Canadian Airport Thread

[Coldrsx]

To this day I do not understand why people just don't bring better food of their own on the plane to eat.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

To this day I do not understand why people just don't bring better food of their own on the plane to eat.

Packing a picnic for the plane is a pain in the posterior.

If I'm travelling with my wife + kids it means I have to lug around a big bag of unrefrigerated food. And as much as people talk smack about AC economy airline food, a heated dish served to you out of the warmer is going to be far better than a crappy airport sandwich, or even one that WestJet sells you.

It's hard to take WestJet seriously for overseas travel when the food options are that lame.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Has YYC sorted out its intl terminal issues? I know that the baggage system will be unified in 2019, and they stopped CTG but they had issues with gate congestion by D70, process issues with security and CBSA and constriction to the shuttle bus system.

Is WS getting its own branded lounge if YYC is their new hub?

YYC International terminal issues are mostly sorted. The new international routes by WS will nullify the gate 70/71/72/73 issues as these will now be required for international operations. Previously WS tried to operate tri-sector swing gates on these gates, this was the source of the problems.

WS also loaded a big change to their banked hub ops at YYC, connections are more spreadout, more time for domestic to international/transborder connections.

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Will Westjet still have ghetto food options? I was watching a review of someone who used them to fly to Vancouver from London and was questioning why the food had to be preordered and when she got it it was just a sandwich, no hot food option. She said she wouldnt book a flight with them again, was very unimpressed by this weird Canadian airline.

Both the max8 and 789 have ovens; whereas before it was 4 763s out of 100+ 737NGs with ovens. WS has made it a priority to deliver better hot food, as well as install fridges to keep the cold items cool.

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

To this day I do not understand why people just don't bring better food of their own on the plane to eat.

Leaping off Esquire's excellent response.....

The major problem is not knowing what Security will allow or reject is a major problem.

On international routes there is always concern that customs and immigration will create a big stink over the food items. Example: Some C&I officers only care about certain fruits and meats; whereas others get all worked up over "everything that you poop out must be declared and inspected" as according to one officer.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Cage

WS has made it a priority to deliver better hot food, as well as install fridges to keep the cold items cool.

Fridges? The 767s have chillers that help keep cart contents cold but certainly no fridges on the 737s, that I’m aware of.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

Fridges? The 767s have chillers that help keep cart contents cold but certainly no fridges on the 737s, that I’m aware of.

I'm using the plane language version for galley systems.

[zahav]

"Air Canada to Increase YVR-Delhi Flights to Daily, Year-round; Expands Dreamliner Service From YVR to Several International Destinations in Summer 2019"

Melbourne service increases to four times weekly, year-round
Summer seasonal service to Zurich increases to five weekly flights

VANCOUVER, Oct. 11, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada announced today enhancements to four international routes from Vancouver, including increasing service to Delhi with daily flights on a year-round basis starting June 2, 2019.

An Air Canada Boeing 787 Dreamliner. (CNW Group/Air Canada)

In addition, Air Canada is increasing its non-stop Melbourne service to four times weekly year-round, and summer seasonal service to Zurich will increase to five flights a week. YVR-Osaka (Kansai) flights will be five times weekly from June to October next summer.

All flights will be operated with Air Canada's flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

"We are pleased to increase our capacity to these important markets as we continue to strategically broaden our international network from our Vancouver hub. Customers have responded positively to our increasing service to Delhi and this flight will now operate daily on a year-round basis to meet demand. The addition of a fourth weekly flight to Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, year-round will provide further convenience to business and leisure travellers between North America and Australia, offering seamless connections thanks to the in-transit preclearance facilities at YVR. With Dreamliner service to Osaka and increased frequencies to Zurich, we are further strengthening our convenient network to European and Asian markets from YVR, reflecting demand between Canada and these destinations in the busy summer travel season," said Mark Galardo, Vice President, Network Planning at Air Canada.

"As B.C. expands its trade network into India, this daily, direct service between Vancouver to Delhi will help drive trade and partnerships, and expand the technology sectors in both of our countries," said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. "It will attract more people from India to our province and will open doors for Canadians to visit India for business and for tourism. We're excited for Air Canada and our partners at YVR as we continue to grow and diversify B.C.'s economy."

