ecc

Hello all, long time lurker, first time poster. E35K this year, Should be at least E50K as of September, and quite likely E75K by the end of the year. (not that I have much choice of airlines due to WJs poor international connections, haha.

I've had several flights booked on a 319 (rouge) from YFC-YYZ changed to Q400 turboprops. Does anyone know why this is happening? Is this related to the 737-max fiasco? Pilot shortages? Sunspots?
I saw that pprrff mentioned this the other day in the expansion thread as well.

They announced the move to rouge with great fanfare starting on June 1st earlier this year [1]. Then they announced the expansion in eastern Canada [2]. Really annoying as I have been downgraded from Premium Rouge to Economy Y w/Q400 on some flights, I also had the 19/Emergency row on the Econ class rouge flights I had booked - the one with the missing chair in front, so that sucks. Personally, I hate turboprops (noise, speed, and seats all suck, even 1C which is my personal favorite in the Q400). Call me weird but I'll take a CRJ over a DH3/DH1/Q400 - at least it's a bit quicker and the exit rows are reasonable.

I've rerouted most of my involuntary flight changes to YFC->YOW->YYZ -> International (most of my travel is overseas to Europe) to avoid turboprops. I will say that the agents on the phone helping with the sorting out flight changes for this have been fantastic so far, so no fault there. Where I had premium rouge I've also been rebooked in business class where available (YOW->YYZ) and looks like I may get some form of compensation for the portions in economy according to the phone agen. (will update if/when I'll get it.)

[1] aircanada.mediaroom.com/2019-02-14-Air-Canada-Makes-Strategic-Enhancements-on-Eastern-Canadian-Regional-Routes-for-Spring-2019
[2] http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...-canada-2.html

*turned off url parsing and didn't use links due to new user minimal post limit

YOWCDNFF

The recent announcement (your 2nd link) reinstate Rouge on YFC-YYZ in the Winter 2020 schedule. I just took a quick look at the January schedule and it is there...

ecc

(emphasis mine)

What is says is that rouge service will continue year round, not that it was canceled and reinstated. Rouge service was due to start on June 1st, and I've had tickets booked on 319s for YFC-YYZ that were removed and replaced with Q400s, with travel dates in September and October. I can still book 319s in November and onwards, but I'm wondering why this is happening.

Stranger

Likely because they are using the Rouge fleet in replacement to the Max on mainline routes. For instance YYC-YYZ and YYC-YUL.

ecc

I figured that may be the reason, and that makes sense. Bets on when the 737-maxs will be fixed?

Stranger

Mid 2020 maybe?

ecc

I should buy airbus stock

Oh well, getting a bunch of extra segments I guess, and some opportunities to check out the MLL in YOW.
One of the nice things now at least with these early morning YYZ flights is that I can pop out of YYZ, take the UP Express, get some dim sum in Chinatown, and come back to YYZ lounges, shower, shave, and hit the late evening flights.

ecc

Alls well that ends well I suppose! Due to the equipment change/class downgrade on YFC-> YYZ (PY/ Rouge J to Y) I moved a flight to YFC-> YOW -> TLV (in this case) and AC set YOW-> YYZ in AC J (ticketed Z), which is nice. Due to the schedule change my PY was swapped to class O, and I was able to use eups to waitlist for YYZ -> TLV J. AC then changed the flight numbers from AC84/85 for YYZ/TLV routes to AC80/81, which made my itinerary very messy. Called AC to sort it out today, and they cleaned it up at ticketing with a nice bonus - the eup came through about 20 minutes after, and there was much rejoicing.
Any suggestions for seats? Plan on sleeping (it will be a long day and I need to hit the ground running), am very 6"4', currently in 4k, but debating 1k if there's more legroom. Would have to be worth it compared to galley/stowage noises, per EF/Seat Guru. Have sat before in 2k, 2d, 3g, 3k.
Hopefully my seat won't be deflated (again)

canadiancow

So your downgrade on YFC-YYZ has now resulted in an upgrade on YYZ-TLV. That is a nice schedule change

ecc

The very best kind ^
And being from Israel originally, I know what a blessing it is to be in PY or, preferably, J on any flight in or out of TLV.

rafi2k6

That makes two of us!!

Mazal Tov on the upgrade to TLV

ecc

Toda It's gonna be an interesting flight - J is just under half full atm, PY has one seat available and Y appears to be wide open as far as I can tell. I wonder how many people are going to fly in for the election

Should make E50k by the end of the return leg too

ecc

Well, it looks like the big boys are back - A321s started flying out of YFC on the 27th of October according to expert flyer, and I only realized this yesterday due to booking YFC-VIE. Phone agent warned me that it was rouge and is booked on a 319 (for December). Still better than 2 hours+ in a q400, and hey, there's premium rouge vs all Y.

YXUFlyboy

319 Rouge definitely beats a Q400, but you're crazy to prefer a CRJ to that. Yes, they are faster but they are way more cramped and uncomfortable.

ecc

Both are equally uncomfortable for me space wise - so the decrease in noise and enhanced speed are better in my book.
I have recently picked up Sony WH1000 XM3s that make Q400s more bearable to me, but to each his or her own.