YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[nname]

Originally Posted by zahav

I know it's splitting hairs, but it's interesting how they've divied up the flights that do exist. And very weird city pairs and not on the airlines that you'd expect. YVR the only airport outside Asia to have four different airlines serving four different destinations. Who the heck knows how things will play out into winter and next year.

Full article here

At first, for every airline that still operating flights at the end of March 2020, they are allowed to maintain at most 1x weekly on one of the route they are still operating.

On the China-Canada services, here are the picks:
AC not allowed to operate because service suspended
CA PEK-YVR, PEK-YUL, picked YVR
MU PVG-YVR, PVG-YYZ, NKG-YVR, picked YYZ
CZ CAN-YVR, CAN-YYZ, picked YVR
HU PEK-YYZ, SZX-YVR, picked YYZ
MF XMN-YVR
3U CTU-YVR, CTU-SHE-YVR, picked nonstop flight
JD not allowed to operate because service suspended

Then, the restriction relaxed to 2x weekly and allow foreign airline to apply for up to 2x weekly even if they suspend service in March. AC wanted access to PEK but was denied (no direct flight into PEK is allowed), so after maybe a few months of negotiations, they're allowed 4x weekly at PVG split between YVR and YYZ.

In the mean time, the Chinese airline is allowed to pick any route from the above for their 2nd weekly service. MU and CZ choose to operate 1x weekly to both YVR and YYZ, while the other 4 choose to double the existing service.

At this point, Chinese airlines is operating 12x weekly to Canada while Canadian airlines only allowed 4x (maybe if WS or TS applied for service to China, it would've granted.. but neither were interested). In the mean time, AC is still trying to apply for PEK and is continuously being denied even though CA is now allowed to flight direct from YVR into PEK. At some point, either AC or the Canadian government complained, and as a compromise the Chinese frequency are cut back to 1x for each airline and flight from PEK to Canada cannot be operate non-stop in both directions. All airlines dropped the 2nd weekly service and operate only the first route.

CA operates PEK-YVR with stop at either SHE or CGO; HU operates PEK-YYZ with stop at XIY.

Then, either CZ feel there is less competition at YYZ, or saw AC's application to start YYZ-CAN service... they decided to move their service from YVR to YYZ, maybe trying to block AC from starting it.

Then the pandemic broke out in XIY early this year, and the HU flight to YYZ was suspended. Maybe the Xi'an government were wary, the YYZ flight was not restarted even after the lock down was lifted. As a result, HU moved their flight to YVR.

So this is a summary of how Canada-China's flight goes since the start of the pandemic. Keep in mind that some parts may not be entirly correct, as this is just words from discussions I found in various Chinese/English forums and/or my memory already faded. It's been more than 2 years already!

[CivicBlues]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Who’d have thought someone so young would be so dainty. I don’t take rollaboards to the gate, they have people to check those.

Huh? People take rollaboards as carry ons all the time. Even more so now that Airlines are losing luggage left right and center these days.

Dude we all have our own hills to die on. For you it's racist dogwhistling, for me it's airport carpets mmkay?

p.s. I'm almost 40

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

Huh? People take rollaboards as carry ons all the time. Even more so now that Airlines are losing luggage left right and center these days.

Dude we all have our own hills to die on. For you it's racist dogwhistling, for me it's airport carpets mmkay?

p.s. I'm almost 40

Forty, you're practically over the hill. Soon you'll be throwing ageist insults at yourself!

I've never had my luggage lost. I guess that Priority tag works.

[SpongeG]

Fiji Airways Operates One Off Vancouver Flight Ahead Of November Route Launch

While Tuesday’s one-off flight was operated by the Airbus A350-900, when regular services commence in November, the twice-weekly flights will be operated by the Airbus A330-200. Fiji Airways has three such aircraft in its fleet, each seating a total of 273 passengers in a two-class configuration – 24 in business class and 249 in economy class.

source: https://simpleflying.com/fiji-airways-promotional-vancouver-flight/

[thenoflyzone]

^ Nice !

Didn't know the Fijian diaspora in Canada numbered 80,000. That's a huge diaspora for such a small nation with a population less than 1 million. By comparison, Turkey, a country of ~80 million+, only has a diaspora of around 100,000 here in Canada, most of which is in ON and QC.

The flights are also timed to offer connections to and from Australia and New Zealand

I was wondering why the early promo flight, but I guess it makes sense. Grow awareness to get those bookings in time for launch. Hopefully with tourism, the diaspora in Canada, and convenient connections to Australia and NZ, the flight will succeed.

