The WestJet Thread - 2022

YEGFlyer · Tue Aug 16, 2022 12:10 am

Long tradition of western Canada airlines using their premium widebodies on sun routes. Wardair pioneered this concept and was absolutely beloved as a result. Spectacular service on 747s from most western Canadian cities to Hawaii in the winter and Europe in the summer.

WS7M8 · Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:23 am

Thomaas wrote:
The yields WestJet commands on intercontinental flying must be pretty bad for them to use such a capable and “premium” aircraft to Mexico.

ThePointblank wrote:
Also, air cargo becomes a thing during the winter; Mexico is a major source of produce during the winter months.

Delicate balancing act. I believe that WS would have been far better off had their widebody program been drawn up with used A330s or perhaps B772s, both of which were widely available in the 2014-2015 timeframe that they ordered the B767-300ER. In parallel, those aircraft are far easier to justify doing PVR / CUN / MBJ than a B787, which is best utilized on long-haul routes. And I get the seasonality of Canada - but options are there, such as Dubai from either YYC or YVR, Sydney or Auckland, or perhaps Tokyo or Seoul.

YEGFlyer · Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:30 am

Does Westjet codeshare with Emirates? DXB is impossible unless they codeshare, even then it is pretty risky, mostly VFR I think.

WS7M8 · Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:03 am

YEGFlyer wrote:
Does Westjet codeshare with Emirates? DXB is impossible unless they codeshare, even then it is pretty risky, mostly VFR I think.

I see that in a different way. WestJet codeshares with Emirates. It is most noticeable on their LGW flights, which also carry the EK designation. Emirates has been after more capacity to Canada for well over a decade. A WestJet YVR or YYC - DXB flight would be a guaranteed winner for the simple fact that Emirates has a massive pool of passengers needing seats to Canada. A hypothetical WS Dubai - Western Canada flight would be a money maker for the simple fact that it is a glorified Emirates flight. EK will do the large majority of the ticket sales. WS would then just need to balance their costs, make sure they'll be making a profit, and launch the route. There are very few ULH routes that offer this kind of profitability / near guarantee.

Thomaas · Tue Aug 16, 2022 5:08 am

Polot wrote:
Thomaas wrote:
The yields WestJet commands on intercontinental flying must be pretty bad for them to use such a capable and “premium” aircraft to Mexico.

Welcome to Canada in the winter- wide bodies on sun routes is very common as everyone wants to leave the cold. AC has multiple A330s (configured even more premium than WS’s 787) on YYZ-FLL this winter, a route almost half the length of this Mexican route.

Air Canada has 77 widebodies, as opposed to WestJet’s 6 787s. Hard to believes that deploying almost new aircraft on PVR flights is the best use of such an expensive asset. The opportunity cost becomes huge when you only have a few planes to move around, as opposed to AC which has surplus widebody capacity in the winter months and uses them on high demand city pairs.

casperCA · Tue Aug 16, 2022 5:23 am

WS7M8 wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
Does Westjet codeshare with Emirates? DXB is impossible unless they codeshare, even then it is pretty risky, mostly VFR I think.

I see that in a different way. WestJet codeshares with Emirates. It is most noticeable on their LGW flights, which also carry the EK designation. Emirates has been after more capacity to Canada for well over a decade. A WestJet YVR or YYC - DXB flight would be a guaranteed winner for the simple fact that Emirates has a massive pool of passengers needing seats to Canada. A hypothetical WS Dubai - Western Canada flight would be a money maker for the simple fact that it is a glorified Emirates flight. EK will do the large majority of the ticket sales. WS would then just need to balance their costs, make sure they'll be making a profit, and launch the route. There are very few ULH routes that offer this kind of profitability / near guarantee.

There is one problem with this strategy. WestJet and Emirates have not done it after several years of working together.

Emirates has now moved on and has entered a strategic agreement with Air Canada. They begin code sharing later in the year if they are not doing it already.

casperCA · Tue Aug 16, 2022 5:25 am

WS7M8 wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
Does Westjet codeshare with Emirates? DXB is impossible unless they codeshare, even then it is pretty risky, mostly VFR I think.

