Originally Posted by
24left
Questions: In the world before Covid, was WS making any money on the Eastern Canada routes?
I recall many years ago when I had to fly YQM-YYZ. I didn't have a preference of whether it was WS, AC or PD as they all flew the route (and at the time, I didn't have worthy status with any of them to affect my decision). The only reason I flew AC was they offered multiple flight options/times and WS and PD did not. Is it possible that some loyal WS members might have also chosen something else? If and when the flying world returns to even 50% of pre-Dec 2019, would WS even add some of these routes back?
Thanks in advance for your insight.
One could make the same argument for Air Canada in the west. As a YYC-based flier, WS has much greater frequency and class of service for Western Canada with the notable exception of YVR. If I wanted to fly YYC-YQR I have to route via YVR on AC vs. 3x daily on WS, for example. If you are based in Atlantic Canada, WS is probably not your airline of choice (with the notable exception of YHZ which is a focus city and almost a mini-hub). But if you are based in the West or Central Canada and you fly to Atlantic Canada, it might be. Add those fliers to the general FOHTSGs who want the lowest cost and you have a viable service.
WS will resume service in Atlantic Canada when the bubble lifts. If they keep the bubble till the pandemic is over, it will be 18 months at least. Federal help might be coming but unless they are massively subsidizing Atlantic Canada routes, why fly empty planes? And I think it's entirely reasonable to require a lift of the domestic quarantine to provide those routes. The whole reason those routes are unviable is because no one can enter Atlantic Canada outside the bubble.