Skydrol From Canada, joined Oct 2003, 860 posts, RR: 11 Posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 2024 times:
The recent discussions about YYZ Terminal 1 being closed and how things used to be at YYZ years ago, made me think about how Terminal 2 used to be years ago. My memory might not be too clear about this, because I was only through YYZ T2 about a dozen times in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but can anyone else remember:
- Terminal 2 being completely carpeted, even where the check-in counters are
- gates in the domestic area were each color-coded: carpet, walls, seats
- one gate had floors illuminated red from below and pyramids and triangles
- HUGE gate numbers
- no windows at the gates to see outside
- a gate bridge that was like a circular tunnel (or was that at YUL?)
- a tunnel to Terminal 1
- something interesting about the entry/exit doors to the arrivals and departures level and pay telephones areas like it was all black metal or something like that
Does anyone have any links to pictures of the interior of YYZ T2 as it used to be?
Now I am really interested to see if I remember this stuff or imagine it... sure doesn't look like this now!
Yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15989 posts, RR: 59 Reply 1, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 1968 times:
HUGE gate numbers
chuckle. I recall those. Floor to ceiling. Typical 70's style. 10-foot tall orange painted gate numbers on the white concrete walls. No windows to see aircraft at all....indeed, virtually impossible to see any aircraft at that time from inside T2.
a tunnel to Terminal 1
opened and closed a few times. once open just to connecting pax.
Panam, TWA, Ansett, Eastern.......AC next? Might be good for Canada.
AWspicious From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1917 times:
Yep... I remember the carpeting. In all the times I've been in and around YYZ, I've only used that T1 to T2 tunnel once.
Up until recently, there was short term, metered parking on both departure and arrival levels.
Slawko From Canada, joined May 1999, 3799 posts, RR: 10 Reply 3, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 1874 times:
No windows was why ACA employees liked it so much, the ramp guys could lounge around all summer, playing catch, or just sun tanning on a cart, and no one would see them!
"Clive Beddoe says he favours competition, but his actions do not support that idea." Robert Milton - CEO Air Canada
LongHauler From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 4280 posts, RR: 36 Reply 4, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 19 hours ago) and read 1851 times:
Skydrol, I remember your comments about T2 well, and yes, that is a pretty fair description.
The gate with the red walls and floors and pyramids (they were planters), was gate 78/80. It was the original Rapidair Montreal gate, then when Rapidair Montreal moved to the middle of the terminal, it became the Rapidair Ottawa gate.
The areas of the terminal were colour coded as you say. Red for domestic, white for transborder and blue for international.
I was told the reason for no windows in the original design, was so that passengers could not see the aircraft at the gate close to or past departure time. Agents could say the aircraft had left to last minute passengers, thus ensuring an on-time departure. At the time, AC had an amazing on time departure record.
The circular gate bridge you mention, (it actually WAS a sewer pipe) was gate 1 at YUL/Dorval (P.E.T.). I think that gate is still there!
Never gonna grow up, never gonna slow down .... Barefoot Blue Jean Night
Skydrol From Canada, joined Oct 2003, 860 posts, RR: 11 Reply 5, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 1750 times:
Thanks everyone for the comments and clarification.
>>>
The circular gate bridge you mention, (it actually WAS a sewer pipe) was gate 1 at YUL/Dorval (P.E.T.). I think that gate is still there!
<<<
Wow, it was years ago when I passed through that gate and I still remember that now, it was so odd. What was the reason for using a sewer pipe for a gate bridge?
>>>
The gate with the red walls and floors and pyramids (they were planters), was gate 78/80. It was the original Rapidair Montreal gate, then when Rapidair Montreal moved to the middle of the terminal, it became the Rapidair Ottawa gate.
<<<
So, that must have disappeared when the extension was built onto Terminal 2 for the Air Ontario regional flights. I remember being surprised one year when I arrived at YYZ and so much had changed in T2. That was some pretty exotic stuff around those Rapidair gates, I wonder if some of it ended up in someone's recroom.
>>>
chuckle. I recall those. Floor to ceiling. Typical 70's style. 10-foot tall orange painted gate numbers on the white concrete walls. No windows to see aircraft at all....indeed, virtually impossible to see any aircraft at that time from inside T2.
<<<
I never stopped to consider how odd it was not to be able to see the airplane you would be flying in until you were inside it. Even though there were no windows, I don't recall it being dark or a terrible experience. Maybe they didn't want passengers to witness the way baggage was mis-handled?
Now I must find some photos of the inside of T2 (version 1) to jog the old memory...
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