AC faces new competition from WestJet's new lie-flat 787 business class
May 9, 2018, 11:05 am
#46
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Sun Peaks, Taupo.
Programs: NZ Elite, AC SE100K, Westjet Teal, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 6,131
Competition is pretty much always welcome news, for the consumer.
Clive Beddoe defied the odds, naysayers and carnage of predecessors. Sawatsky picked up the reins and is growing it further.
AC domestic and Sun routes would cost us more and likely lousier service had it not been for Westjet giving AC a run for their money.
The same will happen on the routes Westjet deploys the 787's on.
Not sure why airlines need to use closed caskets in business class though on the 787's. I prefer the open caskets found on 777's.
Clive Beddoe defied the odds, naysayers and carnage of predecessors. Sawatsky picked up the reins and is growing it further.
AC domestic and Sun routes would cost us more and likely lousier service had it not been for Westjet giving AC a run for their money.
The same will happen on the routes Westjet deploys the 787's on.
Not sure why airlines need to use closed caskets in business class though on the 787's. I prefer the open caskets found on 777's.
May 9, 2018, 11:07 am
#47
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, Mileage Plus, WestJet Gold, AMEX Plat
Posts: 2,026
Realistically WS will probably be a factor of Calgary and Toronto to London. Perhaps a WS move form Gatwick to Heathrow is also in order. WS is probably going to gain some Calgary corporate accounts at AC's loss.
What I think is more interesting is the Premium Economy cabin. The WS premium economy looks nicer that the AC offering.
AC has already upped their cabin in the business class cabin. Next is going to be upping their game in premium economy.
What I think is more interesting is the Premium Economy cabin. The WS premium economy looks nicer that the AC offering.
AC has already upped their cabin in the business class cabin. Next is going to be upping their game in premium economy.
May 9, 2018, 11:32 am
#49
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Halifax
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May 9, 2018, 12:00 pm
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: AC
Posts: 2,167
Realistically WS will probably be a factor of Calgary and Toronto to London. Perhaps a WS move form Gatwick to Heathrow is also in order. WS is probably going to gain some Calgary corporate accounts at AC's loss.
What I think is more interesting is the Premium Economy cabin. The WS premium economy looks nicer that the AC offering.
AC has already upped their cabin in the business class cabin. Next is going to be upping their game in premium economy.
What I think is more interesting is the Premium Economy cabin. The WS premium economy looks nicer that the AC offering.
AC has already upped their cabin in the business class cabin. Next is going to be upping their game in premium economy.
I bet you that they are hoping to gain some share but they're not entirely sure they can capture that market. Given the info above, I suspect WS's value prop is a cheaper fare than AC to lure over that market, at least in the short term. I'm not 100% sure they are sold they can pull it off though, and if WS ends up flying to Gatwick as opposed to LHR, then that market may not react well to that. I know I would pay a premium to fly to LHR in J as opposed to Gatwick.
May 9, 2018, 12:04 pm
#51
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Alberta
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion
Posts: 26
Mind blown.
https://youtu.be/oSQn4QK8QDY
What will AC do to react?
Just look at the details. The WestJet business class product is almost identical to Air Canada's. And now, Air Canada's economy class is almost identical to WestJet's (a la 737 MAX 8)
I haven't been happy with AC lately with Aeroplan dropping out and all the enhancements. All WestJet needs to do is to join SkyTeam and AC will have a very tough competitor.
See https://787.westjet.com/ for WestJet's 787 website.
For reference, you can compare it to AC at https://787.aircanada.com
https://youtu.be/oSQn4QK8QDY
What will AC do to react?
Just look at the details. The WestJet business class product is almost identical to Air Canada's. And now, Air Canada's economy class is almost identical to WestJet's (a la 737 MAX 8)
I haven't been happy with AC lately with Aeroplan dropping out and all the enhancements. All WestJet needs to do is to join SkyTeam and AC will have a very tough competitor.
See https://787.westjet.com/ for WestJet's 787 website.
