ridefar

I believe that TG exited due to their overall financial struggles. That doesn't speak highly to the routes profitability, or it speaks highly of TG's ability to lose money on almost any route. I suspect the later; I would guess that AC would be able to fly it at a lot lower CASM than TG. TG is in a world of trouble. Having said all that, IIRC they have been planning on starting it again via LAX or SFO once they stabilize. Somebody clearly thinks there is sufficient customer traffic for a West Coast to BKK route.

supatight80

That's TG not PR.

Anyways have heard this rumor RE MNL for quite some time now from concierges. Hopefully it will come to fruition on 2017 for convenience sake. PR flies to YVR 10X weekly, so hopefully AC would join in.

ridefar

I am not sure if you are trying to be funny. I think you mean it is TG and PR?

PR spent some time being banned by the EU and downgraded by the FAA. Things are "better" now? Maybe.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014...92482087790594

On the subject of the route: I believe Winnipeg is the largest community of Filipinos outside of the Philippines? Provides quite a market.

supatight80

In any event...I really hope AC does the MNL route. But I'd rather fly CEB-HKG-YVR or MNL-ICN/NRT-YVR than MNL-YVR direct PR.

I'm not worried with their maintenance. But like you, I'd rather not step into PR longhaul with their bunkbed style biz class and BYOIpad on biz

Filipinos tend to not have any loyalty to PR I've noticed. Most fly to MNL from NA anyways with KE/CX/JL/NH, etc. So this might work if the price is right.

Transpacificflyer

Unsubstantiated rumour. The new routes for 2017 have already been discussed at length. Algiers is the destination that will arrive long before Beirut. Yes, easy access to Beirut would be popular in some key Quebec Liberal swing ridings, however, there are more lucrative routes to implement first. The cost of security and screening to obtain approval would devour the profit margin.


YVR-BKK? No. Philippines and Vietnam are a more lucrative target market. Did you not see the code sharing deal AC just entered with Cathay to develop the SE Asian market? I'd be thrilled to fly YVR-BKK, but Canadians don't go to Thailand like they go to other SE Asian destinations. AC is better served boosting its service capabilities to its Asian hubs first. In any case, there are few if any available landing slots at BKK. The airport is over capacity now and is trying to expand. HKT can't handle its traffic either with its crappy single runway.

ridefar

That is for sure. Every time I have flown CX HKG-MNL I have met Canadian Filipinos. They didn't get to HKG on PR!

keitherson

Indeed, CX's presence at MNL is massive. HKG-MNL traffic is also huge, and one of the few intra-Asia routes with true First Class.

djjaguar64

thats nasty omg so 3rd world

quantumofforce

My dreams of an AC flight to SIN are shafted once again.

I love hanging out in BKK, but not sure I'd fly there to transfer over TYO/HKG

IluvSQ

BKK is unlikely for another reason. It is still very, very difficult for Thai nationals
to get visas to Canada. I'm not talking about short-term "girl-friends", but rather
business people with long established companies, doing business in Canada for decades,
having been educated at American university - they have to go through such hoops
and paperwork to get a visa that most do not bother.

So traffic would be mainly originating in N.A.

Further, many people such as myself who do go to BKK for business also stop
in other countries ( China, Indonesia, Korea, etc.). A YVR non-stop is not that
appealing when I can fly non-stop from YYZ to China/Korea/Taiwan and then
continue on to BKK.

lcohen999

Likewise

YVR-SIN would be fantastic

YVR72

I can't imagine what "gate" BKK would assign to AC. Every time I'm through there I get a gate that turns into a 15 minute packed bus ride to a plane sitting among what look like decommissioned aircraft.

flybit

AC wont be in a rush to serve JNB, the flights are $2500 in J class so often and Y is under $1k.
And i doubt there would be enough customers wanting to pay extra for a nonstop flying from YYZ.

ac777

Before AC took over CP the latter airline was flying YVR-HKG-BKK daily if I remember correctly. So AC does not have to do nonstop--they can extend the HKG flight to BKK.

Bartolo

+1; on the other hand ANZ is pretty amazing.