I see that in a different way. WestJet codeshares with Emirates. It is most noticeable on their LGW flights, which also carry the EK designation. Emirates has been after more capacity to Canada for well over a decade. A WestJet YVR or YYC - DXB flight would be a guaranteed winner for the simple fact that Emirates has a massive pool of passengers needing seats to Canada. A hypothetical WS Dubai - Western Canada flight would be a money maker for the simple fact that it is a glorified Emirates flight. EK will do the large majority of the ticket sales. WS would then just need to balance their costs, make sure they'll be making a profit, and launch the route. There are very few ULH routes that offer this kind of profitability / near guarantee.

Vancouver to India is a popular one just now. WS could try to get into that game. However they look to be staying close to home these days.

Polot · Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:53 am

Thomaas wrote:
Polot wrote:
Thomaas wrote:
The yields WestJet commands on intercontinental flying must be pretty bad for them to use such a capable and “premium” aircraft to Mexico.

Welcome to Canada in the winter- wide bodies on sun routes is very common as everyone wants to leave the cold. AC has multiple A330s (configured even more premium than WS’s 787) on YYZ-FLL this winter, a route almost half the length of this Mexican route.

Air Canada has 77 widebodies, as opposed to WestJet’s 6 787s. Hard to believes that deploying almost new aircraft on PVR flights is the best use of such an expensive asset. The opportunity cost becomes huge when you only have a few planes to move around, as opposed to AC which has surplus widebody capacity in the winter months and uses them on high demand city pairs.

You are making the assumption that if AC only had fewer wide bodies they would not use them on sun routes in the winter, and prioritize all their intercontinental routes over them. That may not necessarily be true-it would not surprise me if some of those wide body operated sun routes are more profitable then many of the intercontinental routes they run the winter. But because they have 77 wide bodies they have to deploy them somewhere.

casperCA wrote:

Vancouver to India is a popular one just now. WS could try to get into that game. However they look to be staying close to home these days.

I doubt WS could profitably operate YVR-India with a 789 when Russian airspace closure is taken into account. The detour makes it just too far and it would be too payload restricted.

Acey · Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:19 pm

Thomaas wrote:
Hard to believes that deploying almost new aircraft on PVR flights is the best use of such an expensive asset.

What is the list of these allegedly significantly more profitable destinations they should be flying in the dead of winter with the Dreamliners? What were the load factors and average fares on the 789 flying YYC-PVR last year? I know the answer to one of these questions, wondering if you know either of them.

chrisa330 · Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:28 pm

Thomaas wrote:
The yields WestJet commands on intercontinental flying must be pretty bad for them to use such a capable and “premium” aircraft to Mexico.

I would argue their configuration of their 787s make it more viable to operate leisure routes like this. It is not a premium heavy LOPA.

YEGFlyer · Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:50 pm

WS7M8 wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
Does Westjet codeshare with Emirates? DXB is impossible unless they codeshare, even then it is pretty risky, mostly VFR I think.

I see that in a different way. WestJet codeshares with Emirates. It is most noticeable on their LGW flights, which also carry the EK designation. Emirates has been after more capacity to Canada for well over a decade. A WestJet YVR or YYC - DXB flight would be a guaranteed winner for the simple fact that Emirates has a massive pool of passengers needing seats to Canada. A hypothetical WS Dubai - Western Canada flight would be a money maker for the simple fact that it is a glorified Emirates flight. EK will do the large majority of the ticket sales. WS would then just need to balance their costs, make sure they'll be making a profit, and launch the route. There are very few ULH routes that offer this kind of profitability / near guarantee.

I just don't see much higher yielding traffic there. Almost all of the traffic is going to India or other points east of Dubai and those markets are highly price sensitive. If anything you might have more business class passengers on PVR wanting their luxury trip to Mexico. Neither are great options but WS has taken the less risky route by flying to a market they already know.

