Sorry to say, but don't hold your breath just yet...

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised.

Newleaf has released a press release.

To sum it up ....

We don't know what the rules are, they are confusing, so we will sell a bunch of tickets. We think Canada is being deprived by restricting the sale of airline tickets to licensed airlines.

Oh wait, the regulator says "Maybe or maybe not" we need to think about what your doing a bit more. Your sub-contractor Flair having aircraft, pilots, a license and knowing what the rules are they can sell tickets, but you we don't know about.

Ok, lets refund everything and we will try again after all. So we need to get a license after all?

I hope people will also be able to get a refund for hotel nights they may have booked after having booked a flight. Otherwise this is a disaster for many that booked among the first.

How many hotel rooms are pre-pay these days?

I think it varies, but at least Expedia has been charging me upon reservation.

Lots and lots. Many of the OTAs will give you a substantial discount if you book prepaid, often nonrefundable rates.

YYZ November Passenger Numbers

Another excellent month of growth.

Up 5.2% in the month and 6.5% YTD.

YYZ will turbo past the 40 million mark when the December results are announced.

http://www.torontopearson.com/en/gtaa/statistics/##

I would post this in the YYZ pages, but it isn't very active... No postings since September?

Without a doubt, YYZ is just way out in front of all major Canadian airports. YVR and YUL both performing very well at YTD growth of 4.9% and 4.6% respectively.

YWG, YLW, YYJ and YMM have all reported full year numbers with a very mixed bag of results so far.

YWG up 2.95%, YLW down 0.5%, YYJ up 3.6% and YMM down a horrific 16%.

Well, WestJet is clearly shifting capacity away from recession stricken Alberta and transferring it to YYZ.

WS is starting YYZ-LAX/BNA. Also, MCO-YYZ and LAX-YVR see increases next summer.

On the other hand, it is reducing YYC-DFW and cancelling PSP-YEG as of May.

AA is also increasing LAX-YYZ next summer to double daily, so it will be an interesting 3 way battle on the route.

Also, UA is reducing SFO-YEG/YYJ to 1 daily next summer, and SFO-YYC to only 2 daily.

Looks like China Southern will begin YYZ service in Aug, and Rossiya Airlines will be bringing back a Moscow-Toronto route, just no confirmed date yet:

http://centreforaviation.com/profile...al-airport-yyz

Sorry, I don't have a subscription to CAPA so I can only post the list of headlines.

WS is not cancelling YEG-PSP. All they are doing is ending their winter seasonal service earlier this year. Same with YYC-DFW, they are just ending their summer seasonal service a few weeks earlier than last summer.

On top of increasing YVR-LAX, Westjet is also launching YVR-SAN in June.

Interesting... CAPA's list of airlines serving YYZ seems to have an error. I notice Alitalia as a non-operator, but I'm pretty sure their cancellation of the YYZ service was for a few months. I think it's operating now, but I'd love to confirm.

The dogfight at/for Billy Bishop.

http://business.financialpost.com/ne...bishop-airport

It's only temporary, so they are very much still a regular operator at YYZ.

Westjet cutting flights ??

http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/busines...turn-1.2751358

CALGARY -- Fewer WestJet planes will be flying in and out Alberta's two biggest cities as weakness in the energy sector puts a damper on demand.
As of March, the airline said it will be reducing service between Calgary and Edmonton. Several more routes to and from those two cities are either being cancelled or scaled back.
"We look at our service based on supply and demand," WestJet vice-president Richard Bartrem said Monday.
"With the downturn in the economy, we're seeing less demand for travel to and from the energy markets and into areas across Canada. We've decided that we would move some of that capacity into markets where we're seeing less of that impact so that we're actually using the fleet as effectively as possible while minimizing the effect on the guest."

