YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion - Page 486

Klazu · #**9701** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 1:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

AND the additional flights will be on A350s.... So we have YVR's first scheduled A350 flights confirmed.

Well there we have it! All new ang big planes fly now to Vancouver!! A380, A350, 787-9, 747-8... Sweet!

connect2source · #**9702** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 1:46 PM**

Cathay Pacific plans to operate A350-XWB to Vancouver staring next spring according to Routes Online, frequency increase to from 14 - 17 weekly.

Heard nothing but amazing reviews of the A350, wider seats and more comfortable than the 787 due to wider cabin.

edit : Just beat me Johnny and Klazu, here's the link :

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-01sep16/

excel · #**9703** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 5:31 PM**

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/736/23...96ca8326_b.jpg

https://cdn-business.discourse.org/u...0e310e1595.jpg

aberdeen5698 · #**9704** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 5:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by excel

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/736/23...96ca8326_b.jpg

Without the engines that plane should be flat back on its tail unless they've loaded an awful lot of ballast inside the cabin...

SFUVancouver · #**9705** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 7:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

Speaking of Cathay.

Just saw on Twitter from airlineroute.net

Effective 24 March 2017 CX will increase YVR from 14 to 17 weekly.

AND the additional flights will be on A350s.... So we have YVR's first scheduled A350 flights confirmed.

New flights:
CX856 HKG 1100 - 0755 YVR 359 246
CX855 YVR 0925 - 1345+1 HKG 359 246

The good news just keeps on rolling.

YVR A350 confirmed! With Cathay flying A350-900s, I expect that as their -1000s join the fleet they will up-gauge YVR flights with the highest load factors.

That's great overall news, too, of Cathay increasing its commitment to YVR to greater than twice daily.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

EWR: is being upgauged to daily 789s
LAX: 4th daily being added and 2 upgauging to 321s

What a difference a year makes for the AC YVR-EWR route. From an A319 to a B789. Wow.

Good to see more service on YVR-LAX, too, and some up-gauging to A321s.

Denscity · #**9706** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 7:49 PM**

YVR is calling this A350 the first one in Canada!

connect2source · #**9707** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 7:57 PM**

A350 : Magnificent and super-comfortable plane, design for 9 abreast and in-service with 9 abreast, unlike the 787, designed for 8 abreast but most airlines squeezed another seat in so all airlines except some ANA planes are 9 abreast, making the Dreamliner moniker redundant for those travelling in economy.

The A350 EIS was also rather seamless and trouble free compared to the 787. Nothing but praise for this beauty!! Can't wait to fly her!

LeftCoaster · #**9708** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 9:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Aussie

EWR: is being upgauged to daily 789s
LAX: 4th daily being added and 2 upgauging to 321s
SEA and PDX: all flights upgauged to DH4s

Last winter of course LAX and SFO were all rouge routes. This winter SFO will be 3 daily mainline 319s and LAX 2 daily 321, 1 daily 320 and 1 daily 319 all mainline.

LAS, HNL, OGG and KOA are exactly the same as last winter.

And as previously mentioned:
SAN: new daily CRA
SJC: new 2 daily CRA
ORD: new daily E90
PHX: 4 weekly 763
PSP: 3 weekly 763

These changes get overlooked in favour of the flashy intl' announcements but cumulatively these are very big changes. AC putting a lot of metal into YVR lately.

Only thing I wish they would focus on now (I'm not trying to sound like an ingrate, I really do appreciate the growth AC is showing YVR) is to add some more secondary US airports. YVR flies to most western hubs now and with good frequency, but in order to truly be Canada's western hub and hub to Asia it needs to pull from some US markets where the O&D may not be too strong.

Adding flights to LAX is great, but we lose as many connections out of LAX as we gain, but adding a service to somewhere like Austin is purely pulling out of Austin to fill transcontinental planes. Focusing on US cities that don't have good connections to Asia should be a key strategy for AC to ensure it's Vancouver asia hub can compete with the likes of SFO and LAX who have a natural advantage in US domestic pull.

Hoping the C series allows AC to tap some more markets like this.

LeftCoaster · #**9709** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 9:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

YVR A350 confirmed! With Cathay flying A350-900s, I expect that as their -1000s join the fleet they will up-gauge YVR flights with the highest load factors.

