Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport

[Myst]

Originally Posted by CoryB

For WestJet pushing as much traffic through Calgary is far more important than anything else. Redirecting Regina and Saskatoon risks dropping Calgary connecting passengers.

I strongly agree that has been how they’ve worked. But I think they are also coming to realize it creates a weak spot for them.

I do not believe Edmonton-Nashville would exist if it weren’t for the threat of Flair or Lynx. I don’t think Edmonton-Sam Francisco would exist if they weren’t worried that United would draw feed around the Calgary hub. It’s ironic to say those routes are there to keep the rest of the feed transiting through Calgary, but I think there is some truth in it.

[hehehe]

Originally Posted by CoryB

For WestJet pushing as much traffic through Calgary is far more important than anything else. Redirecting Regina and Saskatoon risks dropping Calgary connecting passengers.

Yet they just announced YQR-MSP, increased YXE-MSP to daily, added YEG-ATL/BNA/SFO and increased YEG-MSP to almost double daily, and are adding YVR-DTW. WS is certainly YYC focused but they're adding a lot of point to point at the moment.

YWG additions will certainly come, just gotta be patient. Year round ATL and LAX are a big deal. WS is already using YQT and YXE for connections at YWG, which I'm sure will eventually be increased as well.

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by kattiff

And I heard a rumour that Delta is looking at a third departure around March YWG MSP. Not official yet

It's no longer a rumour as the Delta schedule is showing three daily flights for YWG-MSP as of the 10th of March 2024.

With all the recent announcements for Porter regarding YVR, YYC and YEG now all having direct flights to YOW and YUL as of next spring, one has to think that it's only a matter of time before YWG is included as well.

[Jammon]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

It's no longer a rumour as the Delta schedule is showing three daily flights for YWG-MSP as of the 10th of March 2024.

With all the recent announcements for Porter regarding YVR, YYC and YEG now all having direct flights to YOW and YUL as of next spring, one has to think that it's only a matter of time before YWG is included as well.

I hope so. I travel to YOW all the time for work and the lack of direct flights is pathetic considering it is our nation's capital. And the direct flights are never less than full when I can even get one. Since the pandemic I almost always have to fly via TO.

[Justanothermember]

Same for Montreal. It would be nice to have more year-round connections to the country's second largest city than simply the price-gouging carrier that is AC, who have all but forgotten about YWG anyway. I'm looking for both Porter and WestJet to step up at some point next year to establish this sorely needed connection.

Edit: stupid accidental emojis.

[Zmonkey]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

Same for Montreal. It would be nice to have more year-round connections to the country's second largest city than simply the price-gouging carrier that is AC, who have all but forgotten about YWG anyway. I'm looking for both Porter and WestJet to step up at some point next year to establish this sorely needed connection.

Edit: stupid accidental emojis.

I'd expect Porter to be year round to Montreal at some point in 2024. Porter and Transat are now in a joint venture and Porter will want to feed the Air Transat HUB in Montreal for their long haul operations in the summer and Caribbean in the winter.

[Justanothermember]

Porter to commence YWG-YOW flight next May.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...801385423.html

I would expect YWG-YUL to be announced by PD in the upcoming few months.

[Myst]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

Same for Montreal. It would be nice to have more year-round connections to the country's second largest city than simply the price-gouging carrier that is AC, who have all but forgotten about YWG anyway. I'm looking for both Porter and WestJet to step up at some point next year to establish this sorely needed connection.

While YUL-YWG definitely has suffered for inadequate competition, but I don’t think you can blame AC for that - they’re the carrier that has actually served (and been increasing service on) that route. And they are set up to serve business travellers - they have a higher cost structure. When you look at costs 15 to 20 cents per seat mile, and after you adjust for the load factor, the fares look more reasonable.

Reality in the airline industry is that there is a very complicated mix of high and low value fares to fill the plane, and some of those are below fully allocated cost. The public tends to think an $89 ticket costs $89, but the lower end fares are more reflective of competition to fill seats than a measure of true cost. And the super cheap carriers that sell every seat at $89 are probably losing money to get market share, but have also cut some corners to do it. People don’t like to think of being subsidized by others, but it’s almost the definition of airline yield management.

Put another way - I flew home from ATL via YYC. 2600mi for $200. That was a loss for the airline. Previously I flew to Dallas via MSP. For half the distance I paid $1000 each way. That’s a factor of 10 in price paid per seat-mile!

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by Myst

While YUL-YWG definitely has suffered for inadequate competition, but I don’t think you can blame AC for that - they’re the carrier that has actually served (and been increasing service on) that route. And they are set up to serve business travellers - they have a higher cost structure. When you look at costs 15 to 20 cents per seat mile, and after you adjust for the load factor, the fares look more reasonable.

Reality in the airline industry is that there is a very complicated mix of high and low value fares to fill the plane, and some of those are below fully allocated cost. The public tends to think an $89 ticket costs $89, but the lower end fares are more reflective of competition to fill seats than a measure of true cost. And the super cheap carriers that sell every seat at $89 are probably losing money to get market share, but have also cut some corners to do it. People don’t like to think of being subsidized by others, but it’s almost the definition of airline yield management.

Put another way - I flew home from ATL via YYC. 2600mi for $200. That was a loss for the airline. Previously I flew to Dallas via MSP. For half the distance I paid $1000 each way. That’s a factor of 10 in price paid per seat-mile!