"It's fantastic to see Air Canada continuing to build out its hub and global network from YVR—especially with the incredible Dreamliner. Since the beginning of 2017 alone, Air Canada has launched five international destinations and four new U.S. destinations at YVR," said Craig Richmond, President and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. "The increased flights to Delhi, Melbourne and Zurich speaks to the continued strength of YVR's market and our goal to connect B.C. proudly to the world."

Connectivity:

All routes are timed to optimize connectivity at Air Canada's Vancouver hub to and from the airline's extensive network across North America. All Australia flights are timed to connect to and from Adelaide, Canberra, Perth and to Tasmania with codeshare partner Virgin Australia. Additionally, Air Canada's Vancouver-Zurich flights will connect to and from destinations in Europe and Africa.

Other benefits:

Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliner features three cabins of service with high-definition individual on-demand entertainment offering a wide range of movies, short films, TV programs and audio selections at every seat throughout the aircraft.

All flights provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption, Star Alliance reciprocal benefits and, for eligible customers, priority check-in, access to Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounges, priority boarding and other benefits.

https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2018-10-...nternational-Destinations-in-Summer-2019

Nothing that wasn't already known, but the issued a formal release for it. The daily year round DEL is really good though, and year-round and increase to MEL. The AC mainline additions have been doing well for AC to boost so much right away. YVR's losses have been all due to Rouge leaving (NGO, ORL). That was no surprise, the redeployment of the Rouge widebodies was common knowloedge and those routes weren't regular or frequent enough to keep.

Interesting still no mention of the mystery around DUB, if it were going mainline I feel like this was the press release to mention in it. But then again if it's going to be an A330 then maybe it will get announced when those planes enter service, along with any other routes those planes will be used on? This release was basically a co-promotion for the Dreamliner, since its used on all the route expansions and mentioned right in the title. Maybe they didn't want to bring up something that wasn't in that grouping. Or maybe it will just stay a Rouge flight and defy all logic!

[ExcaliburKid]

I'm with Cold, I'll pick something up post-security and bring it on board if I feel the need. Beats nearly any in flight offering that I've come across

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by CloudInspector

I respectfully disagree, I think in the next few years we’ll see plenty of WestJet 787 routes from YVR. These first routes are right out of their map that they show at investor days of potential 787 routes.

I work with a lot of people who have ties to Asia and there’s no way they’d backtrack to Calgary to fly for business or to see family. There are some markets that can’t be ignored.

Fair enough, you could very well be right, but I just don't see it. WS seems to have ceded YVR to AC in my eyes, you can see it from their narrowbody operations there right up to this dreamliner announcement. To me they seem to be abandoning their expansions in YVR and to a lesser extent YUL and firming up as a two hub operation.

Originally Posted by zahav

WS has not gone head to head with AC yet in any concrete way. Siphoning off YVR to CDG and DUB would require a connection in YYC, hence why this isn't "head to head", that would be if they launch the same routes from the identical airports. The LGW really isn't a news event as it was already served, this is just with a new shiny aircraft. Ultimately all that was added is a new daily service (4x for CDG and 3x for DUB, so 7x total). And none of those routes are to airports that AC even served from YYC. Once they launch identical airport pairings on routes AC already serves (LHR and FRA from YYC, and everything from YYZ) then it is really head to head. I feel like Transat is going to be squeezed for sure, right off the bat with the added capacity from YYC, and most likely from whatever routes they launch from YYZ.

**EDIT - This is only in reference to the new Dreamliner service and long haul expansion. Obviously they are head to head with AC on tons of international and US destinations, I strictly mean in regards to the new and future service on 787s**

I'm already getting ads for YVR-DUB & CDG via YYC. Strange thing is the fares are cheaper from YVR than YYC. How WS plans to make that work long term I don't quite understand.

[zahav]

WS's 767s will be operating the following routes, anyone know what else? It looks like the YVR and YWG balance one plane, but then only twice weekly for YEG, where is the plane the rest of the time? I looked at random days YYZ-YYC for example and only see 737 flying?

YYC-LGW - Daily
YYZ-LGW - Daily
YVR_LGW - x6
YWG-LGW - 6
YEG-LGW - 1,6

[nname]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Fair enough, you could very well be right, but I just don't see it. WS seems to have ceded YVR to AC in my eyes, you can see it from their narrowbody operations there right up to this dreamliner announcement. To me they seem to be abandoning their expansions in YVR and to a lesser extent YUL and firming up as a two hub operation.

