Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW/CYOW)

[solo748]

Originally Posted by fanofYOW

According to the interview, apparently YOW is doing very well for PD. The 50% may be a once in a while thing. Also Anecdotally, I know a flight attendant who is based in YOW who does domestic, TB, and International flights and apparently according to them, the flights are either full or close to full. Their manifest constantly show many connecting pax, not just O&D. One thing to note, apparently LIR is doing exceptionally well, again anecdotal.

https://openjaw.com/videos/tv-room/the-d...evin-jackson-on-porters-summer-schedule/

Great interview
No reason not to trust the man, but seat-mile cost of 195s on 6 hour missions are not for the faint of heart.
No idea how the math maths at PD, but really hope they can stay above water

Side note - anyone know if PD certified theirs for ETOPS120? Would the yield vs cost not be superior to places like AUA vs PVR from Ottawa? Just a thought

[Richard Eade]

I do find it a bit strange that Porter is so keen to keep adding flights to places that already have flights and competition. The experience of adding Costa Rica sounds as if it should have convinced them that people are interested in trying new places. How about Barbados, Aruba, and other islands that Ottawans can currently only get to by going to Montreal or Toronto?

[fanofYOW]

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

I do find it a bit strange that Porter is so keen to keep adding flights to places that already have flights and competition. The experience of adding Costa Rica sounds as if it should have convinced them that people are interested in trying new places. How about Barbados, Aruba, and other islands that Ottawans can currently only get to by going to Montreal or Toronto?

I would bet anything that YOW would have seen the launch of SFO and LAX by now if it weren't for politics. LAS puzzles me. Why completely pull it when it would have gone year-round? It was 4x weekly last winter if I remember correctly. Why not 3x season instead of just pulling it? I hope that one comes back.

[solo748]

Originally Posted by fanofYOW

I would bet anything that YOW would have seen the launch of SFO and LAX by now if it weren't for politics. LAS puzzles me. Why completely pull it when it would have gone year-round? It was 4x weekly last winter if I remember correctly. Why not 3x season instead of just pulling it? I hope that one comes back.

PHX has always commanded a healthy fare premium over LAS. Couple that with AA connectivity exPHX makes it far more viable than LAS. Obviously LAS has more O/D but you can get to LAS via YYZ already, PD/AA can take you to lots of spots that used to be harder to get to.
Same can be said for AA in MIA to South america

YOWPHX has feed on both ends

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

Looks like the rest of the WestJet summer schedule has been loaded for peak summer. YOW-YVR, which just ran between the end of June and Labour Day, has been dropped. YOW-YEG seems to still be down to 1x daily in the peak summer. YWG will be daily over the summer peak. YOW-YYC seems to be up to 5x daily over the peak summer (4x on weekends).

So since this post, we have PD adding YQG and YSB, and now we have -1 YVR but +2 YYC, so the benchmark for summer is 96.

YYC will have up to 8 flights per day, whereas YVR will have between 5-6 flights at the summer peak. Capacity on YVR won't actually be down that much - 4x 321 on AC is still almost 800 seats alone, and the 2x 7M8 and 1x 789 last summer is just under 650, not including the three days a week when the 321 is upgraded to a 789. That should offset the loss of the WS flight.

So for WS, the YEG reduction and the YYZ gain pretty much offset each other as do the YYC gain and strange YVR cut. YYC will have an unheard of amount of capacity on it this summer.

Today’s departure count: 80

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 13

Today's cancellation count (so far): 3

AF left late tonight and used gate 17A instead of B. AC 345 on 28 and AC 888 on 15.

[Zmonkey]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

So for WS, the YEG reduction and the YYZ gain pretty much offset each other as do the YYC gain and strange YVR cut. YYC will have an unheard of amount of capacity on it this summer.

Today’s departure count: 80

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 13

Today's cancellation count (so far): 3

AF left late tonight and used gate 17A instead of B. AC 345 on 28 and AC 888 on 15.

WestJet is cutting a ton of Vancouver - USA flights this summer, so they may have been connection heavy and that won't be happening in 2026.

