Tag Archives: C-GGNW

Air Canada to launch new domestic western regional routes, Vancouver – Delhi route to become year-round

Air Canada has announced it will begin new domestic regional nonstop flights on July 2, 2018.

“We are pleased to offer new nonstop flights onboard our Bombardier Q400s between popular BC and Alberta cities as we continue to strategically expand our already extensive domestic network,” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada. “With the continued growth at several communities on Vancouver Island and in the BC Okanagan, we see the opportunity to add new nonstop services and provide additional convenient travel options.”

“With Alberta being such a key market, the new direct flights into Kelowna, Victoria and Comox are great news for British Columbia’s visitor economy,” said Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia. “Air Canada’scommitment to servicing these routes is not only a huge boost for the individual communities, it is also a major benefit for the Thompson Okanagan and Vancouver Island regions as a whole.”

Top Copyright Photo: Air Canada Express-Jazz Aviation Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) C-GGNW (msn 4388) YYC (Chris Sands). Image: 925782.

Air Canada Express-Jazz Aviation aircraft slide show:

Route and frequency	Flight	Departs	Arrives
Edmonton-Kelowna – year-round	AC8395 YEG-YLW	Edmonton at 08:40	Kelowna at 08:59
	AC8403 YEG-YLW	Edmonton at 16:05	Kelowna at 16:24
Kelowna-Edmonton – year-round	AC8394 YLW-YEG	Kelowna at 09:30	Edmonton at 11:51
	AC8404 YLW-YEG	Kelowna at 16:55	Edmonton at 19:16
Edmonton-Victoria – seasonal	AC8095 YEG-YYJ	Edmonton at 08:40	Victoria at 09:40
	AC8053 YEG-YYJ	Edmonton at 16:00	Victoria at 17:00
Victoria-Edmonton – seasonal	AC8086 YYJ-YEG	Victoria at 10:10	Edmonton at 12:55
	AC8088 YYJ-YEG	Victoria at 17:30	Edmonton at 20:15
Calgary-Comox – seasonal	AC8362 YYC-YQQ	Calgary at 10:05	Comox at 10:58
	AC8361 YQQ-YYC	Comox at 11:30	Calgary at 14:14

These new routes complement Air Canada’s previously announced new nonstop North America routes beginning 2018:

Toronto to: Omaha, Providence, Nanaimo, Kamloops
Montreal to: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Victoria
Edmonton to: San Francisco
Vancouver to: Sacramento

Air Canada will launch new international services in 2018 including:

Toronto to: Shannon (Ireland), Porto (Portugal), Zagreb (Croatia), Bucharest (Romania), Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Montreal to: Tokyo–Narita (Japan), Dublin (Ireland), Bucharest (Romania), Lisbon (Portugal)
Vancouver to: Paris (France), Zurich (Switzerland)

In other news, Air Canada also announced that its current seasonal nonstop Vancouver–Delhi flights will become year-round starting June 8, 2018.

Above Copyright Photo: The first Boeing 777-300 has now been repainted in the new livery. Air Canada Boeing 777-333 ER C-FITL (msn 35256) YYZ (TMK Photography). Image: 940829.

Air Canada aircraft slide show:

Air Canada and Chorus Aviation reach a new CPA agreement for Air Canada Express, will receive 23 additional Bombardier Q400s

Air Canada (Montreal) and Jazz Aviation LP (Halifax), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Inc., have reached agreement on an amended and extended capacity purchase agreement (CPA) which provides for significant cost reductions for both parties, strengthens the relationship and better aligns their interests over the long term. The new CPA is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including the ratification of a new tentative agreement reached between Jazz and its pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (‘ALPA’), and approvals by the respective Boards.

The highlights of the new CPA include:

Extension of the term by five years to December 31, 2025;

Establishment of a pilot mobility agreement that provides Jazz pilots with access to pilot vacancies at Air Canada, thus allowing a significant reduction in Jazz operating costs;

Simplification and modernization of the Jazz fleet;

Reduction in Air Canada and Jazz costs derived from a combination of improved fleet economics, greater network flexibility and reduced operating and labour costs. This supports Air Canada’s cost reduction initiatives; and

Modification of Jazz’s CPA fee structure, moving from a “cost plus” mark-up to a more industry standard fixed fee compensation structure. This will provide more cost certainty and better align the cost reduction goals of both Air Canada and Jazz. This eliminates non-value added costs and the necessity of the 2015 benchmarking exercise.

While it is anticipated that Jazz will achieve similar returns to its current fee structure until 2020, there will be a reduction in the fixed fee compensation structure beginning in 2021. The new CPA affords Chorus the opportunity to provide more Jazz operated aircraft to Air Canada at market rates. Provisions within the new CPA will contribute significantly to ensuring Jazz is a formidable cost competitor in the regional sector over the term of the new CPA, thereby enabling Jazz to bid for new regional flying for Air Canada on a more competitive basis.

Further modernization of the Jazz fleet continues with the addition of 23 Bombardier Q400 aircraft to gradually replace 34 Bombardier DHC-8-100 and 25 CRJ200 aircraft. The transition to a newer, larger gauge aircraft operation calls for a reduction in the Jazz fleet from 122 to an established minimum guarantee of 101 aircraft by the end of 2020, and 86 aircraft by the end of 2025. The transition to newer and more efficient larger gauge aircraft significantly helps to reduce per seat operating costs. The up-gauging of aircraft results in a reduction of seat capacity of less than 4% by 2020, and is further reduced by less than 9% by 2025.

The new CPA is subject to respective Board approvals, the ratification of the pilot tentative agreement, and all requirements of the pilot mobility agreement being met. It is anticipated that all such approvals should be obtained by February 1, 2015.

In related news, Jazz Aviation announced that a new tentative agreement has been reached with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) who represents Jazz pilots. The proposed term of this tentative agreement is 11 years expiring on December 31, 2025, and is consistent with the term of the amended CPA announced today with Air Canada. The new labor agreement is subject to ratification by the majority of Jazz pilots and the requirements of a pilot mobility agreement being met. Details of the agreement will not be released pending ratification which is expected to be completed by February 1, 2015.

Copyright Photo: Chris Sands/AirlinersGallery.com. Jazz Aviation’s Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) C-GGNW (msn 4388) departs from Calgary.

Air Canada Regional-Jazz Aviation aircraft slide show: