YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[mezzanine]

Nice foot work! AC 896 IIRC is AC's summer only late flight to LHR, on a dreamliner to boot!

I took LH 492 earlier this summer (FRA->YVR) and it was crowded. They were asking for volunteers to take the next day's flight for compensation. I suspect the LH 493 crowd on your dad's flight was large - handy to know that the call centre was helpful for you.

[mezzanine]

Hmmm, more hints of news to come..

http://vancouversun.com/business/local-b...y-adds-record-number-of-chinese-airlines

Vancouver now has to six Chinese airlines flying across the Pacific, two more than its next biggest competitor in North America. But Jones said YVR’s proactive approach can be applied to other growth regions such as Southeast Asia and India.

“Because of the long distance, there’s a consideration on the part of the airlines on the profitability of the (India) route,” he said. “With the arrival of aircraft like the Boeing 787, it has brought India into play. Places like Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bangkok … these are all regions that are now in play.”

Also from the article, YVRAA, workin' it...

“If you roll back to 20, 30 years ago, it was more about the airlines deciding where to fly,” said Carl Jones, Vancouver airport’s director of air service development. “But given the increase in the number of airlines and the increase in competition for tourism and trade, one of our team’s strategies is linking Asia to the Americas, and we have to take a proactive approach to working with not only current airlines on expanding, but also new airlines.”
...
The airport employs a team based in Hong Kong, which attends trade shows to meet new carriers, keeps track of new Asian airlines and their expansion plans, looks at when potential new entrants may try to enter North America, and “cold-calling” them early and often to get their business.

and unlike, say, YEG/EIAA, YVRAA pays due to AC...

There’s another crucial part to the equation: Air Canada. YVR notes that Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle each has a major U.S. carrier currently flying to China (American, United and Delta, respectively). For YVR to compete, it needs not only the commitment of new airlines, but the continued support of the major local carrier.

“We look at where the new market opportunities are available, and also what Air Canada’s plans are,” Jones said. “It makes sense to work together. A strong Air Canada and a strong hub here is in our best interest.”

[trofirhen]

...Calin Rovinescu expressed the need for a strong Air Canada hub at Vancouver. Given the company's past record of more less making YYZ the only major hub raised some cynicism.
Of YYZ is, and should be THE major Air Canada hub, but finally, it seems, YVR has been chosen as well as a major hub; not a global hub like YYZ, but a major Asia, Oceania hub for sure.
If YVR continues to proactively attract more airlines, it will indeed be one of the Big Three (LAX, SFO and YVR) transpacific hubs. Even better if it can get a couple more European destinations.
Hurray for our side.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Hmmm, more hints of news to come..

http://vancouversun.com/business/local-b...y-adds-record-number-of-chinese-airlines

I still wonder how they will make it work from a yield perspective. Sure YVR is the closest major airport in the Americas to SE Asia but it's still a long flight and not very lucrative from what everyone seems to say.

Originally Posted by mezzanine

and unlike, say, YEG/EIAA, YVRAA pays due to AC...

Good, they should pay due, AC is by far the largest carrier at YVR and helps feed the other Star Alliance carriers that operate out of YVR.

With over 42,000 intercontinental seats per week out of YVR from Star alliance airlines I would say YVR is Air Canada's second most important hub and growing to spread the gap between themselves and YUL.

[LeftCoaster]

Got to fly out from YVR mid afternoon vs my normal evening flight so got to see a few more tails than usual. I count 10 here:

1. Air Canada
2. Air Canada Rouge
3. Air China
4. China Souther (skyteam livery)
5. China Eastern
6. JAL
7. Air France
8. Sichuan Airlines
9. Air Transat
10. United

[Hot Rod]

^ Like!

[CareerShow]

Just a quick question, which airlines have pilot bases in Vancouver. And why would there be a need for Air Canada crews to stay in hotels if they have a base here?