Thomaas · Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:12 pm

Acey wrote:
Thomaas wrote:
Hard to believes that deploying almost new aircraft on PVR flights is the best use of such an expensive asset.

What is the list of these allegedly significantly more profitable destinations they should be flying in the dead of winter with the Dreamliners? What were the load factors and average fares on the 789 flying YYC-PVR last year? I know the answer to one of these questions, wondering if you know either of them.

What about turning YYZ-YYC/YVR into an all lie-flat operation, YYC/YVR-SYD, redeye HNL-YVR, deepening the partnership with AFKL and consistently fly YYC/YVR-AMS/CDG ? I guess WestJet is going back to its low-cost routes and is acting less like a network carrier these days.

Polot · Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:52 pm

Thomaas wrote:
Acey wrote:
Thomaas wrote:
Hard to believes that deploying almost new aircraft on PVR flights is the best use of such an expensive asset.

What is the list of these allegedly significantly more profitable destinations they should be flying in the dead of winter with the Dreamliners? What were the load factors and average fares on the 789 flying YYC-PVR last year? I know the answer to one of these questions, wondering if you know either of them.

What about turning YYZ-YYC/YVR into an all lie-flat operation, YYC/YVR-SYD, redeye HNL-YVR, deepening the partnership with AFKL and consistently fly YYC/YVR-AMS/CDG ? I guess WestJet is going back to its low-cost routes and is acting less like a network carrier these days.

I’m not sure why WS operating a 1x daily YVR-PVR 787 flight over the winter is so upsetting and a poor use of resources but then you make suggestions like YVR-HNL instead.

They only have 6 787s. They can’t do everything. Just because they aircraft availability to fly to PVR doesn’t mean they have enough for SYD flights. And even AC is not all lie flat on YYZ-YYC/YVR.

jimbo737 · Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:06 pm

Don’t underestimate the inherent operational complexity and therefore cost of splitting the 787 operation beteeen YYC and YYZ.

Don’t get too bent out of shape with the annual seasonal summer / winter sched change.

WS has always been a predominantly east - west operation from May through Oct and a north - south operation in the winter months.

Acey · Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:03 pm

Thomaas wrote:
What about turning YYZ-YYC/YVR into an all lie-flat operation

Are you suggesting an all-J configured 787, or every YYC-YYZ flight to be operated by the existing Dreamliners? Both are terrible ideas, for the record.

Thomaas · Tue Aug 16, 2022 4:59 pm

Acey wrote:
Thomaas wrote:
What about turning YYZ-YYC/YVR into an all lie-flat operation

Are you suggesting an all-J configured 787, or every YYC-YYZ flight to be operated by the existing Dreamliners? Both are terrible ideas, for the record.

No, I am suggesting that they fly lie-flat equipped aircraft when AC flies at least half of its daily frequencies on widebodies. YYZ-YVR being a billion dollar route for AC, there is no reason why it couldn't be a 250 million route for WS with hubs at both ends. Them deploying a 787 to Mexico instead of building a high-yielding client base just shows the lack of vision they currently have. What they are doing is making sure they will never be able to financially justify purchasing more 787s by sending them to low-yielding but volume heavy sun destinations.

Acey · Tue Aug 16, 2022 5:20 pm

Thomaas wrote:
No, I am suggesting that they fly lie-flat equipped aircraft when AC flies at least half of its daily frequencies on widebodies.

...ah so I'm going crazy.

Thomaas wrote:
What about turning YYZ-YYC/YVR into an all lie-flat operation

YVR less than half today, YYC obviously not close to half for AC, and massively boosted by cargo.

I prefer the additional frequencies WS provides on YYC-YYZ that would be lost if they, for example, flew 3x daily Dreamliners + a couple of 737... but that's just me.

Polot · Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:16 pm

Thomaas wrote:
Acey wrote:
Thomaas wrote:
What about turning YYZ-YYC/YVR into an all lie-flat operation

Are you suggesting an all-J configured 787, or every YYC-YYZ flight to be operated by the existing Dreamliners? Both are terrible ideas, for the record.

