Why does AC not have a base in YYC?

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Why does AC not have a base in YYC?

[Jester123]

Because it's Calgary.

[Dry Guy]

It's an international airline and Calgary isn't really a major international hub. No offence WJ widebody ops. If your next question is why does Air Canada have a Winnipeg base then, I don't know.

[averageatbest]

It's an international airline and Calgary isn't really a major international hub. No offence WJ widebody ops. If your next question is why does Air Canada have a Winnipeg base then, I don't know.

Let's be honest, many at WestJet are wondering why the company is drawing a line and saying "the 75% of Canadians that live east of this line do not matter."

[seasonaldriver]

It's an international airline and Calgary isn't really a major international hub. No offence WJ widebody ops. If your next question is why does Air Canada have a Winnipeg base then, I don't know.

YWG is in the centre of the continent.
Despite what Toronto may believe

[altiplano]

Spite.

They're in WG because of ACPPA.

[kiaszceski]

Because otherwise they would need to increase the wages.

[Antique Pilot]

In the first year of operations for TCA in 1937 the head administration office was Montreal.
The head operational office or base in 1937 was YWG. There have been pilots based in YWG since 1937. Another operational base or hub at the time was Lethbridge. Passenger and freight flights with Lockheed 10A aircraft were operated from the base at Lethbridge to Calgary and Edmonton. Another base for TCA operations and a pilot base was Moncton NB in the mid to late 1940’s.

AP

[lownslow]

I’ve wondered myself why AC doesn’t have a pilot base in YYC when they do have FAs based there. Best I can come up with is that the narrow body fleet is too diverse to be able to pick what would fit best to base there.

[negroni]

I don't know if I buy that. Winnipeg has 25 captains and 25 fos. There's dozens of daily flights into YYC, more than there are into YWG. AC could have a base there if they wanted to.

And they'd probably be able to hire a lot more pilots from WestJet and Encore if they had a base there.

[2112]

How Senior is the YWG base?

[rudder]

I don't know if I buy that. Winnipeg has 25 captains and 25 fos. There's dozens of daily flights into YYC, more than there are into YWG. AC could have a base there if they wanted to.

And they'd probably be able to hire a lot more pilots from WestJet and Encore if they had a base there.

No ACPPA - no YWG Pilot base. Besides, a 50 pilot base is a joke. AC also has to maintain a tech ops presence in YWG due terms of the ACPPA.

My understanding is that AC is a minimalist when it comes to crew bases. I remember having a conversation on this topic with Bill Bredt nearly 20 years ago.

Chances of a YYC/YOW/YHZ pilot base at AC? Zero.

[bob99]

There is simply no need for a pilot base in Calgary, or Halifax, or anywhere else really, and it just adds complexity to an operation with an ever changing NB fleet.

Someone mentioned attracting WJ pilots. That's just silly. They're having NO issues attracting WJ pilots. That's no reason to open a base somewhere.

[fleetcanuck]

I thought there was actually a YYC base back in the '60s. I recall one of the YWG pilots saying his dad was the base director.

[ZBBYLW]

The only reason why YWG still has a base, is because it has a base.

If they were to reduce YWG to zero they would have to pay to move everyone to a new base (should the pilots choose to move and not commute). It's probably easier keeping the base..

They used to have ETOPs 320 crew based in YWG for YYT-LHR but all NB ETOPs is now on the max. For now AC is forced to have some 320s zip through YWG.

With so many fleet types it doesn't make sense to have more bases. If AC only had one NB type/one WB type it could make sense to have smaller hubs maybe but it's easier to run things through the 3 (sorry 4) bases we currently have. With seasonal aircraft type switches you'll always have challenges having the right crew in the right bases. As it is there is currently a huge imbalance with WB base balancing between YVR and YYZ/YUL with the India and Asia flying being impacted by Russia and COVID.

[FL030]

Has AC ever based a small amount of pilots in outstations? Busy or far destinations where losing a pilot to illness would really throw a wrench into things? I'm a habitual ex-pat so I'd jump at any opportunity to be based anywhere but Canada.

[lownslow]

Someone mentioned attracting WJ pilots. That's just silly. They're having NO issues attracting WJ pilots. That's no reason to open a base somewhere.

I don’t think “Attracting WJ pilots” would be about helping AC recruit but more about kicking some teal balls just because. It would also probably take a measurable amount off Jazz’ staffing costs as I understand their YYC base is quite senior and staying that way.

[flying4dollars]

Has AC ever based a small amount of pilots in outstations? Busy or far destinations where losing a pilot to illness would really throw a wrench into things? I'm a habitual ex-pat so I'd jump at any opportunity to be based anywhere but Canada.

Kind of like what Cathay did with LAX and YVR bases? No. AC only has 4 bases. To my knowledge, there has not been any indication that a new base would ever open.

[co-joe]

Basically, YYZ moves 4x more people than YYC, YUL moves 3x, and YVR moves double. Why would you want to base your operational logistics around the 4th largest airport in Canada? For AC it's a small mostly regional airport. I don't think an airline can grow with its primary base in YYC. The fact that WS is retreating there worries me for their future.

[Mr. North]

How Senior is the YWG base?

Very senior. Most junior FO is 4+ years by the looks of it. Which essentially means all the FO's in YWG could hold left seat on a NB in any other base.