That's great overall news, too, of Cathay increasing its commitment to YVR to greater than twice daily.

Represents a 20% increase in seats per week, not bad at all! Hopefully this continues and we see a YVRs first true triple daily... well since Cathay did it back in the day. Would be nice to see 2xA359 and 1xB77W daily since the 777 has first class and the 350 doesn't.

Also confirmed today is what Johnny already told us, that China Southern will be keeping the 777 on YVR all winter.

Quote:

China Southern in last week’s schedule update once again revised planned operational aircraft for Guangzhou – Vancouver service. From 30OCT16, the Skyteam member will continue to operate Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on this route, on daily basis. The airline previously planned to switch to Boeing 787-8 for winter season.

CZ329 CAN1400 – 0940YVR 77W D
CZ330 YVR1130 – 1720+1CAN 77W D

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...as-of-01sep16/

That's a 36% increase in capacity over last year all without changing a frequency (to SFUs point).

Looking forward to that one going to 9x PW in March once the Mexico City add on begins.

mezzanine · #**9710** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 9:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Only thing I wish they would focus on now (I'm not trying to sound like an ingrate, I really do appreciate the growth AC is showing YVR) is to add some more secondary US airports. YVR flies to most western hubs now and with good frequency, but in order to truly be Canada's western hub and hub to Asia it needs to pull from some US markets where the O&D may not be too strong.

Adding flights to LAX is great, but we lose as many connections out of LAX as we gain, but adding a service to somewhere like Austin is purely pulling out of Austin to fill transcontinental planes. Focusing on US cities that don't have good connections to Asia should be a key strategy for AC to ensure it's Vancouver asia hub can compete with the likes of SFO and LAX who have a natural advantage in US domestic pull.

Hoping the C series allows AC to tap some more markets like this.

Agree. San Diego and entirely new routing to san jose were nice but I think more is feasible. ABQ is an underserved market period with a lot of potential for overseas travel in both directions. I also suspect SLC can sustain a flight to YYZ and YVR and give delta's flight from BLI a run for its money, definitely while the CDN $ is low.

mezzanine · #**9711** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 9:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

What a difference a year makes for the AC YVR-EWR route. From an A319 to a B789. Wow.

Good to see more service on YVR-LAX, too, and some up-gauging to A321s.

I remember when AC rouge'd YVR routes to SFO and LAX, thankfully corrected. Why did they do that in the first place?

Alpine · #**9712** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 11:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

These changes get overlooked in favour of the flashy intl' announcements but cumulatively these are very big changes. AC putting a lot of metal into YVR lately.

Only thing I wish they would focus on now (I'm not trying to sound like an ingrate, I really do appreciate the growth AC is showing YVR) is to add some more secondary US airports. YVR flies to most western hubs now and with good frequency, but in order to truly be Canada's western hub and hub to Asia it needs to pull from some US markets where the O&D may not be too strong.

Adding flights to LAX is great, but we lose as many connections out of LAX as we gain, but adding a service to somewhere like Austin is purely pulling out of Austin to fill transcontinental planes. Focusing on US cities that don't have good connections to Asia should be a key strategy for AC to ensure it's Vancouver asia hub can compete with the likes of SFO and LAX who have a natural advantage in US domestic pull.

Hoping the C series allows AC to tap some more markets like this.

That's my first choice. YVR is fairly weak in secondary U.S. airports, which also damages its connections to Latin America. It made sense when Canada had a high petrodollar, but times have changed.

My second choice is for Rouge to get some 789s and start a YVR-DXB or YVR-IST route, to bolster YVR-MENASA. I don't see it happening though since BA84/85 and LH493/492 (as well as AF378/374) already ferry a lot of YVR-MENASA traffic, and YYZ has plenty of MENASA connections. All the same, it would really stick it to Sea-Tac which can only handle Emirates' 10 abreast 77Ws and their narrow seats.