[Calfan12]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

Looks like the rest of the WestJet summer schedule has been loaded for peak summer. YOW-YVR, which just ran between the end of June and Labour Day, has been dropped. YOW-YEG seems to still be down to 1x daily in the peak summer. YWG will be daily over the summer peak. YOW-YYC seems to be up to 5x daily over the peak summer (4x on weekends).

So since this post, we have PD adding YQG and YSB, and now we have -1 YVR but +2 YYC, so the benchmark for summer is 96.

YYC will have up to 8 flights per day, whereas YVR will have between 5-6 flights at the summer peak. Capacity on YVR won't actually be down that much - 4x 321 on AC is still almost 800 seats alone, and the 2x 7M8 and 1x 789 last summer is just under 650, not including the three days a week when the 321 is upgraded to a 789. That should offset the loss of the WS flight.

Yes. With the (WS) WestJet flight ✈️ cuts at Vancouver YVR, Edmonton YEG & Winnipeg YWG- (basically freed up a few WS Boeing 737 aircraft) to be used on routes out of its Calgary YYC Fortress Hub✅!

Like : WS cutting YEG/ YVR -Montreal YUL in (S26) helped YYC gain 3x daily flights✈️ to YUL, as previous Summer seasons YYC - YUL - YYC on WS was mainly 2x daily✅.

With WS cutting YVR - YOW / also reducing YEG - YOW from 13x weekly to 7, basically helped WS up its YYC - YOW - YYC flights from 3 to 5x daily in summer 2026✅.

[MountainView]

re: WestJet

They are clearly consolidating more of their flights via YYC (as they should). Last summer's YVR flight had timings for connections but was pretty bad if you were O&D to YVR, especially as a vistor/tourist (land at ~ 8 am). The YEG flights also offered connections that can be offered at YYC. It was odd that WS flew 13x weekly on YEG-YOW...it was almost aimed directly at PD.

Honestly the 5x daily to YYC on WS is pretty great. Easily can make a connection in 50 minutes there and O&D is strong.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by Zmonkey

WestJet is cutting a ton of Vancouver - USA flights this summer, so they may have been connection heavy and that won't be happening in 2026.

True, plus with PD now offering nonstop to YYJ & YLW, it would eliminate a lot of connections to the 2nd and 3rd largest BC O&D markets. Having said that, not thinking you’re able to sustain a daily flight to YVR largely on O&D is pretty weak out of their 3rd largest station (mind you PD also cutting back is pretty surprising vs AC, who obviously dominate the route). It’ll probably be a case of the pendulum now swinging too far back in the opposite direction like what happened with YHZ 3 summers ago when the summer prior had an excessive amount of capacity only to swing to the opposite extreme in the ensuing winter, albeit to a lesser extent.

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

I do find it a bit strange that Porter is so keen to keep adding flights to places that already have flights and competition. The experience of adding Costa Rica sounds as if it should have convinced them that people are interested in trying new places. How about Barbados, Aruba, and other islands that Ottawans can currently only get to by going to Montreal or Toronto?

Give it time. The fact PD started at nine weekly to five destinations during the initial announcement and built to over 20 weekly before the inaugural flight shows they were responding to untapped demand. Don’t forget, it’s the same number of sun routes as they added at YYZ.

[RomanR27]

I do wonder if PD will add the second YVR flight to be daily in the summer peak at least now with WS out of the picture. Given that on Google Flights, often WS' UltraBasic fare is the cheapest one, I'm sure AC and PD will be happy they won't be competing with that product for their basic fares on that route.

And I also disagree with the notion that PD is adding flights to places with competition. In the past year, they've added YYJ, CUN, PVR, NAS, GCM, LIR, MIA and PHX, with YSB, YQG and YLW still to come. The only one with heavy competition is CUN, and at 6x weekly still seems to be a success for PD, and they'll be the sole carrier to CUN this summer. PVR only has a 1x weekly WS charter as competition, and they're 6x weekly so they seem to be winning that battle comfortably. NAS is probably the only one whose success is up in the air, as they removed the second weekly flight. Though AC is ending it a couple weeks early in mid-March, and PD is still keeping it to the end of April. The rest Porter has a monopoly on from YOW.