No, I am suggesting that they fly lie-flat equipped aircraft when AC flies at least half of its daily frequencies on widebodies. YYZ-YVR being a billion dollar route for AC, there is no reason why it couldn't be a 250 million route for WS with hubs at both ends. Them deploying a 787 to Mexico instead of building a high-yielding client base just shows the lack of vision they currently have. What they are doing is making sure they will never be able to financially justify purchasing more 787s by sending them to low-yielding but volume heavy sun destinations.

You really haven’t provided any evidence that your suggested uses are higher yielding in the winter than the sun destinations.

Hockeyfan125 · Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:57 pm

jimbo737 wrote:
Don’t underestimate the inherent operational complexity and therefore cost of splitting the 787 operation beteeen YYC and YYZ.

Don’t get too bent out of shape with the annual seasonal summer / winter sched change.

WS has always been a predominantly east - west operation from May through Oct and a north - south operation in the winter months.

Some good points. Yes WestJet during winters has more demand north - south flights on their 787 planes ✈️. Makes sense to fly it to Mexico & Hawaii- sun destinations.

Plus Canada-Europe traffic is less busier and makes sense for WestJet to consolidate it through YYC-London LHR, UK.

YEGFlyer · Wed Aug 17, 2022 12:30 am

highly doubtful

IceCream · Wed Aug 17, 2022 12:54 am

YEGFlyer wrote:
highly doubtful

What's highly doubtful?

YEGFlyer · Wed Aug 17, 2022 2:46 am

IceCream wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
highly doubtful

What's highly doubtful?

This:
"Plus Canada-Europe traffic is less busier and makes sense for WestJet to consolidate it through YYC-London LHR, UK"

Less busy? Less busier than what? Consolidate what? The traffic? Doubtful this "makes sense" (whatever that means) any more than it "makes sense" to run point to point at lower frequencies. That could equally make sense if that was their strategy. It's just anodyne blather without any actual analysis of the situation...

YEGFlyer · Wed Aug 17, 2022 7:51 pm

Good news for YWG today with 3x weekly service to LAX on WS.

Happy for them as I think it will be well used and befitting YWG to have LAX service but shocked that WS launched this as it seems to detract from YYC hub.

9252fly · Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:16 pm

YEGFlyer wrote:
Good news for YWG today with 3x weekly service to LAX on WS.

Happy for them as I think it will be well used and befitting YWG to have LAX service but shocked that WS launched this as it seems to detract from YYC hub.

Anything west of the Ontario border is WS country. If nothing else, further proof of WS entrenching and fortifying the western region where there strength lays. Good move on their part, I'm sure it will do well. I think their eastern pull down to focus on the west was a smart move, sometimes you can't be everything to everybody.

54678264582 · Wed Aug 17, 2022 9:29 pm

9252fly wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
Good news for YWG today with 3x weekly service to LAX on WS.

Happy for them as I think it will be well used and befitting YWG to have LAX service but shocked that WS launched this as it seems to detract from YYC hub.

Anything west of the Ontario border is WS country. If nothing else, further proof of WS entrenching and fortifying the western region where there strength lays. Good move on their part, I'm sure it will do well. I think their eastern pull down to focus on the west was a smart move, sometimes you can't be everything to everybody.

I’d argue that “anything west of the Ontario is WS country”, being completely false. Is YVR WS territory? What about YZF, YEG, YXY, YXE, YQR, all of the BC interior? Is this all WS territory or am I missing something?

BML87 · Wed Aug 17, 2022 9:49 pm

777luver wrote:
9252fly wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
Good news for YWG today with 3x weekly service to LAX on WS.

Happy for them as I think it will be well used and befitting YWG to have LAX service but shocked that WS launched this as it seems to detract from YYC hub.

