Canadian Airport Thread II

[Justanothermember]

I've been eyeballing passenger volumes on the American flights across the prairies (except Calgary) and have noticed that since the Easter Long Weekend there seems to be significantly more traffic flowing south to north vs north to south. Just curious to know if these months are considered as slow season travel for Canadians heading south, because it sure looks that way across the Prairies at the moment.

[Calfan12]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

I've been eyeballing passenger volumes on the American flights across the prairies (except Calgary) and have noticed that since the Easter Long Weekend there seems to be significantly more traffic flowing south to north vs north to south. Just curious to know if these months are considered as slow season travel for Canadians heading south, because it sure looks that way across the Prairies at the moment.

Yes , US South , Mexico & Sun destinations are not as busy right now from Canada compared to during the Winter seasons.

In the Spring/Summer seasons people from Canada prefer to travel more to Europe , more Domestic travel or to Asia.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

I've been eyeballing passenger volumes on the American flights across the prairies (except Calgary) and have noticed that since the Easter Long Weekend there seems to be significantly more traffic flowing south to north vs north to south. Just curious to know if these months are considered as slow season travel for Canadians heading south, because it sure looks that way across the Prairies at the moment.

I know when I use to live in Saskatoon, Delta (and before them Northwest) would have a massive increase around hunting or fishing season. You would normally have a CRJ and then the next week it would an airbus or even 757. Many of those passengers would overnight in Saskatoon then get on float planes up north. Lots of gun cases in the baggage.

I would have expected the same in Winnipeg but perhaps not.

[Justanothermember]

After a four year hiatus, YWGs UA flights to ORD and DEN resume today. They had been doing test flights between the cities for the past three days.

Hopefully we can get them back to double or triple daily within a year as they were pre-pandemic.

[Myst]

Originally Posted by casper

I know when I use to live in Saskatoon, Delta (and before them Northwest) would have a massive increase around hunting or fishing season. You would normally have a CRJ and then the next week it would an airbus or even 757. Many of those passengers would overnight in Saskatoon then get on float planes up north. Lots of gun cases in the baggage.

I would have expected the same in Winnipeg but perhaps not.

Same in Winnipeg. Obviously took a big hit in the pandemic, and on the rebound. Inbound on Northwest (or now on Delta or United), outbound on a chartered Convair or ATR headed north.

[Myst]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

I've been eyeballing passenger volumes on the American flights across the prairies (except Calgary) and have noticed that since the Easter Long Weekend there seems to be significantly more traffic flowing south to north vs north to south. Just curious to know if these months are considered as slow season travel for Canadians heading south, because it sure looks that way across the Prairies at the moment.

How exactly does one go about “eyeballing” loads on flights across the prairies?

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by Myst

How exactly does one go about “eyeballing” loads on flights across the prairies?

You can try to book a flight and see how many seats are available

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by Myst

How exactly does one go about “eyeballing” loads on flights across the prairies?

Dummybookings, as mentioned above.

[Myst]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

Dummybookings, as mentioned above.

By looking at seat maps? But wouldn’t that omit those passengers that haven’t paid for pre-assigned seating?

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by Myst

By looking at seat maps? But wouldn’t that omit those passengers that haven’t paid for pre-assigned seating?

Like I said, eyeballing. Not using precise scientific methods.

[JakeLRS]

Originally Posted by Myst

By looking at seat maps? But wouldn’t that omit those passengers that haven’t paid for pre-assigned seating?

Not really. A large proportion of people check in online and get a seat assigned automatically.

If you do a dummy booking a few hours before a flight, you can get a pretty good idea of the load.

For example:
Flair's 9am YKF-YHZ tomorrow shows a LF of 91%. I'd add a percent or two for a margin of error. When I try and book a max of 9 pax, it still shows seats, meaning there are between 10-17 empty seats for tomorrows flight.

Flair's 10pm YYZ-YVR tomorrow currently shows a LF of 58%. This is obviously not a good indication as its still early in the check-in period.

[Justanothermember]

Exactly

[craner]

Expansion of Kelowna's airport well underway

http://https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/488986/Expansion-of-Kelownas-airport-well-underway

[whatnext]

This is how an airline ends:

Defunct Lynx Air selling off life jackets, oxygen masks in bid to recoup losses
Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

Lynx Air hopes to sell off everything from life jackets to oxygen masks as it tries to recoup a portion of the losses it suffered before filing for creditor protection earlier this year.

In court filings last week, the defunct discount carrier said it has worked out deals with a pair of aviation companies abroad to sell plane parts and equipment ranging from seats to tires and transponders.

Any hope of gains on the airline's nine aircraft themselves was dashed after the half-dozen leasing companies behind them cancelled their deals and took back the planes, according to an affidavit from interim chief financial officer Michael Woodward.

The filings ask Alberta's Court of King's Bench to approve agreements that would see New Hampshire's Aero 3 repair company buy more than 50 wheels and brakes and the Cayman Islands-based BOC Aviation leasing company snap up 79 other items, from food carts to a single garbage can.