On a separate note, AC889 was full in both premium cabins. AC888 was 13/20 J and 17/21 PY.

[JonToms]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

True, plus with PD now offering nonstop to YYJ & YLW, it would eliminate a lot of connections to the 2nd and 3rd largest BC O&D markets. Having said that, not thinking you’re able to sustain a daily flight to YVR largely on O&D is pretty weak out of their 3rd largest station (mind you PD also cutting back is pretty surprising vs AC, who obviously dominate the route). It’ll probably be a case of the pendulum now swinging too far back in the opposite direction like what happened with YHZ 3 summers ago when the summer prior had an excessive amount of capacity only to swing to the opposite extreme in the ensuing winter, albeit to a lesser extent.

Dominion301, what are your thoughts on why YHZ does not have a winter AC connection to YVR any more. AC did offer a winter flight three years ago when they had the 3x daily flights in the summer. I know YHZ has a much more seasonal demand and thus their route network varies wildly but it just seems odd that they couldn’t sustain a winter connection to their third largest hub.

Or why PD don’t offer a non-stop YHZ - YVR for that matter. I am not sure whether the Embraer 195E2 has the range.

[Dominion301]

[QUOTE=JonToms;10551331]

Dominion301, what are your thoughts on why YHZ does not have a winter AC connection to YVR any more. AC did offer a winter flight three years ago when they had the 3x daily flights in the summer. I know YHZ has a much more seasonal demand and thus their route network varies wildly but it just seems odd that they couldn’t sustain a winter connection to their third largest hub.

Or why PD don’t offer a non-stop YHZ - YVR for that matter. I am not sure whether the Embraer 195E2 has the range.

Yeah I don't think the E2 would have the range, especially in winter when early build 321s occasionally need a tech stop to YVR out of much closer YUL & YOW.

YHZ's demand is incredibly seasonal in nature. YHZ in August literally handles more than double the pax of what the airport handles in December. So compare a 100% difference to the likes of a less than 30% seasonal swing at YOW between the quietest and busiest months of the year and you can see why for such a long route as YHZ-YVR, it only makes sense to run it summer seasonally.

[mxg308]

Originally Posted by solo748

Haven't been here in a while, good to see everyone still at it

Been travelling a lot and, anecdotally, really unsure how well PD are doing. Between the load factors on the flights I've been on or the close-in pricing it's not a good picture for PD, I fear.

It's a dream to have n/s, scheduled access to markets like PHX, MIA and all the Sun markets

Was on PVRYOW last week and every flight in airport seemed booked to brim. We were maybe 50%, and they gave a comp UG to reserve for my family and I, and still it wasn't full

YOWPVR was maybe 80%

You get the service you deserve. Ottawa has proven itself to be weak time and time again. Will be a shame to lose PD, if it ends that way

I think we will also see better loads going forward with PD finally getting access/tie in with Air Transat packages. I found it strange that Porter didn't offer any vacation packages to these sun destinations. Most people going to Mexico and the Carribean are going on packages and not doing seperate hotel/flight bookings.

[RomanR27]

Tomorrow's YOW-VRA flight has been cancelled and replaced with a ferry flight number. So will fly empty southbound and bring existing passengers back up north.

I wonder if they'll be redeploying capacity for the rest of winter. WS flies to VRA 4x weekly, CCC 2x weekly (the Thursday flight replaced an MBJ flight), and SNU and HOG 1x weekly each from YOW.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

Tomorrow's YOW-VRA flight has been cancelled and replaced with a ferry flight number. So will fly empty southbound and bring existing passengers back up north.

I wonder if they'll be redeploying capacity for the rest of winter. WS flies to VRA 4x weekly, CCC 2x weekly (the Thursday flight replaced an MBJ flight), and SNU and HOG 1x weekly each from YOW.

