Calgary International Airport II

[Bigtime]

Oooo, interesting.

[speedog]

Old tower slowly coming down...

It'd have been more exciting if they blew it up.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

I heard today that YYC and YEG to LAX are listed in a recent RFP to Delta's regional carriers.

Back to throw a dart at map approach to network route development.

While DL is good at starting new routes, they are not know pn for playing the Longterm development game and letting routes slowly develop.

Also with AA and DL increasing services into Canada, WS would be wise to chose better partners for codeshare and interline routes. It could be that WS has peaked interest of two major players looking to re-enter the transborder market.

[Policy Wonk]

I think it's largely a matter of American and Delta feeling they're better equipped today to take the war to Southwest and Alaska Airlines and are building up their West Coast operations again.

[tuffyy]

See you all at 1600 tomorrow. I'll be sure to throw up a few pics from inside the Gulfstream. I'm not even sure of the regi since I have pretty much no details other than be at the airport at xxx time!

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

I think it's largely a matter of American and Delta feeling they're better equipped today to take the war to Southwest and Alaska Airlines and are building up their West Coast operations again.

DL is going to run out of space pretty soon at both LAX and SEA.

As Cage alluded to, DL is notorious for building up bases (particularly LAX) and then cutting back... over and over and over... repeat.

Every airline has a department (marketing) that constantly looks at all potential markets on a constant basis looking at new opportunities and adjusting where necessary. UA's recent system wide adjustments aren't done willy nilly, there is no randomness to it. If they are told they need to cut capacity by x% at base Y for reason Z, they don't just randomly pick cities beginning with A. There are a lot more numbers behind that game.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

I heard today that YYC and YEG to LAX are listed in a recent RFP to Delta's regional carriers.

Excellent. Where from? Interestingly the new YVR-LAX route will be flown by Compass E75s where most of the other increases are Skywest or additional mainline. I see this as a return of an old Western route :-) my first ever flight wayyyy back when.

I want them to just beat the hell out of Rouge on that route. I don't know why I'm upset, it doesn't concern me. But I'd like to see Rouge get beat up on YVR-LAX.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Acey

I want them to just beat the hell out of Rouge on that route. I don't know why I'm upset, it doesn't concern me. But I'd like to see Rouge get beat up on YVR-LAX.

Angry just because huh? YVR-LAX is going to be an all out bloody war.

Well I'm going to be stepping onto two rouge flights in about 2-3 months. One from HNL-YVR and one from YVR-LAX (both on 763s) as part of my Air NZ trip at Xmas. We've got excellent seats though on all flights :-)
And I'm actually thinking of leaving Aeroplan. Being SE does nothing for me on most of my flights as it's only recognised as Star Alliance Gold on all other Star Alliance carriers. They don't care if you're 50k, 75k or 100k makes no difference on SQ, NZ, TG, CA, UA etc. And none of those others require minimum flights on the home carrier. And I find I'm flying AC less often anyway. Eupgrades have become a joke.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

See you all at 1600 tomorrow. I'll be sure to throw up a few pics from inside the Gulfstream. I'm not even sure of the regi since I have pretty much no details other than be at the airport at xxx time!

I have alerted the YYC spotters, hopefully one of them gets a shot of your arrival. Do you know if this G-V is viewable on the flight trackers?

[Bokimon]

I'm on a LAX bound Rouge flight Tomorrow, I will keep an eye out for some empty rows to snag. I hope..Not expecting much as I will bring my own snacks. But I may rent out their ipad for entertainment.
Oh yeah the new gate numbering is in effect too, hmm maybe I show up a little earlier than usual.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Bokimon

I'm on a LAX bound Rouge flight Tomorrow, I will keep an eye out for some empty rows to snag. I hope..Not expecting much as I will bring my own snacks. But I may rent out their ipad for entertainment.
Oh yeah the new gate numbering is in effect too, hmm maybe I show up a little earlier than usual.

Let us know what you think. It's best to have low expectations I think. Like the first time I flew China Eastern... had really low expectations but they exceeded them marginally.

If you're on the earlier flight chances are you won't get an empty row, the later flight yes.

Even on airlines like Singapore Airlines, which I fly all the time, sometimes I don't even turn on the IFE system just use my own device(s). Even on the 7 hour SIN-MEL. Just depends I guess. It's nice to have options though.

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Angry just because huh? YVR-LAX is going to be an all out bloody war.

Anything to make AC rethink Rouging a *A hub-to-hub route.

YYC-FRA on the 77L started today, looks like flights 844/845/876/877 will share a pair of 77L on a YYZ-FRA-YYC-FRA-YYZ routing.

[Johnny Aussie]

^ I hear you. But I guess that's what the market will bear.

