Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW/CYOW) 1.0

[pattherat]

Originally Posted by MountainView

Great photos! I especially like the second one (touchdown).
Thanks for sharing!

Yes, thanks so much for these! Added them to our vacation pics, never thought we’d get outside the plane action shots of our flight!

[Tesladom]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

YOW-YYZ still showing as resuming late October 1x daily (service ends for the summer 27APR24).

I just came back from a trip on Westjet through YYZ, the wait for that 11:15PM return flight was torture.

I know they don't care much for Ottawa but they need to fill those connections out of YYZ
Currently on departure is 6AM with an 11:15 return departure.

Just an idea, but I think they could introduce a second flight departing Halifax 7AM-ish local time, with a stop in Ottawa 8AM onward to Toronto - Return leaving 7PM from Toronto to Ottawa and 8:30 to Halifax

[rocketphish]

Westjet increases service on Ottawa-Winnipeg route, adding to growing activity at YOW

OBJ staff
April 9, 2024 3:55 PM ET

WestJet will fly daily from the Ottawa International Airport (YOW) to Winnipeg starting June 3, 2024, the company announced yesterday.

“We are pleased with WestJet’s expansion of capacity between YOW and Western Canada as it opens up exciting opportunities for travellers to and from Canada’s capital region,” said Joel Tkach, vice-president of business development and marketing with the Ottawa International Airport Authority.

Service between Ottawa and Winnipeg currently operates three times weekly. The service will increase to six times weekly on April 29, before increasing to daily service on June 3.

Westjet also announced yesterday new year-round daily service from Winnipeg to Montreal.

“We know how critical Ottawa and Montreal are for Winnipeg’s business community and we are thrilled to continue supporting Winnipeg’s economic growth through strategic air service,” said Mike Scott, WestJet group executive vice-president and chief financial officer.

The news is the latest in a string of announcements involving the Ottawa airport that suggests YOW is gradually returning to pre-pandemic activity levels.

Last month, Air France announced it is expanding its direct service from Ottawa to Paris to seven days a week beginning in June and upgrading the route to a larger aircraft due to “escalating demand” for the flights.

The airline will launch daily non-stop service between YOW and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on June 10, airport spokesperson Krista Kealey told OBJ in an email. Air France currently operates direct flights between Ottawa and Paris five days a week.

Earlier this year, United Airlines announced it would increase the number of flights between YOW and Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport from two trips to three each day starting this spring.

Kealey told OBJ in early February that United, the only U.S.-based carrier that currently operates direct flights to Ottawa, is “doing well with service to Washington-Dulles, Newark, and Chicago-O’Hare.”

She said traffic at Ottawa’s airport was at 80 per cent of pre-COVID levels as of February and was on track to reach 2019’s total of 5.1 million passengers by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Toronto-based Porter Airlines also continues to add to its Ottawa service, announcing most recently it plans to launch daily flights between YOW and St. John’s, N.L., in June.

https://obj.ca/westjet-increases-service-ottawa-winnipeg-route-yow/

[YOWflier]

Likely have another flight on AF within a few weeks and for what it’s worth, I was looking at the seat map for my dates and the A359 in use is a premium heavy version @ 48J, 32PY … it’s not a seat config shown on their site.

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by YOWflier

Likely have another flight on AF within a few weeks and for what it’s worth, I was looking at the seat map for my dates and the A359 in use is a premium heavy version @ 42J, 32PY … it’s not a seat config shown on their site.

Possible it's 48J seats and 32PY? I see that config on their Wiki page and also Aerolopa.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_fleet#Current_fleet
https://www.aerolopa.com/af-359-2

It would be the 292 seat version listed on their website but it looks like both versions link to the same seat map image (the econ-heavy version): https://wwws.airfrance.ca/en/information/prepare/nos-avions/a350

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by YOWflier

Likely have another flight on AF within a few weeks and for what it’s worth, I was looking at the seat map for my dates and the A359 in use is a premium heavy version @ 42J, 32PY … it’s not a seat config shown on their site.

The J cabin was fairly empty when I went in the slow January season but anecdotally I hear more and more even frequent business travelers to Africa, ME and and even sub continent choosing AF. Frequent economy folks even to
Paris are too addicted to their status and lounge access. AF could match status and steal more away.

