Quote:
Originally Posted by Zmonkey
I don't think it gets reported enough, but Canada lost a big number of 20 something pilots who needed hours over the pandemic. Those pilots had two options, not fly while they stay in Canada, or continue to build hours and leave (most went to the USA).
Beucase of this both WestJet and Porter have Q400 parked as they don't have pilots, WestJet is back to training in a big way but it will take a couple years to build up. AC express lost many of its pilots for smaller aircraft as well and now rebuilding. Porter hasn't put the investment into Q400 pillots as they focus on their jets.
Atlantic Canada needs smaller aircraft to really grow its air travel, something that is a ways off. Until than it will be flights to the bigger hubs and cities. But even things like PEI/NB to halifax to help grow the hub will take a while to build out.
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Very interesting. I fly to YYT almost quarterly and just about all planes going there now are Dash 8/Q400s. It has been years since there was jet service between YHZ and YYT.
Anyways, the last trip with AC was before the holidays and it was serviced by... PAL??? The only thing that was AC about it was the booking and baggage tag. The plane was a branded PAL Dash 8. The in-flight experience and service was definitely a downgrade, but yet the price of the ticket was the same as if it was serviced by AC Express. It was very surreal and is definitely going to push me towards Porter for my next trip.
One positive was that I ordered a beer and the flight attendant never came back to me for my payment card. She either forgot, or AC did not setup PAL with a suitable inflight payment system. Fun tip...