Air Canada, WestJet winding down flights to Cuba as Havana airport warns it will run out of jet fuel
Cuba historically relies on Venezuela for jet fuel supply

Natalie Stechyson · CBC News
Posted: Feb 09, 2026 11:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 28 minutes ago

Air Canada and WestJet both said they would suspend service to Cuba effective Monday as the Caribbean island's major airport warns it will run out of jet fuel.

Over the following days, Air Canada will fly empty planes to pick up approximately 3,000 customers already in Cuba and return them home, the airline said Monday in a statement.

"Air Canada took the decision following advisories issued by governments (NOTAMs) regarding the unreliability of the aviation fuel supply at Cuban airports," the statement reads.

"For remaining flights, Air Canada will tanker in extra fuel and make a technical stops as necessary to refuel on the return journey if necessary."

Air Canada announced that seasonal flights to Holguín and Santa Clara are cancelled for the rest of the season, and that flights to Varadero and Cayo Coco are schedule to operate year-round but are currently suspended "with a tentative restart, pending review, on May 1."

In an email to CBC News, WestJet said it would wind down winter operations to Cuba as of Feb. 9, with plans to resume service to the island April 26.

In an official notice called a NOTAM posted to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website Sunday, Havana's José Martí International Airport warns "Jet A1 fuel not available" as of Tuesday, with the warning running until March 11.

<more>

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/travel-to-cuba-fuel-shortage-9.7080648

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

Tomorrow's YOW-VRA flight has been cancelled and replaced with a ferry flight number. So will fly empty southbound and bring existing passengers back up north.

I wonder if they'll be redeploying capacity for the rest of winter. WS flies to VRA 4x weekly, CCC 2x weekly (the Thursday flight replaced an MBJ flight), and SNU and HOG 1x weekly each from YOW.

Safe to say last Saturday's record 19 sun flight departures likely won't be matched again this year...unless day 6 had zero Cuba departures scheduled (can't remember).

Today’s departure count: 73

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 11

Today's cancellation count (so far): 4 - 2 of which are to Cuba

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Safe to say last Saturday's record 19 sun flight departures likely won't be matched again this year...unless day 6 had zero Cuba departures scheduled (can't remember).

Today’s departure count: 73

Sun flights count (both transborder & international): 11

Today's cancellation count (so far): 4 - 2 of which are to Cuba

I think both VRA and CCC run on Saturday, so you're definitely right - unless they redirect to other destinations. HOG will have its final northbound today. Not sure if they'll be consolidating northbounds and/or cutting existing visits short, but the final Cuba flight would likely be from VRA on Sunday - it has ops days 2467.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

I think both VRA and CCC run on Saturday, so you're definitely right - unless they redirect to other destinations. HOG will have its final northbound today. Not sure if they'll be consolidating northbounds and/or cutting existing visits short, but the final Cuba flight would likely be from VRA on Sunday - it has ops days 2467.

Between VRA, CCC, HOG & SNU, there was what 9 weekly Cuba flights this winter?

For February, at an average 86% load that'll affect around 6,000 pax. I imagine some of those pax will try to grab empty seats on other sun routes. Jan-Mar should still set monthly international pax records for each of their respective months, but Feb & Mar will be tempered. March could take a 10k pax hit.

Since January 2026 wasn't affected, it should break the all-time monthly international pax record of 73,607 set all the way back in 2012.

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Between VRA, CCC, HOG & SNU, there was what 9 weekly Cuba flights this winter?

For February, at an average 86% load that'll affect around 6,000 pax. I imagine some of those pax will try to grab empty seats on other sun routes. Jan-Mar should still set monthly international pax records for each of their respective months, but Feb & Mar will be tempered. March could take a 10k pax hit.

Since January 2026 wasn't affected, it should break the all-time monthly international pax record of 73,607 set all the way back in 2012.

I believe 8 weekly to Cuba - 4x VRA, 2x CCC and 1x each HOG and SNU.

[Richard Eade]

My fear is that many of those EX-Cuba tourists will grab the empty seats to Florida - unless airlines quickly advertise additional trips to other Caribbean destinations.