Canadian Airport Thread II

[IcyRock]

Originally Posted by Bourkky

Interesting informations coming from last Wednesday Air Canada's Q2_2026_Townhall. Only available to employees I believe.

Some quotes from Mark Galardo:

Regarding Lagos:

Regarding next summer:

They should start to tease us next week haha !!

Tunisia must be joining, it is a truly gorgeous country, so much to see. A Tunisian media reported months ago on Air Canada working on launching Montreal-Tunis, and it has been a while since TUN has been repeatedly presented on the route opportunities map presented to investors. With the growth of Canadian tourism to the Mediterranean, hope it will finally be launched, the demand is there.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Nick

There are still quite a few Sunwings and I think 4 Swoops left. They finished painting all of the Swoops of either the -8 or Max.

The Moncton/Edmonton route is frequently served by a 737 in Swoop livery.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by IcyRock

Tunisia must be joining, it is a truly gorgeous country, so much to see. A Tunisian media reported months ago on Air Canada working on launching Montreal-Tunis, and it has been a while since TUN has been repeatedly presented on the route opportunities map presented to investors. With the growth of Canadian tourism to the Mediterranean, hope it will finally be launched, the demand is there.

Africa is a tricky market. It has huge demand, but since most countries there have a low GDP per capita, it limits profitablity.

YUL-TUN has huge demand, but it's a low yielding VFR route. Foreign tourism there from North America isn't as developed as say to Egypt or Morocco.

And yet, AC tried YUL-CAI - which incidentally also has decent demand from YUL, although not as much as TUN - and pulled it after 3 seasons.

YUL-ALG is an even bigger market than YUL-TUN, and yet, AC canceled it for this summer. Blocked funds might have been an issue. Algeria is the leading country in terms of blocked airline funds in the world. In fact, 93% of all blocked airline funds in the world are from countries in Africa or the Middle East.

Nonetheless, I think AC will definately grow in Africa in the coming years. LOS is already in the works. JNB will be a given as well, once the A350-1000s arrive. LOS and JNB are some of the highest yielding destinations in Africa. You can't say the same for TUN, but it might work as well, with the right aircraft. Maybe the 787-10 is that aircraft. We shall see.

[hollywoodcory]

YYC July 2026 stats

Domestic: 1,473,096 +7.9% (YTD: 7,720,788 +5.1%)
Transborder: 433,825 +2.2% (YTD: 2,083,718 -5.3%)
International: 220,563 -0.9% (YTD: 1,574,196 +5.0%)

July 2026 total: 2,127,484 +5.7%
2026 YTD: 11,378,702 +3.0%

Transborder up and international flatlining. Be interesting to see the August stats and how the one day WS strike affected the numbers. I think something like 45% of all YYC departures/arrivals were cancelled on August 2.

[Pellimo]

Call for Expressions of Interest – Constructionand Operation of a Hotel at YQB

https://www.aeroportdequebec.com/en/busi...truction-and-operation-of-a-hotel-at-yqb

https://www.datocms-assets.com/160047/17...-of-interest-quebec-city-airport-yqb.pdf

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by Pellimo

Call for Expressions of Interest – Constructionand Operation of a Hotel at YQB

https://www.aeroportdequebec.com/en/busi...truction-and-operation-of-a-hotel-at-yqb

https://www.datocms-assets.com/160047/17...-of-interest-quebec-city-airport-yqb.pdf

Ideally, the airport hotel will be attached to the terminal building, or at the very least, a short walk from it.

All 5 potential locations shown in that pdf are nowhere near the terminal building. They are all at least 1 km away from it. They will have a hard time finding interest if those are the only locations available.

There are plenty of hotels available near the intersection of route 138 and route de l'aeroport, which is only another 1.3 kilometers from the proposed locations.

Not a very attractive offer, if you ask me, especially if the interested party will be paying base rent to YQB and share revenue, as per that pdf.

