AirTom

Now that United started the fare war out of Chicago eliminating the Saturday night stayover restriction (due to competition from ATA as I understand it), and other carriers have followed suit, is this a temporary reprieve or the beginning of a trend? Will it make its way into Canada? Does it make sense now to fly YYZ-ORD-SEA-YVR (or via SFO or LAX)? I'm curious to know what the prevailing opinion is.

FlyerAl

It's cheaper to fly BUF-SEA and drive/bus/whatever to YVR and take advantage of the Southwest-led seat sale that doesn't require a Saturday night stay.

You'll get full mileage with whatever US carrier you choose, and be able to upgrade if you have the status with them.

I wouldn't expect AC to lift the Saturday night stay restrictions on their fares - there's no incentive for them to do it.

YVR Cockroach

Like FlyerAl, I'd say AC is unlikely to drop the Saturday night stay requirement unless the charters offer the same with similar schedule. I can only see this in the west where WS has good frequency.

Before UA got started, I got my GF a SEA-MSP ticket (leaving Sunday, returning Monday) for USD211 - thanks mainly to Sun Countries which is pressuring NW in that market.

Also got SEA-BDL for $205 or so. Would have been less if we came back the Saturday (headed out the Tuesday).

ORD_UA1K

I'm sure you know this, but just in case... UA will not sell you a YYZ-YVR ticket with this itinerary because it isn't legal for them to fly passengers between two Canadian domestic airports, if you are only connecting through the US. You'd have to buy two separate tickets (e.g. YYZ-ORD and ORD-YVR, timed appropriately). The main problem with this -- a constant pain for me, given my transborder commutes -- is that PFI fees and taxes are an extraordinary part of ticket costs on US-Canada flights. This is in addition to the headache of having to clear Customs & Immigration twice, poorer flight schedule choices, etc.

Not that I am a representative sample, but the combination of absurd taxes and significant inconvenience has meant that I have never found it worthwhile to fly domestic US via Canada or the other way around.

AirTom

I should have clarified that I meant buying two separate tickets, so the point is taken. My premise borders more on the hypothetical.

Is there an emerging trend, because of the low-cost airlines at play in the U.S., to eliminate the Saturday-night stayover requirement on airfares? And if so, because of our ability to buy two separate tickets to duck down through the U.S. to cross the country, will that have an effect on Canadian airfares?

Knowing that there is aggravation in crossing the border, paying additional taxes, and wasting time in airports between connections, I don't expect fares to reach U.S. levels. But at some point, if the trend develops, the pressure on Air Canada will be too much.

Certainly, if there were serious competition in Canada, things would develop more quickly, but I'm interested in seeing how intertwined or isolated the Canadian market is from the U.S. market.

If the Saturday-night stayover rule was axed on transborder flights, then Air Canada would have no choice but to respond.

For the record, even though I know I could drive to Buffalo and fly to Seattle (with Vancouver being my final destination) on United for a fraction of the Air Canada airfare, I won't do it because it's too much of a hassle.

Maybe (and most likely) the relaxation of the Saturday thing is a temporary tactic to forestall a competitor in a specific market until the economy bounces back. Then again, income tax was a temporary measure as well!

Ken hAAmer

A lot of the frustration in crossing the border, perhaps 4 times in a single trip, can be eliminated with INSPASS and CANPASS. Make formalities a breeze entering the US from YVR or YYZ, or returning to Canada in YVR. (Hopefully YYZ will be running soon.) You'll still pay the fees however.

But from my prespective connecting in ORD doesn't seem to be any worse than connecting in YYZ. Under some circumstances and with careful planning it might be quite feasible.

YVR Cockroach

It seems the Saturday-night stay elimination by UA was a very limited and measured response to Air Trans competition.

http://misc.biztravel.com/CPageUtil_...ion=BT3&ssnid=

However, one can still find fares that don't have a Saturday night stay though these tend to appear and disappear unannounced.