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

Possible it's 48J seats and 32PY? I see that config on their Wiki page and also Aerolopa.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_fleet#Current_fleet
https://www.aerolopa.com/af-359-2

It would be the 292 seat version listed on their website but it looks like both versions link to the same seat map image (the econ-heavy version): https://wwws.airfrance.ca/en/information/prepare/nos-avions/a350

Yes, sorry it's 48J (typo). I didn't check anywhere but AF site for the map but that aerolopa link shows it.

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

The J cabin was fairly empty when I went in the slow January season but anecdotally I hear more and more even frequent business travelers to Africa, ME and and even sub continent choosing AF. Frequent economy folks even to
Paris are too addicted to their status and lounge access. AF could match status and steal more away.

I'm in that group. Star Gold (UA) and haven't taken a single TATL on Star since AF arrived on scene. And based on my anecdotal observations, plenty of AC Elite bag tags visible on my flights. So far, my flights have been packed across all cabins.

UA still carries me to the States (where Porter doesn't), but DL coming back could change that. Also depends on what Porter does of course.

[Dominion301]

Today’s departure count: 75, including 7 sun flights

Today’s cancellation count (so far): 0

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by YOWflier

Yes, sorry it's 48J (typo). I didn't check anywhere but AF site for the map but that aerolopa link shows it.

Cool info!
The 48-32-212 version uses AF's "opera" business class seats, whereas the 34-24-266 version uses the "optima" style with some seats being a true window seat.

The Opera is very AC signature class style, whereas Optima is like UA's Polaris for those of us who have experience with any.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by MountainView

Cool info!
The 48-32-212 version uses AF's "opera" business class seats, whereas the 34-24-266 version uses the "optima" style with some seats being a true window seat.

The Opera is very AC signature class style, whereas Optima is like UA's Polaris for those of us who have experience with any.

Not sure I understand the difference. Both Polaris and AC Signature seem similar to me angled pods a bit narrower but fully lie flat.

[YOWhopeful]

Originally Posted by YOWflier

I'm in that group. Star Gold (UA) and haven't taken a single TATL on Star since AF arrived on scene. And based on my anecdotal observations, plenty of AC Elite bag tags visible on my flights. So far, my flights have been packed across all cabins.

UA still carries me to the States (where Porter doesn't), but DL coming back could change that. Also depends on what Porter does of course.

I too have completely embraced AF. I will be going on my sixth TATL with them since they started service at YOW and thoroughly enjoying it. I was a Flying Blue member well before they arrived in Ottawa and used to take Delta to the US. Any hints as to whether Delta will be back at YOW in the near future? I am flying to the US in the fall and would wait to book if I know they are returning soon

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Not sure I understand the difference. Both Polaris and AC Signature seem similar to me angled pods a bit narrower but fully lie flat.

It would have been better to describe with an image. Sorry about that. (I understand this is not directly YOW related, but: )

You're right, there really isn't a difference in seat functionality. But privacy and window access does have a slight difference.

Air France Optima (which is similar to United's Polaris) - note some 'true' window seats:



Air France Opera (which is similar to AC Signature) - which is all herringbone. This is the layout used on the AF A359 that services YOW according to other users.

[RomanR27]

My guess is the Optima seats will be most common. When I had selected random dates in the past (and did one for July today), I've always seen the 34J layout in dummy bookings. It's also the layout used on the first three flights so far.

[MountainView]

The French Prime Minister is arriving YOW around 17:30 this evening on likely the A330. There may also be a support plane with it.

[YOWflier]

There’s also a Hi Fly A343 inbound from Rome late tonight around 2230.

[RomanR27]

Air Canada 787-9 on YOW-YVR today. 13/21 booked in PY, 25/30 in J on YVR-YOW, and 21/21 in PY, 25/30 in J on YOW-YVR.

Depending when that HiFly A340 and French PM A330 are leaving, could have *at least* four widebodies on the ground at once - there may even be some CC-130s on the ground too.

Also today's AF A350 is in the premium heavy config.

[YOWflier]

As of 1215 there’s an Italy A332, Italy Dassault Falcon 900 (?), CanForce A332, and HiFly A343 on the aux. ramp. Pretty cool.

[RomanR27]

The YOW-YVR flight was cancelled and there is a ferry flight scheduled to YYZ. I guess maintenance issue or they need the frame for a TATL flight out of YYZ.

[Dominion301]

Today’s departure count: 77, including 8 sun flights

Today’s cancellation count (so far): 2