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-   -   Speculation: What's happening with the planes scheduled to fly to China? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-canada-aeroplan/2007115-speculation-whats-happening-planes-scheduled-fly-china.html)

CarNut Feb 1, 2020 10:22 am

Speculation: What's happening with the planes scheduled to fly to China?
 
When I booked AC739 08FEB and AC756 17FEB a few months ago, both flights were operated by a 787. Not long after booking, AC739 was switched to a Lion and AC756 was switched to a 767.

Any speculation/thoughts/ideas on what AC is planning on doing with the planes that were scheduled to fly to PEK and PVG? I can't believe that they will just be parked.

RangerNS Feb 1, 2020 10:27 am

I'm not sure even 2 months would be enough time for a comprehensive flight schedule change.

Nor would the AC maintenance bays (or contracted bays) have capacity to reschedule or accelerated any overhauling in that kind of time frame.

Thus mostly idle unless but able to handle one-off needs of the occasional unserviceable bird.

bakersdozen Feb 1, 2020 10:50 am

Appears a regular lion route is now being flown by other 330s? At least looking at yyz-yyc this AM. I wonder if this allows them some spare capacity and start the refit of at least one? Maybe get ahead of some additional checks and maintenance on the rest of the fleet that had been stretched pretty thin with sub-ins?

Stranger Feb 1, 2020 11:18 am

Not sure if related, but this morning at YYC, there were a 330 and a 773. Presumably plus the 763 from/to NRT?

capedreamer Feb 1, 2020 11:38 am

Wishful thinking perhaps, but I'd love to see a 787/777 replace the 763 that's currently operating AC824/825.

rankourabu Feb 1, 2020 11:46 am


Originally Posted by CarNut (Post 32020537)
Any speculation/thoughts/ideas on what AC is planning on doing with the planes that were scheduled to fly to PEK and PVG? I can't believe that they will just be parked.

Speculation (but unlikely): Clean them?

YXUFlyboy Feb 1, 2020 11:51 am


Originally Posted by Stranger (Post 32020747)
Not sure if related, but this morning at YYC, there were a 330 and a 773. Presumably plus the 763 from/to NRT?

The 77W goes to YYZ and FRA. NRT is seasonal and won't return till late March. 333/763 goes to YYZ and also OGG.

YXUFlyboy Feb 1, 2020 11:54 am

They may also switch YYC-LHR back to 788/789 from 763 which was a Feb. only thing. I can't tell if that was capacity driven or due to a lack of aircraft. LHR is usually 789 in summer, with some 788 in winter.

Best case, we may see less 763 rouge flying domestic trunks. That'd be nice.

After Burner Feb 1, 2020 11:55 am

Just noticed the daily YVR-OGG/HNL flight is now showing 789 service starting May 1 thru to July. No Omni, no rouge, which pleasantly surprised me. Perhaps due to the China cancellations. (Starting July 1 it's showing MAX8. Yeah, right :rolleyes:)

EdmFlyBoi Feb 1, 2020 5:07 pm

So many options with such slack in the 789 fleet - there are 10 frames that are not being used for China flying. It seems likely that all or part of the schedule will not resume at the end of February. It would be great if AC could accelerate the A330's refurbs and reduce the Rouge and Mainline 767 flying (especially transcon).

Adam Smith Feb 1, 2020 5:12 pm


Originally Posted by EdmFlyBoi (Post 32021749)
So many options with such slack in the 789 fleet - there are 10 frames that are not being used for China flying. It seems likely that all or part of the schedule will not resume at the end of February. It would be great if AC could accelerate the A330's refurbs and reduce the Rouge and Mainline 767 flying (especially transcon).

Reducing 767 flying domestically, that's easier. But accelerating refurbishments or other maintenance, not so easy. You can't just call up the MRO and say "hey, we're sending the plane tomorrow instead of two months from now". You have to have the space available at the MRO, then you also need to have the seats and any other equipment ready and available. Lead time on some of these things is substantial, and they may well not be available.

Even to the extent that's possible, there are also dozens of other airlines that suddenly have a bunch of spare frames sitting around who may be interested in doing the same.

So it's not impossible, but I wouldn't expect much.

pitz Feb 1, 2020 5:21 pm

Personally I expect that they'll remain generated and ready for sorties just like any other normal not-programmed-for-maintenance aircraft in the AC fleet, and it will be a bit less stressful for AC maintenance/cleaning crews because they won't have everything crammed into as tight of a turn-around. And easier IRROPs recovery during the annual mid-late winter IRROPs debacle.

Doubt they'll get re-assigned to much of anything else. Its not like AC won't want to resume service very quickly once the Chinese situation stabilizes.

Jagboi Feb 1, 2020 6:04 pm

They might do some flight consolidation and subbing in for narrow bodies to give the 320 fleet a bit of a breather and extend their life for when the flights to China resume.

Adam Smith Feb 1, 2020 6:08 pm


Originally Posted by Jagboi (Post 32021874)
They might do some flight consolidation and subbing in for narrow bodies to give the 320 fleet a bit of a breather and extend their life for when the flights to China resume.

They've already substituted widebodies in for narrowbodies on a lot of routes ever since the MAX first went offline. Limited scope to do more of that without really hurting frequencies.

Fiordland Feb 2, 2020 10:36 am


Originally Posted by YXUFlyboy (Post 32020849)
Best case, we may see less 763 rouge flying domestic trunks. That'd be nice.

Yes, please. Replacing the early morning Rouge 763 from YYZ to YVR would be ideal.

Perhaps I am biased in that I am booked on the Rouge pumpkin in the last week of February.

In the event that improving my customer experience is not sufficient motivation for the route planning people, it would free up a Rouge 763 that could be used to backup the over committed 763 fleet to better handle Rouge IROP.


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