[excel]

Air Canada and WestJet both have pilot bases in Vancouver but WestJets is pretty small. The main reason flight crew will overnight in other cities in Canada is that they are on a pairing that usually consists of 3 or 4 days at a time in which they fly various routes throughout the network. This can terminate them in a Canadian city in which they are not based as they will be flying out the next day to complete their pairing.

[mezzanine]

Nice photo - I like the retro look of Air France's tail. I had to hunt to see the tip of JAL's logo.

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

I still wonder how they will make it work from a yield perspective. Sure YVR is the closest major airport in the Americas to SE Asia but it's still a long flight and not very lucrative from what everyone seems to say.

If you look at the fares of the LCCs in SE Asia, one could guess there are already very low yields on flying regionally already. Air Asia KUL to BKI (Kota Kinabalu, M'Asia's second largest airport) is on sale for $24USD. The equivalent distance is YVR to LAX. KUL to Kochi, Japan is $50, which is longer than YVR to MEX.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Nice photo - I like the retro look of Air France's tail. I had to hunt to see the tip of JAL's logo.



If you look at the fares of the LCCs in SE Asia, one could guess there are already very low yields on flying regionally already.
**Air Asia KUL to BKI (Kota Kinabalu, M'Asia's second largest airport) is on sale for $24USD. The equivalent distance is YVR to LAX. KUL to Kochi, Japan is $50, which is longer than YVR to MEX.

Mamma Mia !!! How do they turn a profit with such low prices ?? Or do they economize in other areas? Do you know? I'm flabbergasted.

[Hourglass]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

If you look at the fares of the LCCs in SE Asia, one could guess there are already very low yields on flying regionally already. Air Asia KUL to BKI (Kota Kinabalu, M'Asia's second largest airport) is on sale for $24USD. The equivalent distance is YVR to LAX. KUL to Kochi, Japan is $50, which is longer than YVR to MEX.

That's true but a bit misleading. Those cheap fares are generally limited to a certain number of seats and usually need to be booked far in advance. Last minute fares on AirAsia are pretty much the same price as mainline carriers. I did a short notice trip from SIN to KUL on AirAsia earlier this year and the cost was about the same as MH. I actually would've flown MH (I hate traveling through KLIA2) except that the online booking function on their web site was down.

Yield management is a science, and LCCs have to be particularly good at it to survive.

[LeftCoaster]

Anyone know what this is all about?

British Airways in October 2016 is ending codeshare partnership with WestJet, with last codeshare flight scheduled on 15OCT16. British Airways’ BA code is currently placed on 16 domestic Canada service by the latter, including the following:

British Airways operated by WestJet
Calgary – Edmonton
Calgary – Kelowna
Calgary – Regina
Calgary – Saskatoon
Calgary – Victoria
Calgary – Winnipeg
Toronto – Edmonton
Toronto – Halifax
Toronto – Kelowna
Toronto – Ottawa
Toronto – Quebec City
Toronto – Regina
Toronto – Saskatoon
Toronto – Winnipeg
Vancouver – Edmonton
Vancouver – Kelowna

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airl...nds-westjet-codeshare-from-mid-oct-2016/

Doesn't hugely effect Vancouver, only two routes were codeshared, but it doesn't bode well for Calgary's BA flight. Cutting that much feed with the economy the way it is there can't be a good sign.

[LeftCoaster]

A slight change to SAN this winter, mainly seems to be an adjustment from Rouge closing their A319 base at YVR;

Air Canada rouge within the last few weeks has adjusted planned Vancouver – Palm Springs service for winter season. Previously reported on Airlineroute blog on 08JUN16, the airline plans to introduce Boeing 767 operation from 13NOV16, initially once a week (Day 7), and increases to twice a week from 18NOV16 (Day 57), 3 weekly from 21DEC16 (Day 357).

This route in winter 2015/16 season was served 6 times a week, with Airbus A319 aircraft.

