YEG - Edmonton Int Airport

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

Lol, we now have three airlines running 787's to CUN (Thomson, Aero Mexico and LOT) They have unfortunately (to me) become a kind of normal sight.

I'm sure Bigtime would like to slap me for that.

Slap!

[dansk]

Hearing rumours that the AA flight maybe on the A319 now, and starting in June or July??

[tuffyy]

Originally Posted by dansk

Hearing rumours that the AA flight maybe on the A319 now, and starting in June or July??

I'm sure they're will be a lot of tweaking leading up to launch. Expect the announcement Jan/14 (as I have been told).

I expect UA will protest and cancel all routes from YEG because it will directly impact the IAH route...

Hey might as well keep the theme right?

The AC story has even made its way down here... And it's baffling yet amusing at the same time...
But I can tell you that WS will stray away from the "typical" hub to Europe market in the next year or so.

If they see opportunity they will take it...

It's called leasing... In the short term...

[tuffyy]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

That's interesting, however on the 18th it shows it routed back through YYC. Is this something we could see change daily based on cargo loads?

I have heard it will rotate on certain days with YYC having 3 days nonstop to CVG and two days from YEG to CVG.

Why? Not a friggin clue...

[YegFan]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

I'm sure they're will be a lot of tweaking leading up to launch. Expect the announcement Jan/14 (as I have been told).

I expect UA will protest and cancel all routes from YEG because it will directly impact the IAH route...

Hey might as well keep the theme right?

The AC story has even made its way down here... And it's baffling yet amusing at the same time...
But I can tell you that WS will stray away from the "typical" hub to Europe market in the next year or so.

If they see opportunity they will take it...

It's called leasing... In the short term...

Due to a last minute scheduling change, I had to fly AC last night: YEG-YYZ-DCA and while I was checking in, I chatted with the agent at the counter about the AC service into YEG. She just said, what can we do. It's head office and they decide on scheduling and how much capacity YEG gets.

But here's the interesting twist...So I make my way into the Plaza Premium Lounge (as I hold a Priority Pass card) rather than the Maple Leaf Lounge. On the way out, I stopped at the ML counter and chatted with the fellow who was manning the lounge.

Here's what he said:

- Some YEG-LHR flights during the winter go out with 50 to 60 pax on board
- The AC staff at YEG aren't surprised that the flight is getting cut
- The "quality" of pax in and out of YEG has gone down. He says, they are all "rig" workers rather than suits
- He's been with AC, CP, Wardair, etc.....and he doesn't understand how YEG doesn't even have wide body service into YYZ anymore. But he laments the fact that YEG has become much less significant in the AC network. But, he says, what can he do? He gets his paycheque. So he can only hope AC improves the service
- And finally, he says he gets too many complaints from pax about the lack of flights on AC to Kelowna, Victoria, Lethbridge, etc....

An interesting observation: When the agent started the check-in process, there was at least 30 people who had priority boarding (and yes most of them looked like the typical rig workers and spoke with an Eastern accent ).

Just thought I would share!!

[Hallsy's Toupee]

quality of pax from suits to rig workers...not too snobby

[dansk]

quality of passengers? Sounds like that guy has his head in a hole. Obviously he sees mainly "rig" workers. His airline doesn't offer much more offerings than to move people within the Canada. Those "less quality" people are the majority of Canadians. Crazy.

[dansk]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

I'm sure they're will be a lot of tweaking leading up to launch. Expect the announcement Jan/14 (as I have been told).

I expect UA will protest and cancel all routes from YEG because it will directly impact the IAH route...

Hey might as well keep the theme right?

The AC story has even made its way down here... And it's baffling yet amusing at the same time...
But I can tell you that WS will stray away from the "typical" hub to Europe market in the next year or so.

If they see opportunity they will take it...

It's called leasing... In the short term...

Interesting something like they have set-up with their flights to Hawaii?

[tuffyy]

Originally Posted by YegFan

Due to a last minute scheduling change, I had to fly AC last night: YEG-YYZ-DCA and while I was checking in, I chatted with the agent at the counter about the AC service into YEG. She just said, what can we do. It's head office and they decide on scheduling and how much capacity YEG gets.

But here's the interesting twist...So I make my way into the Plaza Premium Lounge (as I hold a Priority Pass card) rather than the Maple Leaf Lounge. On the way out, I stopped at the ML counter and chatted with the fellow who was manning the lounge.

Here's what he said:

- Some YEG-LHR flights during the winter go out with 50 to 60 pax on board
- The AC staff at YEG aren't surprised that the flight is getting cut
- The "quality" of pax in and out of YEG has gone down. He says, they are all "rig" workers rather than suits
- He's been with AC, CP, Wardair, etc.....and he doesn't understand how YEG doesn't even have wide body service into YYZ anymore. But he laments the fact that YEG has become much less significant in the AC network. But, he says, what can he do? He gets his paycheque. So he can only hope AC improves the service
- And finally, he says he gets too many complaints from pax about the lack of flights on AC to Kelowna, Victoria, Lethbridge, etc....

