Canadian Airport Thread II

[hollywoodcory]

New WS destination schedules:

WS2266 YYC 23:55 - 09:20+1 PTY 7M8 1356
WS2267 PTY 10:20 - 16:14 YYC 7M8 2456

WS2278 YYC 08:30 - 14:58 GDL 737 7
WS2278 YYC 09:15 - 15:43 GDL 737 2
WS2279 GDL 16:00 - 20:41 YYC 737 7
WS2279 GDL 16:45 - 21:26 YYC 737 2

WS2238 YYC 08:55 - 16:27 CZM 737 6
WS2239 CZM 14:50 - 19:04 YYC 737 6

WS2474 YYC 10:30 - 16:23 TPQ 737 6
WS2475 TPQ 17:30 - 21:29 YYC 737 6

WS2270 YYC 00:05 - 09:37 POP 7M8 7
WS2271 POP 11:00 - 15:47 YYC 7M8 7

WS2098 YYZ 13:05 - 17:00 HAV 737 27
WS2099 HAV 18:00 - 21:43 YYZ 737 27

WS2034 YVR 00:05 - 09:21 LIR 737 5
WS2035 LIR 10:30 - 16:31 YVR 737 5

WS2234 YWG 23:40 - 06:01+1 LIR 737 5
WS2235 LIR 07:00 - 13:27 YWG 737 6

[thenoflyzone]

As i was saying a few weeks ago, surprised by PTY. It doesn't even connect well with NRT. GDL I already spoke about. They are not overnighting, and it doesn't connect at all with NRT. These two are the riskiest routes in that list I think.

YYC-MEX going year round is good news. Hopefully that means they are seeing good yields there and that it will be the same thing for GDL.

The rest is as expected. Glad to see the Quebec Sunwing program in winter isn't gutted, but rather expanded.

[Denscity]

YVR to LIR

[thenoflyzone]

Seems cargo demand was part of the reasoning for GDL, MGA, AZS and HAV.

WestJet Cargo – Amanda Ierfino, Vice-President of Sales & Cargo, WestJet

"WestJet’s 2025/2026 winter schedule marks a pivotal moment for our growing belly cargo operations," said Amanda Ierfino, WestJet Vice-President, Sales and Cargo. " With expanded capacity and increasing momentum, we expect strong cargo demand across new routes to Guadalajara, Managua, Samaná and Havana. The launch of daily service to Tokyo is particularly exciting, as it presents robust two-way trade potential in high-value sectors such as electronics, automotive components, machinery and premium perishables like seafood and fresh fruit."

She mentions NRT as well. At least cargo won't complain on the 12hr+ layovers in YYC on some of these connections.

Originally Posted by Denscity

YVR to LIR

1x weekly. I guess having something is better than having nothing.

[hollywoodcory]

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

Seems cargo demand was part of the reasoning for GDL, MGA, AZS and HAV.
.

GDL and HAV were already served by WS on a cargo only basis previously.

As I said previously, when I saw PTY on the list of planned destinations I was kind of surprised, as it wasn't something on my radar as potential spots from YYC.

YYC-POP and TPQ must have been planned later, as they weren't on the list I saw last month.

[Cowtown_Tim]

PTY was a surprise to me too. It'll be interesting to see how that route performs, one never knows unless they try it.
Another one that surprised me was TPQ (Tepic). I had to google Tepic.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Cowtown_Tim

PTY was a surprise to me too. It'll be interesting to see how that route performs, one never knows unless they try it.
Another one that surprised me was TPQ (Tepic). I had to google Tepic.

Aside from Panama/Panama City being a destination in its own right, COPAs connections out of PTY to the rest of the hemisphere are excellent. I think they should do OK.

[Alexcaban]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Aside from Panama/Panama City being a destination in its own right, COPAs connections out of PTY to the rest of the hemisphere are excellent. I think they should do OK.

Does WJ even have any agreement with COPA? If they don't then there isn't any feed on the PTY end.

[SimpleEng]

I've noticed quite a difference between StatsCan transborder numbers and individual airport stats.

For example - according to StatsCan Canadian resident return trips by air from the United States declined in May by 24.2% [link].

But according to individual airports the transborder May decreases were much lower, e.g.

• YVR - 9.6% decrease
• YUL - 9.1% decrease
• YYC - 2.4% increase
• YEG - 19.6% decrease
• YOW - 1.0% increase

Any idea what explains the difference?

Thanks

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by SimpleEng

I've noticed quite a difference between StatsCan transborder numbers and individual airport stats.

For example - according to StatsCan Canadian resident return trips by air from the United States declined in May by 24.2% [link].

But according to individual airports the transborder May decreases were much lower, e.g.

• YVR - 9.6% decrease
• YUL - 9.1% decrease
• YYC - 2.4% increase
• YEG - 19.6% decrease
• YOW - 1.0% increase

Any idea what explains the difference?

