Competition for YVR and YXX: Bellingham's back
Mar 28, 2007, 4:27 pm
#61
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: United States
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Amtrak
Posts: 4,647
Apr 25, 2007, 10:53 am
#62
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: AP, AM
Posts: 128
$10 US Flights to Ohio
For those YVR people clamouring to go to Columbus 
From travelzoo.com :
"Skybus Airlines, a new low-fare airline flying out of Columbus, Ohio, just launched with US$10 fares to each of their 8 cities. You'll pay less to fly roundtrip than you will in taxes.
US$10 -- Bellingham (Vancouver/Seattle) to Columbus
Flights from Bellingham start May 29, but you need to book now to capture these amazing fares. Every flight went on sale with at least 10 seats at US$10, but the low fares are selling out quickly on some routes, especially over the summer months."
From travelzoo.com :
"Skybus Airlines, a new low-fare airline flying out of Columbus, Ohio, just launched with US$10 fares to each of their 8 cities. You'll pay less to fly roundtrip than you will in taxes.
US$10 -- Bellingham (Vancouver/Seattle) to Columbus
Flights from Bellingham start May 29, but you need to book now to capture these amazing fares. Every flight went on sale with at least 10 seats at US$10, but the low fares are selling out quickly on some routes, especially over the summer months."
Apr 25, 2007, 11:17 am
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,803
QX flying larger DH-8s into BLI
There is a thread in the AS forum that QX will convert SEA-BLI service from 7x DH8-200 daily to 6x DH8-400 daily which would almost double seats?
Supposedly the tradeoff will be lower fares for slightly-reduced frequency.
Supposedly the tradeoff will be lower fares for slightly-reduced frequency.
Apr 25, 2007, 11:47 am
#64
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,830
http://www.skybus.com/ Looks like daily service
As with Allegiant, it's named to attract Vancouver travellers. Allegiant call it the Vancouver/Bellingham airport, for SkyBus it's listed as Seattle/Vancouver (Bellingham)
There is a thread in the AS forum that QX will convert SEA-BLI service from 7x DH8-200 daily to 6x DH8-400 daily which would almost double seats?
Supposedly the tradeoff will be lower fares for slightly-reduced frequency.
Supposedly the tradeoff will be lower fares for slightly-reduced frequency.
Apr 26, 2007, 2:44 am
#65
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: YVR
Programs: AC E50K
Posts: 994
There is substantial saving if one is traveling to smaller towns in US from BLI than YVR even on AS/QX. I am going to BZN in 2 weeks YVR/SEA/BZN fare on AS/QX is about CAD$200 rtn more than BLI/SEA/BZN. Similar saving per person May 2006 my family of 4 flew to Yellowstone Park.
FYI it took me 5.5 hours wait to cross the land border southbound on Good Friday and only 5 minutes northbound on Easter Monday night.
FYI it took me 5.5 hours wait to cross the land border southbound on Good Friday and only 5 minutes northbound on Easter Monday night.
Jun 14, 2007, 12:37 pm
#67
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 810
Jun 14, 2007, 12:49 pm
#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,803
Jun 14, 2007, 10:50 pm
#69
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,629
We regularily fly AS throughout the West Coast (LAX/SAN/LAS/SMF, etc) and have sarted flying out of BLI and returning to YVR.
We take the Quick Shuttle (www.quickcoach.com) down to BLI. It's pretty good service and only $22.80 (US) per person.
We take the Quick Shuttle (www.quickcoach.com) down to BLI. It's pretty good service and only $22.80 (US) per person.
Last edited by todd-r; Jun 15, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Jun 15, 2007, 8:02 am
#70
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Hertz Gold
Posts: 1,289
Slightly off topic, does anybody find it funny that when you search for flights out of YVR on ac.com it says on the top:
Did you know? Air Canada also flies to Abbotsford, British Columbia - only 74 km from Vancouver.
Yet you can't search for flights out of YXX as they stopped flying there last month.
Did you know? Air Canada also flies to Abbotsford, British Columbia - only 74 km from Vancouver.
Yet you can't search for flights out of YXX as they stopped flying there last month.
