Quote:
Originally Posted by YOWflier
It’s not totally false in actuality, at least where Europe is concerned (speaking about transfer pax at LHR). Just check the itineraries offered by AC to continental European cities with an Ottawa departure and try to find an example where an LHR transfer is favoured. Please post here if you find it.
It’s the old story with those AC flights to LHR (and FRA when it existed): AC has little interest in feeding you onto a partner/alliance airline when they have a nonstop to that destination from a Canadian hub. Back then if you wanted the convenience of crossing from Ottawa you had to pay a handsome premium for it and it seems they’re using a similar strategy this time around. It may have worked back then (I did it all the time) because they had the TATL market to themselves in Ottawa. The difference now is that you have AF in the picture whose purpose is also to feed a global hub, in addition to a significant O&D market. The old approach won’t work with people like me anymore as we have another, better choice.
That LHR flight will live or die on O&D to London (significant) and maybe transfers to destinations where AC doesn't fly from Canada. But on those they’ll have unallied competition that they never had in the past. AC know this which is why they want the XLR on the route. It’ll live on O&D alone.
|
I agree completely. I have to fly to Vienna in April. From Ottawa through LHR on AC it costs $300 more than from YUL and $200 than more from YYZ and there isn’t the possibility to fly through LHR on the return flight, only through YUL or YYZ. Granted this is only one example but I do think AC888/889 is mostly aimed at O&D.
Will happily go to VIE with AF yet again.
Threaded Mode