[SpongeG]

I just found out last week my manager is from Fiji, he is Chinese. A few of the Indian cooks are from Fiji too. Most of them didn't know this new flight was going to be available so a promo like this will help spread the word.

[CivicBlues]

I think a very large proportion of the Fijian diaspora is of Indian descent, which is probably why that 80,000 number surprises most Canadians.

[Klazu]

There were some amazing promotional deals to be found last month like YVR-SYD $595 on Fiji Airways.

https://yvrdeals.com/vancouver-to-sydney-australia-595-roundtrip

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by CivicBlues

I think a very large proportion of the Fijian diaspora is of Indian descent, which is probably why that 80,000 number surprises most Canadians.

Yep, that probably makes the difference between getting service to Fiji and getting service to Tahiti.

[wabooba]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yep, that probably makes the difference between getting service to Fiji and getting service to Tahiti.

Your emoticon represents sadness. Would you rather have had service to Tahiti?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by wabooba

Your emoticon represents sadness. Would you rather have had service to Tahiti?

Yes!

[Klazu]

Why not both? One can hope.

How long is the Nadi flight?

[connect2source]

Gorgeous bird! The 350 looks incredible in the Fiji Airways livery!

[thenoflyzone]

I think this guy was lucky YVR had carpet flooring....scroll down to the second pic.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-air-canada-compensation-crew-1.6547482

[casper]

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

I think this guy was lucky YVR had carpet flooring....scroll down to the second pic.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/westjet-air-canada-compensation-crew-1.6547482

I would have to agree with the guy. Crew shortages is not something "outside of the airlines control". It is something fully in the control of the airline.

Also have the WestJet customer service agent telling them to rebook on Porter and that they would be covered to have their claim rejected is another example of poor behaviour by the airline. WestJet should have done the rebooking. If they did not they should have lived up to the commitment their staff made.

[zahav]

I am way happier we are getting Fiji service, it makes way way more sense that Tahiti. Tahiti is an uber rich, exclusive destination that is a super niche market. There's no real connections, and no major populations or either country in the other.

Fiji, on the other hand, has always had strong ties to Vancouver. Along with the Bay Area and Australian/NZ cities, we are one of the main destinations for emigrants from Fiji. Add in the tourism it will generate, plus the onward connection options, this route has a higher chance of succeeding than servicing Tahiti. I'm very happy with this addition, more than if we had Tahiti. But sure, why not both? Lol, doubtful at this point.

The next focus should definitely be getting a South America route, no doubt about it. I hope either Avianca or Air Canada can make the economics work to start one, that is the biggest missing piece in YVR's puzzle

[wabooba]

Originally Posted by zahav

.....
The next focus should definitely be getting a South America route, no doubt about it. I hope either Avianca or Air Canada can make the economics work to start one, that is the biggest missing piece in YVR's puzzle

You got it, Zahav! Starting with Lima, or maybe Bogota.

[nname]

Originally Posted by wabooba

You got it, Zahav! Starting with Lima, or maybe Bogota.

LIM or BOG... probably not with AC. Doesn't look like LIM is doing particular well, as it is the last South American route to restart and had been cut to the bare minimum frequency (from YYZ/YUL). I think AC probably can't wait to put A321XLR to the route. BOG not exactly on the expanding mode as well, and I won't be surprised if AC put XLR on that route as well.

If AC ever going to add a South American route from YVR... GRU might have higher chance, as they are actually expanding the service there.

[wabooba]

Originally Posted by nname

LIM or BOG... probably not with AC. Doesn't look like LIM is doing particular well, as it is the last South American route to restart and had been cut to the bare minimum frequency (from YYZ/YUL). I think AC probably can't wait to put A321XLR to the route. BOG not exactly on the expanding mode as well, and I won't be surprised if AC put XLR on that route as well.

If AC ever going to add a South American route from YVR... GRU might have a higher chance, as they are actually expanding the service there.

In that case, let's go for GRU. But are there any South American airlines that might want to start a run to YVR? Avianca? LATAM?

[nname]

Originally Posted by wabooba

In that case, let's go for GRU. But are there any South American airlines that might want to start a run to YVR? Avianca? LATAM?

For AV, I don't think they'll put YVR before SFO. For LA/LP, I don't think they'll put YVR before both SFO and YYZ...

So really, the best bet for any South America service from YVR is from AC, and maybe some Chinese airlines if they finally decide to open up and back to expansion mode.