Canadian Airport Thread

[Dominion301]

Huge cutbacks at YOW and YUL vs last winter.

Domestically they’re only flying to YYZ & YYC 1x daily each (vs 4x daily with 1x 737 and 3x DH4s & 10x weekly respectively). YOW-YWG gone (both mainline and Swoop flew this last year). Winter 2021 aside, this is the only time ever that they’re not flying YOW-YWG in winter. YOW-YEG yet again back to seasonal (Swoop flew it last winter). YOW-YVR gone. Also Swoop flew YOW-YHZ still last winter. The utterly perplexing observations is why not 2x to YYZ to capture morning and evening peaks?

On transborder/international it looks like about the same with CUN, MBJ, RSW & MCO all 2x weekly each although I think the latter was 3x weekly last year.

At YUL, get this: YUL-YYZ is GONE! The only route they have is YYC and get this, YUL will see ZERO WS departures on Saturdays. If this is what YUL looks like this winter, what’s going to happen when WG disappears a year or two later? Will the huge WG base at YUL be dismantled to a fraction of its size with WS flying everything? That would be a huge violation of the Terms and Conditions of the WG takeover.

So where’s this phantom expansion they speak of, unless a whole whack load of stuff isn’t loaded yet? Even YOW-YYC is reduced further still yet they claim they’re expanding? Used to be 13x weekly in winter.

[hollywoodcory]

Aero routes picked up the other new routes:
https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230723-wsnw23

YEG-MBJ
YEG-MZT
YWG-HUX
YYJ-SJD
YXS-PVR

Some were previously served. Some brand new.

[JakeLRS]

Originally Posted by hollywoodcory

Aero routes picked up the other new routes:
https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/230723-wsnw23

YEG-MBJ
YEG-MZT
YWG-HUX
YYJ-SJD
YXS-PVR

Some were previously served. Some brand new.

YEG-MZT and YYK-SJD have been unswooped!

[thenoflyzone]

EK has 9 "game changer" B77Ws, the ones with the new first class suites, which are fully enclosed (floor to ceiling), as well as the new business class cabin.

https://www.emirates.com/ca/english/experience/our-fleet/gamechanger/

https://onemileatatime.com/guides/new-emirates-first-class-routes/

They actually subbed one of these planes (A6-EQH) to YUL a couple of days ago, on July 19.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/a6-eqh

Notice it is mostly used on routes to BRU, GVA, STN, HND, etc, so having it already come to YUL once is a real treat, especially for the passengers who paid for first class !

It is quite literally the best first class product in the world

Originally Posted by Dominion301

At YUL, get this: YUL-YYZ is GONE! The only route they have is YYC and get this, YUL will see ZERO WS departures on Saturdays.

At this point, WS should just close mainline ops at YUL and leave it to Sunwing.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

EK has 9 "game changer" B77Ws, the ones with the new first class suites, which are fully enclosed (floor to ceiling), as well as the new business class cabin.

https://www.emirates.com/ca/english/experience/our-fleet/gamechanger/

https://onemileatatime.com/guides/new-emirates-first-class-routes/

They actually subbed one of these planes (A6-EQH) to YUL a couple of days ago, on July 19.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/a6-eqh

Notice it is mostly used on routes to BRU, GVA, STN, HND, etc, so having it already come to YUL once is a real treat, especially for the passengers who paid for first class !

It is quite literally the best first class product in the world



At this point, WS should just close mainline ops at YUL and leave it to Sunwing.

Until Sunwing closes after winter 2024-25! After that only the Sunwing Vacations tour operator is supposed to survive.

[Dominion301]

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/we...d-commitment-to-st-john-s-807910283.html

YYT-YYC, YQM-YYC going year-round 2x weekly in winter.

YYT-MCO and YYT-TPA reinstated weekly winter seasonal.

[hehehe]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/we...d-commitment-to-st-john-s-807910283.html

YYT-YYC, YQM-YYC going year-round 2x weekly in winter.

YYT-MCO and YYT-TPA reinstated weekly winter seasonal.

Obviously WS knows much more than I do but it seems weird that they think they can make YQM work in the winter but not more than daily YYC-YOW or YVR/YWG/YEG-YOW? Looks like there's a ton of slack.

[J81]

Originally Posted by hehehe

Obviously WS knows much more than I do but it seems weird that they think they can make YQM work in the winter but not more than daily YYC-YOW or YVR/YWG/YEG-YOW? Looks like there's a ton of slack.

A lot of ppl fly west every week out of YQM. They always have had to transit YYZ or YHM with WJ. Quite frankly if i had to pick between transiting YYZ or YYC for a flight to western Canada or even the US id take YYC every time.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by J81

A lot of ppl fly west every week out of YQM. They always have had to transit YYZ or YHM with WJ. Quite frankly if i had to pick between transiting YYZ or YYC for a flight to western Canada or even the US id take YYC every time.

Indeed. Since YYC is the main WestJet hub, it would make a fine intermediary stop for YQM passengers bound for anywhere in western North America. I would use it.

I hate Pearson. Anytime I fly to Toronto, I take Porter to Billy Bishop. I use Pearson only as a hub airport.

YYC has a nice terminal. I've flown through there several times.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by hehehe

Obviously WS knows much more than I do but it seems weird that they think they can make YQM work in the winter but not more than daily YYC-YOW or YVR/YWG/YEG-YOW? Looks like there's a ton of slack.

