I noticed AC used a 320 on a Fort St John flight as well last week. I remember those routes were British Aerospace 146 on AC before they were retired (I think they came from Canadian Regional), but I am not sure about back in the PW days. It is definitely an endorsement of route demand up north

Those would have been the old AirBC (and later Jazz) 146s. They pretty much had the same seat capacity as a DH4, but with a J class cabin.

Yes that's right, AirBC. They were neat looking planes, looking at old pictures now it's hard to believe we saw those as recently as the early 2000s. But I definitely remember YXS, YXT, and others being on those planes.

For smaller jet capacity, AC used Zip for many years. But I don't think they ever did the smaller communities, they basically were deployed on WS favoured routes like YVR, YEG, YYC, YXE, YWG

Air Nova also had the 146's

I have been on the 146s on a YVR-SEA and on flights out of Saskatoon. I think the Saskatoon flights may have been to Vancouver but could have also been Calgary.

The Zip were former 737-200s that belong to Canadian Airlines. It was an experiment by Air Canada in operating a low cost airlines. The other former Canadian birds that were around for a while were the Folker F27s. Those operated all over western Canada both for Canadian and later Air Canada. It was around 9/11 that most of them were flown to Saskatoon to die. Dead and decaying Folkers sat in various areas of that airport for years.

North Cariboo air flies one. I was on one from Terrace to Edmonton. Charter for the LNG site.

I believe it was an older First Air aircraft.

I only ever flew on the 146 once YXY-YVR. It was certainly different and the flaps were very noisy.

I actually by pure chance saw the retirement arrival of the last 146 Jazz flight that landed at YHZ. It was February 2006. There was no ceremony, just a quiet taxi to the gate on a dreary winter day. Halifax didn't have much snow at the time I remember.

First Air never had their own 146. It was contracted from Summit Air, but did operate in 7F livery.

Right, I was on it twice but it did have FA livery. But the aircraft listing has Summit , North Cariboo and FA as operators. I think it may be the same aircraft for all three.

Calgary YYC Airport ✈️ August 2021 Passengers Stats are out.

Domestic : 871,072 (143.4%) - YTD 2,727,259 -15.69%
Transborder : 52,710 (479.9%) - YTD 171,039 -77.00%
International : 30,783 (554.1%) -YTD 84,365 -82.07%

August 2021 total- 954,565 (156.8%)
YTD- 2,982,663 (-32.96%)

https://www.yyc.com/Portals/0/br_paxtotal_Sep2021.pdf

It could be as both Summit and North Cariboo operate 146s. I don't think the new 5T are still using the contracted RJ85.

But hearing just how bad things are getting or will get at some airports with this proof of vaccination system. If we don't have that, we cannot fly to wherever we need to get to. Unfortunate but it needs to be done. I mean think about it. Do you really want to be sitting next to a person on a plane and then out of nowhere you could possibly end up with COVID?

It sounds like that is also the reason the US has not opened up land crossing to Canadians. They can't staff the people needed for the COVID checks at the 100 or so land crossing. We may end up with air and marine being the only way in for a while.

And yet Canada is somehow able to?

Many years? Zip only flew from 2002 to 2004.

As for the 146, the joke used to be the BAE stood for "bring another engine".

I only flew on the 146 once, Moncton-Saint John-Montreal. I liked the high wing, gave better views. Thought it was odd that it didn't have reverse thrust. Thought something was wrong when we landed in Saint John and didn't have that familiar roar.

They don't have a Mexican border. Border guards have been sent to the southern border. This is all about the Biden admin not looking like playing favorites with Canada over Mexico and the migrants. Remember that, when you hear "we're all in this together"

Your probably right in that they don’t want to play favorites. But they should, considering our vaccination rate is over double that of Mexico. (33.5% vs 71%)

That still require them to staff the northern boarder at a higher level than normal. If they have shifted resources south that will make that difficult.

But if you’re vaccinated then what do you care if the person next to you isnt? Plus youre wearing a mask.

