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Once more into the breach: AC restarts YYT-LHR


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Air Canada says it is restoring a daily seasonal direct flight from St. John's to London, England, starting next summer.

The announcement, just weeks after competitor Go Travel Direct laid out plans to start offering similar direct flights in June, 2010, was made Thursday morning.

Air Canada said its service would start slightly earlier than those being offered by Go Travel Direct, and the flights will operate between May 27 and September 26.

The airline hopes air travellers in Newfoundland and Labrador will support the flights enough to extend it to a year-round service, according to Nick Careen, Air Canada's vice-president.

The airline cut its air connection between St. John's and London two years ago, saying there wasn't enough demand to support year-round service.

Careen said the difference now is that the airline has improved its scheduling of flights.

"The arrival times into Heathrow and our subsequent arrival times into St. John's have offered for greater connectivity. That is the biggest difference in what was done in the past and this current proposal," he said.

Careen said Air Canada also believes the route is now viable because the worst is behind the airline industry, which has been stuggling economically in recent years.

He maintains the decision to resume the seasonal service is not an attempt to eliminate the competition.

"When we began to have this discussion in the early part of the summer, I had no concept nor any idea that this particular service (Go Travel Direct) was being proposed. They're ... not a factor in the decision at all," he said.

Air Canada will use 120-seat Airbus A319 aircraft for the flights.

Almost looks like predatory tactics....

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Air Canada says it is restoring a daily seasonal direct flight from St. John's to London, England, starting next summer.

The announcement, just weeks after competitor Go Travel Direct laid out plans to start offering similar direct flights in June, 2010, was made Thursday morning.

Air Canada said its service would start slightly earlier than those being offered by Go Travel Direct, and the flights will operate between May 27 and September 26.

The airline hopes air travellers in Newfoundland and Labrador will support the flights enough to extend it to a year-round service, according to Nick Careen, Air Canada's vice-president.

The airline cut its air connection between St. John's and London two years ago, saying there wasn't enough demand to support year-round service.

Careen said the difference now is that the airline has improved its scheduling of flights.

"The arrival times into Heathrow and our subsequent arrival times into St. John's have offered for greater connectivity. That is the biggest difference in what was done in the past and this current proposal," he said.

Careen said Air Canada also believes the route is now viable because the worst is behind the airline industry, which has been stuggling economically in recent years.

He maintains the decision to resume the seasonal service is not an attempt to eliminate the competition.

"When we began to have this discussion in the early part of the summer, I had no concept nor any idea that this particular service (Go Travel Direct) was being proposed. They're ... not a factor in the decision at all," he said.

Air Canada will use 120-seat Airbus A319 aircraft for the flights.

Almost looks like predatory tactics....

except who was the first to start the route?????? Was seasonal the last time too

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Air Canada says it is restoring a daily seasonal direct flight from St. John's to London, England, starting next summer.

The announcement, just weeks after competitor Go Travel Direct laid out plans to start offering similar direct flights in June, 2010, was made Thursday morning.

Air Canada said its service would start slightly earlier than those being offered by Go Travel Direct, and the flights will operate between May 27 and September 26.

The airline hopes air travellers in Newfoundland and Labrador will support the flights enough to extend it to a year-round service, according to Nick Careen, Air Canada's vice-president.

The airline cut its air connection between St. John's and London two years ago, saying there wasn't enough demand to support year-round service.

Careen said the difference now is that the airline has improved its scheduling of flights.

"The arrival times into Heathrow and our subsequent arrival times into St. John's have offered for greater connectivity. That is the biggest difference in what was done in the past and this current proposal," he said.

Careen said Air Canada also believes the route is now viable because the worst is behind the airline industry, which has been stuggling economically in recent years.

He maintains the decision to resume the seasonal service is not an attempt to eliminate the competition.

"When we began to have this discussion in the early part of the summer, I had no concept nor any idea that this particular service (Go Travel Direct) was being proposed. They're ... not a factor in the decision at all," he said.

Air Canada will use 120-seat Airbus A319 aircraft for the flights.

Almost looks like predatory tactics....

What's predatory about it. Newfoundland politicians lobbied AC for months to launch this service. AC is offering a daily service, Go Direct is offering one weekly flight.

AC's fares are higher than Go Direct's. A

AC flies to Heathrow and will be offering worldwide connections; Go Direct will offer flights to Gatwick, which is more suited to a UK O&D service.

Last summer, Monarch - the carrier for Go Direct - said it would offer this weekly service to NL, but changed its mind. It's not clear how serious they are this time.

Rattler, do you even know what predatory means?

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The previous attempt had brutal slots in LHR.

This at least gives it a fighting chance as far as CNX goes, not all the colonials want to visit the Motherland.

I would think, given the natural beauty of NL, that there is a lot to market in countries like Germany and France.

It would have been nice, however, if the weather would cooperate. Summer in NL seems to begin around July 1 and end in the middle of August.

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Dagger ol' boy

You named this thread "Once More into the Breach"...shouldn't it have been

"once more into the Screech (sp?)" rolleyes.gif

It would be interesting if there was some Screech on the beverage cart. That would certainly give me a reason to try that flight! laugh.gif

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The airline hopes air travellers in Newfoundland and Labrador will support the flights enough to extend it to a year-round service, according to Nick Careen, Air Canada's vice-president.

Nick Careen from the old Air Nova? Seems like he's done alright for himself, what's he Vice-President of?

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