EChid wrote:

I was always aghast that the YVR>KIX flight was Rouge. I took the long way back through HKG last year just to avoid that flight.

We knew AC likes their A333s, but interesting to see them investing so heavily in them when they have lots of 787s and so many carriers are replacing A330s with 787s. I guess they're pretty ideal for TATL. Looking forward to the new interiors, I wish they would do the same for their A321.

ACCS300 wrote:

Will the existing 8 be refurbished as well as they recently had a minor update with the addition of Y+?

The current 8 Airbus 330-300, and the 4 to be acquired will be refurbished.

Thenoflyzone wrote:

What about YVR-NGO? Is it staying Rouge?

Thomaas wrote:

Thenoflyzone wrote:

What about YVR-NGO? Is it staying Rouge?

Doubtful it’ll be back in 2019. It is the worst performing route at rouge.

EChid wrote:

I was always aghast that the YVR>KIX flight was Rouge. I took the long way back through HKG last year just to avoid that flight.

We knew AC likes their A333s, but interesting to see them investing so heavily in them when they have lots of 787s and so many carriers are replacing A330s with 787s. I guess they're pretty ideal for TATL. Looking forward to the new interiors, I wish they would do the same for their A321.

ba319-131 wrote:

Any word on were these additional 4 frames are coming from? - assume CX/SQ?

flydude380 wrote:

It seems to me that Rouge is losing a lot of routes and AC don’t need them. Would be good to see AC mainline everywhere!

Thenoflyzone wrote:

flydude380 wrote:

It seems to me that Rouge is losing a lot of routes and AC don’t need them. Would be good to see AC mainline everywhere!

That's only your perception, and not a really accurate one, considering the rouge fleet will grow to 53 frames by the end of this year. That's 4 more than the end of last year.

AC is simply shifting Rouge narrowbody capacity onto domestic routes. (YUL-YQB, YYZ-YQB., YUL-YYJ, YYZ-YKA, YYZ-YCD), and shifting the 767s to where they are needed most. West coast-Hawaii or YYC-CUN wasn't it. The Max 8 is more than capable of operating these routes, at lower costs and higher frequency (if needed).

All of these moves make sense, when you consider.......

The added range of the Max 8 over the A319/A320ceo, opening up the possibility of a route like YYC-OGG.
the upcoming Canadian ULCC's in the domestic market
the 767 cap on Rouge, and
the conditions needed to be able to expand Rouge narrowbody beyond 50 frames.

AC is simply adjusting capacity to demand, all the while playing their cards the right way, in order to continue expanding.

leyland1989 wrote:

Everyone was predicting the A330s were on their way out on A.net in the past 10 years

I guess they are not going anywhere anytime soon
Will YOW-LHR go with 787-8 or A330 after the 767 are gone?

Unless the new A330 will be YYZ based, I suppose it will be unlikely to see A330 in YOW?

Dominion301 wrote:

YOW-LHR on the 333 sustainable year-round if AC were simply to feed a bit more traffic through YOW

leyland1989 wrote:

Dominion301 wrote:

YOW-LHR on the 333 sustainable year-round if AC were simply to feed a bit more traffic through YOW

YYZ-LHR via YOW is often cheaper than YOW-LHR
I guess they had always been trying to feed YYZ traffic through YOW, struggling to fill the rear cabin of the 767.

Being based in YOW, I have flown this route on a few occasion, and the mainline 767 is arguably the most comfortable jet in AC's feet if you fly economy.
As much as I don't want to see it being replaced by 787, the -8 are very close in capacity and it can be handled by the YYZ based crew much like the current YOW 767 routes.

If I remember correctly, all current A330 are YUL base, unless this has been/can be changed, there aren't many flights/seats to ferry to crew from YUL to YOW.
I suppose if the A330 fleet is expanding, it wouldn't be too difficult to put a few at YYZ.

Without being too far topics, isn't there a talk about the 787-8 will eventually end up at Rouge at some point?

Dominion301 wrote:

leyland1989 wrote:

Dominion301 wrote:

YOW-LHR on the 333 sustainable year-round if AC were simply to feed a bit more traffic through YOW

YYZ-LHR via YOW is often cheaper than YOW-LHR
I guess they had always been trying to feed YYZ traffic through YOW, struggling to fill the rear cabin of the 767.

Being based in YOW, I have flown this route on a few occasion, and the mainline 767 is arguably the most comfortable jet in AC's feet if you fly economy.
As much as I don't want to see it being replaced by 787, the -8 are very close in capacity and it can be handled by the YYZ based crew much like the current YOW 767 routes.

If I remember correctly, all current A330 are YUL base, unless this has been/can be changed, there aren't many flights/seats to ferry to crew from YUL to YOW.
I suppose if the A330 fleet is expanding, it wouldn't be too difficult to put a few at YYZ.

Without being too far topics, isn't there a talk about the 787-8 will eventually end up at Rouge at some point?

They’ve ground dead headed YUL crews in the past. Van from YUL-YOW

The connecting flight being cheaper happens a lot all over the place. It's often cheaper to fly YOW-YYZ-YVR on AC than YOW-YVR nonstop. It all depends on a particular flight's loads on a particular day of the week.

As for using YUL-based crews instead of YYZ for transatlantic, it's a doable with a W (or V?) pattern (i.e. YUL-LHR-YOW-LHR-YUL).

Having said that, I think remaining with YYZ crews is more likely in order to maintain a widebody on a Rapidair run during the afternoon peak in both directions, which also allows for added/bigger cargo to be moved than during the rest of the day.

leyland1989 wrote:

Everyone was predicting the A330s were on their way out on A.net in the past 10 years

I guess they are not going anywhere anytime soon
Will YOW-LHR go with 787-8 or A330 after the 767 are gone?

Unless the new A330 will be YYZ based, I suppose it will be unlikely to see A330 in YOW?

wave46 wrote:

leyland1989 wrote:

Everyone was predicting the A330s were on their way out on A.net in the past 10 years

I guess they are not going anywhere anytime soon
Will YOW-LHR go with 787-8 or A330 after the 767 are gone?

Unless the new A330 will be YYZ based, I suppose it will be unlikely to see A330 in YOW?

AC doesn't have a habit of dumping aircraft they're happy with, so I could see why they kept the A333. Only 8 A333 is a small fleet though - I could see why leasing a few more might make sense from a fleet economy scale, and since they've the pilots certified to fly them, why not?

Eventually, I could see the A333s headed to Rouge to start replacing the 767s. They're more efficient on the routes that Rouge flies (sun and leisure European destinations) than the 787, which excels at longer missions.

I doubt you'll see a 788 at Rouge for the next 15-20 years as there's no sense using a plane optimized for long-haul and is still being paid for on a lower yielding, shorter-haul route (like YYZ-MCO, for instance).