The vaccine won't prevent you from getting COVID, especially from an unvaccinated person. The chances of a vaccinated person passing it on to another vaccinated person is way lower, but if someone is totally unvaxxed, then they can certainly pass it to someone who is fully vaxxed.

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-c...t-flights.html

I still see quite a few Air Canada planes in the old toothpaste colour scheme. I am surprised they didn't use the pandemic as a chance to repaint the remaining planes while the demand was so depressed. I know they typically paint them when they go for maintenance, but there was a long period they could have used to expedite the repainting, seems like a wasted opportunity. I hate seeing the old planes still, the rebranding was done ages ago so it looks weird.

Is Westjet planning to repaint all of it's to the new livery? Theirs don't look so bad side by side, since they are kind of in the same family of colour.

With what money?

A lot of aviation/airline companies could have done a lot of things during the pandemic, but you need cash to start/finish these projects, something none of them have.

If you’re vaccinated you shouldnt be worried about getting covid. This is what the government has been telling us all along. Go look how that worked out for NB.

CTA has given approval to flair to operate flights to Mexico.

The determination was made on September 8th
https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/ruling/a-2021-130

Looking at Flair's schedule out of YVR for the winter season, they still have a plane on the ground on Mon, Tues, Fri from approx 1pm till the end of the day. I'm sure they will announce something shortly, either somewhere in Mexico, or some other destinations.

I didn't check other cities though, probably it's similar to the YVR schedule.

But then again vaccinated people if they do end up getting infected, they show little to no symptoms of even having COVID and if you are fully vaccinated but somehow get it, you have a higher chance of recovering faster than someone who is not vaccinated

Exactly my point! If you’re vaccinated they why do you care if the person next to you anywhere is or isn’t vaccinated. You did what you felt was right for you and protected yourself. Being scared of sitting next to someone on a plane that is not vaccinated when youre double vaxxed is ridiculous

It is but then it also isn't at the same time. It is just the world we live in now.

I think Porter was the only airline with surplus money. that why their aircraft were updated.

Restrictions on International Passengers flights are lifted,but its still limited due to passengers demand is still Not Great!

It's just Entry restrictions for most countries around the World is different currently for the Coronavirus Pandemic - Example: China plans to keep its restrictions on International flights ✈️until 2022. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/china-re...2022-1.1647122

Also interested to see what WestJet (WS) does for Europe next Summer from its largest Calgary YYC Hub in Western Canada, *if*Calgary- Amsterdam doesn't return next summer?

As it would leave open a WestJet 787 aircraft available to do a New Europe destination seasonally, example: Munich Germany likely be 1 they consider starting up at some point from YYC.

I think Canada and the US need to look a similar restrictions on flights to/from China (including HK). Perhaps less due to COVID and more due to legal protections for their citizens while in China.

Looks like United Airlines ✈️ has now pushed back Calgary- Chicago flights from December 16 to January 4 2022 - *more changes could still be possible*.

While (F8) Flair Airlines Calgary - Phoenix Mesa & Las Vegas, US Winter Seasonal flights 2-3 weekly is still scheduled to start Mid December 2021 and operate to end of March 2022.

I hate to see how our airports will be come Christmas season

It will also be interesting to see what they'll do with the 4 new frames as well. I believe AMS is a slots issue.

If were basing this on the existing 6 787s, then they don't really have slack based on what's currently scheduled for a new route in S22.

They are expecting to take delivery of 4 more, so it will be interesting to see what they choose to do with them.

Yes, AMS is capped at 500,000 movements per year so Westjet can't get in. If the number of movements increases perhaps they'll try there.

I suspect more Europe flying will be the use for their 787s. Asia/Oceania operations require multiple 787s per route if they're going daily which would soak up almost all their new frames.

In the grand scheme of things, I'd imagine Westjet wants into London-Heathrow and Amsterdam airports with daily service from YYC and YYZ. Everything else is gravy in Europe. Unfortunately for Westjet, a lot of other airlines want into those airports too and British Airways and KLM are quite happy to keep their little fiefdoms to themselves.

