Edmonton International Airport (EIA/YEG)

[occidentalcapital]

What is the next realistic transatlantic target for YEG? Seems to me Icelandair could be one due to their history but I'm not sure what is more likely outside of that. Westjet to London maybe? CDG on AF maybe? If KLM is happy with loads but can't squeeze more into AMS then AF could maybe step in?

I agree and they might want to target LGW on Transat. It's been served previously and is a good secondary carrier option. Not sure though if YEG is holding out for Air Canada to come back on the London route. My guess is the widebody red-eye to YYZ is a bit of a test to see if YEG can handle Air Canada widebody service again.

 

[quit]

Folks, this thread seems to be a recurring spot where I clean up the thread every few weeks. I've tossed out a week ban for one user and will be watching a bit more closely to ensure things stay on track. Thank you for the reports.

 

[IanO]

Having a brain fart again or missed your morning coffee?

It's a joke and recurring theme at YEG and its hope that the new gen 737s, 321 Neo, A220, 787, etc. etc. would 'be the perfect' fit for YEG to gain more direct flights because of the size of the plane and smaller J class.

That maybe the nexttttt plane design will deliver that opportunity.

 

[BASE]

Having a brain fart again or missed your morning coffee?

I think IanO is referencing and perhaps poking fun at the optimism displayed when planes like the 787 (long haul) and A220 (short haul) arrived on scene that they would make more point to point connections feasible from more mid-size non hub markets like YEG.

The 787 hasn't really panned out in that regard for a variety of reasons including a global shift away from jumbo aircraft (A380 and 747) so the 787 is now one of the larger and largest aircraft many airlines operate.

The 797 is commonly used as the future model name for a yet to be designed middle of the market aircraft Boeing has considered which might fit replacement wise somewhere in the 757/767 size and range.

For now the current optimism for many markets sits with the A321XLR which has some crazy range for a single aisle aircraft and will be able to connect somewhere like Ottawa to places in Europe conceivably. We will see how it gets deployed in reality.

 

[Acey]

I think Air Canada's planned configuration of the A321XLR does not bode well for YEG. To me, lie-flats unfortunately suggests more thin flying from YYZ and YUL to Europe. You wouldn't burn one of your Western Canada-LHR slots for a 182-seat aircraft (14J/168Y) when you could instead fly YVR-LHR with a 400-seat 77W that can carry some 3x more volume of cargo. I think what BASE just perfectly described has happened as far as the deployment of 787 is the same that will happen with the A312XLR.

 

[IanO]

Maybe because you called my claim anecdotal?

And you haven’t provided any real data.

I am flying YYC-AMS next week and will report back what I see versus my buddy flying YEG-AMS,

 

[Oilers99]

Question re: Westjet adding MSP and Seattle 5X weekly, I understand Westjet and Delta have a strong relationship and various code shares. Additionally am aware that MSP is a major hub for Delta and formerly Northwest Airlines. Seattle is Alaska's main hub (basically their HQ?). Does Seattle also have lots of Delta flights or have they established a relationship with Alaska? I ask this because Alaska while not a Star Alliance member, behaves like one.Though the current Alaska Seattle flight we have is not great for connections unless going to Asia.

Additionally, it is really good news YEG has got Denver 2x daily back and makes sense with 90%+ usage at huge dollars (I am frequently on this flight, wish it wasn't an old Embraer so we could get a true business class). My hope going forward for YEG is that we get SFO 2x daily, IAH 2x daily, ORD 2x daily, and ATL 5x weekly. I don't have very high expectations for some of the European destinations or non-hub US cities but I think those routes are pretty reasonable expectations basically gaining back what we previously had and the additional ATL flight. As a frequent business travel across the continental United States it is very frustrating when what should be a 2 day trip can sometimes extend to 4 days. Additionally, with that combination of routes Edmontonians should virtually be able to get anywhere in the world with a single connection in addition to its existing major hubs such as Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

 

[Acey]

Question re: Westjet adding MSP and Seattle 5X weekly, I understand Westjet and Delta have a strong relationship and various code shares. Additionally am aware that MSP is a major hub for Delta and formerly Northwest Airlines. Seattle is Alaska's main hub (basically their HQ?). Does Seattle also have lots of Delta flights or have they established a relationship with Alaska? I ask this because Alaska while not a Star Alliance member, behaves like one.Though the current Alaska Seattle flight we have is not great for connections unless going to Asia.