Lynx, which owed $186 million when it sought creditor protection in late February, says a third company "unexpectedly terminated negotiations" around four turbofan jet engines....

...As of Feb. 22, Lynx owed $124.3 million to Indigo Partners, the U.S. private equity firm run by Bill Franke that owns one-quarter of the carrier.

Lynx also owed $47.8 million to various trade creditors and $25.6 million in unpaid taxes to the federal government, according to court documents. It owed a further $4.1 million to the Toronto and Montreal airports and $4.5 million to Delta Air Lines for aircraft maintenance and warehousing.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/defunct-...sses-1.2077274

[Myst]

Originally Posted by JakeLRS

Not really. A large proportion of people check in online and get a seat assigned automatically.

If you do a dummy booking a few hours before a flight, you can get a pretty good idea of the load.

For example:
Flair's 9am YKF-YHZ tomorrow shows a LF of 91%. I'd add a percent or two for a margin of error. When I try and book a max of 9 pax, it still shows seats, meaning there are between 10-17 empty seats for tomorrows flight.

Flair's 10pm YYZ-YVR tomorrow currently shows a LF of 58%. This is obviously not a good indication as its still early in the check-in period.

Ultimately if the data suits its purposes, it works…

If 91% is showing on the seat map the night before, I’d be fairly confident of that flight being 85 to 100% full (sometimes rows are blocked for gate assignment). On the flip side, I often change my seat assignment if a better one is available. On the second last flight I was on I’d say 40% were unassigned until under an hour from departure. Then it turned out to be 100% full. I would also expect some directional bias. I think there’s a number of people like my parents, that check in online at home, but at the airport on the return. They’d show up in a sample 12 hours ahead in on direction but not the other. With systematic sampling I’m sure a pretty precise picture could be assembled, but there’s other easier data available.

[msmariner]

Originally Posted by whatnext

This is how an airline ends:

Defunct Lynx Air selling off life jackets, oxygen masks in bid to recoup losses
Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

Lynx Air hopes to sell off everything from life jackets to oxygen masks as it tries to recoup a portion of the losses it suffered before filing for creditor protection earlier this year.

In court filings last week, the defunct discount carrier said it has worked out deals with a pair of aviation companies abroad to sell plane parts and equipment ranging from seats to tires and transponders.

Any hope of gains on the airline's nine aircraft themselves was dashed after the half-dozen leasing companies behind them cancelled their deals and took back the planes, according to an affidavit from interim chief financial officer Michael Woodward.

The filings ask Alberta's Court of King's Bench to approve agreements that would see New Hampshire's Aero 3 repair company buy more than 50 wheels and brakes and the Cayman Islands-based BOC Aviation leasing company snap up 79 other items, from food carts to a single garbage can.

Lynx, which owed $186 million when it sought creditor protection in late February, says a third company "unexpectedly terminated negotiations" around four turbofan jet engines....

...As of Feb. 22, Lynx owed $124.3 million to Indigo Partners, the U.S. private equity firm run by Bill Franke that owns one-quarter of the carrier.

Lynx also owed $47.8 million to various trade creditors and $25.6 million in unpaid taxes to the federal government, according to court documents. It owed a further $4.1 million to the Toronto and Montreal airports and $4.5 million to Delta Air Lines for aircraft maintenance and warehousing.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/defunct-...sses-1.2077274

I believe Westjet purchased 6 jets from them. They must have had one last that weren’t leased.

[YYCguys]

Originally Posted by msmariner

I believe Westjet purchased 6 jets from them. They must have had one last that weren’t leased.

Oh? Interesting! How did you learn this?

[cranes]

GIRLS CAN FLY
https://wwfc.ca/girlscanfly

Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC) is delighted to announce the return of our annual Girls Can Fly event on Saturday, May 25th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at our location at the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

Join us for this FREE educational experience, featuring aircraft of all sizes, flight simulators, and our amazing industry partners engaging attendees of all ages. (See the list of our exhibitors below.)

Girls Can Fly aims to inspire young women and girls about the exciting opportunities in the aviation industry. This event is open to everyone, rain or shine!

We’re also offering complimentary flights for girls aged 8 to 18 years, with limited pre-registration required. Flight registration is now full.

Last year, WWFC welcomed over 2,000 attendees and provided free flights to more than 300 potential future female pilots. Join us for another unforgettable event!

[JakeLRS]

Originally Posted by Myst

Ultimately if the data suits its purposes, it works…

but there’s other easier data available.

What better data is available.

For flair flights, seat maps are a fairly good indicator as they dont do gate assignments, rather just check-in seat assignments alongside the passenger charge of checking-in at the airport (when the system wants to work)

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by craner

Expansion of Kelowna's airport well underway

http://https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/488986/Expansion-of-Kelownas-airport-well-underway

So at long last each gate will have its own holdroom I suppose. Will this take YLW's annual terminal capacity north of 3 million? You've got to think PD will be there eventually with service to YYZ and YOW.