Bartrem said the decline in traffic has been "noticeable enough" to warrant changes, but did not specify how big of a drop the airline saw in the affected markets.
WestJet will be removing flights between Calgary and two B.C. destinations -- Terrace and Prince George. Direct flights between Edmonton and Nanaimo and Kamloops, B.C. are also being cancelled. Bartrem said customers can still get between those destinations by changing planes elsewhere.
As well, WestJet is reducing the number of flights between Calgary and Brandon, Man. and Fort McMurray, Alta. And there be fewer flights between the provincial capital and Abbotsford, B.C. and Grande Prairie, Alta.
WestJet (TSX:WJA) says it's transferring more of its capacity to Eastern Canada, meaning more trips between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal as well as to Atlantic destinations like Halifax and Fredericton.

Another new tail for YVR, this time it's Skyteam's Xiamen Air flying Vancouver-Xiamen 3 times per week on its Boeing 787-800. The service is set to start July 25 of this summer.
http://airlineroute.net/2016/01/25/mf-yvr-jul16/

Pretty sharp looking livery for a Chinese airline. Looking forward to seeing these when I visit.

https://img.planespotters.net/photo/...Net_597515.jpg
https://img.planespotters.net/photo/...Net_597515.jpg

Love the livery indeed.

Nice to see all that Asian tail at YVR.

Yes, and probably still more to come.... But when will that be!?

Xiamen will be mainland Chinese carrier #5 and of overseas foreign carrier #21 operating at YVR.

Direct flights in mainland China to Shenyang, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Kunming and Xiamen. Not too shabby!

Hearing of all the flight changes out of the various Canadian airports, I do find interesting how much anger there is in the Edmonton airport thread as opposed to the similar Calgary thread. Yeah, there are some reasonable voices on the YEG thread that recognize that economics determine this but others take to the point that they will go out of their way not to fly through YYC or state that the airlines are during flights deliberately in YEG regardless of economics.

Now it needs to be noted that I haven't flown anywhere probably 10 years and don't envision doing so anytime soon, just not my thing but to spend more or inconvenience one's self to avoid another airport seems somewhat ridiculous to me. I have flown places where I had to connect through Edmonton, many many years ago, and it just wasn't all that big of a deal. I just understand the basis of some YEG people being so anti-YYC in the airport world.

It has nothing to with being anti-Calgary whatsoever. It's anti-whomever-forces-us-to-us-another-airport-because-they-have-decided-that-a-nearby-airport-should-be-a-hub-and-that-flights-should-be-funnelled-through-said-airport-to-the-detriment-of-our-local-airport. In this case AC. As an example, AC offers no flights to any sun destinations from Edmonton at all. Yet Transat, Sunwing, and Westjet offer plenty. I can't say it strongly enough - Fuck Air Canada. But here I am sitting on 300k Aeroplan points.

Wrong, there are many posters who have publicly stated they won't fly via YYC period. Nothing to do with AC. And that's their prerogative. Westjet, American, United, Alaska, Transat and even Sunwing have reduced flights and / or having more of their flights stop via YYC before continuing on. I pity those who have booked Sunwing flights thinking their flight is nonstop only to be told they will be flying via YYC. Via YQR? Yeah that's ok, but via YYC?! I do find Air Canada is usually singled out though. But that's fine too. Everybody can have an opinion and my opinion is that's crazy to single out one airline just because it is based here doesn't mean they have to fly to everywhere. I have read all the arguments against that and I'm sure I'll hear them again. And again, that's their prerogative to feel what they want. Now that Westjet is slashing YEG flights, it will "force" certain travelers to connect in YYC whether they like it or not. Of course, the alternatives are to not travel at all or spend hundreds of dollars to fly out of the way to avoid flying via YYC. And that's their choice. And don't let DL fool you, they want Edmontonians to fly via SEA to feed all their flights they are building from there. Same idea, just a different mindset because it's in a different country and it's not YYC of course. And there may be some deep hidden mysterious devious reasons why YYC was "decided" to be a hub. Not just for AC but Westjet too.

Again, nothing to do being anti-Calgary whatsoever, but you're entitled to your opinion, mate.