For reference, you can compare it to AC at https://787.aircanada.com
May 9, 2018, 12:30 pm
#52
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: YYC, Canada
Programs: AC 35k
Posts: 1,898
Realistically WS will probably be a factor of Calgary and Toronto to London. Perhaps a WS move form Gatwick to Heathrow is also in order. WS is probably going to gain some Calgary corporate accounts at AC's loss.
What I think is more interesting is the Premium Economy cabin. The WS premium economy looks nicer that the AC offering.
AC has already upped their cabin in the business class cabin. Next is going to be upping their game in premium economy.
What I think is more interesting is the Premium Economy cabin. The WS premium economy looks nicer that the AC offering.
AC has already upped their cabin in the business class cabin. Next is going to be upping their game in premium economy.
May 9, 2018, 12:36 pm
#53
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: yyz
Posts: 1,611
Yeah, I hope WJ joins ST. Something.
Happy to see this competitive offering.
Any reason why they wouldn't fly the plane domestically? AC charges $3-4k YYZ-YVR in J. That's gotta be a juicy margin for AC. Then continue the flight to somewhere in Asia.
Happy to see this competitive offering.
Any reason why they wouldn't fly the plane domestically? AC charges $3-4k YYZ-YVR in J. That's gotta be a juicy margin for AC. Then continue the flight to somewhere in Asia.
May 9, 2018, 1:06 pm
#54
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Sun Peaks, Taupo.
Programs: NZ Elite, AC SE100K, Westjet Teal, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 6,131
May 9, 2018, 1:24 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
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If you're referring to other airlines, LO is an example (out of several airlines) where their 787s in C/J are "open casket".
May 9, 2018, 1:29 pm
#56
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: YYC / random hotel in YYZ
Programs: Back of the bus
Posts: 922
Guess we will have to see when WJ launches.
May 9, 2018, 1:33 pm
#57
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: AC
Posts: 2,167
This thread is filled of references of WJ as WestJet and some are using WJ and WS interchangeably. While I understand current FlyerTalkers understand what is being referred to here, unspoken Flyertalk pedantic rules do not permit this sort of behavior. (the use of an emoji is rhetorical here)
May 9, 2018, 3:25 pm
#58
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,222
I would suggest this is a wait and see. WJ is announcing the 787 at a time to try distract from their labour dispute. Cost overruns in every new initiative, earnings downgrade, new CEO, a mess behind the scenes..
Pilots are peeved about Swoop and ready to strike, issues with pilot upgrades from which seats they're currently in and how long it's taking them to move up the ranks, who will fly the 787's, how they move between WJ / Encore / Swoop / etc. There are rumours behind the scenes WJ would throw the 787 under a different banner even or bargaining agreement to lower their costs. Pilots have zero appetite for that and are seriously ready to disrupt things.
And the irony... pilots are also supposedly moving to AC where the conditions are supposedly *better*. What does that tell you?
Pilots are peeved about Swoop and ready to strike, issues with pilot upgrades from which seats they're currently in and how long it's taking them to move up the ranks, who will fly the 787's, how they move between WJ / Encore / Swoop / etc. There are rumours behind the scenes WJ would throw the 787 under a different banner even or bargaining agreement to lower their costs. Pilots have zero appetite for that and are seriously ready to disrupt things.
And the irony... pilots are also supposedly moving to AC where the conditions are supposedly *better*. What does that tell you?
May 9, 2018, 3:40 pm
#59
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
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Posts: 5,899
And 6-across seating where window occupants have to acrobatically manoeuvre over their neighbours to access the aisle.
May 9, 2018, 4:09 pm
#60
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: YYZ
Programs: FOTSG Tangerine Ex E35k (AC)
Posts: 5,612
Or just a snow plough for anything departing YYZ.
Same as every AC PY not on the 787/789 planes no?
AC has been taking away from PY for the last few years. I don’t seem that improving it by bringing back curtains or serving a decent 2nd meal or anything else that costs them money. AC PY is actually less bad economy.
Will be interesting to see what WSs is like TATL.
Will be interesting to see what WSs is like TATL.