Anything west of the Ontario border is WS country. If nothing else, further proof of WS entrenching and fortifying the western region where there strength lays. Good move on their part, I'm sure it will do well. I think their eastern pull down to focus on the west was a smart move, sometimes you can't be everything to everybody.

I’d argue that “anything west of the Ontario is WS country”, being completely false. Is YVR WS territory? What about YZF, YEG, YXY, YXE, YQR, all of the BC interior? Is this all WS territory or am I missing something?

WestJet offers way more non-stop destinations from places like YEG, YXE, YQR YLW, YYJ than AC.

jimbo737 · Wed Aug 17, 2022 10:00 pm

Outside of YHZ and YYT, there’s not much going on in the Maritimes in the winter months.

CanJet 1.0 and 2.0 learned that lesson the hard way.

There’s no point drilling holes in the sky chasing low yield market share in tertiary markets.

DFF · Wed Aug 17, 2022 10:25 pm

WestJet having major data breach issues on app and website. This is going to be a big deal.

Acey · Wed Aug 17, 2022 10:34 pm

YEGFlyer wrote:
Good news for YWG today with 3x weekly service to LAX on WS.

Happy for them as I think it will be well used and befitting YWG to have LAX service but shocked that WS launched this as it seems to detract from YYC hub.

From my understanding there's not a ton of itineraries going YWG-YYC-LAX, not enough for any significant detraction. AC is ramping up YYC-LAX this winter too, from the current poorly timed 1x daily 220 to properly timed double daily 7M8... so WS is clearly confident in their LAX numbers overall. Very curious to see how this performs.

wjv04 · Wed Aug 17, 2022 11:25 pm

DFF wrote:
WestJet having major data breach issues on app and website. This is going to be a big deal.

Source?

Acey · Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:32 am

wjv04 wrote:
DFF wrote:
WestJet having major data breach issues on app and website. This is going to be a big deal.

Source?

I can see people's addresses in my WestJet app.

There will be news articles by day's end.

IceCream · Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:35 am

YEGFlyer wrote:
IceCream wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
highly doubtful

What's highly doubtful?

This:
"Plus Canada-Europe traffic is less busier and makes sense for WestJet to consolidate it through YYC-London LHR, UK"

Less busy? Less busier than what? Consolidate what? The traffic? Doubtful this "makes sense" (whatever that means) any more than it "makes sense" to run point to point at lower frequencies. That could equally make sense if that was their strategy. It's just anodyne blather without any actual analysis of the situation...

Fair point. At the end of the day I think putting the 787's on high demand sun routes in the winter is a good decision.

9252fly · Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:34 am

IceCream wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
IceCream wrote:
What's highly doubtful?

This:
"Plus Canada-Europe traffic is less busier and makes sense for WestJet to consolidate it through YYC-London LHR, UK"

Less busy? Less busier than what? Consolidate what? The traffic? Doubtful this "makes sense" (whatever that means) any more than it "makes sense" to run point to point at lower frequencies. That could equally make sense if that was their strategy. It's just anodyne blather without any actual analysis of the situation...

Fair point. At the end of the day I think putting the 787's on high demand sun routes in the winter is a good decision.

Even AC had to think outside the box by launching YVR - BKK, at a block time of almost 16 hours, that's where the B789 excels.

YEGFlyer · Thu Aug 18, 2022 4:31 am

It may be a good decision given their present strategic orientation but the point is that their strategic orientation (all YYC, returning to apparent LCC) is turning out to be a disappointment to many...

YYZORD · Thu Aug 18, 2022 4:41 am

9252fly wrote:
IceCream wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
This:
"Plus Canada-Europe traffic is less busier and makes sense for WestJet to consolidate it through YYC-London LHR, UK"

Less busy? Less busier than what? Consolidate what? The traffic? Doubtful this "makes sense" (whatever that means) any more than it "makes sense" to run point to point at lower frequencies. That could equally make sense if that was their strategy. It's just anodyne blather without any actual analysis of the situation...

Fair point. At the end of the day I think putting the 787's on high demand sun routes in the winter is a good decision.

