Just wondering if anyone that works at CYYZ or travels through there often could explain to me how the gate numbers work. I see on flight aware that the 77W domestic flights usually land at D39 or D49. The unusual thing is I can't seem to find the 77W leaving that gate for another 20 hrs. That just seems like a very long time to have a plane like that sitting around. All international flights with the 77W leave from gate E73-E77. Do the gate # change or do the move them planes around before they depart. Any help would be appreciated

I used to live there but from what I remember there are the 2 terminals, also Toronto has United States Customs Pre-Clearance in the airport at both terminals, the way that works is you go through US Customs before going to your gate, that way when the plane lands at a US Airport it lands at a domestic gate as you have already gone through US Customs in Toronto and don't have to when you land in the USA.

 

Therefore 2 terminals with domestic, USA and International Departures. as US Departures is in it's own area away from International departures. I think they have swing gates that can cut off certain areas to move them from US to International departures and back but the gate numbers do not change.

 

 

Last time I was in Toronto was June 14, 2014 and I departed from Gate F51 flying to KLAX so that means F51 was in the US Departures area that is separate from International Departures as this is a US Customs Pre-Clearance area. Also US Customs stamps your boarding pass so you must have that stamp before getting on the plane.

They usually move the airplanes around. There are more airplanes than gates available. Some airlines have Taxi/Tow crews that do this all day. In KMIA for example all international widebody flights arrive early in the morning and leave late in the evening and for that reason you see a lot of 777 and narrowbodies as well parked by central base, spots C101 thru C115

I know in Los Angeles that many of the long haul flights, especially those from the Pacific (New Zealand, Australia, etc.) land and dock at a gate but are towed away to remote stands immediately after unloading. They sit at the remote gate to be serviced and are brought back to the terminal when it is time for passengers to begin boarding. This way, the gates are used to their max which saves the airlines money and gets more flights in.