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

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

I wonder how many people on a given AC888/889 are doing YOW-BOM with the LHR stop this winter. Certainly well-timed for the connection, I think last year the YYC-LHR flight continued as the fifth-freedom flight, but all three markets should be well-timed to connect to it regardless.

It did indeed but continued on to DEL instead of BOM.

Today's departure count: 87

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 15

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

It did indeed but continued on to DEL instead of BOM.

Today's departure count: 87

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 15

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

Inaugural YOW-GCM flight today with Porter - all five international sun routes are now online. MIA and PHX still to come in the new year.

[Rhb]

Ottawa airport Authority passenger numbers are out for November 2025.

First month this year (November) which has a smaller passenger volume then same month in 2024.

https://www.yow.ca/business/passenger-volume

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Rhb

Ottawa airport Authority passenger numbers are out for November 2025.

First month this year (November) which has a smaller passenger volume then same month in 2024.

https://www.yow.ca/business/passenger-volume

International being up is a small miracle. AF was pretty much flat year-over-year, and I'm pretty sure the TS and Sunwing services were also pretty much flat as well, and AC not doing any international sun flying in the month. I guess that the 3x weekly LHR was enough to outweigh that drop.

[Dominion301]

November traffic was in line with the given the domestic (mostly WS with YEG cut to the bone, YYC losing a frequency and YWG gone - it had a brief 2 week hiatus last year as I recall) and transborder avoidance. I agree about international. Never would’ve thought it could be positive.

December should be slightly net positive with international capacity increases (LHR more than makes up for the first week of the month without AC sun + the all 7M8 vs 319 difference) and domestic being closer to flat with AC bringing YQM & YFC online.

Today's departure count: 81 - above 80 on Saturday, even with cancellations

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 16 - a record if no cancellations

Today's cancellation count (so far): 4, including WS to YYZ

[RomanR27]

With PD coming up to a full schedule, and AC having way more capacity compared to last year (both sun and LHR), the January-March international numbers should be way up year-over-year. Not unexpected, but the November numbers kill any remnants of a chance that we'd scrape 5M pax in 2025. 2026 should be the year we get back there.

Also noticed that while the eastbound flights for AC888 are the same as last year, the westbound timings for AC889 have changed slightly.

AC889 LHR 0930 1225 YOW 333 days 14
AC889 LHR 1410 1705 LHR YOW days 36

AC888 YOW 1855 0630 +1 LHR days 14
AC888 LHR 2100 0835+1 LHR days 36

Believe the Monday/Thursday flights arrived around 1630 last year and the Wednesday/Saturday flights at around 1500.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

With PD coming up to a full schedule, and AC having way more capacity compared to last year (both sun and LHR), the January-March international numbers should be way up year-over-year. Not unexpected, but the November numbers kill any remnants of a chance that we'd scrape 5M pax in 2025. 2026 should be the year we get back there.

Also noticed that while the eastbound flights for AC888 are the same as last year, the westbound timings for AC889 have changed slightly.

AC889 LHR 0930 1225 YOW 333 days 14
AC889 LHR 1410 1705 LHR YOW days 36

AC888 YOW 1855 0630 +1 LHR days 14
AC888 LHR 2100 0835+1 LHR days 36

Believe the Monday/Thursday flights arrived around 1630 last year and the Wednesday/Saturday flights at around 1500.

I still think there’s a good chance AC ups LHR for the summer back up to daily. With the slot they’re taking back that’s yet to be assigned, YYC’s current slot would work at YOW with a departure time aligned with what AC 888 was pre-pandemic at around 2200. That’d give the four current YOW slots back to YYZ/YUL. We shall see though. Either way, Q1 will definitely set international records and the only question will be is by how much will international surpass 500,000 by for the first time. I imagine YHZ will surpass 600,000.

[Dominion301]

Today's departure count: 80

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 11

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Today's departure count: 80

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 11

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

Today's AC889 was 15/20 in J and 20/21 in PY. AC888 tonight is full in PY and 19/20 in J.

