Originally Posted by
TravellingChris
Your point about Ryanair is a valid one--except that Ryanair has never attempted to go against British Airways at Heathrow. WS has attempted to go up against AC at the latter's most important hub. Ryanair has never been interested in LHR because of the higher costs, congestion, delays and longer turnaround times--the exact issues that incessantly plague Pearson. So if Ryanair is the model, what's WestJet not understanding/comprehending? I'm reminded of Lee Iacocca's jibe at one of his competitors: "Even when we showed them how, they didn't get the message." Your observation abour FR actually makes the point I'm been driving at for awhile now--WS should be at YHM, not Pearson.
Ryanair and LHR is not a good comparison because there is no viable alternative to YYZ. For Ryanair, STN is similarly distanced vs LHR from central London and it is closer for those living in the North and East, with decent transit connections. YHM is too far west from most of the GTA population, poor transit connection, and there is very little population beyond Hamilton where YHM is closer than YYZ. Hence history has shown time and time again that it is ineffective at attracting GTA passengers. Toronto is a big market and WS has decided that it is going to compete for leisure travelers (sun routes), and business travelers originating from the west, while giving up business travelers headed east to YUL/YOW as they are a distant third behind AC and PD.