Edmonton International Airport (EIA/YEG)

[Windermere]

I would prefer to see KLMs flight be strong and achieve daily status and Condor get a season in before any more routes to Europe.

Agreed 100%. Let's KLM to daily before adding competition.

How does KLM survive with its two Alberta routes? Westjet is again posting $500 return flights to Amsterdam for first three months of 2023. Of course from here there is one stop in YYC. But KLM rates are not comparable.

KLM is all about the connections beyond Amsterdam.

 

[TAS]

KLM is all about the connections beyond Amsterdam.

I guess. But once I got to Amsterdam with my much cheaper WJ flight, I could book with several airlines to all sorts of destinations.
That's what did last time I went to Europe on WJ on a cheap flight. I flew to Dublin and then took another airline to Prague and then all over. I fail to see why KLM is an advantage.

 

[BASE]

I guess. But once I got to Amsterdam with my much cheaper WJ flight, I could book with several airlines to all sorts of destinations.
That's what did last time I went to Europe on WJ on a cheap flight. I flew to Dublin and then took another airline to Prague and then all over. I fail to see why KLM is an advantage.

KLM advantage is a likely 1 stop single ticket venture vs. the potential 2 stop and maybe 2 separate ticket journey you mention.

Certainly ways to do it cheaper with seat sales and such but KLMs advantage is being a major network full service carrier that can get Edmonton passengers to many European and other destinations in the quickest time.

 

[IanO]

Losing KLM would be a MASSIVE loss for YEG and Condor simply does not compare on multiple fronts.

YEG needs both of those to be running concurrently as they appeal to two different flyers and will offer more options, times and connections.

 

[occidentalcapital]

Losing KLM would be a MASSIVE loss for YEG and Condor simply does not compare on multiple fronts.

YEG needs both of those to be running concurrently as they appeal to two different flyers and will offer more options, times and connections.

The situation at AMS is very constrained so there's likely less room to grow for KLM compared to if YEG had some other euro network carrier. Ideally KLM will maintain or increase their service frequency and other euro carriers will overlay on that.

 

[IanO]

Sure and we are a secondary or tertiary market for them, but my point is that Condor is NOT a replacement.

 

[occidentalcapital]

Sure and we are a secondary or tertiary market for them, but my point is that Condor is NOT a replacement.

Condor overlaps. For example, you can book a ticket Edmonton-Delhi on the Condor website, it automatically books you into a Lufthansa connecting flight to Delhi with a 2.5hr connection in Frankfurt. There are numerous other similar connections throughout Europe, Asia, Africa. You get access to Lufthansa's entire network out of Frankfurt which is huge.

 

[BASE]

Nice to at least see Edmonton mentioned in the same sentence as Calgary and Vancouver.

"At the same time, we had a new CEO join us [Alexis von Hoensbroech in December 2021]. We started off down a new path... to really own Canada's West [Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, while Air Canada mainly focuses on Toronto and Montréal]. That's the path we're going down, and taking other aspects of our business model like our 787s."

WestJet’s Commercial Strategy Director: Why The Airline Must Change

WestJet hopes to stabilize as it refocuses on where it is strongest.

simpleflying.com

This could very well be talking about Edmonton in Swoop terms instead of mainline but the refocus and simplifying of things makes me wonder how things with sunwing, swoop and Westjet might all fit together going forward.

“It attempted to be everything to everyone, initially using its own metal and then deploying other units – regional WestJet Encore and ULCC Swoop – with more appropriate cost structures and products for the targeted markets. The desired acquisition of vacation carrier Sunwing further shows this segmentation by unit“

 

[EdmTrekker]

There is NOTHING in Europe, USA or Asia that Westjet would give Edmonton. Westjet is not the airline Edmonton needs to grow. We need other carriers. Westjet WILL help grow Calgary while screwing Edmonton as it funnels passengers from Edmonton to Calgary. Lets hope some European and new entrants open up options for us to Europe - that will grow Edmonton. Oh and AC if your listening and care at all how about some mainline flights to the USA like IAH, Chicago.

 

[BASE]

I agree with the above sentiments to a degree and Flair is always my number 1 priority but it is important to maintain a variety of carriers and options. Some of the International/US gain at least a bit more viability with at least some partner traffic with domestic airlines.

 

[Mattyeg]

I don’t know why, but I took Icelandair leaving very personally. Never had a great experience at Keflavík, but I liked having the option… I also liked their planes and their meal options.

 

[IanO]

^it wasn't you, it was 'me'.

FI was caught in the middle of a perfect storm of unsustainable growth(pressures), a needed but competing airline (WOW) going through a mess of a restructuring, a tourist market that had hit a wall... now add on inflationary pressures, a bit of a global Iceland burnout and COVID and there you have it.

I too loved their 757s and onboard experience.

 

[IanO]

Which is good to see, but as we saw two weeks ago with that QE2 shutdown, Edmonton needs to have James Mowatt extended to Nisku ASAP as well.

 

[The_Cat]

The Nisku Spine Road (from 91 Street) has been extended south.

 

[occidentalcapital]

I don’t know why, but I took Icelandair leaving very personally. Never had a great experience at Keflavík, but I liked having the option… I also liked their planes and their meal options.

Was a good option but also likely discouraged certain carriers from offering non stop YEG-europe and removed the ability to connect through to middle east or Indian subcontinent that you get with a European hub airport. But I still think it would be great to have them back.