Thanks

Non residents being steady. Also what was YYZ? It might have lost market share for example to YOW.
Finally would the airport numbers include the US transit to Europe and Asia numbers as transborder passengers?

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by Alexcaban

Does WJ even have any agreement with COPA? If they don't then there isn't any feed on the PTY end.

Nope. Nothing.

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/who-we...013C69D7-tab-0

Originally Posted by SimpleEng

Any idea what explains the difference?

Thanks

As YOWetal said, StatsCan is specific about Canadian residents. Airport authorities, on the other hand, don't make that distinction, and group all transborder passengers, residents and non-residents.

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Non residents being steady. Also what was YYZ? It might have lost market share for example to YOW.
Finally would the airport numbers include the US transit to Europe and Asia numbers as transborder passengers?

Yeah 6th freedom would account for some of the differences.

YOW and YYC I fully expect will turn negative in June.

[SimpleEng]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Also what was YYZ? It might have lost market share for example to YOW.

I couldn't find YYZ May pax stats but when we get the YYZ Q2 results I will check.

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

As YOWetal said, StatsCan is specific about Canadian residents. Airport authorities, on the other hand, don't make that distinction, and group all transborder passengers, residents and non-residents.

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Yeah 6th freedom would account for some of the differences.

YOW and YYC I fully expect will turn negative in June.

Thanks, 6th freedom traffic from the US helps explain the discrepancy.

But if I'm not mistaken Air Canada is the main Canadian airline trying to connect US travellers through Canada. So shouldn't the AC hubs have outperformed the non AC hubs in transborder traffic? I see the opposite...YVR and YUL were hit harder than YYC and YOW.

That said YEG transborder stats aligns with the StatsCan numbers.

[Taeolas]

I'd imagine YOW's transborder numbers will naturally remain higher than national averages, just from the political factor as various folks HAVE to go to the States (or come from the States) to negotiate and just keep politicking.

[casper]

Originally Posted by SimpleEng

I couldn't find YYZ May pax stats but when we get the YYZ Q2 results I will check.





Thanks, 6th freedom traffic from the US helps explain the discrepancy.

But if I'm not mistaken Air Canada is the main Canadian airline trying to connect US travellers through Canada. So shouldn't the AC hubs have outperformed the non AC hubs in transborder traffic? I see the opposite...YVR and YUL were hit harder than YYC and YOW.

That said YEG transborder stats aligns with the StatsCan numbers.

WestJet also gets a good amount of connecting 6th freedom traffic through Calgary.

[hollywoodcory]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Yeah 6th freedom would account for some of the differences.

YOW and YYC I fully expect will turn negative in June.

Not so sure about YYC. In June, there was still a net increase in transborder flying even with the WS cutbacks and load factors were very good.

I suspect YYC will be back in negative territory come the fall.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

to negotiate and just keep politicking.

Poor bastards. And those coming from and returning to the US don't even know it.

[2009]

Westjet announced an increase in flights at BC airports for winter 2025.

YYJ will see a 10% increase in seat capacity
YLW will see a 11% increase in seat capacity
New YVR to LIR (Costa Rica) route

https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2...-with-a-new-su

[Calfan12]

Originally Posted by hollywoodcory

New WS destination schedules:

WS2266 YYC 23:55 - 09:20+1 PTY 7M8 1356
WS2267 PTY 10:20 - 16:14 YYC 7M8 2456

WS2278 YYC 08:30 - 14:58 GDL 737 7
WS2278 YYC 09:15 - 15:43 GDL 737 2
WS2279 GDL 16:00 - 20:41 YYC 737 7
WS2279 GDL 16:45 - 21:26 YYC 737 2

WS2238 YYC 08:55 - 16:27 CZM 737 6
WS2239 CZM 14:50 - 19:04 YYC 737 6

WS2474 YYC 10:30 - 16:23 TPQ 737 6
WS2475 TPQ 17:30 - 21:29 YYC 737 6

WS2270 YYC 00:05 - 09:37 POP 7M8 7
WS2271 POP 11:00 - 15:47 YYC 7M8 7

WS2098 YYZ 13:05 - 17:00 HAV 737 27
WS2099 HAV 18:00 - 21:43 YYZ 737 27

WS2034 YVR 00:05 - 09:21 LIR 737 5
WS2035 LIR 10:30 - 16:31 YVR 737 5

WS2234 YWG 23:40 - 06:01+1 LIR 737 5
WS2235 LIR 07:00 - 13:27 YWG 737 6

Thanks for the update.

Not too surprising , WestJet continues to build up its Calgary YYC WS Fortress Hub in Canada 🇨🇦 with new flight ✈️ routes & added frequencies , just like AC Air Canada is doing the same at Toronto YYZ, Montreal YUL & Vancouver YVR✅.

While Edmonton YEG & other smaller airports in Canada get the “short end of the pie” = (very limited).

[hollywoodcory]

Just 2 days later an AC responds with YVR-TPQ
https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-...-destinations/

Also YUL-BZE and YYZ-PXM.