[MakeYEGGreatAgain]

If there was a business case for YEG-New York, we would have seen EWR back on United.

You also have to remember that Travel Alberta (or in reality Travel Calgary/Banff) has been pushing for more routes and more tourists to come to the mountain parks. Sadly, YEG does not figure on Travel Alberta's real plan. I would not be surprised if Travel Alberta is subsidizing many of the new YYC flights. They may not say it in public, but no one knows how Travel Alberta spends its budget on.

 

[IanO]

I'd say that it is less of a business case and more of a lack of metal/opportunity cost and current travel demand due to politics.

EWR did well from all reports.

 

[MakeYEGGreatAgain]

^ not according to my info....The flight was very much full, but was low yield due to a much higher % of passengers connecting to/from international destinations than desired by United.

I took this flight at least 30 times (in both direction). Business class was always 50% open for upgrades.

 

[blue12]

I would not be surprised if Travel Alberta is subsidizing many of the new YYC flights. They may not say it in public, but no one knows how Travel Alberta spends its budget on.

I have never seen an airline route where they have not published/hidden the fact that it was subsidized. Anyone who tells you some random route "only exists because of subsidies" with zero reporting or evidence surrounding the claim is likely lying out of their ass.

Some examples of subsidized flights were YWG-LAX, YXE-MSP, and DEN-YQR, or larger services such as SAT-FRA in the United States. Notice what they all have in common - they're services nobody would likely serve on their own if it wasn't for the financial incentive. Routings such as YYC-JFK make zero sense for this - why would Travel Alberta subsidize an American company to fly New York-YYC when Westjet has already flown it on their own since 2014, Air Canada's service to EWR, and American's existing service to LGA which started last summer?

 

[Offworld]

Speaking of Calgary- American Airlines in S26 plans to add Calgary YYC - New York JFK- YYC route on Boeing 737Max 3x weekly from August 6th - end of September.

There’s going be a lot of competition on YYC to NYC area routings with Air Canada/ WestJet flying it nonstop already too.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2017790241998823672

For the love of all things holy, will you PLEASE stop trolling.

 

[ABAviationFan]

I feel if there had been a level playing field Edmonton would probably be by far the largest city in Alberta now. However, I can understand for political reasons how provincial governments did not want that to happen, especially for those led by politicians from Calgary.

You and your conspiracy theories

 

[ABAviationFan]

If there was a business case for YEG-New York, we would have seen EWR back on United.

You also have to remember that Travel Alberta (or in reality Travel Calgary/Banff) has been pushing for more routes and more tourists to come to the mountain parks. Sadly, YEG does not figure on Travel Alberta's real plan. I would not be surprised if Travel Alberta is subsidizing many of the new YYC flights. They may not say it in public, but no one knows how Travel Alberta spends its budget on.

Okkkkkkkk

 

[Oilguy]

^ not according to my info....The flight was very much full, but was low yield due to a much higher % of passengers connecting to/from international destinations than desired by United.

I took this flight at least 30 times (in both direction). Business class was always 50% open for upgrades.

But that’s what he’s basically saying, it doesn’t mean route was a money loser, but the opportunity cost of serving this route was worse than another and since there is limit metal the plane gets redeployed. The route can do decently well and still get subbed out if there’s a better option.

 

[BASE]

It's excruciating waiting for the year end passenger stats. They typically take their time at year end putting out the final numbers, so not unexpected. Unfortunately it does appear we will go another year without setting a new record for total passengers. YEG is one of the last remaining major airports to publish their 2025 numbers (YYZ being the other notable to have not yet reported).

 

[Oilers99]

We shouldn’t be blaming airlines for pulling flights if our ridership is declining.

 

[David A]

We shouldn’t be blaming airlines for pulling flights if our ridership is declining.

Most airports had several years of declines during COVID, I think Vancouver finally just slightly surpassed its pre COVID level at the end of 2025.

 

[IanO]

YHZ - proximity to Europe and US + regional and cruise ship impact.

YOW - nations capital impact and proximity for short flights to more than a few places.

YWG - central Canada location and no competing hub.

 

[MakeYEGGreatAgain]

WS just cancelled YEG-ORD, SFO and SEA.

Thank you for limiting our travel options and forcing us to go through YYC

 

[Windermere]

WS just cancelled YEG-ORD, SFO and SEA.

Thank you for limiting our travel options and forcing us to go through YYC

Not forced to go through YYC as we still have all of those routes covered by other airlines.

 

[Ned]

Interesting how Vancouver has more passengers and Calgary almost has as much passengers as Montreal, yet Montreal has a significant number of more routes.