United cutting back service on DEN-YYC?
 

Hi everyone,

I don't fly UA a ton, but end up connecting through DEN fairly regularly. Used to be mostly 737/320 on this route, but now it's mainly CRJ-700s, and a bit farther out in the calendar, it's usually CRJ-200s.

I have some flights I'd like to book in a few months and UA through DEN used to be a good connection, but (a) I hate CRJs generally and (b) I often want to fly J, which on a CRJ-200 is a no-go.

Anyone know why UA has cut back service on the route? Fall in oil prices lead to less traffic between YYC and DEN? Any likelihood that the CRJ-200s will be replaced with something more comfortable (I'm mostly looking at January-March)? If not, likely DL through SLC for me.

Thanks!

Goes mostly CRJ in late September. Did the same thing last year, a bit later in the season around late November.

I fly this route 30+ times a year. That rhythm is going on for at least 4 years.
Normally one real plane each way begin and end of week.

Given the dire news about the energy sector cutbacks and downsizing, I see many more regional jets in YYC's future.

Denver usually has one mainline a day, the 7ish departure, to YYC. The rest of flights are a mix between E170s, CR7s, and CR2s. United also stated in their earnings that they plan cut back oil and gas cities slightly coming up.

YYC to denver, the mainline usually leaves at 630am. Anything after that, count on a regional.

(1) delta will be better no matter what. :D

(2) I would expect cuts to DEN-YYC, dragging oil from tar sands is not a hip prospect with $50 oil...

DL is showing all CR7/CR9 on SLC-YYC. It's better if you're in F or Y+ (or need wifi) but in cattle coach the differences between a CR7 and a CR2 are vanishingly small.

I think most of us who spend time on a CR2 would greatly disagree @:-)

And as to DL v UA comment, I believe that would be referring to posts about DLs much happier FAs, ontime arrival, and far fewer cancelled flights ;)

they always down gauge in the fall and spring.
christmas they typically upgauge just the terminating denyyc and startup yycden flights.

dunno how dl via slc will help because slcyyc is always on a rj 200 or 700....unless something has changed?

The decline of the CAD vs. USD has completely hammered Canada-originating transborder traffic.

True, but shouldn't the same phenomenon stimulate US-originating transborder traffic?

Not really, UA/AC is pricing the fare in USD, so that fare isn't changing, the fare in CAD is just going up. Also, even though things in Calgary are cheaper, it's not a huge tourist destination outside of ski season, so a bunch of Americans aren't suddenly going to go to Calgary just because things are 20% cheaper there now.

And face it, things in Calgary are so outrageously expensive that even a25-30% break on the exchange rate isn't making up for it.

who wants to visit calgary or edmonton? meanwhile albertans were escaping canada for phx and mexico as much as possible when usd:cad was 1:1 and the oil was flowing

Shouldn't ski season bring US pax up to Banff and Lake Louise at the same time that UA is cutting down to CRJs? Can you even fit a pair of skis onto a CRJ? :)