My third choice would be for routes in Asia that haven't been served yet. Japan in and of itself has so many possibilities: Sapporo (CTS), Sendai (SDJ), Fukuoka (FUK), Okinawa/Naha (OKA), Nagoya (NGO), some more flights to Kansai (KIX/ITM). Zhejiang Province in China is booming ridiculously (the G20 is being held in Zhejiang), so flights to Hangzhou/HGH or Wenzhou/WNZ would be great. Then there's southeast Asia: YVR-SIN could be done on a 359/789, and there's also BKK, KUL, CGK, expanding MNL service...since Vietnam and Burma are now opening up to the world, maybe even YVR-RGN or YVR-HAN/YVR-SGN could be in the cards in 3-5 years.

Also, does anyone think that the 2x daily YVR-SJC are to bolster Vancouver's connections to the Valley, so as to improve the city's tech scene?

twoNeurons · #**9713** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 11:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alpine

That's my first choice. YVR is fairly weak in secondary U.S. airports, which also damages its connections to Latin America. It made sense when Canada had a high petrodollar, but times have changed.

My second choice is for Rouge to get some 789s and start a YVR-DXB or YVR-IST route, to bolster YVR-MENASA. I don't see it happening though since BA84/85 and LH493/492 (as well as AF378/374) already ferry a lot of YVR-MENASA traffic, and YYZ has plenty of MENASA connections. All the same, it would really stick it to Sea-Tac which can only handle Emirates' 10 abreast 77Ws and their narrow seats.

My third choice would be for routes in Asia that haven't been served yet. Japan in and of itself has so many possibilities: Sapporo (CTS), Sendai (SDJ), Fukuoka (FUK), Okinawa/Naha (OKA), Nagoya (NGO), some more flights to Kansai (KIX/ITM). Zhejiang Province in China is booming ridiculously (the G20 is being held in Zhejiang), so flights to Hangzhou/HGH or Wenzhou/WNZ would be great. Then there's southeast Asia: YVR-SIN could be done on a 359/789, and there's also BKK, KUL, CGK, expanding MNL service...since Vietnam and Burma are now opening up to the world, maybe even YVR-RGN or YVR-HAN/YVR-SGN could be in the cards in 3-5 years.

Also, does anyone think that the 2x daily YVR-SJC are to bolster Vancouver's connections to the Valley, so as to improve the city's tech scene?

Man, a direct flight to Okinawa would be awesome!

SFUVancouver · #**9714** Posted **Sep 1, 2016, 11:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alpine

[...]
My second choice is for Rouge to get some 789s and start a YVR-DXB or YVR-IST route, to bolster YVR-MENASA. I don't see it happening though since BA84/85 and LH493/492 (as well as AF378/374) already ferry a lot of YVR-MENASA traffic, and YYZ has plenty of MENASA connections. All the same, it would really stick it to Sea-Tac which can only handle Emirates' 10 abreast 77Ws and their narrow seats.
[...]

Medium to long term (early- to mid-2020s) I could definitely see Air Canada moving their older 788s and 789s to Rouge to replace its by-then-geriatric B767s. By that point the 787-10, 777X-8, and 777X-9 will be on the scene and the A350 family well established with its -800, -900, -1000, and possible -1100 stretch options. Air Canada may be pleased with Dreamliners after a decade of operation as the backbone of its long-haul fleet and re-up with more of the same, plus a smattering of larger 777Xs to replace its current 777 fleet, but it's also possible Air Canada may want to take the plunge with a refreshed A350-based long-haul fleet. Who knows?

Johnny Aussie · #**9715** Posted **Sep 2, 2016, 3:00 AM**

Not a big deal for YVR really good or bad.

Did a broad brush stroke and overal looks like:

Slightly more flights to YYZ and generally on larger A/C (more widebodies and 321s and less 320 flying).
Slightly more flights to YUL including two daily widebodies still
One of the two daily to YOW will be on 321s. Last winter all 320 flying.
YWG 4 daily CRA
YXE, YQR, YXY both 2 daily CRA this winter
YLW will maintain 10 daily with one mainline 319 and more DH4 (3 of 10)
YKA down from 7 to 5 daily but more DH4 flying 2 of 5
YXT down from 5 to 4 daily but also DH4 introduced for winter on 2 of the 4
YMM down to 1 daily DH4
YYC down to only 12 daily with 3 of 12 on CRAs.
YEG down to 7 daily until mid Feb ten back to 8.

trofirhen · #**9716** Posted **Sep 2, 2016, 4:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

These changes get overlooked in favour of the flashy intl' announcements but cumulatively these are very big changes. AC putting a lot of metal into YVR lately.