Swoop adding YYZ-PUJ 2x weekly: https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...823323997.html

Yawn!

There is similar restriction in Canada. Currently China-Canada flights are allowed at most 6x weekly from each side (Before the restriction, China operates 12x weekly while Canada operates 2x weekly... Canada should still have 2 unused frequency, not sure if it's allocated to AC or WS). China doe not allow Canada to operate non-stop flights into Beijing (which AC wants), and thus Canada also does not allow China to operate non-stop flights to Beijing (result in cancellation of inbound non-stop flights YVR->PEK on CA and YYZ->PEK on HU).

Wonder if the "swoop" model even works. When I think of PUJ I think of bundled packages from AirTransat or Sungwing. Not clear I would buy the air and hotel separately.

Air Canada is the only Canada airlines that that has China nonstop flights✈️. The unused frenqencies are allocated for to AC.

WestJet is more focus on Mexico,Sun destinations & Europe currently for its international flights currently.

They're partnering with Sunwing I believe.
https://www.flyswoop.com/news/sunwin...rs-with-swoop/

YHM has been getting the leftovers again...

Its like we've seen this before when two other carriers moved from YHM to YYZ...

Lufthansa's Munich - Vancouver route got extended end of March 2021, 3x weekly using the A359. https://twitter.com/theaeronetwork/s...521923590?s=20

Interesting Lufthansa Vancouver- Munich Germany flights are year round from Western Canada. There must be enough passengers & cargo demand to make it work.

That’s why I would not be surprised *if* WestJet (WS) starts up Summer Seasonal Calgary- Munich Germany flights from Western Canada using its 787’s up to 2-3 weekly to compete with Lufthansa on it eventually. WestJet doesn’t have Germany flights yet, but Munich is more likely for them rather than competing with Air Canada on Calgary-Frankfurt routing.

I wonder about other airlines then like Alitalia, KLM or American Airlines

Lufthansa Group (not just LH) has seen North Atlantic ticket sales triple, now that Canada is open to fully vaccinated travellers and the US is opening up as well come November.

LH Group flights that are resuming in Canada in the next month.

-Austrian resumes YUL tomorrow. Initially 3x weekly, up to 4x weekly as of November.
-LH resumes MUC-YUL on Oct 31. 5x weekly

And now LH MUC-YVR going year round. All signs LH Group is trying to capitalize on the rebound that is happening in the TATL market. In the US, they are seeing strong demand to NY and Florida.

By comparison, Asia-Pac region for LH group (and most European or NA carriers, to be honest) is dead.

Come November, LH Group will have more flights to New York and ORD than to the entire Asia-Pac region combined.

The US I could understand, especially the southern states for the winter. Winter tourism in Canada? Aside from the mountains? I have a harder time with believing that.

It's also fun to wonder where the baseline for triple is as many airports in Canada have posted absolutely huge year-over-year gains due to having basically no passengers from the year prior.

Compete with what exactly? MUC is a Star hub, WJ has absolutely no feed on the otherside, and I'm pretty sure YYC doesn't have the market to fill a 789 on just O&D to MUC.

For Canada, the majority of the demand is probably the other way around for winter. Canada>Europe. The fact Europeans can now travel to Canada shouldn't be brushed under the table either. There was pent-up demand for sure. Either way you slice it, LH group is seeing something, considering the aforementioned routes are all starting in Oct, usually a weakish travel month.

Exactly. Unlike AMS/CDG/FCO, where WS has a codeshare or interline partner, they have none of that at MUC. So they would need to rely purely on O&D alone from western Canada to MUC to fill the flight. With LH just upping YVR to year round, it will be hard for WS to penetrate that market and gain a significant share of the pie, without onward feed.

London, England can work with O&D alone. Not sure MUC can from YYC. They'll probably have more success with a route like BCN, where leisure demand from Canada far outweighs MUC.