Six new routes to open this year, Air Canada announced today.

Some make sense, at least one I can't explain: Greenville?

What is going on at AC? There seems to be a strange concoction of routing going on.

http://biz.yahoo.com/cnw/010426/a_aircanada_new_route.html

http://biz.yahoo.com/cnw/010426/a_aircanada_new_route.html

Baec777  

I wonder how far off YVR-PHX and YVR-SAN are...

Is there YVR-LAS already?

Aaron G.

Too bad the YEG-SFO is only seasonal service. Perhaps they will keep it permanent if the loads are good. YVR-MIA also stands a decent chance of succeeding as does all the YYZ routes (AC funnels so much traffic through YYZ that they are bound to get decent loads). I have to wonder about YUL-LAS. It seems rather strange but who knows, maybe it will work.

On a side note, this is a lot of new routes for the year (they have added several others as well in the past few months) yet they are maintaining a zero growth forecast. They have also parked a bunch of planes. Fewer planes, new routes but zero growth. What have they cut out of their schedule to keep it at zero (I know of YEG-YUL and YEG-ORD).

Why did AA cancel YVR-MIA service a couple of years ago?

Again, Air Canada is in favor of Toronto with these small market routes, than lucrative well-established markerts such as Montreal-Edmonton/Edmonton-Chicago etc etc..Toronto-Norfolk is a nice idea, but where are their prioirites?

I think Montreal-Las Vegas will be a good addition. I also think that Vancouver-Miami will do quite well. Toronto-Greenville??...Im not so sure but whatever,,

Mark

YEG-SFO? That's a new to me. Like Lubicon said, it's only seasonal. Probably either it's a trial run or AC's trying to capture the leisure rather than the business travelers' market, I'll bet. Although AC may (or more likely may not) extend it to year-round service, I've lost faith in AC's strategy.

There may be a reason why AC's been cutting so many flights, including YEG-YUL and YEG-ORD: money. I've read in an article in the Edmonton Journal about YEG's loss of AC service to these two cities. According to the article, AC has said that it is more profitable to route passengers through YYZ. And this move coincides with AC's plans to keep its growth at zero since the merger and fuel price rises have eaten away at AC's profits. Not to mention the serious competition that's sprung up like grass in wet weather.

Still, I think AC's priorities are a little screwed up right now, and I'm certain that YEG's not the only airport in Canada getting pissed off at AC.

Toronto-Greenville, SC? I doubt this will last very long. At best it might be reduced greatly. Toronto-Charleston, SC looks much better since Charleston, SC is a tourist destination for its Old South historical charm and the subtropical climate. Norfolk's not a bad idea, either. YVR-MIA and YUL-LAS should do okay, hopefully. I think AC's already got plans for YVR-LAS, YYC-LAS, YVR-PHX and YYC-PHX fairly soon.

Samurai 777

Indeed, it seems that AC's priorities are messed up. It is great that YEG is getting SFO service. However, I don't think that it will last much longer than this summer. Sadly, I see the SFO & LHR service coming to an end this fall. As an aside, is it true that all passengers connecting through YYZ will be forced to pay an airport improvement fee? If so, a lot of out-of-towners are going to pay for the new terminal out there.

Agreed!!..I think it's fantastic that these new routes have sprung up.

However, I dont think for one minute that a YYZ-JAX or YYZ-Norfolk could be more profitable than a YUL-YEG, given that the load factor was at 75% or something like that.

However, I did hear that the YEG-ORD load factor was below 55% on a B737-200, so that aint the best of news.

Las Vegas Intl is getting 2 to YVR, 2 to YYC, 2 to YUL and one more daily to YYZ all in one year..wow!

mark

What kind of aircraft are going to be opperating the Greenville, charleston, and norfolk routes? I asume either DC-9 or CRJ? I wonder why AC hasnt upgraded the YYZ-BDL routes on at least one of the 5 daily to a CRJ, DC-9 or maybe evan a A319. I know AC doesnt have many CRJ's, but if smaller markets like the ones added recently might be getting one, than a biz market like BDL sure could use one. Just my oppinion.


Eric

Afitch,

I agree completely. That was my first thought. Sure, Hartford (BDL) has five daily Dash-8s, but one or two of those ought to support a jet, with all the business traffic.

I can't imagine Greenville getting a jet ahead of BDL, but then again, what has the range?

AA did not that well with MIA-YVR, but, it should be noted:

1) Vancouver and Miami are two very similar cities with Euro style cultures today.
2) Candians travel to Miami more than Miamians travel to Canada, and are more likely to fly the national airline.
3) Better connection for Western Canadians then YUL or YYZ.
4) Better timing.

YVR-MIA would theoretically seem to be a great route. Pacific hub on one end and Latin American hub on the other end. Both business and leisure. Besides, how much time would it shave off of transiting via SFO or LAX?

trvlr,

YVR-PHX has already been announced along with YYC-PHX at the same time they announced YVR and YYC to LAS.

S'Dawg

Anyone know the quipment on these routes? I know the MIA, LAS, and SFO will probably be A320's, but how about the greenvile, norfolk, and charleston?

Eric

MIA is A319

I also heard that Air Canada plans to fly out of Abbotsford to Calgary using A319's. This would be in direct competition with WestJet.

A319s on Calgary - Abbotsford? Not so the last time I checked. AC will be using these damned F28s instead.

I heard a rumor today concerning the two new Air Canada 767s at Boeing. Sounds like they are going to have a delivery ceremony at LAS on Memorial Day, must be the equipment they are planning on using for their new route. LAS sounded like a strange location until I read this thread.

1) Living in CT, I would think that the CRJ or DC-9 would be ideal to YYZ, but the current 5X daily frequencies would be reduced with the larger equipment.
2) As for GSP, that seems to be a more booming business market, with BMW and Michelin, among others, a larger manufacturing presence than CHS or CAE, and perhaps geater population growth than the other metro areas.
3) As for the Tidewater (Norfolk-Va. Beach-Hampton-Newport News), this seems to be a growth area also. Manufacturing might be as large as the US Navy in this metro area also.
AC probably considers the amount of higher-fare business traffic when considering new routes. I think that that could be lead to a more profitable niche. Ralph