Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW/CYOW)

[Tesladom]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

Today's AC889 was completely full except for two business seats. AC888 tonight is 29/31 J and 20/24 PY. AC889 is only 12/30 J and 17/24 PY tomorrow, however AC888 is completely full.

The Wednesday/Saturday flights being served by a mix of 788/789 has been extended into July as well.

Should be full flights because of CANSEC

[RomanR27]

An AC 77W diverted here doing NRT-YUL due to weather in Montreal. Set to leave at 18:15

[Dominion301]

Originally Posted by RomanR27

An AC 77W diverted here doing NRT-YUL due to weather in Montreal. Set to leave at 18:15

PD 235 YYZ-YYT also diverted to YOW and then ended up cancelling, while PD 297 YOW-YYT cancelled outright. It got to a balmy high of +3 at YYT with moderately gusty winds drizzle and fog. Over half of YYT arrivals either cancelled or are delayed today.

Originally Posted by JonToms

Air Service One Article on YOW

For anyone who is interested here is an interesting article from Air Service One on YOW.

https://airserviceone.com/ottawa-has-rec...rate-to-europe-for-1st-time-in-15-years/

Thanks for sharing. Wish they'd compared YYZ/YTZ summer 2026 to summer 2019. Even with capacity up ~8%, it's still down probably 25%.

Today’s departure count: 90 (excluding AC 6 diverted to YOW)

Today's cancellation count (so far): 4 (excluding PD 235 diverted to YOW)

[JonToms]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Thanks for sharing. Wish they'd compared YYZ/YTZ summer 2026 to summer 2019. Even with capacity up ~8%, it's still down probably 25%.

I would have liked to have seen those numbers as well. The business travellers just haven’t come back since the pandemic.

I was surprised that AC still has more capacity than PD. With all the additional routes PD have been adding I thought they would overtaken AC by now. I guess if they keep growing they will eventually overtake AC. I am also surprised that neither AA or DL have not returned.

[RomanR27]

I am somewhat surprised that AC is up +8%, I guess the regional routes are up with YQM/YFC/YTZ(x2) all added. I'd guess the average YYZ gauge is up as IIRC there were some Rouge 319s last summer and this summer sees lots of Rouge 7M8. YVR is probably the only route with capacity cuts (article mentions -15% on YVR but that would include PD/WS reductions)

Both AC889 and AC888 are in Y/PY tomorrow. 889 has one open J seat, AC888 has two.

[Dominion301]

Today’s departure count: 84 - including an extra PD to YYZ.

Today's cancellation count (so far): 1

[Rhb]

Originally Posted by JonToms

I would have liked to have seen those numbers as well. The business travellers just haven’t come back since the pandemic.

I was surprised that AC still has more capacity than PD. With all the additional routes PD have been adding I thought they would overtaken AC by now. I guess if they keep growing they will eventually overtake AC. I am also surprised that neither AA or DL have not returned.

AC might have an advantage over PD on the available seats capacity metric. The better part of AC schedule is to YYZ/YUL/YTZ.
But if you look at available seat mile/kilometer measure from YOW PD would come up on top.

[fanofYOW]

PD has the most route options over AC which in my opinion is a more important and more beneficial metric for the local market. Either way, PD isn't far from taking over YOW in every metric including seat number.

I'd rather have 10 flights to 10 different route pairings per day over 10 flights to YYZ and I will be going out of my way to support the carrier that offers the first option.

[Dominion301]

Today’s departure count: 92 - this might be the highest post-March 2020 count on a Sunday

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

[Zmonkey]

Originally Posted by fanofYOW

PD has the most route options over AC which in my opinion is a more important and more beneficial metric for the local market. Either way, PD isn't far from taking over YOW in every metric including seat number.

I'd rather have 10 flights to 10 different route pairings per day over 10 flights to YYZ and I will be going out of my way to support the carrier that offers the first option.

Generally speaking, business travellers want the opposite. They want lots of frequency and every booking metric confirms this. The one with the most frequency wins corporate accounts, and right now AC is still holding this in Eastern Canada.

