Originally Posted by YVR72

Gimme a break Calgary... you don't speak for Western Canada. As a Vancouverite, I am tired of being associated with the term "Western Canada" and what it has come to mean in almost any context.

For Vancouver, Air Canada is the best product available out of Vancouver for almost any destination - including the hamlets of Calgary and Edmonton.

Originally Posted by foothills county flier

Wasn�t that $500M a loan guaranty, so the money has to be paid back. I wouldn�t call that a investment.

Originally Posted by AC7E7

If I recall, the Canadian government invested $500M in taxpayer money in Air Canada during the pandemic.

Originally Posted by Changeup2000

From the hindsight, the ship probably has already sailed earlier this year when AC cuts all YYC services to SK and MB, among others.

Originally Posted by newfbc

That's a little different than the 'deal' between GOA and Westjet...

https://www.alberta.ca/external/news...artnership.pdf

Ron.

Originally Posted by YYCfly

For LHR, I think its just a matter of time until AC throws in the towel and hands it over to Westjet. They'll use the slot for YYT, YOW, or more YVR/YYZ/YUL.

Originally Posted by YYCfly

Surprised to see the scale of these cuts. Knew FRA was on the chopping block, but didn't expect routes like YHZ and YOW to go.

Agree with YXUFlyboy that we'll probably see more cuts - I think most, if not all, AC Express flying out of YYC will go.
- YQU is served with one daily flight, nothing else on AC, wouldn't take much to simply axe that.
- YMM has 2 flights to YYC, plus YYZ and seasonal YUL. Maybe AC will axe YYC and sub in a daily YVR-YMM CRA flight - like they did with YZF and focus on the YVR hub.
- YXT and YLW are served at most, a couple times a day from YYC. These pax could easily be routed via YVR.
- YEG is served 4x a day. I guess they could keep this to route pax to LHR and onto UA, but that's about it. Even then though, KLM seems to be quite popular for Europe/Africa/ME/India ex.YEG, and UA does fly 2x daily from YEG to DEN, so connecting on AC via YYC is far from the only option for ex.YEG pax.

United seems to do OK in YYC, so I can absolutely see UA taking over EWR - just like how it took over for AC on YYC to ORD, IAH, and SFO. Just need to hope the economics work for UA, as they don't have the A220s that AC often uses on the route in the winter.

For LHR, I think its just a matter of time until AC throws in the towel and hands it over to Westjet. They'll use the slot for YYT, YOW, or more YVR/YYZ/YUL.

I think AC will absolutely cut YYC staff over the next few months. If you're cutting capacity and the number of connecting passengers, and shedding FFs, only makes sense. It's not a hub anymore.

Even with AC's slow retreat from YYC over the last few years, AC seems to retain a loyal following in YYC - I imagine for some, this will be the final straw. You can be loyal to a point, but AC can't expect FFS to willingly add extra layovers onto every trip just to fly AC instead of Westjet. Now, AC is handing YYC over to Westjet on a silver platter, so I hope Westjet takes advantage - specifically, opens more elevation lounges, invests in better PY catering and BOB offerings, expands partnerships, and creates a better FF program.

On the topic of YYC cuts, rumour has it that Westjet's YYC-NRT flight isn't performing well, so wouldn't be surprised to see that cut soon too.

On the bright side, KLM seems to be holding on in YYC and YEG. People also seem really happy with Porter to YYZ, so wouldn't be shocked to see them announce YOW any day now, and YHZ in the future.

Originally Posted by YXUFlyboy

I actually don’t think AC is done at YYC. YQU, YLW and YMM can be covered by WS (and AC would rather route to YYZ in summer anyway). LHR can route via YVR with bigger aircraft. EWR can go to UA. YEG can go to WS too…. Leaving only YYZ/YUL/YVR.

Pilot shortage seems far fetched when they’re adding widebodies on secondary trans border markets to YYZ and YUL. Yes, there is a shortage. But if those decisions are being made there’s always more expansion they can do out of the hubs. It won’t make sense to add more flights back to YYC.

YYC is now a fortress hub for WS, for good or for ill.

Originally Posted by canadiancow

I believe there are circumstances where flight crews (and I have no idea if it's the same for FAs and pilots) can be forcibly relocated. Though it's still a big enough base that they might be better off deadheading people to YVR (or even YYZ). I think forcible rebasing is frowned upon.

Ground staff would be much harder to deal with. They didn't exactly sign up for "go where we say when we say".

Originally Posted by YYCfly

United seems to do OK in YYC, so I can absolutely see UA taking over EWR - just like how it took over for AC on YYC to ORD, IAH, and SFO. Just need to hope the economics work for UA, as they don't have the A220s that AC often uses on the route in the winter.

Originally Posted by YYCfly

For LHR, I think its just a matter of time until AC throws in the towel and hands it over to Westjet. They'll use the slot for YYT, YOW, or more YVR/YYZ/YUL.

Originally Posted by YYCfly

Now, AC is handing YYC over to Westjet on a silver platter, so I hope Westjet takes advantage - specifically, opens more elevation lounges, invests in better PY catering and BOB offerings, expands partnerships, and creates a better FF program.

Originally Posted by YYCfly

On the topic of YYC cuts, rumour has it that Westjet's YYC-NRT flight isn't performing well, so wouldn't be surprised to see that cut soon too.

Originally Posted by msat

Don't see YOW-LHR coming back until the A321XLRs come online (which now appears to be a mid to late 2025 thing at the earliest). Is AC gonna hang onto YYC-LHR that far out or are you suggesting an earlier removal of this flight?

Originally Posted by YOWgary

The Heathrow slot currently used for YYC lands at lunchtime, which isn't terribly useful for an Eastern business route, but you're probably right about the XLRs.