winnipegrev

Does anyone know what is going on with the YWG-YEG route? It was announced to be going Q400 in May 2013 and the flights showed DH4 equipment, but I just checked and it is back to 3x CRJ

That would be too bad if it were the case, I was looking forward to not having to ride the CRJ anymore. Which route is getting Q400 service in YWG's place?

pitz

If they're doing that on a Dash8, then YQR-YVR can't be far behind. Ouch!

Actually, it appears they've chopped the CRJ out of the summer schedule for YQR-YYC, and the route is entirely on DH4. This might answer your question.

mikeym

Is the Q400 really that much of an improvement? I mean I hate the CRJ's as much as the next person but on a recent YYC-YMM Q400 flight it felt like it took so much longer (even though the difference is only around 140 ish km/h IIRC).

Altaflyer

It definitely takes longer. When Alaska switched to q400 on YEG-SEA the flight time went up about 15 mins. The distance there is about 550 miles.

PhotoJim

I've ridden Q400s YYZ-YFC and back and compared to the CRJs I find them to be pleasant. It wouldn't bother me at all to fly a Q YQR-YVR.

mjvancam

Slow, slow, slow. They're also replacing the CRJs from YYJ to YYC with Q400s, so it will be extremely choppy over the Rockies (more so than the CRJ).

My preference is a jet, even if it's the CRJ.

In my view, they're dumbing down service in the name of more capacity. Makes it easier to jump to WS than ever before. I'll wave at the Q400 as I pass them on WS.

DaveObee

I did YYJ-YYC on the Q400 a week ago. Slower, for sure, but the biggest concern was the tight space. They don't have Skycheck, and in theory all carry-ons will fit in the bins above you. Most people had a real fight to get them in and out. The washroom is, I would swear, even smaller than the one on the CRJ. So as long as Westjet flies 737s on that route, Westjet will win.

acysb87

CRJ is smallish in cabin vs. Q400. All carryons come with you onto Q400.The CRJ is sky-check. Capacity (pax) is greater on Q400 vs CRJ as well

YSB has seen more Q400s lately. A CRJ switch in the other day caused a problem when 56 passengers from a scheduled Q400 had to be accomodated onto the 50 seater CRJ

arf04

I picked AC on my YQR-YYC flight yesterday and the return today because I wanted to try the Q400. I found the experience to be rather neutral overall. given the option to take Westjet on this route (exact same departure time on the outbound) I likely would. Overhead space is tight. 21 inch bags will fit, but they're snug. The plane wasn't full (56) so a full flight might have created more battles.

I was in 1C and found the endless stream of people going to the bathroom annoying, and aisle seems even more narrow than on the CRJ--not sure if that's true but it seemed so. The whole bathroom setup seemed to confuse people. On the out leg one guy managed to open the crew locker, which hadn't been locked by mistake. Apparently, a warning goes off in the cockpit as the FA got a call over it. On my return today one guy rattled away at the doorknob to the cockpit for about thirty seconds until the FA came running up and redirected him. I wonder where the guy thought the pilots were if there was a toilet in the nose of the plane?

I won't go out of my way to fly or not fly the Q400. Overall, I'm not convinced the speed difference over a jet is a good thing nor that the cabin experience is that much if at all superior to the CRJ and certainly is a good step behind the CRA. The main advantage I see is increased capacity so long as frequencies stay the same. The YQR-YYC route suffered from too many oversold CRJ flights so in any kind of irops situation getting rebooked could sometimes be tricky.

Sopwith

I discovered today that all AC flights into YZF now seem to be the Q400s, which take ~20-30 min longer from YYC or YEG. This doesn't enamour me when I can take the 738 on WS for less $ and better schedule.

Sounds like the Q400 is not really worth it?

nave888

I'm waiting until Westjet releases the full Encore route map. Right now, yes, Westjet does have an advantage over ACX with the DH4. If Westjet switches all these flights to Encore, the advantage is lost.

Saskatchewan (Regina and Saskatoon both), Yellowknife, Victoria, and Fort McMurray, all CRJ heavy places on AC will probably see Encore takeover from mainline eventually, as Westjet positions itself as a business carrier. We all know business means frequency, something the 737's don't always help with...So this time next year, chances are the option wont be Dash 8 vs. 737, but Dash 8 vs. Dash 8, where the fact that the Dash 8 is slower, or tighter, or narrower won't matter!

arf04

I think you may be right about what will happen with Encore. We do see quite a bit of frequency on WS into Saskatchewan and loads always seem to be strong so it will be interesting to see what develops. I hadn't flown AC to YYC in quite a long time and was surprised that the loads were light. Granted, 56 in a Q400 is 6 more than you'll get on a CRJ but when WS is filling 737s it shows that AC is lagging. I didn't get a count on the return today but my guess was that there were about 40-45.

It'll be interesting if we do get a bit of a frequency war going with he smaller cities! Endless Q400s at all hours. I remember the one year that I lived in Lethbridge back in the late 1990s that AC and CP were going hard at it. CP was in theory putting Dash 8s on the route but often they would run Metroliners (not a fun plane to fly in) as loads were low. AC stuck with the BAE 32, which seated 19, in order to keep frequencies high. I don't imagine that's either airline made any money off these flights.

LeSabre74

Except for the fact the airline is saving money in fuel.

CdnFlier

At least CRA's are coming to YZF as well. Between a Q400 and a 738 it may sway a lot of people. However, a large part of AC's business into YZF seems to be from international connections which this won't affect.

j_the_p

When did/does THAT start? Wow, I wish they'd been flying CRAs up there when I was travelling up there weekly.