Porter is still trying to find its market, hence to build up of several markets and seeing what actuall sticks, where they win corporate, and where they win leisure. Right now it doesnt look like they have made a dent in corporate in any real way, and thats where all the profit is in Canada.

[fanofYOW]

^ Yes, but I would like to re-emphasize that it’s just my opinion as a non-business traveller and that most of the market is leisure, even more so today than 2019. I have no knowledge of what business travellers want. I do travel for work but that's only once or twice a year, to which I specifically request PD.

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by Dominion301

Today’s departure count: 92 - this might be the highest post-March 2020 count on a Sunday

Today's cancellation count (so far): 0

Was doing some gardening this morning under the 32 departure path and was enjoying the steady stream of E2s.

There were a couple diversions this afternoon again from YUL, an AC 333 from LHR and an AC 7M8 from SFO.

[Dominion301]

Today’s departure count: 90

Today's cancellation count (so far): 2

AC 888 on 15B, AC 345 on 28 & AF 327 on 17 today.

[rocketphish]

This is Ottawa
June 1, 2026

Why aren’t there more direct flights from YOW?
20m0s

We’re the capital of Canada. Yet the limited number of direct flights in and out of YOW frustrates locals and visitors alike. Robyn Bresnahan finds out who holds the cards when it comes to getting more non-stop routes – and meets a television executive who’s dubbed Ottawa “the greatest city you can’t get to.”

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1...arent-there-more-direct-flights-from-yow

[RomanR27]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

This is Ottawa
June 1, 2026

Why aren’t there more direct flights from YOW?
20m0s

We’re the capital of Canada. Yet the limited number of direct flights in and out of YOW frustrates locals and visitors alike. Robyn Bresnahan finds out who holds the cards when it comes to getting more non-stop routes – and meets a television executive who’s dubbed Ottawa “the greatest city you can’t get to.”

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1...arent-there-more-direct-flights-from-yow

Nothing really earth shattering here, though TS' Howard Liebman says "everything is on the table" as they consider adding more flights from YOW.

AC889 is 21/31 J and 23/24 PY. AC888 tonight is 30/31 in J and 22/24 in PY. From a spotting alert, it is a Star Alliance livery today.

[Zmonkey]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

This is Ottawa
June 1, 2026

Why aren’t there more direct flights from YOW?
20m0s

We’re the capital of Canada. Yet the limited number of direct flights in and out of YOW frustrates locals and visitors alike. Robyn Bresnahan finds out who holds the cards when it comes to getting more non-stop routes – and meets a television executive who’s dubbed Ottawa “the greatest city you can’t get to.”

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1...arent-there-more-direct-flights-from-yow

I listened to this, and man, this was just fluff outside of the Joel guy. As someone who works in the industry, they needed to give him more space since he actually seemed to know how the industry worked.

No one really mentioned solutions. Carny is pushing big changes, try to reduce costs: Work with provinces to remove HST/GST/QST on domestic flights. Push to remove GST on USA flights as part of the trade deal (only country we charge GST on internationally on flying), as part of the new trade deals push to reduce airline charges.

Ottawa needs to attract private business; that is what really carries new routes and frequencies. In the early 2000's, Ottawa was Canada's biggest tech city. Its now 4th so there should be a bigger push for private investment.

Understand the actual size of the city, Ottawa has the same population as Louisville, Kentucky, Jacksonville, and Providence RI (1.5 Million). Ottawa is between the 40th- and 45th-largest metro in North America. That is how many cities above it are also trying to compete for long-haul flights. Most Canadian airports punch above its weight internationally, its really the North America/USA side which is weak.

We don't have policies that let there be a real low cost carrier or make it easy to compete against AC.

Ottawa should be going after low hanging fruit, every other major hub in NA isn't connected to it (especially ones that are fairly close so regional jets can take them on: Atlanta, Detroit, Philly, Chartlotte, Dallas.

Also, Porter needs to feed Montreal and Quebec city through Ottawa. That is just a personal gripe, but they should be making that push if they really want Ottawa to be a Hub.

