Originally Posted by
hollywoodcory17
ACL posted the initial slot coordination for S21 and I noticed WS requested and obtained 14 weekly slots for DXB. Upon further review, I see they made a similar request for W20 as well and also obtained the slots. Current bilateral wouldn't allow daily service (either passenger or cargo). I couldn't find if they also requested anything for S20.
The reports doesn't list any specific routes, but if it were to happen it would likely be YYZ-DXB.
Any thoughts or ideas? I'm assuming this will amount to exactly the same as their LHR slots. Nothing.
https://www.acl-uk.org/latest-airport-info/
If on the Canadian side they ran the flight into Vancouver or Toronto and have codeshare out of Dubai into Pakistan, Sir Lanka, etc. they would find a lot of traffic chasing cheap fares to visit family especially during the slow winter months. The WS Dreamliner has a high ratio of economy to business seats than AC making it more suitable for that type of operation. If it were not for the travel restrictions requiring India to serviced by direct flights that would also be a strong market for connection out of Dubai.
Calgary may provide a source for some business class seats from the oil sector.
What I don't know is how well WS can executive on something like this. AC has been servicing India and that part of the world for decades (either directly or through codeshare partners). They know how to build relationships with travel agents and market their product into a different culture. WS is still struggling to figure out how to do that in Montreal. If WS can figure it out, they should do better that AC in what is non-business oriented destination.