[JonToms]

Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Passenger Statistics Report

July 2026

Year over Year

July

Sector / 2026 Actual / 2025 Actual / Variance
Domestic / 395,167 / 372,273 / 6.1%
Other International / 79,711 / 61,055 / 30.6%
Transborder / 46,196 / 35,813 / 29.0%
Total / 521,074 / 469,141 / 11.1%

Year-to-Date

Sector / 2026 Actual / 2025 Actual / Variance
Domestic / 1,961,457 / 1,787,418 / 9.7%
Other International / 378,976 / 332,794 / 13.9%
Transborder / 186,718 / 197,909 / (5.7%)
Total / 2,527,151 / 2,318,121 / 9.0%

This is the first time YHZ has surpassed 500,000 passengers in a single month. The last monthly record was in August 2018 when 499,457 passengers passed through the airport. All sectors reported strong growth in July. Much of this growth is attributed to WestJet’s increase in nonstop European and nonstop western Canadian flights. This should continue through August and September 2026 and I suspect both months could exceed 500,000 passengers.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by JonToms

Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Passenger Statistics Report

July 2026

Year over Year

July

Sector / 2026 Actual / 2025 Actual / Variance
Domestic / 395,167 / 372,273 / 6.1%
Other International / 79,711 / 61,055 / 30.6%
Transborder / 46,196 / 35,813 / 29.0%
Total / 521,074 / 469,141 / 11.1%

Year-to-Date

Sector / 2026 Actual / 2025 Actual / Variance
Domestic / 1,961,457 / 1,787,418 / 9.7%
Other International / 378,976 / 332,794 / 13.9%
Transborder / 186,718 / 197,909 / (5.7%)
Total / 2,527,151 / 2,318,121 / 9.0%

This is the first time YHZ has surpassed 500,000 passengers in a single month. The last monthly record was in August 2018 when 499,457 passengers passed through the airport. All sectors reported strong growth in July. Much of this growth is attributed to WestJet’s increase in nonstop European and nonstop western Canadian flights. This should continue through August and September 2026 and I suspect both months should exceed 500,000 passengers.

I suspect July international's an all-time monthly record too.

September hitting 500K would be one heck of a 22% growth rate vs September 2025's 409,980 (and double July's % growth). Traffic starts dropping off after Labour Day.

The doubling of pax counts at YHZ in July & August vs November to February always amazes me. It's Florida in reverse.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

The doubling of pax counts at YHZ in July & August vs November to February always amazes me. It's Florida in reverse.

You should see how busy the cruise ship terminal in Halifax is too (again in the summer).

[Dominion301]

A King Air 100 had to make an emergency landing this afternoon on a Prince George-area road near as it couldn't make it to YXS. Everyone on board was uninjured but the aircraft struck four vehicles and sadly 1 vehicle occupant was killed.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/plane-crash-survivor-shares-story-9.7315842

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

A King Air 100 had to make an emergency landing this afternoon on a Prince George-area road near as it couldn't make it to YXS. Everyone on board was uninjured but the aircraft struck four vehicles and sadly 1 vehicle occupant was killed.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/plane-crash-survivor-shares-story-9.7315842

Jeez, the guy interviewed is lucky to be alive with that metal rod going through his windshield. I'm surprised the plane didn't sustain more damage.

[JonToms]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

I suspect July international's an all-time monthly record too.

September hitting 500K would be one heck of a 22% growth rate vs September 2025's 409,980 (and double July's % growth). Traffic starts dropping off after Labour Day.

The doubling of pax counts at YHZ in July & August vs November to February always amazes me. It's Florida in reverse.

From what I can ascertain looking back through the past records from 1999 to present day the previous international passenger record was set in April 2011 at 72,586. So that is all international passengers other than transborder.

Yes hitting 500k for September may be a bit of a stretch but it is going to be close. September is traditionally the third busiest month at YHZ and with this past June hitting 472,993, which was a 19.4% overall growth rate that month, I suspect September to be a decent amount above June. We will just have to wait and see.

[RomanR27]

wrong thread, please delete

[Dominion301]

China Eastern (MU) will be increasing YVR-PVG from 2x to 5x weekly this winter: https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/260824-mu1q27yvr

MU581 PVG1310 – 0810YVR 359 14
MU581 PVG1340 – 0810YVR 359 367
MU582 YVR1150 – 1640+1PVG 359 x25

Interesting how on days 367 the eastbound is scheduled to be 30 minutes shorter.

[Coldrsx]

Kelowna needs to open more than just a Tim's and a sit down spot post-security for early morning flights... the line was insane for that swill.

[IcyRock]

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

Africa is a tricky market. It has huge demand, but since most countries there have a low GDP per capita, it limits profitablity.