UA, DL, AA and AS will still offer "First Class" or "Business Class" as opposed to rouge's "premium" seats. Will see what happens.

Delta has seemed to have loaded its summer flights next year and there is nothing showing for YYC-ATL.... perhaps that won't be brought back. Still early but normally they load them all at once. Fingers crossed for a return. MSP (2 daily 320s) and SLC (2 daily CR9s) plus the new SEA (2 daily CR7s) showing for next summer.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

UA, DL, AA and AS will still offer "First Class" or "Business Class" as opposed to rouge's "premium" seats..

On the YVR-LAX run, DL and AA are proposing large RJ service. CR7 or CR9 first class is inferior in seat dimensions to AC rouge premium on the 319.

Narrow body rouge premium is the same seat as LH business class in their 319. AC pitch is 35" competed to LH 31". LH meals are better. I have done LH business class on the 320 series and it's an okay ride.

I think AC rouge will do very well against the new competition from AA and DL regional units. If the new competition brought in mainline services, then I would say rouge is in trouble.

A third as yet unspoken possibility is a pull down of services by WS, especially on YVR-LAX. There is precedent where WS pulled out of YYZ-LAX on two occasions due to irrational market with multiple competitors and too much capacity. WS has also pulled out of YVR-LAX due to poor financial and traffic performance, however this was about 8 years ago.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by Cage

On the YVR-LAX run, DL and AA are proposing large RJ service. CR7 or CR9 first class is inferior in seat dimensions to AC rouge premium on the 319.

Narrow body rouge premium is the same seat as LH business class in their 319. AC pitch is 35" competed to LH 31". LH meals are better. I have done LH business class on the 320 series and it's an okay ride.

I think AC rouge will do very well against the new competition from AA and DL regional units. If the new competition brought in mainline services, then I would say rouge is in trouble.

A third as yet unspoken possibility is a pull down of services by WS, especially on YVR-LAX. There is precedent where WS pulled out of YYZ-LAX on two occasions due to irrational market with multiple competitors and too much capacity. was has also pulled out of YVR-LAX due to poor financial and traffic performance.

DL is actually going to be using the E75s on YVR-LAX so wider and more generous pitch than AC rouge.

Didn't get your last sentence? Who pulled out of YVR-LAX? Over the years I know HP came and went and DL has come and gone before. But those were both ages ago. But YVR-LAX has grown so much... On the other hand never seen this much competition ever. I'll grab a side seat and watch the match as it unfolds!

I could see WS reduce YVR-LAX to two daily but I would doubt they would pull out altogether.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

(1) Delta has seemed to have loaded its summer flights next year and there is nothing showing for YYC-ATL.... perhaps that won't be brought back. Still early but normally they load them all at once. Fingers crossed for a return.

(2) MSP (2 daily 320s) and SLC (2 daily CR9s) plus the new SEA (2 daily CR7s) showing for next summer.

(1) my belief is go daily or go home. While ATL services would be a great way to get into Florida and eastern seaboard, this Saturday only teaser that DL operates is better left in the garbage bin rather than continue to operate.

(2) the new service to SEA and expanded service to SLC (larger aircraft) are a good signal that DL wants back into YYC market it harps neglected for years (10years in the case of DL and four years in the case of old NW). MSP coming back to mainline aircraft is also a good sign.

Overall I still feel that YYC is lacking a good domestic USA launching point into the eastern seaboard that competes with both of AC at YYZ and UA at ORD. ORD was up to 3 mainline in late august with the fourth flight being a large RJ. AA however has sent ORD flight over to WS which does not provide for great connections to eastern seaboard. DL could use a single or double daily flight to either of ATL or DTW Dal to the seats would be more useful than another LAX service.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

DL is actually going to be using the E75s on YVR-LAX so wider and more generous pitch than AC rouge.

Didn't get your last sentence? Who pulled out of YVR-LAX? Over the years I know HP came and went and DL has come and gone before. But those were both ages ago. But YVR-LAX has grown so much... On the other hand never seen this much competition ever. I'll grab a side seat and watch the match as it unfolds!

I could see WS reduce YVR-LAX to two daily but I would doubt they would pull out altogether.

Fixed and expanded the last sentence.

WS went into YVR-LAX On two occasions, the first time was after the first incarnation of YYZ-LAXj went bust, the second incarnation was initially year round, but then quietly reduced to seasonal (actually splitting hairs as WS never confirmed the route as seasonal or year round). In 2010 the route went daily year round.

I'm completely lost on what DL was hoping to accomplish with a single Saturday flight to Atlanta. A feeler? O&D or connections? Rather fly that airplane on a Saturday than have it sit?