WestJet Network Updates
May 14, 2024, 2:46 pm
#811
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 444
The Paris service increase is probably the best news. I'd contend that of all the non-stops WS has added from YYC, CDG is the most useful.
But the 787 service on YYZ-CUN is confusing. Didn't WS previously make a big fanfare about consolidating all its Dreamliners in Calgary?
But the 787 service on YYZ-CUN is confusing. Didn't WS previously make a big fanfare about consolidating all its Dreamliners in Calgary?
May 14, 2024, 10:58 pm
#813
Join Date: Nov 2023
Posts: 20
I flew WS (YYC-OGG) recently on the 787 it was packed…. The real reason yyc-ogg gone is prob because they simply don’t have enough 787s to fly the route. WS probebly regrets not taking the remaining 3 787s
yyc-yyz on the 787 was also popular and packed, bad idea to remove it.
yyc-yyz on the 787 was also popular and packed, bad idea to remove it.
May 19, 2024, 10:28 am
#816
Join Date: Mar 2023
Location: Under the Big Oak Tree
Programs: Air Bukovina Elite, Circassian Air Gold, Carthaginian Airlines Platinum
Posts: 615
They almost certainly do regret not taking the additional Dreamliners. They don't have the aircraft to build on their Asia business (Hong Kong or Taipei seem like a next logical step) or to add destinations in Europe (Zurich, Athens, Vienna) without negatively impacting something they're already doing.
Businesses that make short term "easy" cuts and reductions invariably harm their future prospects.
Businesses that make short term "easy" cuts and reductions invariably harm their future prospects.
May 19, 2024, 10:34 am
#817
Join Date: Mar 2023
Location: Under the Big Oak Tree
Programs: Air Bukovina Elite, Circassian Air Gold, Carthaginian Airlines Platinum
Posts: 615
I flew WS (YYC-OGG) recently on the 787 it was packed…. The real reason yyc-ogg gone is prob because they simply don’t have enough 787s to fly the route. WS probebly regrets not taking the remaining 3 787s
yyc-yyz on the 787 was also popular and packed, bad idea to remove it.
yyc-yyz on the 787 was also popular and packed, bad idea to remove it.
May 19, 2024, 1:24 pm
#818
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: YYJ
Posts: 4,208
WS has no aspirations to build their Asia business or add destinations in Europe beyond what can profitably be served by a Max.
May 19, 2024, 3:12 pm
#819
Join Date: Mar 2023
Location: Under the Big Oak Tree
Programs: Air Bukovina Elite, Circassian Air Gold, Carthaginian Airlines Platinum
Posts: 615
May 20, 2024, 9:56 am
#820
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC 75K, BA Gold, Marriott Platinum, National EE, Sixt Platinum, Hertz PC, AVIS PC
Posts: 1,950
Alex P recently flew the inaugural YYC-ICN flight. It was 1.5hr delayed leaving. On the same day YYC- NRT BCN EDI and CDG were all delayed - from 1.5 to 4 hours.. he suggested this is a result of Westjet stretching the 787 fleet too thin.
Ron.
Ron.
May 20, 2024, 1:22 pm
#821
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YQL
Programs: AC S100K / AC-2MM
Posts: 403
This is awful for YQL. The flight to YQL from YYC leaves at 11:40 PM. So if you arrive on an overnight flight from somewhere in the morning you’re waiting at least 12 hours for the connection. I booked our daughter and grandsons on HNL-YVR-YYC-YQL at the end of October and the times were great. Now it has been changed so that they spend all day in YVR before going to YYC in the evening to connect to the 11:40 pm flight. Sure doesn’t encourage people to fly from YQL. I’m sure many people will just drive now.
Interesting.
In typical "this is great news, really" fashion of any press release, this one spins the development as: "which will in most cases see an increase in the number of seats offered" in each city.
For places like Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, it looks like they're going from 3x daily (spread throughout the day) to only 1x daily ... which is pretty awful in terms of offering good connections at YYC.
IIRC, that would also be a reduction in seats for those two cities. Today each city has 3 flights x 34 seats = 102 per day. When the routes move to Encore, that drops to only 78 seats per day on a single Q400. (In fairness, I'm comparing today's schedule on the Saab to the fall schedule for the Q400 -- and the reduction in seats in the fall may also be due to seasonal fluctuations.) Still, only a single flight per day just isn't all that helpful to open up many opportunities for connection destinations.
In typical "this is great news, really" fashion of any press release, this one spins the development as: "which will in most cases see an increase in the number of seats offered" in each city.
For places like Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, it looks like they're going from 3x daily (spread throughout the day) to only 1x daily ... which is pretty awful in terms of offering good connections at YYC.
IIRC, that would also be a reduction in seats for those two cities. Today each city has 3 flights x 34 seats = 102 per day. When the routes move to Encore, that drops to only 78 seats per day on a single Q400. (In fairness, I'm comparing today's schedule on the Saab to the fall schedule for the Q400 -- and the reduction in seats in the fall may also be due to seasonal fluctuations.) Still, only a single flight per day just isn't all that helpful to open up many opportunities for connection destinations.
May 20, 2024, 8:50 pm
#822
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The World
Programs: WS Platinum, Marriott Titanium, DL Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,548
He reversed course on the decision of the previous leadership to have global aspirations for WestJet — and made a comment around the time that he launched his new “leisure carrier” strategy for WS that his ideal was an all 737 airline running mostly vacation routes. His comments at the time sounded to me as though he was disappointed to be saddled with 787s.
I doubt the executive floor at WS head office is disappointed that they didn’t take more 787s.
May 20, 2024, 10:47 pm
#823
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: YYJ
Posts: 4,208
Already answered by another poster, but besides WS being on the record that their business model needed to change, don't you think your assertion that Westjet regrets not getting more 787s is, in itself, conjecture?
May 21, 2024, 9:38 am
#824
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 444
https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2...as-canada-s-le
New winter routes were announced this morning:
YYC-TQO - 1x weekly
YYZ-TQO - 3x weekly
YYZ-GND - 1x weekly (Currently not bookable)
YVR-FLL - 1x weekly
YWG-FLL - 1x weekly
YWG-SJD - 1x weekly
YLW-MZT - 1x weekly
They also finally extended YEG-ATL into the winter months.
May 21, 2024, 10:21 am
#825
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The World
Programs: WS Platinum, Marriott Titanium, DL Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,548
Yes it does:
https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2...as-canada-s-le
New winter routes were announced this morning:
YYC-TQO - 1x weekly
YYZ-TQO - 3x weekly
YYZ-GND - 1x weekly (Currently not bookable)
YVR-FLL - 1x weekly
YWG-FLL - 1x weekly
YWG-SJD - 1x weekly
YLW-MZT - 1x weekly
They also finally extended YEG-ATL into the winter months.
https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2...as-canada-s-le
New winter routes were announced this morning:
YYC-TQO - 1x weekly
YYZ-TQO - 3x weekly
YYZ-GND - 1x weekly (Currently not bookable)
YVR-FLL - 1x weekly
YWG-FLL - 1x weekly
YWG-SJD - 1x weekly
YLW-MZT - 1x weekly
They also finally extended YEG-ATL into the winter months.
Are they still likely to announce more additions to the winter schedule, or is this it?