SparseFlyer

Will be interesting to see what AC ends up doing as it starts to accumulate more data on this new setup.

If they are losing money on this bet, then it won't be long for it to be reverted.

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YZF_Elite

I've read every post in the thread as it's progressed and stand by my comments that after many years flying this route regularly, I can only recall a single time or two where I couldn't get a seat on the flight I've wanted either in advance or on standby, which to me means there's no significant shortage of seats. Sure one or two hours a day, certain days may be jammed, but this isn't the case all day everyday. Airline routes are like highways, you'll find them packed at times, but it's not practical to grossly overbuild.

I'm not sure how my admitted anecdotal experience is any less valid than your aggressively stated knowledge of the route which is also anecdotal.

WS has for the most part limited their service to Q400s in recent times and passenger numbers show no significant growth. I get that some of the reason there's not growth is that AC isn't showing us love, but part of it is IMO that there's not the traffic as well.

I actually fear for the YOW schedule once the E190s depart the schedule. It will mean less frequencies across the board. I've already noticed deeper schedule reductions at certain times of the year on routes I frequent (e.g. YOW-YEG down to 1/day part of last winter) as those flights have switched to 320 flying.

RatherBeInYOW

1) Knock off the strawman arguments. Nobody is saying that the problem is all day very day. It is certain times of the day on many days. The Air Canada schedule puts more capacity on the route in the middle of the day versus in the evening, and that is absolutely 100% not matching the route demand.

2) Your experiences over the last few years have nothing to do with the current situation. Yes, with status, you could usually get an SDC or at least a standby seat on an earlier or later flight, we've all experienced this dozens and dozens of times. Have you tried this since the E190 equipment switch? I've failed to do so twice in the last 4 weeks, including once when I was flying in paid J.

YOWCDNFF

This is a fair point. As an SEMM, I have usually been able to get that "last remaining seat" due to some people being able to standby to an earlier flight or misconnecting, but the number of available seats for standby is indeed lower than it used to be... so as an E50, this would indeed be an issue. The 11pm flight is probably the worse for that, especially now that there is a 3 hour gap in between this flight and the previous one.

SparseFlyer

I doubt AC is going to increase capacity just to allow standbys and SDCs though....

Especially if they can commit the arbies to more profitable routes.

YOWCDNFF

Totally agree with this statement.

I also see demand softening somewhat for the next few weeks, scanning availability through ExpertFlyer.

The last thing is that AC476 from YYZ ( B763 which then goes to LHR as AC888) often helps to deal with the overflow. It is the one flight that regularly appears to have seats open

RatherBeInYOW

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/.../rapidair.html

You're right, why have capacity for the benefits you advertise on the route.

YYZ - YOW flights are full of O/D pax who catch an earlier flight and connecting pax who are misconnecting on to a later flight or trying to catch an earlier flight (especially since the MCT at YYZ for US/Int -> Dom is rather long and easy to beat). There can be dozens of people in this situation on any given flight YYZ-YOW, especially in the evening.

I'm expecting AC to have the capacity to handle this situation and provide a benefit they advertise. Especially with their stated policy of giving YOW a handful of direct routes and funneling everything else through YYZ.

SparseFlyer

That's right. AC offers free standby. On a space available basis.

That doesn't mean "we will put a bunch of empty seats on the route so that when you buy a 6pm, you are guaranteed to get on a 4pm or 5pm flight".

But I'm sure we all understand that. We'll just have to wait and see if AC is really losing money and if they revert it.

Symmetre

Just my own personal observation, but since AC made YYZ-YOW an E190 route the morning and evening WS flights have been noticeably busier, including the 5:00 pm flight which is a 738 rather than the Encore Q400s they normally use. I've never had problems getting on an earlier flight home from YOW in the past, but it's no longer that easy. The planes are generally full.

I expect the Porter flights are also running full. I guess if you need to be somewhere for 7:00 am, you need to be there for 7:00 am, whether you're earning Errorplan points or not. You have to wonder if AC isn't shooting itself in the foot here by putting so many pax onto competitor's planes. There's no question WS loads on this route are up.

SparseFlyer

That's the thing though. It's possible that they ran the numbers, and figured out that if someone wants to be there for 7, then they'll pay for Y/B/M and get there for 7, while the rest of the filler wasn't enough to be worth the extra capacity and opportunity cost of having the arbies elsewhere.

That being said, we are all still speculating on what we think ACs numbers are. I could be flying this route 5x weekly and still have 0 clue of what the yield on the route is.

And even at that, this could be temporary while AC works out the 737s and CS100s in the network.

jaysona

AFIK AC has purchased the BCS3 and has not placed any orders for; or converted any options to the BCS1. Do you know something I don't?

SparseFlyer

Do I?

StuMcIlwain

Looks like the 20:10 YYZ-YOW flight moves to a 21:10 departure effective August 1st, reducing the 3 hour gap between evening flights to 2 hours. Makes sense, especially since the 763 flying YYZ-YOW-LHR leaves YYZ at 19:30.

Seat13F_AC_CRJ

Agree that it makes sense. Let's keep updating this thread with actual experiences on the route.
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RatherBeInYOW

I'm actively trying to avoid YYZ connections at this point. 3 trips booked for August, only one transit through YYZ on one leg.

Choosing direct flights and United instead where it makes more sense.