I really wonder about AC and why they don't care about YEG

xLuther · Nov 16, 12, 3:46 pm

One of my staff was down at our plant in IAH for the week and flew back last night. She was sitting with some UA staff dead heading back to YEG.

Currently 2 X 737 flights a day YEG-IAH, they were telling her that right now until mid January UA is actually over booked by the equivalent of another 1/2 a plane a day.

They may have to add a 3rd flight a day due to all of the extra traffic from YEG to IAH (a lot of it is transiting IAH and going to Mexico/Central America)

UA currently has out of YEG:
2-IAH
2-DEN
2-SFO
2-ORD

And now maybe a 3rd flight to IAH, AC on other hand Zero USA flights out of YEG

Add in Delta, Alaskan and West Jet flying to USA out of YEG it makes you wonder what sort of masterminds are running AC

worldtraveller73 · Nov 16, 12, 3:59 pm

UA is adding service to Kelowna BC and Thunder Bay Ontario. They seem them as opportunities.

Likely most of the pax are connecting on their networks, with the exception of those that are going to warm destinations that are well served by Westjet.

AC likely has other issues to worry about (cost containment)

**tcook052** · Nov 16, 12, 4:12 pm

Paging Punished Edmontonian.

The UA red eye YEG - IAH works so well for so many different destinations in U.S. South, Central & S. America.

californiadreamin' · Nov 16, 12, 4:15 pm

Codeshares and joint ventures being what they are, a UA-operated flight serves AC just as well - commercially.

xLuther · Nov 16, 12, 4:26 pm

No code share from me, I book on UA if flying UA.

Besides if you book through AC you have to jump through hoops to get UA booking reference to get seats assigned

upgradesecret · Nov 16, 12, 5:37 pm

Let's see
IAH, DEN, SFO, ORD are all UAL hubs, therefore served by UAL aircraft.

ChrisA330 · Nov 16, 12, 5:57 pm

With the exception of WS, YEG is a spoke and everyone is running flights to their hub. Given AC doesn't have a hub in the US, it relies on UA to carry their pax.

xLuther · Nov 16, 12, 6:34 pm

Here is the issue for AC , there was time when YEG had next to zero USA carriers so AC could force us to fly through YYZ/YVR/YYC in order to get to USA destinations.

Now AC is losing every day more and more traffic and no one in their right mind books with AC on code shared UA flight.

nowinyow · Nov 16, 12, 6:51 pm

I believe AC is slowly abandoning most US routes that are not operated from YUL, YYZ, YYC, YHZ or YVR. YOW is an AC focus city, but very few AC operated US flights. LGA, DCA and BOS are about all that's left. -You can be sure if UA had hubs at any of those airports, AC would not be operating them to YOW.

I think in some respects, the same can be said for UA and AC. While UA does fly from their hubs (most of them anyways) to YYZ for example they don't fly from YYZ to Albany, Syracuse, BOS and dozens and dozens of other non-hubbed US cities.

briantoronto · Nov 16, 12, 6:58 pm

YEG - IAH is not one of the cities "carved-out" of the upcoming United - Air Canada JV. In that case, there will likely be revenue sharing on this route no matter if it is AC or UA operated \ ticketed.

Just a note that YYC - IAH *is* a carved-out route.

http://www.ct-tc.gc.ca/CMFiles/CT-20...-2012_7871.pdf

global_happy_traveller · Nov 16, 12, 7:04 pm

as i understand, AC is very tight with its current fleet.....so many are assigned to the most profitable routes....... Even my YYZ-SEA Friday flight is cancelled! With YEG/YYC being so close, they might funnel to one hub and provide a spoke connector to the other

xLuther · Nov 16, 12, 7:10 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by global_happy_traveller

as i understand, AC is very tight with its current fleet.....so many are assigned to the most profitable routes....... Even my YYZ-SEA Friday flight is cancelled! With YEG/YYC being so close, they might funnel to one hub and provide a spoke connector to the other

Trust me unless you need the extra segment or 500 miles no one from YEG transit the mess that is YYC for a transborder flight.

It's a disaster of an airport to transit through.

No one in YEG has to use AC to get to USA

upgradesecret · Nov 16, 12, 9:00 pm

When one 'uses' UAL they are using AC

YYCYYZ · Nov 16, 12, 10:56 pm

It is happening with YYC too. AC pulled the SFO flight a while back and now it just runs UA metal.

I agree with the post above about the flights to hubs. If UA made a move to go to the next step with YYC - LAX/PHX/(inserteastcoastairport) they would continue to steal traffic from AC.

And when I book UA I dont book via AC so yes they "benefit" as part of the alliance but if that is their strategy it is a poor one. My last 8 flights have been on UA metal all booked via UA which is why I am contemplating switching FF programs next year.

I think AC just is uncomfortable with the higher level of competiton faced in the US routes.

Altaflyer · Nov 17, 12, 7:37 am

AC @ YYC is pathetic too. A single flight to LAS and PHX and 2 to LAX. Westjet has 2 to LAX and 2 to PSP and has 3 to LAS and 3 to PHX. AC do still have the 3 CRA flights to IAH but appear to be out of ORD. Compared to Eastern Canada AC just seems happy to defer to WS and others.