Jun 15, 2007, 12:57 pm
#71
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Richmond, BC, Canada
Posts: 1,511
Wonder if that notice actually drives anyone to look for YXX flights on some other travel site and end up booking with Westjet. An unintentional plan for driving customers to the competition.
Jun 15, 2007, 3:00 pm
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,803
Have you found ex-BLI fares that reasonable vs. ex-YVR fares? The last few times I've checked over the years, ex-BLI was often more than ex-YVR despite the Cdn. taxes/fees and U.S. entry fees. We just haven't found ex-BLI to be reasonable enough vs. ex-YVR (or especially ex-SEA) for west coast/U.S. transcontinental flights. Last-minute ex-BLI fares can be substantially cheaper on NW (codeshare BLI-SEA) than ex-YVR though both are still high.
Jun 15, 2007, 3:45 pm
#73
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,629
Yup... that's why I mentioned it!
For example, just priced out to VAN to LAS Oct 28-Nov7
YVR/LAS/YVR - 471.54 per person (X2 = 943.08)
BLI/LAS/BLI - 259.10 per person (X2 = 518.20)
BLI/LAS/YVR - 325.00 per person (X2 = 650.00)
We like to come back from Vegas on an afternoon flight so will choose to return to Vancouver. In the scenario above, the diff would be:
943.08-650.00 = 293.08
less shuttle cost (2 @ 22.80)
= 247.48 savings
If you decide to drive yourself to BLI, in this scenario you'd save:
943.08-518.20 = 424.88
That's quite the chunk of change and worth it in my books (and for my parents, too, who are now retired and have *nothing* but time on their hands!).
Note: if you want to save a bit more on the Van/BLI transfer with Quick Shuttle, there is a 2-for-1 coupon in the Entertainment book!
For example, just priced out to VAN to LAS Oct 28-Nov7
YVR/LAS/YVR - 471.54 per person (X2 = 943.08)
BLI/LAS/BLI - 259.10 per person (X2 = 518.20)
BLI/LAS/YVR - 325.00 per person (X2 = 650.00)
We like to come back from Vegas on an afternoon flight so will choose to return to Vancouver. In the scenario above, the diff would be:
943.08-650.00 = 293.08
less shuttle cost (2 @ 22.80)
= 247.48 savings
If you decide to drive yourself to BLI, in this scenario you'd save:
943.08-518.20 = 424.88
That's quite the chunk of change and worth it in my books (and for my parents, too, who are now retired and have *nothing* but time on their hands!).
Note: if you want to save a bit more on the Van/BLI transfer with Quick Shuttle, there is a 2-for-1 coupon in the Entertainment book!
Jun 15, 2007, 3:52 pm
#74
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1,629
I also just spot checked VAN to MIA and found similar results:
YVR/MIA/YVR - 694.42 (X2 = 1388.84)
BLI/MIA/BLI - 459.60 (X2 = 919.20)
BLI/MIA/YVR - 523.80 (X2 = 1047.60)
Savings:
Drive to BLI and fly r/t from there: 469.64
Take the shuttle to BLI (@ 22.80 per person) and return to YVR: 295.64
YVR/MIA/YVR - 694.42 (X2 = 1388.84)
BLI/MIA/BLI - 459.60 (X2 = 919.20)
BLI/MIA/YVR - 523.80 (X2 = 1047.60)
Savings:
Drive to BLI and fly r/t from there: 469.64
Take the shuttle to BLI (@ 22.80 per person) and return to YVR: 295.64
Jun 15, 2007, 4:54 pm
#75
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: West Coast, BC
Programs: AS MVPG, AC E, HH Diamond
Posts: 641
Last month I flew out of BLI and as I was walking to the terminal I tried to determine the percentage of Canadian cars in the parking lot. I estimated that about 60% of the cars were Canadian (sample size of two rows) including a couple from Alberta.
I'm sure this has been mentioned before but one of the advantages of flying from BLI is the parking. It is only $30 US$ per week and even in the farthest spot you are no more than a 60 seconds walk to the terminal.
I'm sure this has been mentioned before but one of the advantages of flying from BLI is the parking. It is only $30 US$ per week and even in the farthest spot you are no more than a 60 seconds walk to the terminal.