[fanofYOW]

I listened to the whole thing and yet again OAA is re-emphasizing the issues with YUL leakage. This is a massive drawback for YOW. They said they estimate 500-750k pax per year are driving to YUL, which is a much larger number than I expected (expectation of around 200-400k).

If YEG was able to get a couple more direct flights from stopping ~19k folks from driving to YYC 16 years ago, I cannot even fathom the results if all 750k stop the driving here. But yet according to some, we cannot blame the “lack of demand” on YUL. If anything, YUL is benefitting from Ottawa residents. I wonder how much service cuts they would see without the leakage from Ottawa..

Also, TS said they are looking at Ottawa as RomanR mentioned. They can’t mention what else is coming, “yet”. Reading between the lines, it shows TS wants to make Ottawa what WS has made YHZ, I hope.

Another interesting point I found fascinating is that OAA have been talking to AF for ~6 years before its launch in 2023. Meaning the article I read during the pandemic about how YOW was so close to a Paris route taking off was AF. I thought it was AC at the time. Go figure.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by fanofYOW

I listened to the whole thing and yet again OAA is re-emphasizing the issues with YUL leakage. This is a massive drawback for YOW. They said they estimate 500-750k pax per year are driving to YUL, which is a much larger number than I expected (expectation of around 200-400k).

If YEG was able to get a couple more direct flights from stopping ~19k folks from driving to YYC 16 years ago, I cannot even fathom the results if all 750k stop the driving here. But yet according to some, we cannot blame the “lack of demand” on YUL. If anything, YUL is benefitting from Ottawa residents. I wonder how much service cuts they would see without the leakage from Ottawa.

A couple more flights won't cut it. Not many business travelers will drive to YUL. It's mostly families traveling TATL, long haul Transborder, Sun destinations or Asia direct. YUL has better options across a lot of those. And not just flights, but prices. How many people will simply take up some Cuba or Mexico package and take off for a week? How many of those deals are available from YOW?

Thinking this is just about flights is part of the problem. Think about the trouble and expense somebody takes to drive to YUL and fly out of there. That YOW can't compete with that, says a lot. YOW should be making long term parking dirt cheap. Airport fees should be lower to both the traveler and the airline. Etc. That would at least make up for some of the lack of competitiveness. Going to be entertaining in 10 years when people realize that getting to YOW from downtown Ottawa takes the same amount of transfer as taking the HSR and REM to YUL.

Originally Posted by fanofYOW

But yet according to some, we cannot blame the “lack of demand” on YUL. If anything, YUL is benefitting from Ottawa residents. I wonder how much service cuts they would see without the leakage from Ottawa.

15.79 million passengers YUL for Transborder and International. Even assuming the high end of the estimate (750k leaked to YUL) and exclusively across those two categories, that's 4.74% of passengers. I don't think YUL would see substantial cuts by losing less than 5% of pax in select categories. In many cases, that's not even enough for a change of gauge.

[fanofYOW]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

15.79 million passengers YUL for Transborder and International. Even assuming the high end of the estimate (750k leaked to YUL) and exclusively across those two categories, that's 4.74% of passengers. I don't think YUL would see substantial cuts by losing less than 5% of pax in select categories. In many cases, that's not even enough for a change of gauge.

I’ll take your word for it because I don’t work in the industry. But I don’t know, something tells me 5% is substantial for an airport where carriers are concentrating all their equipment in to try and fill flights. Especially reading all the comments on these forums how profit these days are tight.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by fanofYOW

I’ll take your word for it because I don’t work in the industry. But I don’t know, something tells me 5% is substantial for an airport where carriers are concentrating all their equipment in to try and fill flights. Especially reading all the comments on these forums how profit these days are tight.

I'm not in the industry. But I can Google stats. And we're talking a worst case scenario of less than 5%. That's a gauge change at worst. No airline is cancelling a service for 190 pax instead of 200. It's a much bigger deal to lose 5% at a smaller airport than a larger one.

YOW is just going to have a hard time competing without addressing some basic economics. This 500k-750k aren't moving back without serious competitive advantage. And right now the airport authority doesn't even want to try on things they can control, like parking costs.