Hong Kong Airlines intend to start daily HKG-YYZ service this fall:

https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/ruling/a-2018-111

Proof that the CTA doesn't always arbitrate in AC's favor.

Air Canada: No plans to exercise 787 options

https://canadianaviationnews.wordpre...e-787-options/

Meaning long haul growth will wind down by next year, when the 4 additional A333s and the last 2 B789s will be delivered.

The article does mention the A333s will be based in Montreal. No real surprise there.

This is disappointing news, definitely signals the end of this growth period for AC. Sure they can pick up used 330s and 777s but they had a good deal for the 787s and are looking to pass so that's a good sign they need to stop the intl' expansion and let the capacity absorb.

Here's top hoping the CTA sees this and allows for some more intl' tails to come into the mix.

Question regarding Toronto Pearson: a number of years back I remember the plans calling for the tearing down of Terminal 3 so that Terminal 1 can be expanded on to where it sits. Has that plan been axed? Is so, what plan has replaced it? Has the goal of turning Pearson into a 'mega hub' meant a completely new plan that's still being ironed out?

Secondly, will Hamilton Munro be developed into a 2nd large international airport for the Golden Horseshoe?

1) T3 will not be torn down under the revised terminal plan. There is some plan for a connector between T1 and T3. The newest plan has a central transportation hub (air, rail, auto) created where the long term parking lot is located. Central hall functions would be turned into additional gate and retail areas with a bridge to connect each terminal to the central transportation hub.
2) Yes the plan to tear down T3 and replace with an enlarged T1 complex has been rejected and filed in the garbage bin.
3) Airplane economy seat densification has substantially increased the estimate pax per airplane. The new plan calls for an altered concourse G and H on terminal 1. Additionally terminal 3 will see a minor increase in gates on the T3 satellite (the concourse will be extended and the AC hangar removed to accomodate an extra 10 gates.
4) No plans to expand YHM until the locals decide to support their airport in preference to YYZ. Currently locals still prefer to go to YYZ unless there is a significant discount involved.

Thanks for the run down. I am a bit surprised that T3 is staying. It felt cramped about 10 years after it opened.

I'm trying to understand this quote from the article: "In order to be profitable, the routes to Canada would need at least half of its passenger loads to originate from Canada. This could pose a challenge to the carrier which traditionally depends on American passengers, even on international routes".

Anyone have insight on why this would be? I don't see the argument for why flights full of Americans, paying USD, wouldn't actually be preferable.

New Maple Leaf Lounge in Saskatoon!
 

Nice news for YXE! The airport is getting better and better.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...681358211.html

MONTREAL, May 1, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada today announced it will open a Maple Leaf Lounge at Saskatoon's John G. Diefenbaker International Airport this fall. It will be the airline's 17th Maple Leaf Lounge in Canada, and construction is currently underway.

"We look forward to opening our newest Maple Leaf Lounge in Saskatoon later this year which will offer our eligible customers an elevated airport experience, with a quiet place to relax or work before their flight," said Benjamin Smith, Air Canada's President, Passenger Airlines.

"Skyxe Saskatoon Airport is delighted to partner with Air Canada to bring a Maple Leaf Lounge to Saskatoon. We know that many customers will enjoy the highly-anticipated lounge experience," said Stephen Maybury, President and CEO of Skyxe Saskatoon Airport.

Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge at Skyxe Saskatoon Airport will be located post security near gate 5. It will be 137 square meters (1,474 square feet) with seat capacity for 40 customers. Additional details will be announced when the lounge opens.

Out of Canada's 15 busiest airports, the ones that still lack a lounge are:

9 Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Toronto Toronto, Ontario
10 Victoria International Airport Greater Victoria North Saanich, British Columbia
11 Kelowna International Airport Kelowna/Okanagan Valley Kelowna, British Columbia
12 Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport

It is has been a few years, but I remember a MLL in Quebec city. It was a weird MLL, in the food was different and better than the other MLL.

^^ Much nicer than the V.U.P. (Very Unimportant Person) lounge.

It's not that simple. The "locals" use YYZ because they can get service there that is not available at YHM. But history has shown that when YHM has had the services, they have been used.

Though with two airports so near each other, airlines aren't going to duplicate service at the smaller one they can provide at the larger one and unless they can make enough money doing it.

I'm going to have to be a little opaque on this explanation, so lets just say I kept really good notes in 2003-2005 timeframe. ;)

Back in the day there were two airlines that briefly flirted with providing YHM transcon services, both had the same conclusion. Looking at point of origin and purchase location, it was clear that YHM transcon services were supported by Western Canadian's going east to visit friends and relatives. Hamilton residents bought tickets for travel out of YYZ even when there was nearly identical services out of YHM. The Hamiltonians bought tickets out of YHM only when there was a significant discount to competing services in YYZ. If the prices were the same or even slightly more expensive out of YYZ, Hamiltonians flew out of YYZ.

To be clear, if Hamiltonians want more service out of YHM they must be willing to pay a premium over and above the less convenient service out of YYZ.

It's going to be a busy June for AC/RV, in terms of route launches. Routes in bold denote new destinations for the Canadian cities concerned.

Out of Montreal

YUL-NRT on June 1
YUL-DUB on June 2
YUL-OTP on June 7
YUL-LIS on June 15
YUL-YYJ on June 22

AC mainline takes over ex. Rouge YUL-CMN and YUL-KEF in June as well.

Out of Toronto

YYZ-SNN on June 2
YYZ-ZAG on June 2
YYZ-OPO on June 8
YYZ-OTP on June 9
YYZ-YCD on June 21
YYZ-YKA on June 22

AC mainline takes over ex. Rouge YYZ-KEF in June as well.

Out of Vancouver

YVR-ZRH on June 7
YVR-CDG on June 8

Of note, YVR-DEL and YVR-MEL resume in June, both year round.

Out of Calgary

:uhh:

It appears that AC is leaving YYC wide open for Westjet to add all sorts of 787 services out of that city!

Especially now that YYC-NRT is going seasonal.

That's interesting. Thanks! :cheers:

It's certainly not a narrative shared around town publicly or in the media -- when WestJet shifted to Toronto there was much disappointment and questioning why because things seemed to be doing so well at YHM (though the business decision was well understood by most, I think). On the surface it doesn't make a lot of sense... the "cost" of getting to YHM is much less for area travellers, and despite the rinky-dink terminal people who use it appreciate how easy and quick it is to get to/from a flight.

Lots of people in the area fly out of Buffalo too, especially when going to U.S. destinations. Cheap flights is usually their reason.

It will be interesting to see what happens if more of the ultra low-cost carrier service makes it to market (and is able to compete with WestJet's version, and whether Swoop ends up being a long-term option or is just a short-term category killer)

I wonder if AC plans to switch any of the Rouge routes like PS, PHX, PVR to mainline from YYZ, like they did from YVR. Probably not, I know it was because they closed the YVR Rouge base and explanded mainline ops from there, but I remember a while ago people used to think Rouge and mainline wouldn't operate to the same airport, it was either a Rouge OR mainline destination. But that is definitely not the case now