Good Luck with that WJ......

[CpnCrunch]

Speaking of 380's, as a pax in any class it's a massive upgrade from a used B767 for a Vancouver-London pairing. I realize ticket cost is the main determinant for most Canadians but if BA can be competitive it's a no-brainer to take the Airbus.

I'm not sure how 31in seat pitch in BA's A380 is a "massive upgrade" for economy passengers. Their website has a flashy and annoying video of a woman floating in the sky surrounded by silk sheets, but I think the reality is that it's just a cash cow and they cram in the passengers to milk as much revenue as possible from it.

[boeingboy]

but I think the reality is that it's just a cash cow and they cram in the passengers to milk as much revenue as possible from it.

Ha Ha - of course they are!

Anyone remember the good old days of the 747? How long did this last?!

[complexintentions]

You can't seriously compare one generation of a/c with the next, and the A380 is more like two generations newer than the B767.

It's way, way quieter than the Boeing. The cabin in Y has walls that are virtually straight, not curved and feels much more spacious. Everything from the lighting to the entertainment is much improved, as you might expect from a new aircraft. The noise level alone makes a long flight way less tiring.

but I think the reality is that it's just a cash cow and they cram in the passengers to milk as much revenue as possible from it

"You think" based on what? Have you flown on both types, for comparison? Not trying to be snarky, but I get the sense that your statement isn't based on personal experience, just personal bias. Of course all airlines want to max out pax counts ad revenue, that isn't news.

I get it, most WS pax just want to save $2 and get there. But fares being equal or competitive, the newer a/c kills the older one. I know for a fact that EK charges - and easily gets - a premium on A380 fares, all classes, for the same sector flown by other types. Make of that what you will. I wouldn't think it much different for other operators. Apparently a lot of people want the novelty of flying on the "newest, biggest".

And though I wouldn't go as far as to have the company as my username, I'm a total Boeing fanboy, btw. A better comparison would be to the B787, but that isn't the a/c we're talking about, is it.

Anyone remember the good old days of the 747? How long did this last?!

Well, the A380 with bar and shower spa has been around for almost nine years now (first flight 2007) and still making a ton of money, so....?

You DO realize it's not the 70's anymore, right?

[CXALE]

I think that 90% of leisure travelers don't care much about what type of aircraft they fly. I usually ask my friends when they travel abroad about the plane they flew and they give me that look......
LHR? Neither Ryanair nor Easyjet operate from there, so If you were to continue your journey to other parts of Europe (and yes, we are talking about low cost travel here, remember that Westjet is supposed to be a low cost airline) LHR is not very convenient

Yes, the upper deck of the A380 looks fine but I don't think you get to use it by paying 400 bucks flying to UK.

[complexintentions]

Yes, the upper deck of the A380 looks fine but I don't think you get to use it by paying 400 bucks flying to UK.

Agreed. That part of my comment was in response to the implication that such amenities ended 30 years ago. Maybe in Canada.

As to the low-cost traveler, also agreed. I'm saying if BA can come up with competitive pricing, it will not be easy to pick the older ride from WS. And once the introductory fares are gone, I'll bet there won't be a huge price difference in Y fares between WS, AC, and BA. None are "low-cost" carriers, not even WestJet any longer. They are certainly not Ryanair or Easyjet.

[Longtimer]

So far the fare war is only between Westjet and AirCanada, British has yet to enter the fray or at least if you are booking a flight for next may.


Result 1, C$805.34
Air Canada
6:30p - 11:40a +1
Air Canada
9h 10m
YVR - LHR
Nonstop
Show Flight Details Very Good Flight (7.8 out of 10)
C$805 .34
roundtrip
Select
Result 2, C$805.34 Result 3, C$809.86 Result 4, C$809.86 Result 5, C$809.86 Result 6, C$841.72 Result 7, C$841.72 Result 8, C$883.86
WestJet
5:50p - 11:24a +1
WestJet
9h 34m
YVR - LGW
Nonstop
Show Flight Details Good Flight (7.1 out of 10)
C$883 .86
British Airways
8:50p - 2:00p +1
British Airways
9h 10m
YVR - LHR
Nonstop
Show Flight Details Excellent Flight (8.6 out of 10)
C$1,155 .34
roundtrip
Select
Result 32, C$1,155.34
Finnair
8:50p - 2:00p +1
Finnair
9h 10m
YVR - LHR
Nonstop
Finnair 5996 operated by British Airways
Show Flight Details Excellent Flight (8.6 out of 10)
C$1,155 .34
roundtrip
Select
Result 33, C$1,155.34
Iberia
8:50p - 2:00p +1
Iberia
9h 10m
YVR - LHR
Nonstop
Iberia 7612 operated by British Airways
Show Flight Details Excellent Flight (8.6 out of 10)
C$1,155 .34
roundtrip

[boeingboy]

Well, the A380 with bar and shower spa has been around for almost nine years now (first flight 2007) and still making a ton of money, so....?

You DO realize it's not the 70's anymore, right?

Really? Come on. I know it's not the 70's. it was just a little fun with a flashback of how things used to be.

I really dont include the Middle eastern airlines when talking about the real world. Not really comparable when you have a bunch of guys that buy fleets of airplanes with sofa change! But thats a real thread drift and could be discussed elsewhere.

Besides Emirates and Qatar nobody has bars and such on their A380's. It's all just about maximizing the dollar which is just reality nowadays. Just like the 747 - the grand ideas designers have about their giant airplanes dont usually work out the way they promote it.

[boeingboy]

Back to the topic at hand - Westjet will do fine with the 767. They are blazing a trail for themselves into the international market. The 767's are only temporary anyway untill the 787's are delivered somewhere around 2020. At least some of us would be happy to compare those planes then.

[Longtimer]

re the 787s., latest list I could find does not show that WestJet is on the list of those who have placed an order. So in order to have them by 2020 I suspect they need to move soon.

http://www.pdxlight.com/787.htm

[cdnpilot77]

LHR? Neither Ryanair nor Easyjet operate from there, so If you were to continue your journey to other parts of Europe (and yes, we are talking about low cost travel here, remember that Westjet is supposed to be a low cost airline) LHR is not very convenient

What about Gatwick where WJ is actually flying too?

[AirMail]

re the 787s., latest list I could find does not show that WestJet is on the list of those who have placed an order. So in order to have them by 2020 I suspect they need to move soon.

http://www.pdxlight.com/787.htm

I'd imagine WS will wait to see how the 67 op fairs out. If they really want 787s I'd expect an order late 2016 or early 2017. May not get them by 2020, but 2021 should be feasible. Also I see Aeroflot cancelled their order, a scroll through the list I can see a couple more they may cancel theirs too, so 2020 would still be viable.