AC1824 YVR0855 – 1146PSP 763 357
AC1825 PSP1315 – 1618YVR 763 357

The 3xPW B763 is an increase of 120 seats per week vs 6xPW A319 that flew the route last winter.

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

A slight change to SAN this winter, mainly seems to be an adjustment from Rouge closing their A319 base at YVR;

The 3xPW B763 is an increase of 120 seats per week vs 6xPW A319 that flew the route last winter.

I mentioned this months ago this change is just the 3 per week starting earlier. PHX was also switched to a 763 4 x per week.

[LeftCoaster]

Ahh I thought it sounded familiar but I figured I was just confusing it with PHX or LAS. There's been a lot of Rouge 673 tweaks lately.

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by Hourglass

That's true but a bit misleading. Those cheap fares are generally limited to a certain number of seats and usually need to be booked far in advance. Last minute fares on AirAsia are pretty much the same price as mainline carriers. I did a short notice trip from SIN to KUL on AirAsia earlier this year and the cost was about the same as MH. I actually would've flown MH (I hate traveling through KLIA2) except that the online booking function on their web site was down.

Yield management is a science, and LCCs have to be particularly good at it to survive.

Those are sale prices, but that is the environment that SE carriers operate in. If you have flown in SE Asia in the past few years since the rise of the LCCs, Id' be willing to bet that you can get to a lot more places for a lot less money compared to even the European LCCs.

Travelling on short notice would be an atypical comparison as I suspect airlines realize that people who need to travel on short/immediate notice tend to be less price sensitive.

When you consider that Cathay is retrenching their flag carrier and expanding their own LCC dragonair, and with SIA's scoot airlines now flying SIN-ATH, SE Asia flying is getting more cut-throat. By comparison, flying to NA with a 787 with 10 abreast seating in Y, with no ME3s en route, charging close to NA prices would seem like easier money to me, but I'm no expert. Maybe Johnny Aussie might have more perspective on flying within SE asia/austrailia.

I suspect everyone is waiting to see how AC's delhi flight will do before they consider more flights to YVR from SE asia.

[Johnny Aussie]

Hold on to your hats!! Wow just wow!

Overall up 11.0% up 225,722 to 2,270,986
Domestic up 7.2% up 73,179 to 1,094,929
Transborder up 9.7% up 49,776 to 563,597
Asia Pacific up 18.0% up 55,309 to 362,845
Europe up 19.3% up 35,421 to 219,169
Misc Int'l up 65.4% up 12,037 to 30,446

And note total YTD is now up 8.6% and OVER 1 million more pax than 2015!

http://www.yvr.ca/-/media/yvr/documents/facts-sheets/traffic-update_july-2016.pdf?la=en

[Johnny Aussie]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Ahh I thought it sounded familiar but I figured I was just confusing it with PHX or LAS. There's been a lot of Rouge 673 tweaks lately.

And I just realised you said SAN not PSP... and I still haven't been on a rouge 673 yet!

[excel]

Oh my those are crazy numbers!

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

and I still haven't been on a rouge 673 yet!

Boeing only made a few of them! it's their insideout version of the 767.

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Hold on to your hats!! Wow just wow!

Overall up 11.0% up 225,722 to 2,270,986
Domestic up 7.2% up 73,179 to 1,094,929
Transborder up 9.7% up 49,776 to 563,597
Asia Pacific up 18.0% up 55,309 to 362,845
Europe up 19.3% up 35,421 to 219,169
Misc Int'l up 65.4% up 12,037 to 30,446

http://www.yvr.ca/-/media/yvr/documents/facts-sheets/traffic-update_july-2016.pdf?la=en

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

And note total YTD is now up 8.6% and OVER 1 million more pax than 2015!

Kinda makes Richmond's talk about "maybe" passing 21 million a bit ridiculous considering we're already at 21.3M if we post 0 growth for the remaining months of the year.

At current pace (I know there's not as much capacity growth in later months so the rate will fall) we're on track to completely skip 21 million and end the year at 22.1 million.