Finally. Nothing worse than the crash when you've spent a few minutes thinking you could afford that quick trip to wherever, and then you calculate the add-ons.
The cost of flying in Canada is stupid compared to the US. Seat sales and convenience are the only things that make it reasonable to do so. For our vacation in December it wasn't even close. With the extra cost to park and gas it was still 1/4 of the cost it would have been using Air Canada or WestJet.
I still take West jet over Air Stupid. Better service and more reliable. And usually it isn't hard to get reasonable fares. Air Stupid on the other hand, wants to charge me more for a round trip to fly to Comox from Ottawa than it would cost to fly to London.
Aside from that, I also have profound respect for the fact that we have a Canadian company that is doing a spectacular job of making money, without having to run to the governments tit for a suckle every 10-15 years.
I try to take WJ when I can but their flights are limited and from here going west the connections are brutal. This news today though my fix some of that.
We looked at the breakdown of costs on a flight home. It cost more to fly from Vancouver to Winnipeg, using Air Canada, than it did to fly from Taiwan to Hong Kong and then to Vancouver. Our last flight on WestJet was actually free because the flight before there was some engine trouble and we were delayed a couple hours. Mind you part of our contracts include a return flight home(and a signing bonus worth one month's pay) every year, if you re-sign. Only one way if you complete your contract and don't re-sign.
I try to take WJ when I can but their flights are limited and from here going west the connections are brutal. This news today though my fix some of that.
Great news with the regional expansion. Hope they go with the Q400. I wonder if they will be looking to expand to long-haul international flights in the future based on the same business model?
Thank goodness Buffalo is close by. I haven't flown on a Canadian airline for 6 years now. The parking lot has way more Ont plates than NY plates at BUF.
"Regina" said The cost of flying in Canada is stupid compared to the US. Seat sales and convenience are the only things that make it reasonable to do so. For our vacation in December it wasn't even close. With the extra cost to park and gas it was still 1/4 of the cost it would have been using Air Canada or WestJet.
My sister and her family drove to the Maritimes from Edmonton a few years back and it actually cost less to drive than it would have for all four to fly there and then travel around.
Still, compared to Europe, the US is over-priced too. North Americans pay more simply because the distances are usually much longer, there are fewer travellers (due to lower population density) and in most destinations, fewer airports (which means airlines pay more for landing rights). This is probably the only instance where people wish Canada had a hundred million people or so, as it would result in more travel, more competition and better prices.
That takes guts. Good for them, hope they don't lose too much business. Amazing how stupid consumers can be.
Guts?? They had to because its the law. Why don't you think they're doing it for international flights?
Aside from that, I also have profound respect for the fact that we have a Canadian company that is doing a spectacular job of making money, without having to run to the governments tit for a suckle every 10-15 years.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-in ... le2330683/
I try to take WJ when I can but their flights are limited and from here going west the connections are brutal. This news today though my fix some of that.
Which is why WestJet is expanding.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-in ... le2330683/
I try to take WJ when I can but their flights are limited and from here going west the connections are brutal. This news today though my fix some of that.
Great news with the regional expansion. Hope they go with the Q400. I wonder if they will be looking to expand to long-haul international flights in the future based on the same business model?
Also, look at those profits.
The cost of flying in Canada is stupid compared to the US. Seat sales and convenience are the only things that make it reasonable to do so. For our vacation in December it wasn't even close. With the extra cost to park and gas it was still 1/4 of the cost it would have been using Air Canada or WestJet.
My sister and her family drove to the Maritimes from Edmonton a few years back and it actually cost less to drive than it would have for all four to fly there and then travel around.
Still, compared to Europe, the US is over-priced too. North Americans pay more simply because the distances are usually much longer, there are fewer travellers (due to lower population density) and in most destinations, fewer airports (which means airlines pay more for landing rights). This is probably the only instance where people wish Canada had a hundred million people or so, as it would result in more travel, more competition and better prices.