Article: Encore Q400s could take over these Delta routes
#1
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Article: Encore Q400s could take over these Delta routes
Here’s the full article:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/westje...tes-to-canada/
The important bits:
And the author’s speculation:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/westje...tes-to-canada/
The important bits:
Delta Air Lines regional jets could soon step aside on some routes to Canada if the carrier’s proposed partnership with WestJet gets a green light.
“On certain other transborder routes, particularly in smaller short-haul markets, the partners could replace Delta’s regional jets with WestJet’s more efficient Q400 aircraft, which would maintain sustainable service in otherwise unprofitable markets,” they say in a joint filing with the US Department of Transportation on July 2.
Potential routes that Delta could shift to WestJet-operated Dash 8s are:
- Cincinnati (CVG) – Toronto, 413 miles
- Detroit (DTW) – Montreal (YUL), 529 miles
- Detroit – Ottawa (YOW), 439 miles
- Detroit – Toronto, 214 miles
- Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) – Toronto, 679 miles
- Minneapolis/St. Paul – Winnipeg (YWG), 394 miles
- New York JFK – Montreal, 333 miles
- New York JFK – Toronto, 366 miles
- New York LaGuardia (LGA) – Halifax (YHZ), 597 miles
- New York LaGuardia – Montreal, 323 miles
- New York LaGuardia – Ottawa, 326 miles
- Seattle (SEA) – Calgary (YYC), 452 miles
- Seattle – Vancouver (YVR), 127 miles
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#9
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The Q400 fleet is fully deployed. I don't see any jet service being taken over by WestJet's DH4s unless the route is more profitable than their current operations. That's a downgauge. And we most certainly won't see anything until the MAX flies again.
#10
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Yup. This is speculation, WS doesn't have the frames. And why would DL operate these routes if their were unprofitable? And why would WS expand in YUL when they don't even have a year round service between YUL and YVR (their smallest hub)?
#12
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Still, that doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen. More like they’ve asked permission in case they want it to happen.
Regardless, the list of potential routes that the author included in the article is unfeasible. One or two of those routes could flip over with the current fleet — but certainly not all.
#14
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There isn't a big backlog of orders for new Q400's, so WS could get them from Bombardier/Viking relatively quickly. I supsect thy'd also be able to pick some up on the used/lease market.
#15
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There's a lot of used ones, but WS has all NextGen and may not want to muck with their fleet. I would much prefer them to invest in 70-90 seat jet, though.