YVR & Sea Island Developments Discussion II

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Alaska Airlines and Delta are offering direct flights SEA><FCO coming up. I wonder if or when YVR will add FCO to its roster. It might be a great addition. There is a large Italian population in Vancouver.

With both YYC and SEA having FCO, that hurts the chance YVR gets it rather than helping.

That being said, the 787-10s going on the ultra long hauls, potentially freeing up the 787-9s for other routes.

[nname]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Alaska Airlines and Delta are offering direct flights SEA><FCO coming up. I wonder if or when YVR will add FCO to its roster. It might be a great addition. There is a large Italian population in Vancouver.

After AZ enters the AC/LH JV next year, someone will likely launch the route since it's now a hub to hub route.

Similarly, AC and AV now enters JV. So YVR-BOG looks like a possibility now...

[ninjakafi_81]

Not necessarily related to YVR but it would be cool if something would come out of this.

Unlocking the Americas: Air Canada and Abra Group Sign Memorandum to Expand Travel and Connectivity between Canada, Latin America and Beyond

https://www.aircanada.com/media/unlockin...between-canada-latin-america-and-beyond/

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Canada and Abra Group today announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a broad, long-term strategic partnership. The agreement between Canada’s largest airline and the Latin American air transport company, whose carriers include the Avianca and GOL brands, would enable the partners to expand their global reach, providing customers and shippers greater connectivity across North, Central and South America and beyond. Any final agreement is subject to final documentation and regulatory approval.

“Air Canada and Abra Group are building the foundations for an enhanced partnership that will further unlock the Americas. With Latin America acting as a fast-growing and strategic component of Air Canada’s global presence, our customers to and from the region have long benefited from existing codeshare partnerships with Abra Group. Building from a highly complementary presence across the Americas, this Memorandum of Understanding between our world-class airlines creates a pathway to further bolster our partnership, improve the customer experience, and enhance global connectivity. We look forward to working alongside Abra Group to deliver meaningful value to our customers and partners,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, and President of Cargo at Air Canada.

Angus Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer at Abra commented: “This milestone agreement with Air Canada reinforces our ambition to redefine connectivity across the Americas and beyond. At Abra Group, we believe in building seamless, integrated networks that bring people, cultures, and economies closer together. Our complementary strengths with Air Canada expand travel options and create a more connected hemisphere, unlocking new opportunities for our customers, our partners, and the regions we serve. This is a significant step toward shaping a more accessible and dynamic aviation ecosystem.”

Mary-Jane Lorette, Vice President, Revenue Management, Partnerships and International Affairs at Air Canada, added: “The Canada–South America market is accelerating, and we are investing to capture this momentum, expanding into key markets such as Lima, Santiago and Rio de Janeiro, with further growth ahead in Quito while building on our strong foundation with Avianca through Star Alliance and our long-standing collaboration with GOL to shape connectivity across the Americas and unlock greater value for our customers.”

Partnership highlights

Under the proposed strategic partnership, which is subject to the negotiation of final documentation and regulatory approval, Air Canada and Abra would:

- Expand global reach by strengthening connectivity between Canada and key Latin America markets, with broader access to international markets;
- Deepen commercial integration through coordinated sales and distribution;
- Establish a Joint Business Agreement on select Canada-Latin America routes, to enable deeper commercial integration;
- Expand codeshare cooperation across the Americas and beyond, including for travel between Latin America and other international markets via Canadian gateways;
- Enhance the Customer Experience to provide more seamless travel, including coordinated airport services, smoother connections, aligned baggage policies, and improved disruption management;
- Strengthen frequent flyer cooperation, delivering increased earning and redemption opportunities and improved recognition across both networks;
- Explore greater cargo collaboration, including opportunities to offer more seamless and efficient solutions across key markets in the Americas in support of growing trade flows.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Alaska Airlines and Delta are offering direct flights SEA><FCO coming up. I wonder if or when YVR will add FCO to its roster. It might be a great addition. There is a large Italian population in Vancouver.

There is a large aging Italian population in Vancouver, much of which doesn't really travel to Italy. Yeah, there's some 2nd generation traffic, but SEA–FCO traffic is about younger tech workers from Italy working for Amazon, Microsoft, etc.

[LeftCoaster]

Let's be honest. SEA-FCO is about tourism.

Anything-FCO is about tourism.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by nname

After AZ enters the AC/LH JV next year, someone will likely launch the route since it's now a hub to hub route.

Similarly, AC and AV now enters JV. So YVR-BOG looks like a possibility now...

The JV is very exciting. I'd imagine it gives YVR a huge boost in the arm to get one or more SA routes since connections are that much more ingrained.

On the other hand YYC-GRU just got cut to only 2 months of ops this winter before it even launched. Not a great sign for that route's longevity.

[LeftCoaster]

Looks like Qatar is back to announcing destinations following a bit of a pause during the Iran war and their announcement isn't YVR:

https://www.qatarairways.com/press-relea...urns-to-philadelphia-with-daily-flights/

Not a great sign for us getting service any time soon.

[ninjakafi_81]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Looks like Qatar is back to announcing destinations following a bit of a pause during the Iran war and their announcement isn't YVR:

https://www.qatarairways.com/press-relea...urns-to-philadelphia-with-daily-flights/

Not a great sign for us getting service any time soon.

That's usually how it goes where other cities will get these sorts of announcements.

I personally don't know what the next big long haul route out of YVR could be as it seems like neighbouring Calgary and Seattle are getting the routes. Plus it seems like until AC has an abundance of extra planes, they don't really have any interest in expanding out of YVR.