Only thing I wish they would focus on now (I'm not trying to sound like an ingrate, I really do appreciate the growth AC is showing YVR) is to add some more secondary US airports. YVR flies to most western hubs now and with good frequency, but in order to truly be Canada's western hub and hub to Asia it needs to pull from some US markets where the O&D may not be too strong.

Adding flights to LAX is great, but we lose as many connections out of LAX as we gain, but adding a service to somewhere like Austin is purely pulling out of Austin to fill transcontinental planes. Focusing on US cities that don't have good connections to Asia should be a key strategy for AC to ensure it's Vancouver asia hub can compete with the likes of SFO and LAX who have a natural advantage in US domestic pull.

Hoping the C series allows AC to tap some more markets like this.

What are somemarkets in the USA where direct connections to YVR would enhance YVR's Asia-Americas "link" concept?
What about Charlotte? (huge banking centre), Albuquerque, as mentioned, and MCI? Otherwise stated, are there any new US cities YVR could / should be adding,
if it's going to be this Asia-Americas link so often touted?
And if South America is out of the question, that leaves the USA and Mexico.
The Big Question (for me) is "where do we go from here, in terms of service to the USA and Latin America? Don't the US cities have us beat flat out on that? Or not?

nname · #**9717** Posted **Sep 2, 2016, 4:16 AM**

China Eastern had applied to move existing Shanghai-Vancouver to Kunming-Nanjing-Vancouver... 3x weekly

So this is the plan?

8x PVG-YVR
3x KMG-PVG-YVR
3x KMG-NKG-YVR

Total 11 weekly from PVG, 6 weekly from KMG, 3x weekly from NKG

Is this one of the new destinations that Johnny hinted before?

Johnny Aussie · #**9718** Posted **Sep 2, 2016, 4:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nname

China Eastern had applied to move existing Shanghai-Vancouver to Kunming-Nanjing-Vancouver... 3x weekly

So this is the plan?

8x PVG-YVR
3x KMG-PVG-YVR
3x KMG-NKG-YVR

Total 11 weekly from PVG, 6 weekly from KMG, 3x weekly from NKG

Is this one of the new destinations that Johnny hinted before?

Just saw it on Twitter... They want to start this in October! This is nuts!
Expect to see larger aircraft on PVG-YVR!

Chongqing is what I'm hearing.

OMG �� Excuse me I have to check my washing machine I think I hear another spin cycle coming!

mezzanine · #**9719** Posted **Sep 2, 2016, 5:06 AM**

Hmm... didn't even see HK Airlines potential route to YVR on the radar. LOL at the "attention-getting" A350!

Quote:

Cathay Pacific's fortunes have been weakened in recent years as competition mounts, mostly from greater regional capacity, some of which feeds other airlines' long haul hubs. Locally Cathay has faced home market competition from Hong Kong Airlines and LCC HK Express, which together have weakened Cathay on its regional services. Yet Cathay has been relatively insulated from the growing direct competition on long haul routes, which have supported its network in recent times and account for a high share of revenue.

Hong Kong Airlines is growing long haul to Australia and New Zealand, but its major threat to Cathay is on North American and European routes, to be launched with forthcoming A350s. Cathay appears to be making a pre-emptive strike by deploying its attention-getting A350 to increase flights to Vancouver, which Cathay expects to be an early Hong Kong Airlines destination.

This is the first time that Cathay is growing Vancouver since the entry of Oasis Hong Kong in 2007. After Oasis' subsequent collapse Cathay withdrew the additional capacity it had mounted. Hong Kong Airlines, however, has stronger backing – HNA – and is already known in the territory. Hong Kong Airlines' impact is guaranteed, but the question is to what extent. This depends on how Hong Kong Airlines sharpens as it becomes the city's second flagship airline.

Johnny Aussie · #**9720** Posted **Sep 2, 2016, 5:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mezzanine

didn't even see HK Airlines potential route to YVR on the radar. LOL at the "attention-getting" A350

There's a lot of this going on right now and it's not all just rumour.

I think this was definitely a potential going forward. Look at companies' order books and there are a lot of possibilities.

I was expecting CX to increase YVR but with MEX in play as well