Air Canada daily from Montréal to Brussels

[Atlantis]

This news is already announced in two topics but it is worth to start a separate topic about this.

This is excellent news. The flight of Air Canada will connect with certain cities in France, Africa and Italy.
Aircraft will be a B767-300ER.

Question will be, what will Air Transat do? Air Canada is going to fly daily to YUL and Jet Airways is flying daily to YYZ. I have already flown both (AC and Air Transat) and I must say that the Air Transat product is far more better than Air Canada (business class), at least the service, food, crew etc. But that is everybody his own opinion.

I suppose that Brussels Airlines will put immediately his flightnr next to that of Air Canada. So, no Brussels Airlines flight to YUL with own metal.

[kiwiandrew]

I suppose that Brussels Airlines will put immediately his flightnr next to that of Air Canada. So, no Brussels Airlines flight to YUL with own metal.

Very good news for SN , they can codeshare on this service without the risk involved in operating it themselves . If what I have read previously is correct YUL-BRU when operated by Sabena always had good load factors but still lost money most of the time , of course , AC may be able to make this work since this time around it will be between two *A fortresses but I think that it is better for SN to let AC take the risk .

[RoMax]

Air Transat can't compete with AC, AC wil fly a year round service and daily. Air Transat is only flying 4 times a week and only in the summer. Air Canada will work together with SN for AFI, Italy, France and Portugal and SN has connections to a lot of destinations in Canada and the US. This destinations are already nown so I think its clear that SN and AC codeshare on a lot of destinations.

[Established02]

21 March 1975
CF-TJG DC-8-42

[Atlantis]

Air Transat can't compete with AC, AC wil fly a year round service and daily. Air Transat is only flying 4 times a week and only in the summer. Air Canada will work together with SN for AFI, Italy, France and Portugal and SN has connections to a lot of destinations in Canada and the US. This destinations are already nown so I think its clear that SN and AC codeshare on a lot of destinations.

But there is a difference. Air Transat has the same structure as Jetairfly. Air Transat has its own clients via Transat AT Inc. (a big tourism organisation in Canada and Europe) and they offer also seats only.
Air Transat is offering flights from April till the end of October. Those flights were always a big succes and they are flying now many years to BRU.

But like you sait: they can't compete with AC. That's correct. Two carriers on the same route on +- the same hour is a little bit to much.
Air Transat is going to release their new summer schedule by the end of September. I'm wondering what it will be: the same number of flights, less or even no flights or maybe a new destination in Canada.

[sn26567]

What will happen to the current codeshares with 9Q to Toronto? Both SN and AC are codesharing with Jet Airways from Brussels to Toronto.

[RoMax]

I think this codeshare will stay because Jet is still flying non stop on this route and I think the most passangers on the flights of AC or not connected passangers from Toronto.

@Atlantis: You are correct about that but even than it is for Air Transat not possible to maintain a 4 weekly service only in the summer. Maybe a 1 or 2 weekly service for the passangers of Transat AT inc. and I think Air Transat will try to hold some flights in the summer but I don't now if they will succeed.

[Atlantis]

What will happen to the current codeshares with 9Q to Toronto? Both SN and AC are codesharing with Jet Airways from Brussels to Toronto.

I think that SN and AC are going to stop there codeshare with 9W on the route BRU - YYC.
SN is going to transfer his pax from the 9W plane to the AC plane.

I very logic I think.

[Established02]

I think that SN and AC are going to stop there codeshare with 9W on the route BRU - YYC.

YYC - Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Calgary International Airport

YYZ - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Lester B. Pearson International Airport

[Atlantis]

Sorry, my mistake Indeed YYZ. Thanks for correcting me

[RoMax]

What will happen to the current codeshares with 9Q to Toronto? Both SN and AC are codesharing with Jet Airways from Brussels to Toronto.

I think that SN and AC are going to stop there codeshare with 9W on the route BRU - YYC.
SN is going to transfer his pax from the 9W plane to the AC plane.

I very logic I think.