An interesting observation: When the agent started the check-in process, there was at least 30 people who had priority boarding (and yes most of them looked like the typical rig workers and spoke with an Eastern accent ).

Just thought I would share!!

I find the LHR comment extremely difficult to believe...

You can monitor loads quite easily for this route by simply checking the AC website and selecting a date for the route then hit "view available seats"... I've never seen this flight with only 50-60 pax. In fact the next flight appears to have just 6 empty seats... I'd monitor it more regularly if I still had the time and interest...

[cyeg66]

One week of 50-60 seats on board a 763 would be enough to make an airline shit-can the route and never try it again. Anecdotal, and I think, hyperbole. Air Canada is not "doing Edmonton a favour" by providing LHR service. They're making money on it, when they run it, of course.

[MalcolmTucker]

The issue with 'class' of passengers is an issue of yields. Last minute bookings even in economy means big dollars. Planned trips for your 1 week out doesn't pay the bills. All the profit comes from business and higher fare economy.

[casper]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

I find the LHR comment extremely difficult to believe...

You can monitor loads quite easily for this route by simply checking the AC website and selecting a date for the route then hit "view available seats"... I've never seen this flight with only 50-60 pax. In fact the next flight appears to have just 6 empty seats... I'd monitor it more regularly if I still had the time and interest...

You also have to consider that a fair number of seats in the front half of the economy cabin are blocked off for Elite passengers. You need to be logged in and have status for those seats to show as available.

As for the comment on the "quality" of passengers, that is a generational thing that will hopefully die off over time. I don't think it is unique to Air Canada.

There are higher yield passengers where the airline makes more money because they buy last minute, make frequent changes or buy into the business class cabin. Perhaps thous passengers usually dress in suites, perhaps not. I don't know.

That said I am certain Air Canada will find a way to fill the plane with connecting passengers. If you are coming from Saskatoon/Regina, or BC there is no difference in connecting in Calgary or Edmonton. They will find a way of adjusting prices to fill seats. The only issue is if they make money or not.

[lubicon]

Originally Posted by casper

As for the comment on the "quality" of passengers, that is a generational thing that will hopefully die off over time. I don't think it is unique to Air Canada.

There are higher yield passengers where the airline makes more money because they buy last minute, make frequent changes or buy into the business class cabin. Perhaps thous passengers usually dress in suites, perhaps not. I don't know.

.

Exactly. It's not the 'quality' of the passenger that counts, it's the type of fare they are flying on.

[Rocket252]

Some of those rig workers are making more money than business men.

And spending it flying back and forth from work to home.

I would think that Air Canada would be happy with that amount of traffic.

[tuffyy]

YEG-LHR has operated for how many years now?

Since the routes re-inauguration Edmonton (and the rest of central Alberta and northern Alberta) have grown at a enormous pace. So suddenly the routes becoming less and less viable? Not sure I buy that...

I just heard today that WS plans to have a interline agreement with FI when the KEF-YEG route starts up. No surprise since the carrier already has similar arrangements at YYZ etc.

In addition watch international numbers at YEG skyrocket this winter more so than others in the past in due part to a large increase in YEG sun flying by Sunwing (increased Cancun, Montego Bay and the addition of Freeport and Ixtapa) to it's existing winter program and capacity increases by Air Transat who has up gauged most of the popular sun destinations to A330's this winter (up from A310's).

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

I find the LHR comment extremely difficult to believe...

You can monitor loads quite easily for this route by simply checking the AC website and selecting a date for the route then hit "view available seats"... I've never seen this flight with only 50-60 pax. In fact the next flight appears to have just 6 empty seats... I'd monitor it more regularly if I still had the time and interest...

My understanding from a friend who does some work with AC is that it is not always accurate. Because the Tango fares allow you to not have to select a seat, there are many times that a person purchases a fare but may not 'have a seat' - because of their policy of overselling.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Rocket252

Some of those rig workers are making more money than business men.

And spending it flying back and forth from work to home.

I would think that Air Canada would be happy with that amount of traffic.

Agreed - look at the capacity shifts that have occured on the YMM to YYZ route - it's been incredible.

It started out with 1 flight a day then jumped to 2. Now has 3 flights a day on select days. The aircraft jumped from E90 to an A319. Now it is typically an A320 and for the holidays A321.

So the fact that the 'rig' workers are having an influence should not be a surprise...

[s211]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

So the fact that the 'rig' workers are having an influence should not be a surprise...

Now if only they weren't such trogs, flying in and out of Edmonton these days wouldn't feel so much like spring break.

[rike5]

An interesting topic of discussion i've been thinking alot about lately, particularily with the resurgance of HSR talks in Alberta: How severe would be the drop in passenger traffic for YEG if a HSR route were constructed between Edmonton and Calgary?

Considering the "Calgary Habit" present without HSR, I would imagine flights and traffic would be lost at YEG but i'm not entirely clear how disastrous it would be.
On a related note, should Edmonton refuse a HSR route on this basis?

I'm interested to hear the opinions of those closer to the industry than I.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

If HSR has a stop at YYC but not YEG as per prior plans then definitely a bad deal.