Are some of AC's 787s on their way to Rouge?

[FA@AC]

12 minutes ago, Super 80 said:

I'm not sure it is the right plane at the density Rouge would operate it at. To get the A321LR to 4000nm you're losing an additional LD3-45 worth of cargo.

Rouge doesn't operate many sectors of that length, though.  Most of its TATL flying is YYZ/YUL - Western Europe.

[Super 80]

I'm thinking the secondary European destinations Rouge serves. Routes like NCE, VCE, PRG, WAW and BUD are all between 3500 and 4000nm.

At the end of the day as amazing as the A321neo is, it still needs a new wing if it is going to fulfill the so-called "middle of the market" role. Airbus is merely in the very comfortable position of being the current market leader and able to wait and see if they're developing a larger wing for the A320 platform or a smaller wing for the A330 platform depending on what Boeing puts forward.

[j.k.]

21 hours ago, UpperDeck said:

Don't understand " nice try". I didn't reference contract. You said that work to be done in San Antonio was wifi install. I looked at company website and they advertise expertise in reconfigs and heavy maintenance. No reference to 787's or ife. Someone told me that wifi installs to date done in Far East. And so....question asked...why this contract?

Homerun politely made it clear that contractual provisions restricted Rouge access to 787 aircraft and variation of the contractual terms was very unlikely. That was helpful in assuaging concerns.

 

Nice try = you said:

"a specified number of dreamliners were going to Rouge and were to be reconfigured for that purpose."

That's incorrect and it's also inflammatory. Maybe you were trying to get a rise?

"Someone told me"... okay...

I don't know specifically which contract is which, but the whole fleet is getting WiFi, including the 787s, or it could be installation of interiors on new 787s, they don't come from Boeing with seats, or maybe the article isn't totally accurate and it's heavy maintenance, or new interiors for the current 330s which are getting the new J-pods and premium economy, or the 330s that are coming...

But I'll tell you, it isn't 787s getting rouge interiors, so as I said "nice try", and I provided a reference. 

[DEFCON]

Why are some of you guys so sensitive? I mean, in this case someone asked a question that most here would like an answer to, but instead of a respectful return, the person daring enough to ask receives a tongue lashing and is described as a 'troll'?

 

 

[DEFCON]

Thanks for the tax link Rich; I guess the document speaks for itself.

What are Canadian pilots waiting for? I can appreciate the change in lifestyle etc. isn't all that appealing to some and I've heard the minders can treat expats like subservient slaves, but still, every year tolerated over there puts three or more times the cash in the bank than you could ever hope for flying here.

 

 

 

  

[UpperDeck]

On 2/8/2018 at 10:24 PM, j.k. said:

 

But I'll tell you, it isn't 787s getting rouge interiors, so as I said "nice try", and I provided a reference. 

This thread started with FA@AC quoting from an article in Business Week. FA@AC is a well-informed and respected member of the forum and quite clearly, was implying the possibility that the reconfigured aircraft were destined for Rouge. That implication was refuted ( politely) by jk who simply stated that the contract was for the install of wifi.

As I understand the general tenor of the " conversation", it is unlikely that the company will be at liberty ( if so inclined) to assign any 787 aircraft to Rouge before mid-2019.

I don't know the delivery schedule for the aircraft on order but I suspect that one has to get in line for interior configuation completed by specialists AFTER delivery of the aircraft by Boeing. Prudence might compel AC to get in line NOW and enter into a contract with a company the business of which is to reconfigure aircraft. Note that the contract is not for ALL AC 787 aircraft; only some.

Frankly, I don't know why discussion of that possibility might be considered inflammatory. The manner in which AC plans on utilizing aircraft to maximize revenue is, I believe, a reasonable subject for conjecture.

Why do I care? I fly on AC as a pax...a LOT....and quite frankly, I'd rather be on mainline on long haul than on the LCC. And in this regard, I KNOW I'm not alone!!

[Guest]

Some more aircraft for Rouge. and less flying for Jazz?

Air Canada adding more planes to Rouge for domestic routes

 

• Calgary Herald
• 17 Feb 2018
• ROSS MAROWITS

GRAHAM HUGHES/THE CANADIAN PRESS Air Canada chief executive Calin Rovinescu says the firm must compete “both on offence and defence.”

MON T RE A L Air Canada is looking to cut operating costs and defend against competition from upstart low-cost competitors by adding more planes to its Rouge fleet and flying them on regional routes within Canada.

Narrow-body Rouge planes that operate at lower cost could replace smaller regional aircraft operated by airline partners like Jazz on some routes.

For example, one of several flights per day on a popular route could be converted to an Airbus plane, industry analysts were told Friday.

Rouge aircraft are also available to compete if necessary with ultra low-cost carriers like WestJet’s new Swoop subsidiary, Flair Airlines or Canada Jetlines.

“We needed to have the capability of introducing a lower-cost competitive vehicle, both on offence and on defence,” Air Canada CEO Calin Rovinescu said during a conference call about its 2017 results.

The increased use of Rouge planes domestically is permitted under changes to the collective agreement with pilots negotiated last year.

Several more Rouge planes are being added this summer and once all Boeing 787s are delivered next year there will be no limit on the number or type of single-aisle planes that can be flown by Rouge.

Ben Smith, president of passenger airlines at Air Canada, said Rouge Airbus A320s and 321s can be converted to high density single class cabins or possibly another airplane type such as the Boeing 737 Max.

Rovinescu also told analysts that a joint venture with Air China expected to be concluded in the coming months would enable it to be more aggressive in the competitive Pacific market.

The joint venture would expand the relationship beyond the use of lounges and codesharing as it faces pressures on flights to China and Hong Kong.

“It certainly it should certainly be an assistance to us in competing more aggressively,” Rovinescu said.

Meanwhile, Air Canada announced Friday a new $250-million cost-cutting plan to be implemented by the end of 2019. That follows the completion of a $500-million plan launched in 2009 that eventually netted about $575 million in savings.

The new drive to cut costs comes as the Montreal-based airline looks to maintain margins despite the expected slowing down of its capacity growth with the arrival of its final new large planes.

“We showed we can take costs out in bad times but we now need to show we can continue to have that cost discipline in good times,” Rovinescu told analysts.

The cost savings are expected to come from procurement, maintenance, aircraft leases, internal engineering, overhead and simplified business processes, added chief financial officer Michael Rousseau.

Chris Murray of AltaCorp Capital Inc. said the new drive for efficiency is important as Air Canada’s growth slows to about seven per cent in 2018 from nearly 12 per cent in 2017, with more reductions likely in subsequent years.

He expects the savings to come from “behind the scenes stuff ” that won’t be felt by passengers.

Air Canada’s shares grew nearly 90 per cent last year and closed up 1.27 per cent at $24.64 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

[rudder]

AC adding 3 319’s to Rouge.

Rouge replacing AC Express/Jazz on YYZ-YQB effective July 01st.

[moeman]

9 hours ago, rudder said:

AC adding 3 319’s to Rouge.

Rouge replacing AC Express/Jazz on YYZ-YQB effective July 01st.

I think I just heard a bunch of commuters clap.