YVR - CUN with 787-9
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC MM
Posts: 1,478
YVR - CUN with 787-9
I am planning on using a couple of my North America priority rewards in February and just saw that AC is operating the 787-9 on the YVR-CUN route on Fridays as well as Sundays.
When I originally checked this was planned to be operated by the 737 MAX which it looks like won't be flying yet that early in 2021 for AC but the 787-9 seems like a lot of seats for this route and I wonder what the chances are of this being downgraded to an A319 like the YYZ-CUN route is.
I would love to use the miles to fly in Premium Economy but have a feeling that this might be too much plane for this route and most certainly would be downgraded unless there is a lot of cargo between the 2 cities which I can't imagine. Maybe containers with snow to Cancun and fresh fruits coming back?
Does anyone have some insights on this and maybe there is a really good reason AC is using the 787-9 on this route though it doesn't look like it's because of passenger loads.
Just trying to gage what our chances are on actually getting to fly on the 787.
When I originally checked this was planned to be operated by the 737 MAX which it looks like won't be flying yet that early in 2021 for AC but the 787-9 seems like a lot of seats for this route and I wonder what the chances are of this being downgraded to an A319 like the YYZ-CUN route is.
I would love to use the miles to fly in Premium Economy but have a feeling that this might be too much plane for this route and most certainly would be downgraded unless there is a lot of cargo between the 2 cities which I can't imagine. Maybe containers with snow to Cancun and fresh fruits coming back?
Does anyone have some insights on this and maybe there is a really good reason AC is using the 787-9 on this route though it doesn't look like it's because of passenger loads.
Just trying to gage what our chances are on actually getting to fly on the 787.
#2
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,773
Since the tech stop would be on US soil I wouldn't call that terribly likely, so, yeah, until the 7M8 comes back into service, it'll have to stay on a widebody if they want to fly it direct.
...that said, we've now had ample evidence that if that plane doesn't fill up, they'll simply cancel it and reroute you through Toronto.
#3
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
Toronto (or Calgary or Montreal).
I noticed that on the 19DEC the YYC-CUN-YYC is still showing on the expected A319 but the YYZ-CUN-YYZ is now on a 787-900 as well.
In normal times, I would switch in a heartbeat to the YYZ connection but not with a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
I noticed that on the 19DEC the YYC-CUN-YYC is still showing on the expected A319 but the YYZ-CUN-YYZ is now on a 787-900 as well.
In normal times, I would switch in a heartbeat to the YYZ connection but not with a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC MM
Posts: 1,478
YVR-CUN is well outside the range of a 319, and just barely over the range limit of a 320 or 321, but well within the range of a 7M8.
Since the tech stop would be on US soil I wouldn't call that terribly likely, so, yeah, until the 7M8 comes back into service, it'll have to stay on a widebody if they want to fly it direct.
...that said, we've now had ample evidence that if that plane doesn't fill up, they'll simply cancel it and reroute you through Toronto.
Since the tech stop would be on US soil I wouldn't call that terribly likely, so, yeah, until the 7M8 comes back into service, it'll have to stay on a widebody if they want to fly it direct.
...that said, we've now had ample evidence that if that plane doesn't fill up, they'll simply cancel it and reroute you through Toronto.
I doubt the 7M8 is coming back this soon though we wouldn't mind if that was the case.
Both my son and I are airplane enthusiasts and just like the idea of flying again on the 787-9 on a 'shorter' route like this one.
Last edited by yvrcnx; Dec 5, 2020 at 2:10 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC MM
Posts: 1,478
Toronto (or Calgary or Montreal).
I noticed that on the 19DEC the YYC-CUN-YYC is still showing on the expected A319 but the YYZ-CUN-YYZ is now on a 787-900 as well.
In normal times, I would switch in a heartbeat to the YYZ connection but not with a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
I noticed that on the 19DEC the YYC-CUN-YYC is still showing on the expected A319 but the YYZ-CUN-YYZ is now on a 787-900 as well.
In normal times, I would switch in a heartbeat to the YYZ connection but not with a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
I'll wait a little longer to see what the chances are these flights being cancelled and AC routing anyone booked via YYZ or YUL. At this point flights look extremely empty in February and I doubt they would fly a half empty 787 to CUN, though we did have a flight on SWISS with only 12 Economy passengers on a A340 from YUL to ZRH.
#6
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,773
We were considering to route via YUL or YYZ. YUL shows the A330 which we love but from YYZ on the dates we would flly in February it shows a Rouge A319 which we are not to keen on flying.
I'll wait a little longer to see what the chances are these flights being cancelled and AC routing anyone booked via YYZ or YUL. At this point flights look extremely empty in February and I doubt they would fly a half empty 787 to CUN, though we did have a flight on SWISS with only 12 Economy passengers on a A340 from YUL to ZRH.
I'll wait a little longer to see what the chances are these flights being cancelled and AC routing anyone booked via YYZ or YUL. At this point flights look extremely empty in February and I doubt they would fly a half empty 787 to CUN, though we did have a flight on SWISS with only 12 Economy passengers on a A340 from YUL to ZRH.
And yes, YYC-CUN is just inside the non-stop range of a 319.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
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Pretty certain I have operated the A319 YVR-CUN in years past. The A319 has operated YYZ-BOG and YYZ-SFO with flying times verging on 6 hours.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,773
I don't doubt that a load-limited 319 can fly further.
YYZ-SFO is 500 miles shorter than YVR-CUN, I think I've flown that one in a 319 as well.