Also noticed that PD is running a second YYC flight on Saturdays through January 3, with the first extra flight running last night. 2020 departure (not too long after the normal 1855 flight) and the return is a red-eye. I guess they're taking advantage of AC dropping the route over the holidays and WS only having an 0600 departure on Saturday for the winter.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

Today's AC889 was 15/20 in J and 20/21 in PY. AC888 tonight is full in PY and 19/20 in J.

Also noticed that PD is running a second YYC flight on Saturdays through January 3, with the first extra flight running last night. 2020 departure (not too long after the normal 1855 flight) and the return is a red-eye. I guess they're taking advantage of AC dropping the route over the holidays and WS only having an 0600 departure on Saturday for the winter.

So that, along with the sun flights contributed to the uncommon result this weekend of Saturday having more scheduled departures than Sunday.

[Dominion301]

Today's departure count: 84

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 10

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by Rhb

Ottawa airport Authority passenger numbers are out for November 2025.

First month this year (November) which has a smaller passenger volume then same month in 2024.

https://www.yow.ca/business/passenger-volume

In the span of one month, the YTD transborder gains that were hanging on got wiped out.

Sector / Nov-24 / Nov-25 / % Change
Dom: 284,938 / 275,699 / -3.2%
TB: 69,710 / 51,997 / -25.4%
Int'l: 27,705 / 31,176 / +12.5%
TTL: 382,353 / 358,872 / -6.1%

Sector / YTD 2024 / YTD 2025 / % Change
Dom: 3,141,910 / 3,363,629 / +7.1%
TB: 659,783 / 660,748 / +0.1%
Int'l: 375,855 / 416,446 / +10.8%
TTL: 4,177,548 / 4,440,823 / +6.3%

November % of traffic recovered vs 2019 / YTD vs 2019
Sector / November / YTD % recovered
Dom: 88.8% / 91.4%
TB: 109.4% / 105.3%
Int'l: 138.1% / 109.8%
TTL: 94.3% / 94.7%

12 Months Rolling / % Change vs Year End 2023
Dom: 3,653,219 / +14.1%
TB: 742,414 / +28.9%
Int'l: 474,466 / +49.7%
TTL: 4,870,099 / +18.9%

Will be interesting to see if December will be net positive, whether transborder can breakeven and whether international will finish the year about 480,000...whatever the final number will be, that one will be a record.

[RomanR27]

I don't see how TB will be positive in December - AC is down YoY, PD is at best flat (earlier double dailies on FLL/MCO, but no LAS makes me think they're negative). International being up might be enough to cover domestic and TB lags though.

For that matter, even with PD's aggregate 6x weekly on MIA/PHX coming online in the new year, I still doubt we see a positive TB month until next summer at the earliest (and really, it may not be until next November assuming MIA/PHX stick around and start earlier next season).

[RomanR27]

77W on AF today, looks like another last minute sub.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

77W on AF today, looks like another last minute sub.

Definitely a last minute sub as when I checked a couple of days ago for the 3 week nonstop period, it was showing all 772s.

Today's departure count: 83

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 13

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

[Dominion301]

Today's departure count: 72 - a lot of things don't operate today, especially past noon (e.g., no DCA today)

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 10

Today's cancellation count (so far): 2 - both are AC to YHZ

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Today's departure count: 72 - a lot of things don't operate today, especially past noon (e.g., no DCA today)

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 10

Today's cancellation count (so far): 2 - both are AC to YHZ

DCA looks to be suspended until Jan 5 - joining YQB, YYC and YTZ as routes AC has fully suspended over the holidays.

LHR in both directions is full in economy. AC889 was 8/19 in J and 6/21 PY. AC888 is 14/20 J and 17/21 PY tonight.

On a separate note, my partner was on the 0645 PD YYZ flight yesterday and estimated about 50 pax.

PD is taking delivery of their 49th and 50th E2s today (both going to YYZ).

[Dominion301]

Today's departure count: 72

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 12

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

Merry Christmas!

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Today's departure count: 72

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 12

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Two very different stories on LHR tomorrow - AC889 is only 1/20 in J and 5/21 in PY. AC888 is full in J and 19/21 PY.

[RomanR27]

Another 77W sub on AF today.