I have observed the exact same thing even to the point of some posters well maybe one in particular calling Calgary the ugly sister or ugly pig. Ah well!!

YOW 2015 numbers

4,656,360 (+0.9%)

International and transborder figures slightly down for the year. The growth was mainly all in the domestic front. Does not beat the record set in 2012, which saw 4,685,956 passengers.

http://yow.ca/sites/yow.ca/files/pax...dec_15_eng.pdf

Yeah, there is a weird persecution complex in Edmonton when it comes to the airport. Air Canada is out to get them, Calgary is out to get them, lately I've been hearing grumbling that WestJet is part of the great conspiracy too...

There is no other city in Canada that ties its civic self esteem to the airport the way that Edmonton does.

I dunno, YEG has about the level of service I'd expect it to given its location and size. The terminal is lovely. I don't see what there is to complain about...

I've noticed it in the Vancouver thread too, fwiw.

Yup. There are some conspiracy theories that some how the Government of Canada, Air Canada and Toronto are out to get YVR. Despite the fact YYZ is the main financial economic powerhouse of Canada and Air Canada has made its intentions clearly known it wants to make YYZ a bigger true global hub.. Etc. But constantly explaining all the facts does get tiresome.
Despite the fact that in the last 12 months and projecting just for the next six months Air Canada is either adding the following new routes or adding capacity to: Osaka, Dublin, Brisbane, London LHR, Sydney, Shanghai, Chicago, San Jose, San Diego, Newark, and bringing mainline back to LAX and SFO. Have I missed anything? Too many additions to keep track these days.
And for all the other new airlines recently started or about to start PLUS all the Chinese airlines beating on YVR's door clamouring to get in... Oh whoa is them!

YVR has an embarrassment of riches and is an entire country's Pacific hub, I don't know what on earth they have to complain about.

In fairness isn't it really only one person? Who hasn't lived in Canada for like 40 years. Not to point fingers or anything...

Mainly one, but there are a few sidekicks. Glass half empty types. So one's glass is always empty and two-three have their glasses always half empty.

I've resorted to ignoring those posters' comments... Not blocked... But don't bother explaining anymore. I just stick to the facts with a bit of analysis on the side :D:D

I have updated the Intercontinental service from YUL... Air transat to Pisa was removed as they have cancelled the route. Air China has asked for service to Montreal from Shanghai daily but i haven't heard any news from that potential future route. Tunisair also has NOT yet confirmed service to Montreal so I will not put it on the list until confirmed and that goes for all other future routes. Air Algerie will have 10 weekly flights to YUL summer only. Also royal air maroc has confirmed 2 daily YUL-CMN and as we all know Air Canada Rouge will also have a seasonal non stop flight to Casablanca from Montreal 4 x a week beginning in June 2016. For a total of 18 weekly flights to Casablanca! pretty cool! :)

Here is it.

http://s29.postimg.org/s87fr5d07/yul.jpg

As someone who use to live in Saskatoon and travels quite a bit, I have never used Sunwing but do remember being at the airport when the odd flight arrives they have all the passengers going to Edmonton go through customs and then reboard the aircraft to continue on to Edmonton. I think the charter airlines are pretty good and consolidating flights and turning non-stops into direct flight when needed.

YVR to see it's first 747 8i with Korean.

Hainan has loaded PEK-YYC. Not bookable for now.

Surprised this one actually starts as planned, but, it was a matter of when, not if.

http://airlineroute.net/2016/01/27/hu-yyc-s16/

^Nicely done YYC, I'd consider taking that next fall or spring.

Now that HU is starting YYC, i think it will piss off CA and they will probably launch PVG-YUL to retaliate.

Love your table. Nice work, well done!

What I find the most impressive is the number of flights between Montreal and France. I count 86 per week per direction. That's a lot of people crossing the Atlantic.

If you count Brussels and Geneva, it's 111 flights per week between Montreal and French-speaking Europe. wow.

