YYZ-PVG now also a 789, same ad YVR. Was a 777-300 previously. Smart move by AC, luckily their fleet had that flexibility.] so they can stay in a market but adjust as needed. YVR has 2 daily CA 777-300s that are codeshared by AC so they can afford to downgauge a bit and still have that *Alliance capacity.

A lot of route cut, and 1 route addition for this week's AC schedule change:


Mainline mid/long-hual equipment changes:
YYZ-SFO 789 replaces 77W (revert of last week's change)

New Rouge Route:
YYC-YXU 1x daily AC1698

Rouge Frequency Removed:
YYZ-YLW 1x daily

Express Frequency Removed:
YYZ-JAX 1x daily (route removed)
YWG-YXE 2x daily (route removed)
YWG-YQT 1x daily (route removed)
YUL-YUY 2x daily

Good news about the comp meals in economy, that was a must, as with blanket and pillow. For what it's worth I thought the IFE screen on Air Canada was fairly big, I have no problem with that... how much bigger is WestJet's?

AC Economy - 9", Westjet - 11.6"
AC Premium - 11", Westjet - 13.3"
AC Business - 18", Westjet - 18.5"

AC brags that they have the largest screen in business in north america, guess that will change.

Also I don't think AC Premium Y has self serve bar like westjet?

No one cares about colour shades or screen sizes. If Calgary-London is 1$ cheaper on AC, that's what they're flying.

I should clarify that the comp meals and seat amenities in Y are only on transatlantic flights, not domestic.

The bar itself isn’t self serve. The snacks are though.

Does this mean AC still has a 77W to deploy somewhere?

That depends - has it been fixed yet?

The one that suffered the tail strike is still out of service?

Nope, it's back in service

Then that answers my question.

WestJet bails on Terrace-Calgary connection
Cites low passenger numbers

ROD LINK Feb. 21, 2019

WestJet is cancelling its twice-weekly Terrace-Calgary direct flights, just six months after introducing the service.

“While we understand this may come as disappointing news for the community, the route was not performing to expectations and as a result the decision was made to discontinue the service,” said WestJet official Morgan Bell Feb. 20.

The service cut the travel time between the Northwest Regional Airport and Calgary to just over two hours, avoiding having to fly to Vancouver first for a connecting flight.

...

https://www.interior-news.com/news/w...ry-connection/

The news release also says:

This isn’t the first time WestJet has tried and then cancelled direct flights to and from Calgary.

It and Air Canada both offered the direct service in 2015 at the height of liquefied natural gas development speculation in the northwest but both withdrew when passenger numbers failed to live up to expectations.

WestJet’s Bell did add the airline is adding two flights to and from Vancouver this spring to bolster connections to and from that major hub.

“During peak season, WestJet will now operate 15 flights per week between Terrace and Vancouver,” she said.

Airlines are so odd in starting and ending routes like that, it shows sometimes they just have aircraft and want to use it somewhere. And then other times they start a route just because someone else is doing it. I feel like the newly announced YYC-YXU Rouge route fits into this category. They are just trying to take something from WS, but I don't think it will work, and could think of many other leisure routes that could be done other than YYC-YXU. But apparently is just to find a place for the LAS rotation, but still...

Flair suddenly cancels many US flights, screwing up people's vacation plans. It always amazes me people will roll the dice on these outfits:

Canadian carrier Flair Airlines has suddenly suspended some of its flights to destinations in Florida and California as of next week, leaving some customers in the lurch.

The Kelowna-based airline, which only recently expanded its service to include U.S. destinations, surprised many of its customers with the unexpected news this week.

Flair customers have complained that March break holiday plans have been thrown up in the air because of the sudden decision, which apparently only includes destinations in Florida and California...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/fla...ions-1.5028320

Reminds me of JetsGo around Marchbreak.....14 years ago.

The sudden arrival of two ULCC on top of established AC and WS was a recipe for issues IMO. Yes this is like Jetsgo, and Harmony, and Canjet etc. I am not sure why these startups think they can just make it work. Honestly there isn't even a year round non-stop on any carrier between YVR and YHZ, two of the major centres of this country. I know it is a long distance etc etc but still, if even that can't be done, how are all these other minor route pairings supposed to be profitable?

I wish I knew more about aircraft economics, because it stills baffles me that Air Canada would put a daily Rouge on YYC-YHZ and not even consider a non-stop between YVR and YHZ, there has to be something with that extra distance that just trashes the economics of it. You'd think AC would at least do it as a summer route, considering WS does it, and YVR is supposedly an AC hub

The Rouge A319s dont have the range to fly YVR-YHZ and the 767-300 is way too big to be deployed on that route. The 737MAX could do it so maybe when those are all delivered you might see AC try it with that aircraft.

I think it’s more the economics of the traffic available between YYC (& YEG) and YHZ. Just within my family and group of friends…..lots of ties to Alberta and I can probably say that for many others here in the Atlantic Provinces. Not so much with BC.

Before the slowdown in the oil industry.....there were even nonstop between Ft. McMurray and Newfoundland.

I think for domestic or transborder non-Rouge route, AC want to run at least a seasonal daily, or not doing it at all?

Daily 7M8 is probably too much for YVR-YHZ, especially when WS also running the route.

Of course they do. Winter headwinds on the westbound leg might be an issue, but a summer seasonal route should be doable, with little to no restrictions.

YVR-YHZ is 2398 nm.

Rouge A319s have a 2,800 nm range. Newer frames have even better range.