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I was checking some prices for a YYC_LHR ticket leaving 16 Apr and returning 19 Apr-- I got the following quotes from Expedia:
Air Canada-------------$3300 (approx)
United........................$1235 (approx) with 2 stops.
Extra time on air--sure. More miles--definitely. Is AC competitive--NOT
I go through that sort of exercise to satisfy my curiosity from time to time. For example, if I research a round trip from Edmonton, where I live, to London England, I find that Northwest, United and Continental all quote lower fares than does Air Canada. (Air Canada has no direct Edmonton - London service). This seems to be the case whether or not I specify travel dates in the near term or far in the future. Fortunately, I do not want to actually book a ticket at the moment!
Of course, this is probably just a matter of available capacity, but it is curious that this seems to be the situation at all times, with all competitors, and to many routes (Edmonton - Honolulu seems to work the same way). Perhaps it is an indication that Edmonton has dropped from Air Canada's field of view, or perhaps it is an indication that the carrier is unable in its current predicament to adapt profitably to the market.
I am aware that different web sites give different results, so my results are not, of course, conclusive.
BlondeBomber is exactly right, the plane is just very full. Had it been available, you could have gone as inexpensively as $707.00 (USD plus tax) round-trip. I think it is very sad if you are going to take a snapshot of a one-time scenario and then label AC anti-competitive for failing to live up to your expectations. I say bravo to the carrier for having full loads on that day.
They may not be Singapore, and they absolutely have their faults, but IMO they are the best N. American carrier hands down. It is very sad state of affairs when some people in Canada are wishing for their own airline to fold. Something tells me that should this happen (but I doubt it will), we would all be much sorrier. Guess these were the same people glad to see Eaton's come to demise too.
16th YYC LHR 1915 1105 AC 850 J9 C5 Y0 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 333
19th LHR YYC 1300 1510 AC 851 J9 C9 Y5 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 333
Just so you can see what fare buckets are left (none in econo on 16th), willing to still sell 5 in full econo on 19th but likely in oversell position since no lower fare classes available.
In case you were wondering about going via another airport, they are in a similar position: :eek:
YVR LHR 1800 1135 AC 854 J9 C2 Y2 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 333
YOW LHR 2215 1000 AC 888 J0 C0 Y0 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 763
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YYZ LHR 0900 2115 AC 868 J9 C0 Y0 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 763
YYZ LHR 1815 0625 AC 856 J9 C9 Y0 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 74E
YYZ LHR 1915 0730 AC 866 J9 C0 Y0 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 763
YYZ LHR 2035 0830 AC 848 J9 C0 Y0 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 763
YYZ LHR 2225 1040 AC 862 J9 C5 Y5 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 333
YUL LHR 2000 0730 AC 864 J9 C9 Y1 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 333
YYT LHR 2355 0825 AC 860 J9 C5 Y0 M0 B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0 763
Proview:
If the price was the same on NW/CO via MSP/DTW/IAH/EWR as on AC via YYC or YYZ, would you buy a ticket on NW/CO. They have to provide an incentive to go that route.
AC does the same out of their markets.
This is, of course, the obvious explanation. However, comparable selections are available. A one hopper in 12 hours on NW is not much different from a one hopper in 12 Hours on AC. In fact, many people would prefer to clear customs coming back at their home port.
The frequent flyer miles may still favour AC of course, even though they no longer dominate the edmonton market.
The marketplace is in flux.
Actually, AC employees were told not to try at all to get to Europe any time between Apr 1-30 on passes (especially at Easter Break) as, quite literally, the flights are hammered. Great load factors for AC - bad for folks trying to get a last-minute decent fare; Mr. Smith was correct when discussing supply and demand. I hope everything works out for you, BlondeBomber.
Mr. Smith was correct when discussing supply and demand.
Who's Mr. Smith? ;)
Proview:
If the price was the same on NW/CO via MSP/DTW/IAH/EWR as on AC via YYC or YYZ, would you buy a ticket on NW/CO. They have to provide an incentive to go that route.
AC does the same out of their markets.
YEG-LHR Well just looking at a couple of dates in May, June, July and September, all came back with AC cheaper with one UA exception ($65 cheaper for 2 more hours of travel--not worth it unless going for the miles).
