Just two years ago today, YVR faced its busiest day in history as Olympic Games athletes and spectators headed home en-mass following the Closing Ceremonies. Today, we’re sharing our knowledge with London Heathrow, host of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, as it prepares for its own gold-medal airport performance.

March 1, 2010 wasn’t something that we stumbled blindly into. The Airport Authority and our partners prepared for months to ensure that departing passengers, along with their oversized baggage, were processed smoothly and swiftly, while maintaining the Olympic spirit and keeping the party alive.

Live@YVR storyteller Jaeger Mah returned to YVR recently to learn about the 6 P’s for Olympic success that we’re passing on to Heathrow.

Para-alpine skier, Braydon Luscombe, won silver in the slalom event at the 2011 Canada Winter Games held on February 22 at Ski Wentworth, near Halifax in Nova Scotia this week.

Proudly sponsored by Vancouver Airport Authority, Braydon’s favorite discipline is slalom. Following his silver medal performance, Braydon said “we raced GS [giant slalom] and I placed 4th. I made a few mistakes in the run so I was pretty disappointed. But I knew my best event was coming up. I placed 2nd and am pretty excited about it. The medals are fantastic!”

Following the 2011 Canada Winter Games, Braydon heads over to Austria with the Canadian National team to train and race some of the most challenging courses in the world, then its back to Canada for the Canadian Para-National Championships, starting on March 14 in Kimberley, BC.

For more information about Team BC performances at the 2011 Canada Winter Games, visit Team BC.

Check out Braydon’s style and technique in this video as he negotiates his way through the giant slalom (GS) course at Winter Park in Colarado – go Braydon!  Racing against two of the best one-legged skiers in the world, he placed 4th overall in GS!  Congratulations Braydon!

To learn more about Braydon and the Airport Authority’s support of this talented, young athlete, read our blog from December 15, 2010

An estimated 300,000 people turned out yesterday – Sunday December 5 – to enjoy the 7th Annual Rogers Santa Claus Parade. For the fourth year, the Airport Authority sponsored the parade Grand Marshals, Hon. Mary McNeil, John Furlong and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic volunteers.  The group was joined by Airport Authority staff and YVR’s Green Coat Volunteers.

Cheers and applause resounded as the Grand Marshals led the parade along the downtown route. The throng of almost 200 blue-coated volunteers periodically burst into song with holiday carols and enthusiastic renditions of OhCanada, reminding everyone in the crowd of the national pride that swept the city during the 2010 Winter Games.

As we sang, danced and cheered our way along the parade route, YVR handed out blue and green lollipops and YVR Olympic pins to delighted children… and a few adults. As is tradition at the parade, spectators were encouraged to bring cash or a non-perishable food donation for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

If you weren’t able to get downtown to watch the parade in person, mark your calendars for December 11 and 12, when it will be shown in its entirety on City TV.

Leading up to the games, we planned, prepared, and set our sights on a gold medal performance to ensure that passengers would have an efficient and memorable experience at the airport. The Airport Authority and our partners worked hard to implement these plans, especially on YVR’s biggest day -  March 1, 2010 when 39,000 passengers departed from the airport.

Our hard work has not gone unnoticed; Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) British Columbia chapter felt that our performance was worthy of their annual Influence Award. The Influence Award is given to an organization that is not directly linked to the meeting planning industry, but supports the development of meetings and conventions in B.C.

Paul Levy, Vice President, Planning 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games accepted the award on behalf of Vancouver Airport Authority on National Meeting Industry Day (April 15) at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

For more information about the Meeting Professionals International BC Chapter visit their website.

Images from the MPI B.C. website

On the day following the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, YVR said goodbye to Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee and numerous Paralympic athletes, coaches and team members as they travelled home.  Many of the athletes seen at the airport today have become familiar faces after their memorable and inspirational performances during the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

Sir Philip Craven shook hands with athletes and volunteers as he made his way through YVR on his return journey to England.

Russian national team members checked in for their flight home carrying with them unforgettable experiences, souvenirs and great stories to tell  — along with a lot of oversize luggage and specialized equipment.

Specialized equipment and oversize luggage check in at YVR

YVR staff and VANOC volunteers and were on hand to ensure their departure from YVR was smooth and seamless.  Musical entertainment throughout the terminal provided a celebratory theme to the day.

German Gold medalists Verena Bentele and Wilhelm Brem at YVR

There was even time for German Biathalon and Cross-country athletes, Verena Bentele and Wilhelm Brem, to relax and enjoy a golden moment in the warm spring sunshine, much to the enjoyment of passers by.

Sir Philip Craven leaves Vancouver

With March 1, the busiest day in YVR’s history, successfully behind us it would be easy for everyone here at the airport to sit back and reminisce about Olympic arrivals and departures. However, the Games are not over yet! The Paralympic closing ceremonies taking place on March 21 and YVR is expecting busy departure days on Monday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 23.

Although the overall number of departing Paralympians is less than what we saw on March 1, the athletes and teams travel with an extraordinary amount of luggage and equipment. We’re made preparations for the extra people and bags coming through the airport; however, passengers travelling on Monday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 23 are reminded to YVR 3 hours ahead of your flight.

Passenger pick-up and drop-off is still available at the curb, but a large number of buses will also be dropping off athletes and luggage, so you may want to look at alternate means of transportation, such as Canada Line.

YVR and our partners will be working hard to process everyone as quickly and smoothly as possible – but as with any busy day, you may experience lineups. Leave yourself plenty of time to check-in and get through security so you’re not rushed. If you have time to spare you’ll be able to grab a bite to eat, shop at the Olympic stores and enjoy some of the entertainment we have planned.

Czech athletes arrive at YVR to fly home. Having placed their Olympic sized bags in line for airline check-in, some team members limber up for the long flight home by finding space in the busy airport to play hacky sac. Drawing fascinated onlookers, BeeBop, the Vancouver Aquarium mascot, joins in the game and makes an impressive show in his ability to kick the hacky sac and keep it in play.

The Czech Olympians were soon able to move through the check-in process and onto security screening.

Thanks to the Czech team for the great entertainment both at the Olympic Games and at YVR!

Barb, one of our many Airport Authority employees assisting passengers down on the floor, has been documenting Olympic arrivals with her camera - meeting athletes and travellers from around the world.  

Pakistani Alpine Skier, Muhammad Abbas, arrived at YVR yesterday.  What makes his arrival so special is that this is the first time Pakistan has been represented at any Winter Olympics.  Muhammad will make history just by attending these Winter Games.  After his long flight, he was smiling and willing to pose and talk to his well wishers.  His team encouraged people for photo ops and were very excited to discuss this momentous event.  

During the Olympic and Paralympic period, I have been redeployed into an Olympic role where I have been tasked to roam the airport and take pictures to document the event.  From behind the lens, I am in somewhat of a detached observer role.  However, in this instance, I was caught up in the excitement and joy that surrounded this athlete and pleased to be part of a history of Pakistan’s first Winter Olympics.”

- Barb

From roving reporter Meg Comiskey…

Somehow, they know when their teams are arriving. Local communities come to Vancouver International Airport to welcome their athletes and cheer on their upcoming performances at the Games. Armed with flags and signs and frequently in traditional costume, the greeters bring their athletes a little sense of home.

Members of the Korean community waiting to greet their athletes.

While all of the fans cheer on their homeland teams, some are a bit louder than others.  We tend to think of the Swiss as a quiet, conservative people. Not so quiet when they welcomed their athletes on February 5 with cow bells.  Check out the video.