The new WS / DL agreement pretty much is the final nail in the coffin on its AA codeshare. Explains AA's recent Canadian expansion.

Also I see WS terminating it's YYC-DFW service and perhaps moving to offer YYC/YYZ-ATL or DTW instead?

With its recent partnerships with AF/KL and now DL, I wonder out loud if this is signalling WS joining SkyTeam in the future?

Good seeing more expansion at Victoria Airport. In addition to the recent AC Rouge service to Montreal, there is a now a twice a week flight to Yellowknife on Air North. This apears to a stop on the Kelowna service. I wonder if they will also be selling seats on the Victoria-Kelowna segment.

http://www.timescolonist.com/busines...rse-1.23116675

Victoria Airport passenger volumes are now about 3 years ahead of projected.

Whitehorse not Yellowknife

Yes, you are correct. I was thinking Whitehouse and for whatever reason typed Yellowknife.

Just posted in the Atlantic Canada Airport Thread

Personally, I thought this belonged in the Atlantic Canada Spaceport Thread, but if it is fitting for the airport thread instead, then I might as well share it nationally. :)

I wouldn't be surprised to see WestJet end its codeshare with AA in the not too distant future. And agree, this is probably the next step to them joining SkyTeam. I think it's a matter that of when, not if.

I can also see WestJet flying more to Delta hubs directly from Calgary. Flights to MSP/DTW/JFK/ATL would really open up connections to Europe as well as second tier airports in the States.

It's already official. Codeshare ends sometime next month.

WS already operates to JFK year-round from YYC.

ATL will probably happen within the next few years. Curious to see if DTW/MSP or maybe even CVG?

And then once they have their 787s, long-haul options in the future could include CDG? Since they've made their intent to fly to China clear, maybe PVG or the new Daxing Airport in BJS.

If WestJet becomes successful with the 787 watch them go back and drop JFK in favor of other New York airports. Same thing that Air Canada has done.

LaGuardia has a perimeter rule Sunday through Friday, so any service must be within 1500 miles of origin, or the route won't be granted. I think Denver is the only exception.

Newark is a United hub, so it's a Star Alliance fortress, so I don't see that happening. Westjet will probably stay at JFK.

Flights to Delta hubs will increase, but will likely be tailored to serve travel flows - increased flying from Western Canada to MSP (for Europe) and SEA (for Asia) and from Eastern Canada to JFK (for Europe) and DTW (for Asia). ATL might see a little more for South American/African connections.

As for the 787s, I'd imagine that 5 of them are going to be used for Canada-LGW trips. That leaves 5 left - I'd imagine that China will be the next target for Westjet as it is where everybody seems to be putting their bets.

Those bets don't always pan out for foreign carriers.

yesterday United announced they are cutting Xian. This after cutting Hangzhou earlier in the year.

Outside of Beijing and Shanghai, China isn't such a gold mine, especially for foreign carriers. WS's China ambitions will be pretty limited. They will face a lot of competition on any potential YVR/YYZ-China route, even if it is to Beijing or Shanghai.

Where do you think Westjet will use those planes? CDG/AMS?

CDG, PVG and ICN come to mind. All of them from YYC though.

They should jump on at least 2 of these 3 routes (CDG a must, and then either PVG or ICN), which are currently unserved. With the Skyteam tie-up coming up, it's the most logical unserved international destinations out of YYC.

I had thought that SIN and MNL would be a great addition to the network as I think those are underserved as well, no?

How much is the Victoria airport affected by being so close to Vancouver and Seattle? If people are using the other airports, how do they travel to get to them and how long does it take? Seems like business travellers in Victoria, at a minimum, would want to be able to fly directly from Victoria.

JFK also makes sense for tying in with Virgin Atlantic. With Delta's trans-Atlantic partnership with VA too, it would make even more sense for WestJet to fly to an airport that serves both VA and Delta. Although Virgin also fly into EWR, it makes more sense for WestJet to expand into JFK.

Victoria is a very unique market. Float aircraft from the harbour to Vancouver and Seattle. Helijet service to vancouvrr. The bus service that runs on bc ferries includes a link to yvr. Three different marine passage connections to the us.

Still YYJ is a fairly significant transportation hub for the region.

What would be the business reason for doing this. They make more money taking someone to London than they do operating a shorter segment and having to splot the revenue with VA.

When Air Canada operated the JFK route the timing was poor for most connections. I think that was by design.

It's a bum-on-seat that they wouldn't otherwise get. Especially if they tap into Virgin's frequent flyers. A passenger flying LHR-JFK-YYC using WestJet for the latter leg at least puts money in WestJet's coffers.

From Air Camada's facebook

Air Canada added 7 new photos.
10 hrs ·
Today’s the big day! This morning, our #737MAX takes to the skies with a busy day of firsts with stops in four cities.
Starting in Toronto, the latest addition to our fleet will #FlyTheFlag across Canada as it makes its inaugural flight to Calgary, followed by its first visits to Montreal, and then Vancouver.

https://scontent.fyyc5-1.fna.fbcdn.n...48&oe=5AD75D13

https://scontent.fyyc5-1.fna.fbcdn.n...58&oe=5AD2042E

https://scontent.fyyc5-1.fna.fbcdn.n...88&oe=5ACC4C34