Mar 8, 2026, 3:55 pm

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Last update 26 March 2026

45 Mainline 7M8s due for minor seating reconfig and transfer to Rouge by end of 2026
- Maintaining seat-back IFE, Wi-Fi but cabin crew and service to be Rouge
7 Y189 reconfiguration deferred, but may still transfer to Rouge as is
New Rouge base created in YVR
- Hawaii
- Mexico
- Certain U.S. sun destinations
- Some YEG, YLW turns

Boeing 737 MAX 8 (7M8) transfer/refurbishment thread (2025-beyond)

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Mar 2, 2026 | 12:41 pm

#61

PLeblond

Formerly known as tireman77

Join Date: Dec 2013

Posts: 7,700

Quote:

Originally Posted by czmuac

Yep flew on FIN 541 yesterday and definitely still in the mainline configuration. It's interesting that AC decided to put in the mainline cabin layout instead of directly putting the Rouge layout unless they are expecting the transition to take a while.

I assume it has to do with production supply lines. It's quite difficult/costly/asking for trouble to modify a configuration while a plane in the production process.

Mar 2, 2026 | 3:39 pm

#62

romanr27

Join Date: Sep 2017

Posts: 146

FIN 501 is listed as operating AC2074 YVR-YEG on Thursday in the AC app, which is the first 7M8 Rouge flight (I believe). The aircraft is still at YLW.

Nitehawk and foothills county flier like this.

Mar 4, 2026 | 10:13 am

#63

yyztpa

Join Date: Oct 2016

Posts: 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by romanr27

FIN 501 is listed as operating AC2074 YVR-YEG on Thursday in the AC app, which is the first 7M8 Rouge flight (I believe). The aircraft is still at YLW.

It would appear Rouge flight numbers now spill into the 20xx range. Flights using the range +2100 appear to be mainline

Mar 4, 2026 | 10:23 am

#64

foothills county flier

Join Date: Mar 2023

Location: Foothills County, Alta

Programs: Westjet, Air Canada SE3MM, Best Western, Marriott

Posts: 517

Quote:

Originally Posted by czmuac

I was talking to a pilot and he told me that the transition to Rouge will take longer because a lot of the 737's will have to be rectified.

Mar 4, 2026 | 10:38 am

#65

romanr27

Join Date: Sep 2017

Posts: 146

Quote:

Originally Posted by yyztpa

It would appear Rouge flight numbers now spill into the 20xx range. Flights using the range +2100 appear to be mainline

There was a bunch of renumberings March 1st - I think PAL was in the 2xxx range before, now they're they're in the 76xx and 77xx range. YOW-PUJ/CUN went from 14xx to 21xx, but YOW-NAS/MCO/FLL stayed in 1000s. Maybe the 2xxx flight number are routes will eventually be Rouged?

FIN 501 appears to be ferrying as ROU7153 to YVR as we speak ahead of tomorrow's first Rouge 7M8 flight.

Mar 5, 2026 | 9:41 am

#66

briguychau

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: YVR

Posts: 358

First flight this morning is AC2074 YVR-YEG in the air right now. Press release for Rouge 737 MAX EIS: https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-...rouge-service/

Interestingly, the press release says "45 Boeing 737 MAX are expected to transition to Rouge by the end of 2026" while the Q4 MD&A says 52. So either some signals got crossed, or there has been another change of plans for the ex-Lynx 737s.

Also this morning, FIN 502 C-FSCY has ferried YVR-YLW, presumably for Rougification

Mar 5, 2026 | 9:42 am

#67

romanr27

Join Date: Sep 2017

Posts: 146

The first Rouge 7M8 revenue flight is now in the air: https://www.flightaware.com/live/fli...535Z/CYVR/CYEG

Here is a press release, it still claims 45 aircraft will be refitted by the end of 2026: https://www.aircanada.com/media/air-...rouge-service/

Last edited by romanr27; Mar 5, 2026 at 9:49 am

Mar 5, 2026 | 12:29 pm

#68

briguychau

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: YVR

Posts: 358

FIN 502 C-FSCY registration updated to Rouge on CCAR after its ferry flight to YLW, confirming that it's being Rouged
FIN 509 C-FSIP likely just for maintenance at YQG, it's scheduled on mainline routes tomorrow.

Mar 5, 2026 | 12:59 pm

#69

romanr27

Join Date: Sep 2017

Posts: 146

Quote:

Originally Posted by briguychau

The 7 ex-Lynx aircraft will stay as-is for "3-4 years" now: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/37580449-post2335.html

Interested to see how quickly FIN 502 gets done - two weeks from today they will need a second frame as a daily YVR-CUN turn are set to get Rouged.

One segment in and FIN 501 is now delayed for two hours at YEG for a maintenance issue.

Mar 5, 2026 | 3:05 pm

#70

InTheAirGuy

Join Date: Apr 2000

Location: Mississauga Ontario

Posts: 4,339

Meanwhile, Air Canada PR just motors along with the lies.

The comments on FB and X to this post are wild. Like, what cabin is this?

Symmetre likes this.

Mar 5, 2026 | 3:53 pm

#71

canadiancow

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Sep 2012

Location: SFO

Programs: AC SE MM, SK Gold, Bonvoy Plat LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond

Posts: 47,219

Is that woman like 5'4 ?

Nitehawk likes this.

Mar 5, 2026 | 4:43 pm

#72

romanr27

Join Date: Sep 2017

Posts: 146

You can see the Preferred stitching on the headrest. It's definitely not the refurbed 7M8 since the only preferred seats there are the exit rows and bulkhead

Mar 5, 2026 | 5:02 pm

#73

expert7700

Join Date: Feb 2004

Location: USA

Programs: AC SE100K, F9 Plat, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium

Posts: 5,456

Quote:

Originally Posted by InTheAirGuy

Meanwhile, Air Canada PR just motors along with the lies.

The comments on FB and X to this post are wild. Like, what cabin is this?

Not that anyone needed compute power to determine, but

"This is a false representation by the airline. Accounting for perspective and these references including child's headphones, in flight display, book, and standard 737 window sizing, the depicted seat pitch in the promotional photo (distance between equivalent points on consecutive seats) is approximately 35-38 inches—In reality, Air Canada Rouge's 737 MAX 8 economy seats have a 30-inch pitch in most rows."

Last edited by expert7700; Mar 5, 2026 at 5:11 pm