imverge

Air Canada is going to get stiff competition during TIFF!

American Airlines is adding direct flights from LAX to Toronto during TIFF.

Citing demand from members of the entertainment industry traveling to the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, American Airlines is adding nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Toronto during the event.

The flights will operate daily Sept. 7-14, with two morning departures from LAX and two late afternoon and early evening departures from Toronto Pearson International Airport.

The second flights from both cities will be flown on American's Airbus A321T aircraft, the only domestic airliner configured with dedicated first- and business-class cabins, used on the airline's premier LAX-JFK transcontinental service.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...flights-890458

Wpgjetse

I would think AC planes will be full anyways, so no big deal. Don't the real important people fly private?

Transpacificflyer

That's the best you can do? A snotty dismissal of what is a major slap in the face to an airline that once boasted of its status as the official airline of TIFF?Many of us remember how AC crowed, gloated, bragged about its status as the official airline of TIFF.

Whether you like film industry personnel or not, they are paying customers and from what I read, many were not impressed with the airline.As per the report, Citing demand from members of the entertainment industry traveling to the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, American Airlines is adding nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Toronto during the event. If AA is doing this, it means they did their homework and believe they have an opportunity to show off their high end product to people who will pay for it.
The product AA will offer with its diabolically decadent First and Business class option on the 2nd flight of the day makes AC's tatty aircraft seem third world in comparison. You can bet that AA will deploy some FAs with personality and spunk on these flights. AC will be offering Blanche and Bruce who may manage a smile depending on whether or not they had a decent bowel movement in the morning. The AA meals will be edible and there will be quality wines served in the premium cabin. If customers are lucky, AC might offer some of its Costco pasta with its awful plonk that even Willy the Wino who sits outside the BMO on King street in Toronto, would decline.

Yes, some people will fly in on their private jets. However, a great many people including some of the important agents, PR specialists, studio execs and thrifty stars and their entourage will fly commercial. You may be unaware, but all the major studios travel expense rules. Disney, Sony and all the rest keep an eye on their expenses. AA is taking advantage of an opportunity to blow AC out of the market and to send a message that the US airlines are changing for the better, while Air Canada moves backwards. AA will offer a premium travel experience to its premium pax on the route, while AC will offer its crappy pickles.

Yes, so go right ahead and make your smug comment. Meanwhile AC will bleed more premium custmers as it cuts back.

RCyyz

Not necessarily. Many of the Hollywood types fly regular airlines for TIFF. Naturally they fly at the front of the bus, but they do fly regularly scheduled flights like the rest of us.

WestAust

The thing is, AA will be doing that for a week (or whatever the dates for TIFF are) to please those folks and get some business and then once it's over, back to normal with old planes with reclining J and service which is not better than AC.

In the long run, it will make absolutely no difference unless (and I doubt this will ever happen) they start to fly the A321t to YYZ on a yearly basis.

Shanqx

not always.

I'm sure you will bump into some celebrities if you take J. At least I did.

canadiancow

We have a whole thread for it

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...sightings.html

agjil

Wow AA is flying 321Ts on this route...guess they are pretty serious about this.
I may have to take a short vacation in LA while TIFF is on...

silver_halide

If AA is doing this, it isn't to steal LAX-YYZ traffic from AC. They are doing it to get people who take the flight to think about AA the next time they need a flight anywhere. The LAX-YYZ TIFF run could even be a loss leader for them, if they think it will build business for them elsewhere.

Also, someone mentioned up-thread, isn't AC the official TIFF airline? Yes, but that has more to do with paying to be the official airline, than actually servicing routes that TIFF-goers would find useful.

Wpgjetse

How much bleeding can AC do in 7 days? Didn't give a long answer because AA is basically doing a PR stunt for 7 days. You never know, if the loads are there AC could sub in a 787 on the heavy travel days and most likely beat AA on their PR game. If AA was truly upping it's game, they would bring this service to this route full time.

Wpgjetse

I was thinking the top.stars. upper A list.

Stranger

What's that TIFF thingy? Not the image file format presumably?

Wpgjetse

No, what would have actual useful in life. The Toronto TIFF is only important to people who have no life of their own.

yulred

...and, evidently, Air Canada. Important enough to sponsor, no less. We all look forward to your theory on why AC chose to do so.

(PS - TIFF doesn't stand for 'Toronto TIFF'; it stands for Toronto International Film Festival. Also, I don't understand your first line. Is it in English?)

Wpgjetse

You are right about the first line. Typing working a trade show without glasses is not a good thing on my phone. It should have said, that would be actual useful in life. Sorry about that.