I wasn't implying AC was to blame for lack of competition. I said they basically forget to remember we exist. Not the same thing at all.

[Myst]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

I wasn't implying AC was to blame for lack of competition. I said they basically forget to remember we exist.

Why? Because they haven’t added new routes? They’re not as large as they used to be, the market has changed, but are still a major carrier with significant employment including pilots based here.

One of the problems of being the incumbent is that every new player pulls traffic away. People like new, and take existing for granted. Should there be competition to provide better alternatives? Yes, ultimately that makes for a healthy market. Should we demand better options, and not just the lowest price? Yes. And better prices? Yes. Do I hope AC adds ORD? Yes. (And even if it was United, it’s kind of AC with their partnership). Stability also has value.

[bomberjet]

I've flown YWG-YUL 3 times this year with my son. Just this week in fact. I commented before about the ridiculous pricing swings when trying to buy tickets. You need to check every day, morn, aft, night. Book as early as you can.

AC staff need to be better trained in their own policies. For various reasons, my wife does not have valid photo ID at the moment. AC requires 2 pieces of non-photo ID in this event. You would think we are terrorists trying to hijack the plane by the attention she gets from some of the agents.

Anywho, mostly fine going with AC instead of through YYZ.

Porter looks like a good option I'd choose for the flight going forward. Their planes look mostly new and shiny. Small planes, but whatever.

[drew]

I flew porter in October back from Ottawa. I thought it was great. Clear step up in what you get on the plane and service from WJ and AC, and generally cheaper.

[Ozabald]

Air Canada released its summer schedule updates earlier this week. Slim pickings for YWG; a daily flight to YOW resumes May 1st (likely on a CRJ-900) and the two daily flights to YYC are up-gauged. That's it.
https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...891514666.html

[Justanothermember]

As I've said before, AC barely acknowledges the existence of YWG anymore. They won't even enhance our services to the three main hubs. They've been culling routes all over Western Canada, but have hit YWG particularly hard in their cutbacks.

Like it or not, te future of flying in YWG remains with WestJet, maybe Flair if they don't collapse in the next few years and perhaps Porter, depending on if they provide more direct routes to Western Canadian cities in the future. Lynx? I doubt they give us more direct routes anytime soon.

[WildCake]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

As I've said before, AC barely acknowledges the existence of YWG anymore. They won't even enhance our services to the three main hubs. They've been culling routes all over Western Canada, but have hit YWG particularly hard in their cutbacks.

Like it or not, te future of flying in YWG remains with WestJet, maybe Flair if they don't collapse in the next few years and perhaps Porter, depending on if they provide more direct routes to Western Canadian cities in the future. Lynx? I doubt they give us more direct routes anytime soon.

For the last two trips to the east coast I've taken, I had to piecemeal my airlines with AC/WJ/Porter, which was a pain to book (but ended up cheaper anyways). Sticking to AC gave me ridiculous arrivals or departure times, or even overnights.

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by WildCake

For the last two trips to the east coast I've taken, I had to piecemeal my airlines with AC/WJ/Porter, which was a pain to book (but ended up cheaper anyways). Sticking to AC gave me ridiculous arrivals or departure times, or even overnights.

If only WS would make the YWG-YHZ route year-round, it would be much easier to get to the East Coast without lengthy layovers. Winnipeg and Halifax are growing, and so will the need for more frequent connection between the two cities. Maybe Porter will one day be another provider for this route in the future.

Montreal is another city that is underserved in our market. Again, Porter will likely step up in the next few months as it has with other Western Canadian cities for this route. Maybe WS at some point as well.

[thebasketballgeek]

You’re telling me man. They don’t even have a direct flight from Québec City. I was looking at tickets back for Winter break and they’re hovering around $1k round trip minimum with atleast 1 stop. I just decided to spend my break in Toronto instead because of it.

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

You’re telling me man. They don’t even have a direct flight from Québec City. I was looking at tickets back for Winter break and they’re hovering around $1k round trip minimum with atleast 1 stop. I just decided to spend my break in Toronto instead because of it.

To be fair, outside of Québec and Southern Ontario, QC hardly has any domestic flights. Vancouver year round. Calgary for about four months in the summer. That's it.

Plus, it's Christmas. A time when ALL airlines jack up their prices for most flights to and from anywhere, spreading a little F-U Christmas Cheer to customers.

[Myst]

In some ways there isn’t a lot for most cities in that AC release. Lots of resumptions. The headline news is basically just 3x weekly to the new Tulum airport near Cancun. It is also stunning to see so much of the YYZ network being duplicated out of YUL now, too.

I had somewhat lost track of flights out of Sask over the pandemic, but it kind of looks like they might actually be getting a little attention and be getting back up to steam. Glad for Sask, and that might actually bode well for future.

There’s no place that better illustrates how much the pandemic and following retrenching has reshaped things than YYC-YEG: an increase to 4x daily on a route that used to run hourly.

[Myst]

Yup. Fares are higher and seats more scarce at Xmas. That’s the problem in the airline industry - if someone could make a Time Machine to allow February excess capacity to be sold in December, it would be great. Dumping seats at a loss for 6 months hoping to make a profit in the other 6 hasn’t led to great returns historically… but it’s how things have often been done. Not easy to hire staff and lease airplanes just for 2 weeks, either.