London International Airport

[TallerIsBetter]

I think the key to making the single aisle jets appealing for intercontinental flights will be the new interiors with more generous seat width and pitch, the modern mood lighting, and entertainment amenities. Much like Delta are doing with their A220s.

Big airports have capacity issues and I do think this will be a trend - hopefully CYXU can be aggressive and carve out a niche.

[Djeffery]

Putting the 109 seat layout of the A220 into a 737 wouldn't generate enough revenue to pay for a transatlantic flight. You also have to ETOPS-certify and equip the aircraft for overwater flight, and you would also need to have the plane equipped for full meal service, which are things most 737's aren't set up for. When WestJet started doing Hawaii from Vancouver, they had to limit the number of passengers and still often had to land in San Francisco for fuel due to winds, even though the distance was well within the advertised range of the aircraft.

I could see a summertime weekly 767 (maybe 2x a week) operating out of here to Europe and YXU has certainly been pushing the airlines for something going over from here. Not sure how long WestJet is keeping their 767's as they add the 787 to the fleet.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by MrSlippery519

You do have to wonder what drives some of these choices, maybe Westjet is actually being smart and looked at the fact people would fly to Montreal from London however given that AirCanada charges $300+ for a return flight and their non stop travel times are not ideal, if Westjet price it competitively I know I personally would use the service.

Right now I just drive for business, typically 4-6 times a year but I would much rather fly

The new WS flight to YUL connects to almost nothing...although YUL pax can actually connect at YXU to get to YYC, lol. This seems like nothing more than retaliation for AC adding YYC. I doubt it’ll last more than 1 summer. A 78 seater relying 95% on O&D makes no sense whatsoever. If this weren’t purely for retaliatory purposes, then why not launch a YOW flight? Surely there’s more O&D traffic to YOW than YUL (why else would AC offer twice as much YOW capacity as YUL) and YOW would probably even offer a couple more connection options...YHZ both ways and less backtracking for anything to the west.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

The new WS flight to YUL connects to almost nothing...although YUL pax can actually connect at YXU to get to YYC, lol. This seems like nothing more than retaliation for AC adding YYC. I doubt it’ll last more than 1 summer. A 78 seater relying 95% on O&D makes no sense whatsoever. If this weren’t purely for retaliatory purposes, then why not launch a YOW flight? Surely there’s more O&D traffic to YOW than YUL (why else would AC offer twice as much YOW capacity as YUL) and YOW would probably even offer a couple more connection options...YHZ both ways and less backtracking for anything to the west.

Okay so I’m not the only one who thinks that the new YXU YUL route is a weird choice.

[Bsanders]

Originally Posted by sparky212

Yay London got a air museum the 3 in ontario

i like it!

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by Bsanders

i like it!

Pretty cool the things they have been able to do there. They just brought in 3 Tutor jets (the type the Snowbirds fly) this week. One the museum owns, the other 2 are owned by others, and the museum will be attempting to restore all 3 to flight status over the next few years. Of course, last year, they got their own T-33 back in the air as the Red Knight and they got another one restored to flight, and sold it to a private owner in Texas. They apparently have another one they plan to have back in the air this year, but I don't know if they are selling it or keeping it.

It would be nice if they came into some cash and could get the CF-100 and the CF-5 sitting at that old museum in Campbellford where they got the Tutors from. It's a shame to see these planes sitting there like that. Even worse are all the jets at Markham rotting out in that field.

[Djeffery]

Apparently the new AC Rouge flight to Calgary has been put off until October due to aircraft shortages caused by the grounding of the 737 Max 8's. The Rouge fleet is being used to fill in as many gaps in the AC schedule as they can through the summer travel season. Honestly, I'd be surprised if that flight actually happens then either.

[manny_santos]

Luckily Swoop's debut in London should not be affected by the Max 8 grounding, as they are not using those planes.

I have a flight booked on Swoop to London during their inaugural week, and it's on a 737-800. I was confused at first but this is indeed a different aircraft which has been around since the 1990s.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

...I have a flight booked on Swoop to London during their inaugural week, and it's on a 737-800. I was confused at first but this is indeed a different aircraft which has been around since the 1990s.

To be clear, whilst the 737NG aircraft have indeed been around since the 90s, Swoop’s fleet of 737-800 were acquired from Westjet and were some of Westjet’s newest aircraft. The oldest 737-800 in Swoop’s fleet is about 5 years old. So it’s a modern fleet!

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by TallerIsBetter

I think the key to making the single aisle jets appealing for intercontinental flights will be the new interiors with more generous seat width and pitch, the modern mood lighting, and entertainment amenities. Much like Delta are doing with their A220s.

Big airports have capacity issues and I do think this will be a trend - hopefully CYXU can be aggressive and carve out a niche.

The CSeries/A220 isn't really being used to launch new flights. What it is being used for is to consolidate RJ/Turboprop flights on to mainline. Replace three 76 seat RJ/Q400 flights with two A220 mainline flights for example.

No airline will be basing them in London for transoceanic service. London could get more mainline hub service though. For example with AC, switch Pearson to 3-4 A223 flights per day, and 2-3 mainline flights from Calgary instead of Rouge. Or maybe Delta launches with 2-3 A221 runs daily into Detroit.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

If this weren’t purely for retaliatory purposes, then why not launch a YOW flight?

