Will be interesting to see what WJ does for their longhaul.

While you're right that AC has left YYC wide open to WJ they've also left it wide open to foreign carriers and not many have jumped on the opportunity. Leads me to believe longhaul demand out of YYC is still quite weak from the downturn and subsequent belt tightening at the oilpatch offices.

I wouldn't be surprised to see WJ base nearly all of their 787s in YYZ with a token service thrown at YYC and YVR.

That will be interesting. Route wise it may make sense but the majority of the pilots who will fly them are probably living in western Canada, many around Calgary. That's a lot of deadheads or commuting. Of course now that the pilots are union there is little incentive for WestJet to accommodate schedules, they can simply base the aircraft wherever. Depending on how the first contract works out anyhow. The current agreement is pretty nice, I would think that might change.

I’ve heard 75% of the 787s will be based in YYZ and the other 25% in YVR. Not sure how how accurate that is, though it was from some employees.

Like I said, the 787 out of YYC won’t be westjets focus! Unfortunately, but we shall see!

That would suggest a YYZ and a smaller YVR base for the 787 pilots.

Given the strong YYC orientation of this airline, care required in making this statement. :runaway:

Seems odd they would build a hangar for the 787 at YYC, but base them completely elsewhere.

YYZ will likely be the primary base for them, and the remainder may be split between YYC/YVR, perhaps a focus to Asia from YVR and Europe from YYC?

Though WS would face a lot of competition at YVR, particularly to Asia. Also if they wanted to attract connections from the US, they also (at least currently) have a stronger transborder presence at YYC.

Well lots of airlines maintain their planes away from a pilot base. As it stands there are available hangers in YYZ, YVR and soon YYC capable of maintaining the planes.

I don't know why they would split the focus out west strategically, as then they need to split their US and Canadian feeds. Doesn't make a ton of sense, which is why Air Canada doesn't do that either. I think they will use YYZ as the primary hub with a few Asian flights from YVR (to Skyteam hubs I'd guess) and a few flights to Europe from both YVR and YYC.

Also worth noting that while Westjet's transborder presence in YYC is stronger, Delta's feed to YVR is nearly 3 times that to Calgary so the JV would allow them to lean on that to supplement their weak transborder service out of YVR.

All in all I bet the YYZ flying of the 787s will be 75% at least with the remaining service being scattered through the west in a way that isn't really that meaningful.

I guess they could either join the competition in YVR or try their luck in YYC. My guess is the main bases will be YVR and YYZ with YYC having seasonal service to Europe and Asia in the summer and the Caribbean and Hawaii in the winter.

I am surprised that the new hangar in YYC only fits one 787 though :shrug:

Maybe it's
75% YYC/YVR - YYZ - Europe
25% YYZ/YYC - YVR - Asia

From YVR, London is a major destination that support double-daily with Air Canada, A380 with British Airways and AirTransat. The problem is it seasonal and outside of summer demand drops off. For SkyTeam there is an impressive mix of international airlines all coming to YVR and its own dedicated SkyTeam lounge.

It is going to be a difficult decision for WS deciding how to handle the split between YYC and YVR.

Inaugural YUL-NRT yesterday.

Montreal now joins the ranks of a select few North American airports with non stop passenger service to 6 or more Asian destinations (all of Asia, including western Asia).

YYZ
YVR
YUL
LAX
SFO
ORD
DFW
IAD
JFK
EWR
BOS
SEA
DTW

That's it. Not even IAH or ATL can claim that.

Pictures courtesy of twitter:

https://twitter.com/chambremontreal

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Den8qYTXcAAJ9eA.jpg:small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Den8qYNXkAEOgyV.jpg:small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Den5dX7W0AI8j4F.jpg:small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Den641XXkAAEFI_.jpg:small

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Deq5Aq7UcAAuOTU.jpg:small

That's not it. You forgot SEA.

My bad. I also forgot DTW. Both added. Still a pretty short list, with some notable exceptions.

And you forgot HNL. Although technically not part of North America geographically, it's still American and should be included in lists like these. I suppose one could pick any arbitrary number as a cutoff. Perhaps a list of 10 or more would reduce the list substantially. Or even 20+ :haha:

I tend to post news affecting YVR or YYC only in their threads... has this become a pseudo YUL thread? Is there a YUL thread? Too lazy to look.

Wow that's a long list.
How many flights to Asia from YVR again? It's almost rediculous haha.

20+ non stop, maybe only LAX and SFO.

YVR has 18 non-stop to Asia, plus 4 more direct. And again for aviation, Asia-Pacific is a common category where West Asia is usually lumped in as Middle East/Afirca. So if you include Oceania, then it's 22 non stop plus 4 direct.

Impressive any way you look at it!

But yes YVR is connected with direct flights to 26 destinations in the Asia Pacific region.

YVR is doing great! :)

and YYZ added a new carrier today, Primera Air operated their inaugural from London Stansted with an Airbus A321neo, the first flight of a fairly extensive summer schedule from several European cities to YYZ...

https://twitter.com/tompodolec/statu...994378240?s=21

AC's YUL-DUB started today, YUL's 30th non stop destination to Europe, with the 31st, Bucharest, starting next week ! AC/RV alone, by next week, will serve 16 non stop destinations out of YUL to Europe ! It used to be only 3, LHR, CDG and FRA only 9 years ago !

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ac818