Even AC had to think outside the box by launching YVR - BKK, at a block time of almost 16 hours, that's where the B789 excels.

Would YVR-SIN work on the 789 like YVR-BKK or its basically SQ and their A350 only for SIN-YVR?

54678264582 · Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:25 am

BML87 wrote:
777luver wrote:
9252fly wrote:

Anything west of the Ontario border is WS country. If nothing else, further proof of WS entrenching and fortifying the western region where there strength lays. Good move on their part, I'm sure it will do well. I think their eastern pull down to focus on the west was a smart move, sometimes you can't be everything to everybody.

I’d argue that “anything west of the Ontario is WS country”, being completely false. Is YVR WS territory? What about YZF, YEG, YXY, YXE, YQR, all of the BC interior? Is this all WS territory or am I missing something?

WestJet offers way more non-stop destinations from places like YEG, YXE, YQR YLW, YYJ than AC.

Doesn’t mean much lol doesn’t mean flights are full

Hockeyfan125 · Thu Aug 18, 2022 8:35 am

YEGFlyer wrote:
Good news for YWG today with 3x weekly service to LAX on WS.

Happy for them as I think it will be well used and befitting YWG to have LAX service but shocked that WS launched this as it seems to detract from YYC hub.

It’s nice that Winnipeg YWG is a getting a new few times weekly flights to Los Angeles LAX.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba ... -1.6553777

But WestJet Calgary YYC & Vancouver YVR - Los Angeles LAX flights likely won’t be effected by it that much.

Although Edmonton YEG- Los Angeles route on WS might be (if) YWG - Los Angeles LAX route has demand, as YEG- LAX market is smaller compared to YYC / YVR to LAX which larger.

Acey · Thu Aug 18, 2022 8:54 am

Hockeyfan125 wrote:
Although Edmonton YEG- Los Angeles route on WS might be (if) YWG - Los Angeles LAX route has demand, as YEG- LAX market is smaller compared to YYC / YVR to LAX which larger.

My man... what are you talking about

IceCream · Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:41 am

777luver wrote:
BML87 wrote:
777luver wrote:

I’d argue that “anything west of the Ontario is WS country”, being completely false. Is YVR WS territory? What about YZF, YEG, YXY, YXE, YQR, all of the BC interior? Is this all WS territory or am I missing something?

WestJet offers way more non-stop destinations from places like YEG, YXE, YQR YLW, YYJ than AC.

Doesn’t mean much lol doesn’t mean flights are full

What makes you think they aren't? Do you have any actual statistics or just wishful thinking? I don't think WS would dominate the west for practically twenty years, and double down on expanding in the west after covid, if the flights aren't full..."lol"
And the whole point of the other poster was about WS' strongholds, not profits anyways.

Acey · Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:59 pm

IceCream wrote:
What makes you think they aren't? Do you have any actual statistics or just wishful thinking?

The flights are indeed full... but this is not shocking news. It's common knowledge domestic flights across the country have been doing well for all carriers nationwide all summer long.

Even if this were not true, it's still an accurate assessment to call WS' position in small western markets a stronghold. While making significant domestic cuts networkwide this winter, one area is seeing increased frequencies to further said stronghold: Saab 340 flying out of YYC.

YEGFlyer · Thu Aug 18, 2022 6:32 pm

Acey wrote:
Hockeyfan125 wrote:
Although Edmonton YEG- Los Angeles route on WS might be (if) YWG - Los Angeles LAX route has demand, as YEG- LAX market is smaller compared to YYC / YVR to LAX which larger.

My man... what are you talking about

I think it's a bot or child.

Hockeyfan125 · Wed Aug 24, 2022 4:52 pm

Wonder (if) were going to see some cut backs of frequencies on WestJet YVR- LGW flight route next Summer operated by the WS 787?

As It looks like (BA) British Airways Summer 2023 planning to add London Gatwick LGW UK - Vancouver YVR route & up to 6x weekly & operated by the Boeing 777.