Looks like PD are pouncing on WS' retreat. Instead of announcing YYZ-YLW for the October 4th start, they've instead announced YOW-YEG daily: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/porter-adds-edmonton-to-ottawa-e195-e2-network-899809081.html

[JakeLRS]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Looks like PD are pouncing on WS' retreat. Instead of announcing YYZ-YLW for the October 4th start, they've instead announced YOW-YEG daily: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/porter-adds-edmonton-to-ottawa-e195-e2-network-899809081.html

Good on Porter!

[nname]

AC moves to DXB terminal 3 starting July 26
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/em...-3-at-dubai-international-829303940.html

[hollywoodcory]

Originally Posted by hollywoodcory

The 787 will also fly to Mexico with YYZ-CUN and YVR-CUN/PVR
Will also operate YYC-LHR/CDG/CUN/PVR/OGG/HNL.

Should also add that the 787 is presently not scheduled to operate any domestic routes, not even YYC-YYZ which it has flown pretty regularly since they got them.

This means the 787s are rotating through CUN between YYC/YVR and YYZ.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by hollywoodcory

Should also add that the 787 is presently not scheduled to operate any domestic routes, not even YYC-YYZ which it has flown pretty regularly since they got them.

This means the 787s are rotating through CUN between YYC/YVR and YYZ.

This is too bad. Maybe a missed opportunity for J guests wanting to travel from YYZ to Hawaii via YYC on the 787! Or perhaps the other way, J guests wanting to travel from YYC to Europe on another carrier via YYZ! But perhaps Alexis Von Whatshisname doesn’t care so much about the J guests.

[nname]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

This is too bad. Maybe a missed opportunity for J guests wanting to travel from YYZ to Hawaii via YYC on the 787! Or perhaps the other way, J guests wanting to travel from YYC to Europe on another carrier via YYZ! But perhaps Alexis Von Whatshisname doesn’t care so much about the J guests.

For those from YYC to Europe, WS would want them to fly to LHR or CDG on their own metal, rather than through a different carrier on the TATL portion.

For those from YYZ to Hawaii, they would just fly direct with AC.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by JakeLRS

Good on Porter!

And today is the inaugural YOW-YVR.

[SignalHillHiker]

Some hopeful news.

Newfoundland and Labrador's premier said Monday the province hasn't managed to attract a direct route to Europe, despite persistent efforts — but he hinted at potential news to come.

Premier Andrew Furey told reporters his government has been wheeling and dealing, attempting to secure a route that would take passengers straight east across the Atlantic without making stopovers in westerly cities such as Halifax, Montreal or Toronto.

"I can tell you I've met with … other airlines, international providers that go to Europe," Furey said, "and they have told me, just a year ago when I met with them, that it wasn't about incentives.

"They just didn't have the supply. They didn't have the aircraft, they didn't have the pilots, they didn't have the mechanics."

Furey added no amount of cash or revenue guarantees would have helped at the time.

"I said, 'What would it take for me to get a plane from Dublin to St. John's?' 'You can't write a cheque,' was the response."

St. John's has been without a direct flight to Europe since 2019. Its only international destinations, apart from the nearby French territory of St-Pierre-Miquelon, are tourist spots in Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. But the premier insisted Monday that supply chain issues haven't yet killed off the European dream, suggesting other deals are quietly in the works.

"We need to make sure that we have the human resources and the support staff.… But also, just say, stay tuned for other announcements like this hopefully in the not too distant future," he said.

"As we know, Germany in particular is quite interested in our province these days … whether it's from an energy space or critical mineral space. And … the feedback that we heard the most is that 'we can't fly here direct' or 'we have to fly to two different airports and then to Toronto to get to St. John's.'

"Opening up Europe is is a top priority for us."

Newfoundland and Labrador officials met with German airline Condor last year to no avail, but the premier didn't say what airlines his government was currently courting.

Meanwhile, the St. John's International Airport says business is booming this summer, signalling a gradual return to normal levels of traffic through the province.

"Air travel is certainly rebounding in a very strong way," said airport CEO Dennis Hogan on Monday.

"We're probably about 90 per cent of where we would have been in the last pre-pandemic year, in 2019.”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nl-europe-direct-1.6915973

[esquire]

^ Do people in NL go to SPM in any significant numbers to fly to France?

[SignalHillHiker]

Not to my knowledge. We did consider it once but, at that time, the return flight to St. Pierre from Paris was unavoidably expensive.

I think most people here use Canadian airlines for their return to the nearest European airport, and then buy whatever they want once there. For example, my trip to Spain in February - I just did return to Dublin on Air Canada, and then bought Ryan Air and Aer Lingus flights to and from Spain. Pre-pandemic, did the same thing - Westjet, I think it was, to Dublin and then Ryan Air to Edinburgh and back etc.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by YYCguys

This is too bad. Maybe a missed opportunity for J guests wanting to travel from YYZ to Hawaii via YYC on the 787! Or perhaps the other way, J guests wanting to travel from YYC to Europe on another carrier via YYZ! But perhaps Alexis Von Whatshisname doesn’t care so much about the J guests.

There is no high yielding J demand from anywhere in Canada to Hawaii.

The only reason WS is utilizing the 787s from YYC and YVR to sun routes is to increase capacity on said routes, as domestic and European demand nosedives in winter. Same for AC. There is nowhere else to send all those widebodies, so better to use them on routes where all those seats will be sold.

And there is plenty of capacity for the J crowd from YYC to Europe.