Alaska737890

I know that YYZ was an epic failure, but those route was over-saturated (AC,UA to SFO and AC,AA to LAX). YYC and YEG only have UA to SFO (YYC has WS seasonal) and WS to LAX (AC from YYC). Could these be options? WestJet and United have monopoly in YEG, so competition could work?

Eastbay1K

I doubt it. AS would have likely eaten up these routes if there was decent $ to be made on them. As it is, they dramatically retreated from YVR.

Santander

YEG is a pretty small market at least as far as TB flights are concerned. The YEG-SFO flights are largely feeders to UA flights. YYC is bigger and an AC/WS hub but VX just going in there alone would be a disaster. AC/UA's near-monopoly on SFO-Canada flights is pretty much impenetrable so VX's only hope is to compete with WS on service to LAX. You have to remember that most carriers are operating turboprops or RJs on western TB routes and if there was a market for a mainline competitor AS would have probably jumped on it by now.

I would welcome new VX TB routes but it's only possible if VX can compete with the WS marketing machine which has largely brainwashed the Canadian public. You can't sustain TB routes with only Americans coming to Canada, especially places like YEG which is pretty much a non-destination as far as tourism goes.

Alaska737890

Exactly. WS fares are generally higher than AC/UA/AS/DL with only slightly better service (slightly is key when talking about AC/UA/DL not AS) and a welcome mat when you board. They brainwash us with billboards saying "WestJetters Care!" and a young smiling FA on it. Canadians need to see that some other airlines (VX,AS,WN even B6) are far better.

N830MH

They tried to completing against UA, AC, AA but, VX is pulling YYZ out completely. Because the airfare is too extremely expensive. They couldn't completed against AC, UA, AA. It was so much more competitive. They did not make it.

eponymous_coward

It's still a small market that likely can't support a lot of carriers. VX is losing money hand over fist already. Expanding to YYC/YEG when they don't even fly to DTW, ATL, IAH, DEN or PHX (places with much better daily traffic from SFO/LAX), or make money on their current route network is likely to speed up the slow suicide path VX is on already.