They use random sampling as a way of estimating the percentage of international travellers coming in with COVID as well as identifying variant and what part of the world to focus tighter controls on.

It is a useful statistical analysis tool.

They’re not ever going to restrict travellers by origin again. It’s a pointless exercise.

I am not certain that is true. They will respond to what the data is showing.

Air Canada to add 3x weekly service from Vancouver to Miami starting mid December.

I think 4x weekly AC express on YUL-MSY is also a new add?

Until they realize its no longer helping their polling numbers.

WS filed some winter changes in the OAG yesterday.

YYC-LHR Extended through winter, goes daily Oct. 29
YYZ-ORD removed after Oct. 17
YYZ-BOS removed after Oct. 30
YVR-LGW season has been shorted, now ends Oct. 2. (Guess this means it ain't going year-round this year).

YYZ-LGW still appears to be scheduled for now, despite bookings being limited to just J/W/Y class.

I wonder if we'll see more changes next week, or if they even do some sort of a press release for their winter schedule like they did pre pandemic.

Weird that AC didn't do a press release for the new winter additions. Usually they do a presser for new route annoucements, maybe they will do it Monday? Other than YVR-MIA and YUL-MSY, any other adds that people have spotted? AC will be going up against TS on the MSY route, but but since they are only 2x weekly and AC is 3x weekly, I'm sure the capacity will be easily absorbed. AC will be unopposed on the MIA route, and think it will be successful, glad to see a new route like this getting launched.

They're probably still working on updating the schedule, so they'll make big announcements or several ones once all the changes are finalized. This will likely include route resumption.

The ones I've spotted (not sure if any of them was already announced, but some are already posted here):
YVR-MIA
YUL-MSY
YUL-ANU
YEG-CUN
YQB-CCC
YQB-VRA

But yeah, for most of the sun destinations outside of YVR, I have no idea if they are new or not, or they are just resumption, or just switching between Rouge and mainline, or even just changing flight numbers for no reason...

Companies providing the test will get the $$$$$ that's why.

Or until they realize this hurts tourism big time. People have a lot of options to go where they won't be subject to COVID restrictions still. Even one of the strictest countries, Australia, recently dropped the vaccine mandate so you don't need to show anything to enter the country.

Considering most of those are reductions, no reason to do a press release.

Airlines don't usually advertise reductions.

YUL-MSY, YQB-CCC/VRA are all new on AC. YUL-ANU is a resumption.

Can't speak for YEG-CUN (although aeroroutes mentions YEG-CUN is a resumption) or YVR-MIA. Didn't AC try YVR-MIA or FLL in the past? I guess an eventual press release will make it clear.

Fair, but changes like year round LHR and maybe more could still have an announcement. I'm a little surprised MSY hasn't been done out of YUL on AC.

Well, for "resumption" I meant the route flew in W19 until the pandemic. Anything before that, AC will likely announce it as a new route.

I remember CP flew YVR-MIA? As for AC... probably not within the past 10 years I think.

They typically did the press releases for the winter schedule in late July/early August, so were still probably a few weeks out.

So far they've removed:
YYC-LIH
YYZ-MIA/ORD/BOS

Added:
YYC-LHR

Everything else still remains the W19 pre-pandemic schedule (plus YYC-KOA/SEA/SFO/SNA).

What is going to more interesting is the press release for Swoop and Sunwings.

If I am reading their CEO announcement from a few days ago the growth will be
Coming from those two divisions. The WestJet mainline refocused on routes where they can take advantage of WestJets more Premium offering.

Why? because of the french connection? It's irrelevant really. Or at least, it doesn't necessarily translate into bums in seats between the two cities.

YUL-MSY O&D was around 23,000 in 2018. That's pretty low, considering its the same O&D on YVR-MSY. YYZ's numbers to MSY are 3 times higher, no doubt stimulated by the AC's non stop on the route since 2010.

MSY is the kind of destination that is well suited to a tour operator that wants to market it. A Sunwing or Airtransat. Some cruse ship traffic as well.

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2...ons-as-airline
Ironically they did put out a press release yesterday highlighting domestic reductions.

It also mentions the winter schedule will be announced in August.

Sorry, not because of the French connection. The amount of connections out of YUL could probably fill up a flight to MSY, especially if timed for European connections.