airport to Via Rail's Sainte-Foy station.

Accidents and incidents
  • On 9 September 1949, Canadian Pacific Airlines Flight 108 on a flight from Montreal to Baie-Comeau with a stopover in Quebec City crash-landed east of Quebec City when a bomb exploded on-board shortly after departing from Quebec City Jean Lesage Airport (then known as L'Ancienne-Lorette Airport), killing all 19 passengers and 4 crew. The incident and trial that followed up would be later known as the Albert Guay affair.
  • On 29 March 1979, Québecair Flight 255, a Fairchild F-27, crashed after take-off killing 17 and injuring 7.
  • On 23 June 2010, a Beechcraft A100 King Air of Aeropro (C-FGIN) crashed north of the airport just after taking off from Runway 30 (now runway 29), killing all seven people on board.[17]
  • On 12 October 2017, for the first time in North America, a drone collided with a passenger plane. The drone struck the turboprop passenger plane operated by Skyjet Aviation while it was on approach. The drone was operating above the 90m flight height restriction and within the 5 km exclusion zone around airports, violating drone operating regulations.[18][19][20]

See also

References
  1. Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  2. "Synoptic/Metstat Station Information". weatheroffice.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  3. "Aircraft movements, by class of operation and peak hour and peak day of movements, for airports with NAV CANADA towers, monthly". Statistics Canada. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  4. "Statistics - Aéroport international Jean-Lesage de Québec (YQB)". Aéroport international Jean-Lesage de Québec (YQB). Archived from the original on 20 September 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  5. Le Soleil (8 November 2010). "L'aéroport de Québec trop petit d'ici deux ans" (in French). Cyberpresse.ca. Archived from the original on 10 November 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  6. Aéroport de Québec Master Plan Archived 2010-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
  7. La Presse (4 July 2011). "L'aéroport de Québec s'agrandit (french)". Cyberpresse.ca. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  8. "Airport Improvement Fees (AIFs)". Archived from the original on 2017-09-20.
  9. Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics. "Aircraft Movement Statistics: NAV CANADA Towers and Flight Service Stations: Annual Report (TP 577): Table 2-1 — Total aircraft movements by class of operation — NAV CANADA towers". www.statcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  10. "Travellers to U.S. will soon be able to clear customs at Montreal's central train station - CBC News". cbc.ca. Archived from the original on 4 April 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  11. Demolder, Damien (May 22, 2019). "Camera-friendly Canadian airport cuts holes in perimeter fence for aviation photographers". Digital Photography Review. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  12. Top 100 Airports Ranked by Enplaned and Deplaned Passengers, Selected Services or Passengers enplaned and deplaned on selected services — Top 50 airports, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006 Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, 2007 Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  13. "Air Carrier Traffic at Canadian Airports: Table 1-1 — Passengers enplaned and deplaned on selected services — Top 50 airports". www.statcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  14. Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics. "Aircraft Movement Statistics: NAV CANADA Towers and Flight Service Stations: Annual Report (TP 577): Table 2-1 — Total aircraft movements by class of operation — NAV CANADA towers". www.statcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  15. Canada, Government of Canada, Statistics. "Aircraft Movement Statistics: NAV CANADA Towers and Flight Service Stations: Annual Report (TP 577): Table 2-1 — Total aircraft movements by class of operation — NAV CANADA towers". www.statcan.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  16. TP577 - Aircraft Movement Statistics Annual Report. Transport Canada 2004 Archived 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine
  17. CBC News (23 June 2010). "Quebec City plane crash cause unclear". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 25 June 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  18. "A first in Canada: Drone collides with passenger plane above Quebec City airport". CBC. 2017-10-15. Archived from the original on 2017-10-18.
  19. "Drone collides with commercial aeroplane in Canada". BBC. 2017-10-16. Archived from the original on 2017-10-18.
  20. Joshua Rhett Miller (16 October 2017). "Drone hits passenger plane for first time in North America". New York Post. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017.
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