YEG - Edmonton Int Airport

[s211]

Originally Posted by YegFan

And believe we get a lot of business travelers here. They may not be the Armani suits type, but we get business pax way more than you think.

Isn't international business travel YEG's Achilles' Heel? I hear that YEG's inability to fill business class seats is a significant impediment.

[dansk]

No. Try getting an upgrade from YEG...not very easy these days.

Sounds like you're just trying to stir up sh!t, since you can't provide any backing to your statements.

[tuffyy]

A quick peek at the LHR flight over the next few weeks shows executive first looking pretty full to me...

[LO 044]

Originally Posted by s211

Isn't international business travel YEG's Achilles' Heel? I hear that YEG's inability to fill business class seats is a significant impediment.

I would be curious to see how much of an impediment YYC would have in filling up flights with business class passengers let alone economy class passengers without AC connecting to AC flights and WS connecting to BA and KL flights.

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by LO 044

I would be curious to see how much of an impediment YYC would have in filling up flights with business class passengers let alone economy class passengers without AC connecting to AC flights and WS connecting to BA and KL flights.

Absolutely correct.

[Cage]

Originally Posted by tuffyy

A quick peek at the LHR flight over the next few weeks shows executive first looking pretty full to me...

Originally Posted by dansk

No. Try getting an upgrade from YEG...not very easy these days.

Sounds like you're just trying to stir up sh!t, since you can't provide any backing to your statements.

Its shoulder season and implementation of winter schedule has reduced frequency on the YEG-LHR run. However an analysis of R class (upgrade booking window) for AC898 compared to AC850 and AC854 shows that its easier for lower level Altitude members (E50k) to get an upgrade on A898. Talking with a few AC Altitude Elites from YYC and YVR also confirms this analysis.
Over the next few days AC 898 and 899 are J5 or greater on the three days per week the flight operates. Gate upgrades will fill up the J cabin. It should be noted that first two weeks of November are one of the slowest periods for air travel, my upgrades on YYC-IAH are likely to clear with UA although I am only lowly Premier Silver member that should be expecting E+ and maybe a middle seat E+ at that.

[dansk]

Another interesting read:
As an Edmontonian, I was very disappointed with Air Canada's decision to suspend its one international service out of Edmonton International Airport - their London Heathrow flight

As a former director of corporate planning and member of the executive committee of Air Canada, and as the founding chairman of Edmonton Airports, I find it difficult to accept Air Canada's explanation for their decision.

With the exception of a small number of very high density routes such as New York to London, virtually all other route segments depend on connecting as well as origin/destination traffic. Air Canada has, for a number of years, pursued a proactive strategy to maximize connecting traffic through Calgary at the expense of Edmonton.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/Airline+treatment+Edmonton+perplexing/9115849/story.html

[Coldrsx]

Great opinion piece.

[EdmTrekker]

There could not be a more credible person to speak on the issue and in support of Edmonton. Thank you Mr. Watson.

[thegx]

WestJet service this winter (November to April) increases from 298 flights per week to 355.

Some of the changes include:

Fort McMurray increasing from 14 to 19 per week. (+332 seats/week)
Regina increasing from 6 to 20 per week. (+744 seats/week)
Saskatoon increasing from 6 to 14 per week. (+266 seats/week)

Clearly, Encore is not detrimental to YEG, actually the opposite. More frequencies and more capacity.

[Coldrsx]

That is a lot of new capacity... Wow

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

That is a lot of new capacity... Wow

And all potentially connecting to Icelandair into UK and Europe and of course Iceland. WJ may strategically see this feeder opportunity...and are happy as heck simply being innocent enablers...and it works for us...at least starting March

[MalcolmTucker]

I wonder whether business class profits be enough to entice WestJet into wide body service to Europe? It might make sense to run a full joint venture between WestJet and Icelandair to allow WestJet to continue building up its domestic operations without further distractions. It would also own all the passenger data, and could decide if and when to introduce direct flights with existing customer already having experience booking European travel via WestJet.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

I decided to go for a drive to EIA today, for no reason other than because it will be the last chance for summer driving before the snow hits.

The hotel looks good, full stop. However, given the rad design of the new control tower, I would have preferred something much better than merely "good". And as Trekker pointed out, the ventilation ducts out front isn't the best usage of street/pedestrian-level interaction.

And is that really an elevated pedway connecting the hotel to the terminal? I didn't get a chance to look that closely.

I will pass final judgement when everything is fully completed.

[Coldrsx]

'And is that really an elevated pedway connecting the hotel to the terminal? I didn't get a chance to look that closely.'

Yes

[cyeg66]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

'And is that really an elevated pedway connecting the hotel to the terminal? I didn't get a chance to look that closely.'

Yes

Yes, it is, but to my eye, it hasn't progressed in 2 months. What gives?

[cyeg66]

Originally Posted by thegx

WestJet service this winter (November to April) increases from 298 flights per week to 355.

Some of the changes include:

Fort McMurray increasing from 14 to 19 per week. (+332 seats/week)
Regina increasing from 6 to 20 per week. (+744 seats/week)
Saskatoon increasing from 6 to 14 per week. (+266 seats/week)

Clearly, Encore is not detrimental to YEG, actually the opposite. More frequencies and more capacity.

To be clear, these are most certainly not "net" increases, with 73G's being substituted by 2 Encore flights. A couple months back, Johnny Aussie summarized the totals quite concisely. It's a bump in seats, yes, but not as dramatic as you suggest, I think.

[LO 044]

Yeah i thought the WS "increase" was explained a while back Johnny Aussie as well.

[thegx]

They most certainly are net increases.

Last winter both Regina and Saskatoon operated as 6 weekly 737s. This worked out to be 816 seats per week. (A little less to Saskatoon as it was a 737-600). This winter, WestJet Encore will operate 3 daily 78-seat Q400s to Regina and 2 daily Q400s to Saskatoon. About 1638 seats to Regina and 1092 to Saskatoon. Net increase.

The daily Q400 to Fort McMurray is in addition to the two daily 737s. Nothing was replaced. Also a net increase.

Only Calgary and Grande Prairie have seen seat decreases as a result of Encore.

[casper]

Originally Posted by EdmTrekker

And all potentially connecting to Icelandair into UK and Europe and of course Iceland. WJ may strategically see this feeder opportunity...and are happy as heck simply being innocent enablers...and it works for us...at least starting March

Partnering with Icleandair to provide feed is good, however they also partner with BA and KLM out of Calgary.