WS is ending YWG/YEG-LGW. They have been pulled from next year's schedule.

Well, even if they move up the departure by as little as 30min, they could've use the plane for the evening YVR, YYC, YQB, or YYZ run. But as of now, the only thing the plane will do for an entire day is the one-way SAN-YUL run. Not exactly a good use of resource. There must be a good reason that the flight departs at 1110 but not 1040...

Looks like Turkish will be starting Istanbul-Vancouver, talk is next summer.

Here's the one line announcement from their website, I'd expect some more details over the next week or so.

https://investor.turkishairlines.com...ic-disclosures

Was TK awarded new frequencies for YVR only or will they get more for YYZ/YUL?

A new airline and a new international destination with additional international passengers for our already impressive total!

From previous posts, I think it was said they didn’t get approval for more YYZ/YUL. Now whether that means if the government blocked the request, or if they couldn’t get ideal slot times/gates at YYZ/YUL, that I don’t know.

AC cancels Max flights until mid-February. Says it will lease 2 additional widebodies to cover the flights.

This basically confirms the plane isn’t flying this year.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...e-of-f-461545/

A little bit of news, but it seems that Ottawa may finally be getting around to improving direct international connections.

https://obj.ca/article/lack-direct-a...n-summit-hears

I'm not sure if I buy that. In this day and age of big data analysis, I find it hard to believe that airlines don't already know how many of their customers on YUL flights come from Ottawa. Heck, there's an easy data source: billing addresses for credit card bookings.

If this is the case, maybe the city's economic development agency should step in to provide "seed money" to cover a percentage of a new route's operating costs for the first five years or so. Although in this day and age--should be really be subsidizing aviation? Funding an Ottawa-Toronto-Montreal HSR with airline codeshares seems like a better and greener option--would allow business travellers to Ottawa to easily use YUL and YYZ.

It's interesting that they talk about YOW-SFO. Many people don't know that AC launched YOW-SJC back in 2001. The tragic events later than year didn't help sustain the flight.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/air...-jose-1.257037

I think the CSeries might help YOW-US growth. YOW needs to wait a little bit longer, and new routes to the US should be on the horizon. As CityTech said, AC knows very well the demand from YOW to the US/Europe.

The YOW-SJC flight was at the request of Nortel and JDS Uniphase. It was the dotcom bust that caused the cessation of services rather than 9/11.

Westjet official news releases for the summer Dreamliner service. YVR now joining YYC and YYZ with daily 787 service to LGW (somehow with it's own presser as well...):

Vancouver, livin' the Dreamliner this summer with WestJet

Travellers on the West Coast and across the Atlantic get daily 787 service

CALGARY, Oct. 22, 2019 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced daily 787 Dreamliner service between Vancouver and London, Gatwick giving the airline's guests on the West Coast and across the Atlantic the opportunity to experience WestJet's new Business, Premium and Economy cabins. Service starts April 26, 2020.

"As we receive our next 787 Dreamliner deliveries, we're thrilled to offer our business and leisure travellers this same convenient daily flight but on our newest, state-of-the-art aircraft," said Arved von zur Muehlen, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. "By increasing capacity by over forty per cent between Vancouver and London, Gatwick guests can enjoy a superior travel experience featuring our award-winning service on either side of the Atlantic."

"We are very excited that WestJet is bringing the game-changing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to YVR in 2020," said Craig Richmond, President & CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. "We have enjoyed a great relationship with WestJet since they first started operations at YVR in 1996 and now, with the introduction of the 787 and moving to daily London-Gatwick service, I have no doubt we have a lot to look forward to. The aircraft will not only provide a great experience for guests but will further establish YVR as a world-class hub and a key WestJet partner."

The WestJet Dreamliner features 320 seats in three cabins: Business, Premium and Economy, all of which contain a high-level of comfort and WestJet's award-winning guest service. The Dreamliner's Business cabin features all-aisle-access, lie-flat seats with on-demand dining and entertainment. The upscale Premium cabin is the ideal combination of comfort, value and guest service including a separate cabin, elevated meal service and signature welcome perks featuring champagne and an amenity case. WestJet's improved Economy cabin features on-demand inflight entertainment, blankets and pillows and complimentary food and beverages with a select number of extra legroom seats available for purchase.