Additionally, it is really good news YEG has got Denver 2x daily back and makes sense with 90%+ usage at huge dollars (I am frequently on this flight, wish it wasn't an old Embraer so we could get a true business class). My hope going forward for YEG is that we get SFO 2x daily, IAH 2x daily, ORD 2x daily, and ATL 5x weekly. I don't have very high expectations for some of the European destinations or non-hub US cities but I think those routes are pretty reasonable expectations basically gaining back what we previously had and the additional ATL flight. As a frequent business travel across the continental United States it is very frustrating when what should be a 2 day trip can sometimes extend to 4 days. Additionally, with that combination of routes Edmontonians should virtually be able to get anywhere in the world with a single connection in addition to its existing major hubs such as Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

Yes, Delta has a big operation at Seattle. Well over 50% of pax on the WestJet YEG-SEA will be connecting onward with Delta.

Your existing YEG-SEA on Alaska connects at a similar ratio. Lots onward to Portland, Vegas, California, etc.

 

[edm13]

@calgaryplanes you seem to know a lot so I have a quick question for you, if you don’t mind. Do you see flair or swoop or anyone else releasing any further changes to their summer schedule? I’m about to pull the trigger on a flight to Scottsdale in august but need to connect through Calgary as of now. I’d hate to book and then seen flair add a direct flight. Right now, they only go up until May. Any insights would be great. Thank you

 

[Windermere]

Flair loaded their initial winter schedule and have dropped several routes out of Edmonton.

-Ottawa, Kitchener/Waterloo and San Francisco go from year round to summer seasonal.
-Phoenix/Mesa, Palm Springs and Tucson not returning next winter.

 

[Oilers99]

Flair loaded their initial winter schedule and have dropped several routes out of Edmonton.

-Ottawa, Kitchener/Waterloo and San Francisco go from year round to summer seasonal.
-Phoenix/Mesa, Palm Springs and Tucson not returning next winter.

Really shitty that Phoenix and PS is not returning, you had to assume those were flights being used a ton by Edmontonians.

I believe we used to have an American Airlines Phoenix flight hopefully that returns.

 

[Oilers99]

Yes, Delta has a big operation at Seattle. Well over 50% of pax on the WestJet YEG-SEA will be connecting onward with Delta.

Your existing YEG-SEA on Alaska connects at a similar ratio. Lots onward to Portland, Vegas, California, etc.

Thx! I just find that current Alaska flight is timed poorly for lots of connections. It's an evening flight. Why is it an evening flight? Wouldn't a connecting flight make more sense in the morning?

 

[Acey]

@calgaryplanes you seem to know a lot so I have a quick question for you, if you don’t mind. Do you see flair or swoop or anyone else releasing any further changes to their summer schedule? I’m about to pull the trigger on a flight to Scottsdale in august but need to connect through Calgary as of now. I’d hate to book and then seen flair add a direct flight. Right now, they only go up until May. Any insights would be great. Thank you

My guess would be no, but anything can happen and an airlines like Flair or Swoop are more likely to make those kind of last second changes than a legacy carrier would. Fares could go up so I'd go ahead and book if it were me.

Thx! I just find that current Alaska flight is timed poorly for lots of connections. It's an evening flight. Why is it an evening flight? Wouldn't a connecting flight make more sense in the morning?

There are a ton of Alaska departures from Seattle after 2100, and a ton of redeyes to the east as well; people do stuff like YEG-SEA-MCO or YEG-SEA-TPA with those redeyes. SEA is jampacked these days, so it could just be as simple as AS trying to spread loads throughout the day.

 

[Oilers99]

My guess would be no, but anything can happen and an airlines like Flair or Swoop are more likely to make those kind of last second changes than a legacy carrier would. Fares could go up so I'd go ahead and book if it were me.



There are a ton of Alaska departures from Seattle after 2100, and a ton of redeyes to the east as well; people do stuff like YEG-SEA-MCO or YEG-SEA-TPA with those redeyes. SEA is jampacked these days, so it could just be as simple as AS trying to spread loads throughout the day.

Had no idea people were using Seattle to get to Florida. Nonetheless there are better times to get to Western US cities than the current Seattle connection IMO. I hope the Westjet-Delta offering takes off and becomes a mainstay. Maybe Alaska will go to 2X daily as a response?

 

[EdmTrekker]

Oilers 99 "Seattle is Alaska's main hub (basically their HQ?). Does Seattle also have lots of Delta flights or have they established a relationship with Alaska? I ask this because Alaska while not a Star Alliance member, behaves like one."

Alaska is a member of OneWorld alliance with American Airlines. You should be able to book anywhere American Airlines fly on Alaska Airlines from Seattle. Other members of OneWorld are: Japan Airlines, Malaysian Airlines and Cathay Pacific. From SEA, American Airlines fly to Shanghai. Delta which is SkyTeam fly SEA to Beijing and Seoul Korea. https://www.flightconnections.com/flights-from-seattle-tacoma-sea