That is logic but 9W is still flying non-stop to Toronto and AC one-stop. And Montreal will fill AC' s 767's very good so when SN transfer al there Toronto pax to AC, than AC need to upgrade this route very fast. There are enough pax to fill both 9W there Toronto flights and AC there Montreal flights. There are enough routes where to airliners operate and work together, so wy would AC stop there codeshare with Jet? Pax enough isn't it?

[fretn]

There is a natural high demand from Montreal because of the language (most people in Belgium know or speak French), and lots of people i know are interested in visiting canada or have been there.
This route will definetly perform, without a doubt.

[RoMax]

And another important thing, Montreal is in French speaking Canada and in Brussels SN give a lot of connections to French speaking Africa and France.
And the French people in Belgium are with 4 million against 6 million Dutch speaking people, don't forget that. But you are correct, a lot of the people in the Flanders speak French. And like Brussels Airport already react, Montreal is one of the most important long haul route's for BRU.
With next summer two daily flights to Canada, 9W daily to Toronto and AC daily to Montreal (one stop to Toronto, but same plane) there is still market for more routes. Jet wants before the crisis to conect Delhi via BRU with Vancouver maybe it comes now the economy is rising again.

[fretn]

that's why i said know french, because i'm from Oostende (not a foreigner )

[Bralo20]

Montréal is actually bilingual... It's a French/English city... In contrary to Quebec where they only speak French.

Anyway, I welcome the new line. I'm going to use it for certain next year. I've been to Montréal in February and almost lost my heart to the region

[RoMax]

I was just thinking, is a daily 763 for Montreal not a bit less. Brussels Airport itself said already that Montreal one of the most important long haul destinations for BRU is. So there gonne be a lot of pax and than with all the connection passanger of SN. I think Air Canada can upgrade this route very fast, if they have enough airplanes for this.

[Bralo20]

Just checked the fares on AC's site and they are not exactly cheap...

BRU-YUL on 13/JUN/2010
YUL-BRU on 20/JUN/2010

Fare: Tango Plus (L)

Pricing: 907,52 CAD - 584 EUR

This is reasonable.

But in business class it's a whole different thing...


Cheapest for the same flight at this moment is:

6.034,52 CAD or 3.882 EUR...


No exactly a bargain... The same flight in business passing through Zurich with AC would cost 1.800 EUR less then the direct flight from BRU...


On Connections, vliegtuigtickets, ebookers, etc... it seams that the flights aren't loaded yet...

[RoMax]

I think that is more than flying Bussines on a Jet Airways flight to Toronto. But AC now that this is a route that attract a lot pax and I think they start with high prices because AC want to earn a lot of money with this route and even with this high prices pax gone fly with AC to Montreal. But that is my opinion.

[N77014]

In my opinion, there is no need at all for AC to start already a ´´price war´´ on a route that will only be launched in about 10 months... I am 99% sure they will offer some promotional fares in Y a few months before launch, be it just to be in the picture and let the market know they are on their way... On the other side, Business Class fares are mostly paid for by companies who have a corporate contract with the airline, and as such ( almost ) never pay full published fares, but a reduced corporate fare. You will not find these on any website, except for some Business Class promotions during summer season ( to fill those empty seats as business is calm ).

[LAGPanoramic]

A common friend of me and my wife is getting married soon near Montreal, and she will stay there with her Canadian husband. It is already sure that for every Christmas and summer holiday, or she will come back to Belgium, or her family, friends etc will go there to visit her.

Actually, we (a group of 14 family and friends of her) leave tomorrow with Air Transat. For all of us, this is our first visit to Canada, and probably not the last.
As lots of us have little kids, we absolutely wanted the direct Air Transat flight. But during the negociations with the group desk, we were really missing the effect of competition... Damned that Air Canada didn't start the route earlier
For example, there was absolutely no price difference between group fare and individual fare. The only difference is the payment delay and possibility of changing names of pax. Another big dissapointment was when I booked some extra pax. They said that the ticket price would be same, but charged a higher fuel surcharge without noticing it... (69€ one way per person instead of 50, so 2x19=38€ per person...) After complaining, they changed it back to 50...

I'm curious about the flights, but I'm gladd that we got an upgrade from A310 to A330

Greetings

D