Today the airline also announced its transatlantic Dreamliner service between Paris and Calgary resumes March 12, 2020 and daily 787 service between Toronto and London, Gatwick will operate year-round. Domestically guests will benefit from year-round daily Dreamliner service between Calgary and Toronto, while service between Calgary and Dublin on the Dreamliner will remain three-times weekly in peak season.

This summer WestJet will operate 28 weekly flights to London Gatwick from Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax.

Details of WestJet's 787 summer service between Vancouver and London, Gatwick:

http://westjet.mediaroom.com/2019-10...r-with-WestJet

Guests to benefit from more 787 service between European
destinations and Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver

CALGARY, Oct. 22, 2019 /CNW/ - WestJet today announced its guests in Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto will benefit from more domestic and transatlantic 787-9 Dreamliner service for summer 2020, giving the airline's guests more opportunity to experience WestJet's new Business Premium and Economy cabins on the state-of-the-art aircraft.

"As we welcome new 787 deliveries, we continue to showcase WestJet's award-winning guest experience to the world," said Arved von zur Muehlen, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. "Our Dreamliner service is unique to WestJet and through increased domestic and transatlantic connections we're able to offer Canadians and visitors a superior experience whether travelling for business or leisure."

Dreamliner schedule highlights:

Earlier Dreamliner service between London, Gatwick and Calgary, operating daily as of April 14, 2020.
Year-round daily service between Toronto and London, Gatwick on the Dreamliner.
Daily seasonal summer Dreamliner service between Vancouver and London, Gatwick commences on April 26, 2010.
Domestic year-round 787 service between Calgary and Toronto beginning in June.
Transatlantic Dreamliner service between Paris and Calgary resumes March 12, 2020.
WestJet will receive three additional Boeing Dreamliners in 2020 bringing the airline's total to six of up to 20.

http://westjet.mediaroom.com/2019-10...mliner-in-2020

The slot for the extra YVR service sadly comes from YEG. I like that WS bumped YVR to daily and on a 787, but don't like that it came at YEG's expense

Yesterday WestJet's "new to our network" page briefly showed increases on YYC-CDG and DUB starting earlier in May. However it was quickly changed, making me wonder if perhaps it was posted early by mistake and that there will be a separate YYC announcement. There were rumors of a new route as well.

It's pretty clear these are the only guests they care about.

These are the three main hubs for WS. Have you seen ANY airline fly their wide bodies into places like YYJ or YQT?

Great news! This cannot come soon enough, flew one of their ancient 767's LGW-YVR yesterday. Interiors are in terrible shape, one of the toilets was out-of-order making for some long-lines throughout the entire, fully-booked flight, tiny overhead bins, extremely worn looking throughout, no PTV's. Looking forward to the 787s albeit the 2-3-2 arrangement in the 767s is great.

YUL released its Q3 financial results yesterday. Preliminary traffic for September is now available, but not the breakdown. That info should be available soon enough.

September total: 1.8 million passengers +4.3%

YTD total: 15.7 million passengers +4.8%
YTD intl +9.2%
YTD Transborder +2.2%
YTD Domestic +1.3%

Link in French only. (Couldn’t find the English copy)
https://www.admtl.com/sites/default/...0synthèse.pdf

WJ is taking away profitable routes from other cities simply to funnel them through their hubs. This doesn't need to happen. The "hubs" can stand on their own based on passenger counts, but WJ chooses to reduce non-stop services to other cities regardless. Doesn't sound like an airline that cares about all passengers across the country to me.

Unless of course what they're doing is more profitable. They aren't idiots.

Some businesses can have their cake and eat it too. But I am already aware you don't think it's important to try and get more non-stop international service (besides from the US) to the airport and are content with the sloppu seconds we get being a spoke in the spoke-and-hub system. I know this because you respond (from Waterhen, MB) to every single post I make regarding the subject.

You may be content with this (living four hours away from the city), but many are not.