BA 2279 12:00 PM Gatwick Airport (LGW)- 1:35 PM (YVR)
BA 2278 3:25 PM (YVR) - 8:40 AM+1 Gatwick Airport (LGW)

cirrusdragoon · Wed Aug 24, 2022 5:49 pm

Hockeyfan125 wrote:
Wonder (if) were going to see some cut backs of frequencies on WestJet YVR- LGW flight route next Summer operated by the WS 787?

As It looks like (BA) British Airways Summer 2023 planning to add London Gatwick LGW UK - Vancouver YVR route & up to 6x weekly & operated by the Boeing 777.

BA 2279 12:00 PM Gatwick Airport (LGW)- 1:35 PM (YVR)
BA 2278 3:25 PM (YVR) - 8:40 AM+1 Gatwick Airport (LGW)

IATA sees passenger growth slowing sharply in 2023, it believes that as long as unemployment rates remain low or are falling, demand is likely to continue to grow and keep the recovery on track.

At the current junction they do not perceive any significant risk of a reduction in demand for travel until unemployment rates start rising.

While IATA sees demand returning to 2019 levels in the next couple of years, there are regional variations, with travel likely to recover to pre-COVID levels in the US in 2023 and in China in 2025.

I’m guessing there may be enough demand to warrant the LGW competitor.

hollywoodcory · Fri Sep 02, 2022 3:17 pm

7th 789 C-FAJA being delivered today flying CHS-YYC as WS8957

WS7M8 · Fri Sep 02, 2022 5:53 pm

9252fly wrote:
YEGFlyer wrote:
Good news for YWG today with 3x weekly service to LAX on WS.

Happy for them as I think it will be well used and befitting YWG to have LAX service but shocked that WS launched this as it seems to detract from YYC hub.

Anything west of the Ontario border is WS country. If nothing else, further proof of WS entrenching and fortifying the western region where there strength lays. Good move on their part, I'm sure it will do well. I think their eastern pull down to focus on the west was a smart move, sometimes you can't be everything to everybody.

WestJet is putting on the public personal that they are fortifying the west.

Are they really?

Or are they under attack from 2 ULCCs (Flair, Lynx) and fighting a challenging rear-guard action on their home turf. They left the door open...whether those two competitors can do anything with it is another question. I question Flair's long-term viability but Lynx appears to be well-funded.

I personally believe WestJet was doing better by trending towards a full-service carrier. There are ways that the US legacy carriers have found to effectively battle the Spirits, Frontiers and Allegiants that WS should have done, instead of dividing the airline into multiple silos.

Skywatcher · Fri Sep 02, 2022 9:21 pm

All the money to be made with Westjet is in the rear view mirror in my humble opinion. Onex is stuck with fixing a company that was a great growth story years ago but is now struggling to find a path to success going forward. What a mess. I'm going to take a look at Onex's recent financials.

Acey · Fri Sep 02, 2022 9:44 pm

hollywoodcory wrote:
7th 789 C-FAJA being delivered today flying CHS-YYC as WS8957

Airborne now. Do we know what's actually happening with the other frames? Obviously not coming to WS but I haven't heard anything about where they will go.

Whiteguy · Fri Sep 02, 2022 9:47 pm

Acey wrote:
hollywoodcory wrote:
7th 789 C-FAJA being delivered today flying CHS-YYC as WS8957

Airborne now. Do we know what's actually happening with the other frames? Obviously not coming to WS but I haven't heard anything about where they will go.

Two others were built, tails 908 & 909, I’m sure they’ll remain in storage for. I believe they need modifications done prior to delivery. I doubt 912 will even be built unless it goes to another carrier.

jimbo737 · Fri Sep 02, 2022 11:22 pm

WS has domestic feed at YVR

BA doesn’t.

They’ll both be fine.

skipness1E · Fri Sep 02, 2022 11:32 pm

C-FAJA delivery flight on fr24 at FL430 as I type this!!!

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