Last edited by YOWgary; Dec 5, 2020 at 3:38 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,212
I don't know anything about the inner workings at AC, and this is only based on a couple of flights last month.
I flew YYZ-YVR and TATL from YYZ. All four flights were 787s, and lightly occupied (guessing YYZ-YVR was about 10% one way and 30% the other; TATL about 10% both ways - eastbound 4J/0PY/36Y). Given how little air travel there is these days, I imagine there was equipment available to use A321 or similar for the YVR flights. It almost feels like AC is flying WB aircraft to give people space. But that's just my observations from 4 segments.
I flew YYZ-YVR and TATL from YYZ. All four flights were 787s, and lightly occupied (guessing YYZ-YVR was about 10% one way and 30% the other; TATL about 10% both ways - eastbound 4J/0PY/36Y). Given how little air travel there is these days, I imagine there was equipment available to use A321 or similar for the YVR flights. It almost feels like AC is flying WB aircraft to give people space. But that's just my observations from 4 segments.
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC MM
Posts: 1,478
I don't know anything about the inner workings at AC, and this is only based on a couple of flights last month.
I flew YYZ-YVR and TATL from YYZ. All four flights were 787s, and lightly occupied (guessing YYZ-YVR was about 10% one way and 30% the other; TATL about 10% both ways - eastbound 4J/0PY/36Y). Given how little air travel there is these days, I imagine there was equipment available to use A321 or similar for the YVR flights. It almost feels like AC is flying WB aircraft to give people space. But that's just my observations from 4 segments.
I flew YYZ-YVR and TATL from YYZ. All four flights were 787s, and lightly occupied (guessing YYZ-YVR was about 10% one way and 30% the other; TATL about 10% both ways - eastbound 4J/0PY/36Y). Given how little air travel there is these days, I imagine there was equipment available to use A321 or similar for the YVR flights. It almost feels like AC is flying WB aircraft to give people space. But that's just my observations from 4 segments.
The busiest flight which I would say was 95% full was with AC YVR - YUL on a A330.
I also imagine that AC can keep it's pilots 'current' by flying these kind of routes with larger aircraft and different aircraft types since they need a certain number of take offs and landings on any particular type.
#12
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,773
I was wrong above when I said CUN-YVR is "well outside" the range of the 319, I should have said "a little outside the range of the 319" with a full payload, which AC lists at 2,760 miles, but on all the routes we've been talking about here, the westbound flight is nearly straight into the wind. So, a route that's an easy reach heading east, can become payload- and passenger-limited heading west.
Also very possible that AC has since refitted different fuel tanks and failed to update its published specs.
#13
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Vancouver
Programs: Aeroplan, Mileage Plus, WestJet Gold, AMEX Plat
Posts: 2,026
I don't know anything about the inner workings at AC, and this is only based on a couple of flights last month.
I flew YYZ-YVR and TATL from YYZ. All four flights were 787s, and lightly occupied (guessing YYZ-YVR was about 10% one way and 30% the other; TATL about 10% both ways - eastbound 4J/0PY/36Y). Given how little air travel there is these days, I imagine there was equipment available to use A321 or similar for the YVR flights. It almost feels like AC is flying WB aircraft to give people space. But that's just my observations from 4 segments.
I flew YYZ-YVR and TATL from YYZ. All four flights were 787s, and lightly occupied (guessing YYZ-YVR was about 10% one way and 30% the other; TATL about 10% both ways - eastbound 4J/0PY/36Y). Given how little air travel there is these days, I imagine there was equipment available to use A321 or similar for the YVR flights. It almost feels like AC is flying WB aircraft to give people space. But that's just my observations from 4 segments.
To a tourist destination in Mexico, not certain, perhaps.
#14
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Mexico City, MX
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Posts: 266
The motivation may also be cargo. Passenger volumes may be down but Cargo is not. With fewer aircraft flying the cost of moving goods by air cargo is much higher that in years past. There would be no shortage of cargo to move between Vancouver and Toronto as well as to Europe.
To a tourist destination in Mexico, not certain, perhaps.
To a tourist destination in Mexico, not certain, perhaps.
Also this thread is really fascinating as I had no idea that Air Canada does wide bodies to Cancun, is this a normal thing or just because of the pandemic? I usually ski in whistler and while there are tons of airlines that fly MEX YVR (I think 4 or 5 airlines), all are narrow body jets, and the flight is just long enough you'd really appreciate a layflat for the 6 hour flight, perhaps stopping by Cancun and then picking up a 787 or a330 from there next time could be an option in 2021.
#15
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
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...Air Canada does wide bodies to Cancun, is this a normal thing or just because of the pandemic? I usually ski in whistler and while there are tons of airlines that fly MEX YVR (I think 4 or 5 airlines), all are narrow body jets, and the flight is just long enough you'd really appreciate a layflat for the 6 hour flight, perhaps stopping by Cancun and then picking up a 787 or a330 from there next time could be an option in 2021.
As far as MEX-YVR goes, the route has changed considerably during the pandemic. AC is down to 1-2x weekly and AM currently 4x weekly. In addition, 4O cannot fly to Canada for a number of reasons now. The awful 515 am departure time on the AC MEX-YVR flight keeps me away as it makes for a groggy day upon arrival.
For Canadians, the mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals except for those arriving in YYC and remaining in Alberta for 14 days and getting tested twice. Its tough to even consider for many people, especially families.
Last edited by PointWeasel; Dec 6, 2020 at 10:42 am