Maybe with the new agreement with Abra group, we could see some sort of expansion to South America. If we were to get something, I feel like we could see a route to BOG.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by nname

Similarly, AC and AV now enters JV. So YVR-BOG looks like a possibility now...

There is nothing that says it's a JV. It's a strategic partnership, like AC/EK.

As far as 2 airlines cooperating, the order of things is the following:

1. interline
2. codeshare
3. alliance partnerships
3+. strategic partneships (might be with an alliance partner, or not)
4. JV

This one sits firmly in 3+ territory.

This being said, a deeper AC/AV tie-up, whatever form it takes, can only be beneficial for YVR ever getting service to South America, so in that regard, yes, it's good news.

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

but SEA–FCO traffic is about younger tech workers from Italy working for Amazon, Microsoft, etc.

as Lefty said, SEA-FCO is 90% about serving the US point of sale traffic going to Italy. What you descibe is probably the other 10%, if that.

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Looks like Qatar is back to announcing destinations following a bit of a pause during the Iran war and their announcement isn't YVR:

https://www.qatarairways.com/press-relea...urns-to-philadelphia-with-daily-flights/

Not a great sign for us getting service any time soon.

It's a resumption of service, and only because AA canceled PHL-DOH last week.

AA/QR have a strategic partnership, similar to what AC/EK have and what AC/AV want to emulate. This move was expected. This doesn't hurt or improve YVR's chances of getting QR.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Looks like Qatar is back to announcing destinations following a bit of a pause during the Iran war and their announcement isn't YVR:

https://www.qatarairways.com/press-relea...urns-to-philadelphia-with-daily-flights/

Not a great sign for us getting service any time soon.

That is no doubt true, but you're talking about QATAR AIRWAYS. What about ETIHAD or the great and mighty EMIRATES?

[Zmonkey]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

That is no doubt true, but you're talking about QATAR AIRWAYS. What about ETIHAD or the great and mighty EMIRATES?

Emirates is parking a380's right now and putting in smaller planes because of the war. There's about 15 routes that went from a380 to 777/350 in mainly in Europe, Japan, Australia and a couple in the US so they are just being cautious with lower demand through this and likley dont have extra planes that are not a380s.

The A380 will start to come back over summer but likely slowly. I would assume it will be a slow start to Vancouver now with the war. Calgary was smart to push a deal quickly because everyone pivoted right after.

[s211]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

With both YYC and SEA having FCO

Yeah, but who wants to be locked up with a plane full of Westjetters that long!

[s211]

For reasons, I'm curious why AC has cancelled a morning wide-body from Montreal to Vancouver several times over the past week or so. AC303. I'm supposed to be on that flight in a short while and I am curious as to what's up.

Any experts that could chime in?

[SpongeG]

I saw this plane flying over Surrey last night, anyone know why its coming here? for World Cup? or something else? Royal Air Force of the Netherlands. Flying in from Brussels.

Screenshot_20260616-193329 by snub_you, on Flickr

[madog222]

It took off just shy of 3hr after landing and continued on to Tokyo, just a fuelling stop?

[SpongeG]

ah ok

Does anyone know when the Qatar plane will depart? would like to see that happen.

[Gordon]

I yVR using any of it's remote stands

[Johnny Aussie]

Summer 2027 services now being updated

Icelandair putting the 321LR on YVR-KEF

https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/260620-fins27yvr

Icelandair during Northern summer 2027 season plans to add Airbus A321LR service on Reykjavík Keflavík – Vancouver route, replacing 737 MAX 8. The A321LR is scheduled to operate from 04JUN27, with 5 weekly flights scheduled, increasing to 6 weekly 01JUL27 – 11SEP27.

FI695 KEF1030 – 1055YVR 32Q 246
FI697 KEF1710 – 1755YVR 32Q 135

FI696 YVR1535 – 0600+1KEF 32Q 246
FI694 YVR1905 – 0925+1KEF 32Q 135

So a decent bump in service and capacity

[teriyaki]

Originally Posted by Gordon

I yVR using any of it's remote stands

They're almost always occupied by parked planes, but I don't think they're used often (if at all) as their intended purposes of being bus gates.

[nname]

I don't think there's a need right now. There are less noon departure now compared to pre-COVID:

• Bilateral restriction still in effect for China that reduces flights
• Transat is gone from YVR
• AC reduces EU operation that typically used noon hours while EU carrier prefer later afternoon slots
• Both AC and Chinese airlines are moving flights from noon to late night
• extended transborder hours also push more flights into late evening hours.

So YVR departures are more spread out throughout the day instead of a peak around noon-2pm. A quick count that's about 6 daily departures gone from the busiest time from noon-2pm.

A quick check of today's arrival and departure, Gates 78, 91-96 are not used between noon and 2pm (although 78 and 91 were used earlier in the day). So it's fair to say there are still 5-7 free gates before they need to use the remote stands.

[EDIT]
Checked tonight arrival and departure from 10pm to midnight, Gates 62, 72, 83, 88, 93-96 are not used (although 72, 83, 88 have plane arrived earlier in the evening and parked overnight for tomorrow's early morning departure). So YVR's secondary peak almost seems to be as crowded as noon time in term of gate usage. Quite a few transborder gates are used multiple times post 10pm, but most gates have arrival past 10pm and have the plane RON for tomorrow morning's departure. So that's also 5-8 free gates left before they need to use the remote stand.