Yes indeed. TS alone has 70 flights a week to Europe, 37 of which are to France ! 70/week, that's exactly the same as AC/RV, which also has 70/week. This is the first year AC/RV will have as many flights/week to Europe than TS, because of AC's addition of LYS.

Nonetheless, that list shows how huge TS is on YUL-France, and as long as Rouge and WestJet concentrate the bulk of their European flying out of YYZ, YYC and YVR, they wont be able to dethrone TS when it comes to linking "La belle Province" to the "Hexagone" !

Until recently - and it was Johnny who set me straight; thanks, Johnny- I was sure that YYZ, AC, and Ottawa were out to clip YVR's wings. They are not, and a lot of what flights an airport gets has to do with economy and city size.
* I think that YYC beats out YEG simply because it's the "powerhouse" of the West - OIL (down right now, but it'll come back) $$$, CP hq, TSX venture ..... Edmonton: administrative capital, important, but less business travel.
*YVR not only shares East Asia with YYZ (less so with others), but has the entire Pacific as its airport hinterland; East Asia (big time), Philippines, Hawaii, Australia, NZ ...
and the most European destinations west of Toronto.
*Even YUL, with its exotic destinations, has only about as many pax as YYC, and is a city of 4 million metro.
*And as Johnny said, it's only natural that YYZ, biggest city (6+ million) HQ city, economic powerhouse (among world's top 10) would get the most flights.

>> But it's a fact that an airport, its number of pax, routes, airlines and destinations, is often the "symbol" of a city, which is perhaps why so much emotion comes into this.

YUL and YYC's numbers are different in composition though. More than 60% of YUL's PAX numbers are international, while YYC has much more domestic passengers, a tendency that is observed everywhere in Canada except Quebec. Most Quebecers don't travel as often across the country as Canadians do.

Go one step further ! YUL in 2014 had more international non U.S passengers than YVR.

5.5 million vs 4.5 million.

Including US numbers, the difference is about 100,000 in favor of YVR. Point is, YYC is light years behind YYZ, YVR and YUL in terms of international passenger count.

Montreal also has the enviable position of Canadian gateway to the francophone world.

^ Well, it is just a city on the Canadian prarie and is only 1/6th the size of Toronto, 1/3 the size of Montreal, & 1/2 the size of Vancouver so ... this is to be expected ... no ?

Sure, until you try to fly south. YVRs Central/South America and Caribbean roster is abysmal.

Wow, so 2016 will see YVR get it's first A380 and 748i. That's huge!

Fantastic news. And it wasn't a matter of when not if with Hainan, they have a long history of applying for routes then never starting them. Couple that with the oil downturn and I was thinking this route may not see the light of day.

Leaving aside how enviable that is, is it based on flights, destinations or passenger numbers? Or all of the above? It would seem logical, but what are the numbers?

Just to put it in context, YUL-Paris alone is as large or larger than all of YVR-Europe in terms of passengers flown.

My data is a few years old, but after LHR-JFK, CDG-JFK and LHR-LAX, it's the busiest air route between Europe and North America in terms of passengers flown, and THE busiest between Canada and Europe, again in terms of passengers flown.

It helps when you have 4 airlines (AF, SS, TS and AC) that operate aircraft with high density configurations on the city pair. SS a few years ago was flying 580 seat B744s on the route. They now send the A330 to YUL and the seat config on their B744s has since been scaled back to a comfortable 533 seats...:)

Not me. I had my doubts about the route starting in 2016, but i knew it would happen eventually. There is a real battle going on between Air China and Hainan at PEK and PVG. That's what you get when the country has a one route/one airline policy for international flights.

I have expressed the same doubt about CA opening up PVG-YUL in 2016, but now I can see them jump on it, if for nothing else to prevent HU from operating it.

It helps that there are more than 120,000 French citizens living in Quebec. 110,000 of them living in Montréal.

That and the fact that almost every Francophone Montrealer makes it to Paris on a regular basis. The sheer number of flights makes them the cheapest route to Europe, even if we want to go to London...