That is just looking at Expedia to compare. Maybe NW has some web specials that are better, but then so does AC through consolidators. Have you investigated consolidator fares to Europe?
I can't believe that, unless the fare class is sold out, that there would be a consistently large enough difference to avoid using AC if ALL ticketing options were investigated.
How do you do one stop with NW on the same day?
Mine shows Y2 for the YVR flight as well.
But these are somewhat dynamic. If there is a cancellation, then the fare class might become available again. That is what happened to me. I sat on the computer for an hour monitoring fare classes before an H (actually all the way down to L --but only 1) popped back in. I was ready with the booking engine but alas it wanted to put me in L class. I phoned the SE desk and got out of my booking freeing the seat up again. It finally popped back into her system after about 5 minutes of being "lost". She grabbed it. I am happy and going to London (albeit only for 2 and half days)!
Well AC must be competitive :-: since the planes are oversold. That is why you get a higher fare. I am flying similar (15th, returning 18th) and had to wait a while before a cheaper H fare was returned to inventory before I nabbed it and got a nice $1300 H fare YYC-LHR. I could have gotten an L fare for about $1100 and that was just a couple of days ago.
Not sure what GDS you got your flight info from, but Sabre still shows 2 seats available in Y on the outbound and 7 on the return.
16APR FRI YVR/PDT LHR/‡8
1AC 854 J9 C2 Y2 M0 YVRLHR 600P 1135A‡1 333 BM 0 DCA /E
B0 H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0
19APR MON LHR/Z‡1 YVR/PDT-8
1AC 855 J9 C9 Y7 M0 B0 LHRYVR 135P 320P 333 MS 0 DCA /E
H0 V0 Q0 L0 N0
If someone was going to try and get on these, I'd check a couple of sources before taking the Executive Class seat if you are looking for the lowest fare or Economy.
Of course, some people feel a patriotic duty to go through Toronto rather than some U.S. city, but I would not like to have the job of selling that notion out here!
Thank you for your comment!
I would have thought YYC rather than YYZ? :-)
But seriously, the big difference is avoiding US immigration and all the hassles these days. Some years back I would not hesitate connecting in the US. Nowadays, it's another story. I'll even swallow the YYZ Taj Mahal tax on connecting, although lately, if I want to get to FRA early, I have been connecting at YUL. Too bad that connection is gone from the new schedule.
Lots of bumps to/from LHR. AC yield management refuses to smarten up every year and they continue to oversell flights like crazy for Apr even when they know most people are going to show up. Agents at airports like YYZ are not impressed when they have to DB people flights after flights!
Well I think I am OK--I got my C upgrade confirmed tonight! Inbound doesn't look as heavy yet.
Lots of bumps to/from LHR. AC yield management refuses to smarten up every year and they continue to oversell flights like crazy for Apr even when they know most people are going to show up. Agents at airports like YYZ are not impressed when they have to DB people flights after flights!
I'm flying YYZ-LHR -AC856 on April 16 and have been checking the loads recently. I am in no hurry to arrive in london the next day and I was actually hoping to volunteer to get bumped and get an MCO that could be used for further trave during the summer. When is the best time to volunteer to be bumped. Can you volunteer ahead of time or only at check in time.
How do you do one stop with NW on the same day?
Well, actually, NW uses Gatwick airport. In an attempt to emulate a "savvy" consumer I try to use generic locations such as "London England" instead of airport codes. (I dislike codes, abbreviations, and acronyms anyway!).
Seriously, I appreciate your point that Air Canada is still the default choice for internatonal flights even from such a place as Edmonton. My point is that there are alternatives appearing now which were not available in the past. Due to Air Canada's troubles, this trend may continue. In the absence of direct flights there is no intrinsic benefit to changing aircraft in a third city on Air Canada rather than changing aircraft in a third city on some other carrier.
Of course, some people feel a patriotic duty to go through Toronto rather than some U.S. city, but I would not like to have the job of selling that notion out here!
Thank you for your comment!
....I'll even swallow the YYZ Taj Mahal tax on connecting....
Taj Mahal tax! Excellent one Stranger! I'm still laughing! :D
Volunteer at check-in and then again at the gate or in the MLL.
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Is this fare fair?