Aircraft basing and rotation is way easier from YUL.

[TallerIsBetter]

Sorry if I wasn't clear... my reference to the A220 was regarding the design attempting to make the passenger experience more comfortable - something important if single-aisle narrowbodies are going to be used frequently on transcontinental segments.

I still think YXU could support regular flights to Europe when these new long-range narrowbodies (e.g. A319/A320/A321neo and 737 MAX 7 & 8) are prevalent.

[ldoto]

https://www.thelondoner.ca/news/loca...3-07c32d54990e

Vacation tour operator Sunwing and the low-cost airline Swoop are teaming up to offer flights from London International Airport to the Mexican vacation destination


Cancun will be one flight away for Londoners this winter, thanks to a partnership between two airlines.

Vacation tour operator Sunwing and the low-cost airline Swoop are teaming up to offer flights from London International Airport to the Mexican vacation destination.



London is one of five Canadian airports where passengers can book vacation packages with Sunwing that include a Swoop flight. Winnipeg, Edmonton, Hamilton and Abbotsford, B.C., are the other cities offering the Sunwing-Swoop packages.

Vacationers can choose Swoop flights from London to Cancun on Thursdays and Saturdays along with Sunwing flight services to other warm destinations.

Last month, Sunwing announced it is offering all-inclusive packages with weekly flights from London to Cayo Santa Maria and Varadero in Cuba, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and Montego Bay, Jamaica, from December to April.

The Sunwing vacation packages with Swoop include one checked bag and round-trip airport and hotel transfers.

[ldoto]

What happens in Las Vegas… now starts at London International with new non-stop flights from Swoop!



Beginning today, passengers can now fly non-stop from London International to Las Vegas with Swoop with twice weekly departures.

LONDON, ON - Today Canada's ultra-low cost airline, Swoop, continues to expand its presence in London with the start of non-stop service between London International (YXU) and McCarran International Airport (LAS). The inaugural flight will depart from London tonight at 8:30pm EST.

The introduction of service to Las Vegas offers travelers the convenient option of twice weekly departures (Thursdays and Sundays), allowing for flexible vacation planning. In addition to multiple departures per week, passengers will be able to experience all Las Vegas has to offer while paying less thanks to Swoop's ultra-low cost fares. Please see the chart below for base pricing details.

"We are very excited to add this new destination to our expanding route map" says Michael Seabrook, President and CEO, London International Airport. "We are pleased that our passengers will now be able to enjoy non-stop service to Las Vegas the 'Easy and Comfortable' way from London International."

The addition of Las Vegas to Swoop's London network brings the total number of routes to six, with year-round service to Abbotsford and Edmonton, and seasonal service to Orlando (USA), Cancun (Mexico), and Halifax.

Flights are available now for booking through to April 23, 2020.

Details of Swoop's service between YXU and LAS:

Service Between Service Offered Weekly Frequency Total One-Way Price From
London, ON to Las Vegas, NV Thursday, Sunday 2x per week $89.00* CAD

[MrSlippery519]

Not that I frequently go to Vegas but that is super cheap. Just checked a random dates in November/December and you can fly for $141 return ($89 out and $52 in) prices vary slightly but there are plenty of options for a sub $200 return trip.
Hopefully London continues to get more flights like this with Swoop.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by MrSlippery519

Not that I frequently go to Vegas but that is super cheap. Just checked a random dates in November/December and you can fly for $141 return ($89 out and $52 in) prices vary slightly but there are plenty of options for a sub $200 return trip.
Hopefully London continues to get more flights like this with Swoop.

Nice. At that price, I could buy the row of 6 seats for my wife and I to sit sideways to have leg room lol.

[K85]

London International Airport has already crested last years half million, are on pace for just under 700,000 passengers, and may hit a million next year...

https://london.ctvnews.ca/video?binId=1.1137796

[manny_santos]

I posted about this in another thread, but does anyone know what the holdup is for London International Airport to get some flights back?

Right now they've just got the Air Canada connecting flights to Toronto (which are absurdly expensive), a daily WestJet flight to Calgary, and Swoop flights to Edmonton 4 times per week coming back on June 2. Meanwhile Flair is doing all sorts of expansion at K-W's airport and they aren't doing anything in London, and Swoop is focusing on Hamilton and Toronto now.

Prior to the pandemic I used to fly Abbotsford-London on Swoop; it was so much more convenient than having to fly to Toronto and waiting 3+ hours to connect on Robert Q, or adding on the absurdly expensive connecting flight to London, which I will never do again after my luggage didn't get sent to the London flight at Pearson.

[MolsonExport]

London should have much more activity, given the greater distance from KW (if you are KW, wouldn't most people drive to Toronto for the direct flight?). London is "far enough" from Toronto (as well as large enough) to merit more connecting flights. But routes keep getting added and quickly dropped. There is little expectation of being able to get a direct flight to somewhere, except Toronto.

Detroit? dropped. Chicago? dropped. Montreal? dropped. etc.

[ssiguy]

^ London airport was growing at a very good clip but COVID took care of that but that is the same as every other airport in the country. When air travel finally gets back to some form of normal then I think you will see the growth continue. The exact same thing has happened in Hamilton which was seeing huge increases in traffic as people cringe at the thought of having to negotiate around Pearson.