Originally Posted by
adam.smith
Re fuel prices and parking planes:
Crude prices are still pretty low, so yes, AC has lots of flexibility. Plenty of new 789s still coming too. If 787s are needed for these routes and the new planes aren't enough, 763s can handle some of the existing routes. I'd have to look back at AC's past presentations, but I think the 763s are being retired more slowly than they might have forecast a few years ago.
If the new routes don't work out, park the 763s at very little cost and move on.
Wouldn't YYC-NRT-MNL be better?
It depends on how much you like HK, and what you want to do when you land in MNL. Flying ANA out of NRT, you get into MNL very late, and the departing flights are usually around midnight, IIRC. Flying CX out of HK, you can get in early enough from HK that you can catch an onward flight from the private terminal same day, and departing to HK there are more options on time too so it is possible to go from wherever you are staying to HK same day without waiting in the airport at MNL for 8 hours. We often stay in HK to get use to the time zone for a day or two as well. So... it is not like NRT is a terrible routing, it is just marginally better for us to go through HKG. Final edit/thought: I haven't tried transiting there since the YYC-NRT route started, so that might make sense (and have better connection choices in MNL), I just don't know.