YUL-TUN has huge demand, but it's a low yielding VFR route. Foreign tourism there from North America isn't as developed as say to Egypt or Morocco.

And yet, AC tried YUL-CAI - which incidentally also has decent demand from YUL, although not as much as TUN - and pulled it after 3 seasons.

YUL-ALG is an even bigger market than YUL-TUN, and yet, AC canceled it for this summer. Blocked funds might have been an issue. Algeria is the leading country in terms of blocked airline funds in the world. In fact, 93% of all blocked airline funds in the world are from countries in Africa or the Middle East.

Nonetheless, I think AC will definately grow in Africa in the coming years. LOS is already in the works. JNB will be a given as well, once the A350-1000s arrive. LOS and JNB are some of the highest yielding destinations in Africa. You can't say the same for TUN, but it might work as well, with the right aircraft. Maybe the 787-10 is that aircraft. We shall see.

Africa is most certainly an interesting one. Algeria is a particular place, it is often politically seen–at least, as a "closed" place, meaning somewhat isolationist to a certain point, it is one of the factor, through the need for a visa, for the underdeveloped tourism there and most likely as you mentioned, one of the reason, through the funds issue, for the suspension of YUL-ALG and probably also the reason why it is still not a year-round route despite the huge demand.

Egypt too, has gone through a few shenanigans with Canada, I believe the establishment of hardcore visa has been a factor in Air Canada not going forward with CAI back then, and now with the crisis in the region, it probably will not be launched again anytime soon. That leaves us, in North Africa, Tunisia, which has always been open to Western tourism, foreign airlines, has been working to stimulate North American tourism and has consistently stayed visa-free, while having a good base demand from Canada through its diaspora. Many travel agencies in Quebec have already been offering tours and packages to Tunisia for a few years now, especially with the recent unpopularity of the US as a travel destination, so I think it's definitely a matter of when.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Jeez, the guy interviewed is lucky to be alive with that metal rod going through his windshield. I'm surprised the plane didn't sustain more damage.

More details from the company that chartered the aircraft / air carrier: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/ai...e-george-british-columbia-808714158.html

[Dominion301]

WestJet ordered to scrap weight cap on power wheelchairs: https://www.wingsmagazine.com/new-eviden...NXCD260819009&oly_enc_id=5001D3490978J5J

Canada’s transport regulator says WestJet is imposing an “undue barrier” on travellers living with a disability by effectively barring some power wheelchairs from its planes.

The Canadian Transportation Agency says that, before July 2027, the country’s second-largest carrier must scrap its 300-pound weight cap on mobility aids on the vast majority of its aircraft.

The regulator says WestJet should use what are called spreader plates to better distribute the wheelchair’s weight in the cargo hold, and arrange alternative travel with other airlines until then.

The case was brought before the transportation agency by Winnipeg resident Steven Fletcher, a former federal minister of state for transport, after he was stopped from flying with his custom wheelchair on a flight between Winnipeg and Toronto early last year.

[whatnext]

RIP to the ramp worker who died at YUL. I can't imagine what it would have been like for pax to see this in real time on the plane's cameras.

Passenger recounts moment plane fatally struck Montreal airport ground worker
The victim, 39-year-old Oscar Robayo, was a ramp agent, according to his union
Cassandra Yanez-Leyton, Antoni Nerestant, Isaac Olson · CBC News · Posted: Aug 24, 2026 6:27 PM PDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

While authorities investigate the death of a 39-year-old ground handler at the Montreal airport, a passenger aboard the Paris-bound flight describes the horror of watching the fatal pushback accident unfold on his seatback screen.

"I could see the nose landing gear. And then all of a sudden, it was as if the tarmac worker had stumbled, and then at that moment, the plane backed up and we felt the shock," Matthieu Douvenou said, recalling the moments before French Bee Flight 351 was scheduled to take off.

"I understood very quickly that something very serious had happened."

The victim was Oscar Robayo, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) confirmed in a post on Facebook....

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/airport-montreal-accident-9.7319215

I have to admit I had no idea French Bee even existed, let alone flew to Canada.

[RomanR27]

After the false start a couple weeks ago, YXU is showing up on Porter's new destinations page again with MCO/FLL starting in mid-November and CUN/MBJ in mid-December. The routes appear to be bookable.

Edit: MBJ looks to be 2x weekly, MCO 3x weekly, and FLL/CUN are 4x weekly.