Is something going on with AC Express, changes coming?
 

I was checking in from a US airport (flight details limited as I'm trying to protect the helpful desk agent) and noticed my flight number had changed, which she said was from AC to AC Express and caused a hiccup in my checkin. I asked her about this odd and seemingly cosmetic, change. She hinted that while AC Express seems to have their own personnel, etc., like we are already familiar with, some bigger changes may be ahead (ok, I gently pushed). Basically, she thinks a spin-off like Aeroplan is in the air.

Anyone heard anything on this?

Did you happen to fly on an E75?

Correct, On plane now, waiting to take off.

The gate agent expressed frustration with what happened and she thought was coming down the line.

E75s have been almost completely transferred to Sky Regional. The pilot scope clause was renegotiated which facilitated the change.

Nothing more than the E75 transfer to Sky Regional, which is resulting in the flight numbers changing as they become ACX flights. They can't really do an AE type spin-off of Sky Regional as they are already a separate company.

I saw the same on flights that I have to Boston this week, they changed from
AC36X to AC738X flights.

Has been going on for a while already. Happened to us early May.

I am on 7571 today; ACX E75 from YOW-YYZ which replaces AC459 on the weekends

There doesn't appear to be any staff changes. AC Mainline personnel currently remain at BOS/DCA/EWR/LGA.

Currently :D

A cynic might be reminded of the great "Jazz capacity transfer" of 2005...

That would be more difficult to achieve with Sky Regional since it never was part of the AC "family" and its employees remain outside the scope of collective agreements, etc. that had existed at that time within the ACE ambit. LGA is still a major AC base so nothing would change there, and EWR operates with both CHORUS (i.e. JAZZ) and now SKY flights. Though agree the ground staff situation can get confusing and messy.

In my case, ground staff definitely regular AC personnel. I could see the look of disgust she had when talking about them.

I booked (in August) AC mainline flight YYZ- BOS for a flight in 3rd week of Sept, still had the AC 36x flight number. This morning I got an email for itinerary change, only change is flight number to AC738x
I found it odd that they are still changing flight numbers so late in the process...? must be something to do with crew availability?

The E75 transfer is now complete, therefore any flight on that aircraft will be operated by Express.