So:
nicer, more efficient airports - check
more airlines, flights and destinations - check
bigger planes - check

and, people wanting to go places and pay to fly there - check

All the growth is crazy over the last few years, and the factors facilitating it are obvious - except the last one: more passengers. The first three factors can obviously grow the passenger numbers, but not fully. I'll leave the visiting people out of it and ask, "Why are Canadians flying so much more?"

I suspect some of that growth is simply Air Canada capturing a larger share of the North American market.

Amazing growth across the board for the big 3! YVR is having a stellar year, no question!

What's interesting to note is that in September alone, YYZ posted more international pax than YYC has seen all year up to now. I know it's been mentioned by other forumers as well, but that kind of underscores the fact that, any way you slice it, YYC is really more of a large focus city than a hub.

YUL hasn't provided a breakdown yet for September, but so far, YYZ is also growing by more volume than Canada's other 3 major airports combined. That's likely to remain true once we see the breakdown. With the exception of the domestic sector, it's the same story for transborder and international, YTD.

Even AC often neglects to mention YYC as their 4th hub in their press releases. Instead, they only talk about their 3 main hubs.

The fact that the new international terminal at YYC lacks a Maple Leaf Lounge also tells me YYC isn't a real priority for AC on the international front.

By my very rudimentary calculations, YWG is up about 6% to 3,046,388 at the end of September.

http://www.waa.ca/uploads/ck/files/2...nger_Stats.pdf

There's a possibility of getting to 4M at that.

Some increases for next summer by AC and Rouge...

YUL-CMN from 3 weekly to daily
YUL-LYS from 5 weekly to daily, plus upgauge to A333
YYZ-BUD from 3 to 5 weekly
YYZ-LIS from 6 weekly to daily
YYZ-MAN from 6 weekly to daily
YYZ-DEL from 4 weekly to 6 weekly

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-09nov16/

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-09nov16/

I thought DEL was already daily?

There is also the reduction of YYZ-LGW from 7 to 4 weekly. I'm actually surprised at that.

That is to allow Rouge to operate YVR-LGW 3x weekly.

Sure, but I'm surprised they did that.

I'm not surprised ...there are tons of flights to London from YYZ ...

YUL-PVG is also showing B787-9 for the inaugural. The 787-8 resumes after that.

So AC's 8 B788's will be flying the following international routes as of Feb.

YUL-PVG
YYZ-ICN (4 weekly)
YYZ-LHR (2x daily)
YYZ-TLV (6 weekly)
YYZ-GRU
YYC-LHR

7 routes for 8 frames. 3 routes requiring more than a single frame to operate daily. Overall, pretty good utilization.

KLM replacing A333 to A332 for YUL? ...I read somewhere that they will be using 777s for some North American cities ...this true ??

We need a new pier.

It's daily in peak winter season, as of Dec, not summer.

Thanks

It will be a new high density config A332.

Oh. Ok good to know

At least with respect to the lack of a MLL in the new International Terminal, there was some talk about this on the Calgary forums that seemed to suggest that YYC has been hostile to AC with respect to things like lounges, as opposed to AC just ignoring Calgary. I'd agree there's a power gap between YUL/YVR/YYZ and YYC, but for some things there's politics at play too.

It's an expensive exercise to have a lounge for only three flights a day. And without other Star Alliance flights it really doesn't make sense.
AC will be better off upgrading their YYZ, YUL and YVR facilities first.

Better option is do what was done in Quebec city with some tie-in with the airport authority where it is a Maple Leaf Lounge/AMEX Lounge/WestJet Lounge.