I'm already getting ads for YVR-DUB & CDG via YYC. Strange thing is the fares are cheaper from YVR than YYC. How WS plans to make that work long term I don't quite understand.

The same as how AC sells YYC-DUB via YVR or YUL cheaper than YVR-DUB and YUL-DUB

[LeftCoaster]

Well how about that. Just checked a few random dates and it seems you're right.

How does that make any damn sense?

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Well how about that. Just checked a few random dates and it seems you're right.

How does that make any damn sense?

You can't price a 1 stop the same as a non stop, that's why. Or else why would anyone connect in YYC? (or anywhere else for that matter)

WS wants folks over at YVR to use those YYC-Europe flights. And they will, at the right price. This is the right price.

This is why I said it will be interesting to see what happens to YVR-Europe once the YYC-Europe flights have settled in.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by zahav

Interesting still no mention of the mystery around DUB, if it were going mainline I feel like this was the press release to mention in it. But then again if it's going to be an A330 then maybe it will get announced when those planes enter service, along with any other routes those planes will be used on? This release was basically a co-promotion for the Dreamliner, since its used on all the route expansions and mentioned right in the title. Maybe they didn't want to bring up something that wasn't in that grouping. Or maybe it will just stay a Rouge flight and defy all logic!

Additional frequencies are nice, but that press release pretty much guarantees no new AC long haul routes from YVR next summer, (or even in the short term). Not surprising, the way yields are across the Pacific. The fact that YVR-CDG stays the same tells me it didn't perform as well as YVR-ZRH. To be expected, since they are competing with AF. (Edelweiss to ZRH competes less with AC) YYC-CDG will definately put pressure on that route out of YVR.

[TheGreatestX]

Originally Posted by zahav

WS's 767s will be operating the following routes, anyone know what else? It looks like the YVR and YWG balance one plane, but then only twice weekly for YEG, where is the plane the rest of the time? I looked at random days YYZ-YYC for example and only see 737 flying?

YYC-LGW - Daily
YYZ-LGW - Daily
YVR_LGW - x6
YWG-LGW - 6
YEG-LGW - 1,6

But YYC-LGW is on the 787 not the 767.

Last summer YYC-LGW was x16 and YEG-LGW was 16.

[Pinus]

Originally Posted by zahav

WS's 767s will be operating the following routes, anyone know what else? It looks like the YVR and YWG balance one plane, but then only twice weekly for YEG, where is the plane the rest of the time? I looked at random days YYZ-YYC for example and only see 737 flying?

YYC-LGW - Daily
YYZ-LGW - Daily
YVR_LGW - x6
YWG-LGW - 6
YEG-LGW - 1,6

Sorry, what do the 1 and 6 represent again?

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Pinus

Sorry, what do the 1 and 6 represent again?

I may be wrong, but I’m guessing 1=Monday and 6=Saturday?

[Bourkky]

Originally Posted by Pinus

Sorry, what do the 1 and 6 represent again?

1 = Monday
2 = Tuesday
3 = Wednesday
4 = Thursday
5 = Friday
6 = Saturday
7 = Sunday

x6 = except Saturdays
x247 = except Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
etc...

[zahav]

Originally Posted by TheGreatestX

But YYC-LGW is on the 787 not the 767.

Last summer YYC-LGW was x16 and YEG-LGW was 16.

Sorry yes you are right, YYC is on the 787 (duh how soon I forget . But that further presses the point, where are the 767s operating? The YEG is the odd one out with the couple flights a week, and then of course the one freed up from YYC going 787.

I don't know if that announcement solidifies anything for next summer, the 787s were basically spoken for so by that logic none of the other airports are going to see any new routes with them either.

[casper]

Originally Posted by zahav

Sorry yes you are right, YYC is on the 787 (duh how soon I forget . But that further presses the point, where are the 767s operating? The YEG is the odd one out with the couple flights a week, and then of course the one freed up from YYC going 787.

I don't know if that announcement solidifies anything for next summer, the 787s were basically spoken for so by that logic none of the other airports are going to see any new routes with them either.

Sounds like the 767 base is YYZ while the 787 based is YYC.

[zahav]

Yes that's what they say, but what routes? There are essentially dailies from YVR and YYZ on the LGW route, and then the 2 YEG. I have checked various transcon routes and all still 737??