Will LOT ever return to Edmonton???

[YEG boy]

For years Lot polish airlines has operated summer charter service to YEG from May-Oct,the route operated for nearly 15 years using the "mighty" IL-62M and then 767-200s when they arrived.The service was stopped 2 years ago for reasons I do not know.According to the airports authority the route was very busy.We have a very large polish population in this city and for the last few months I have heared the airline "may" return.Can anyone tell me anymore???

The flights were;
LO 042 WAW-YEG ------7 B767-200
LO 043 YEG-WAW ------7 B767-200

[uy707]

First, you post an interesting information, thanks for this.
When LOT used to operate especially during the era of the IL62, it was then a state owned carrier the prime mission of which was to keep an airlink between settlements of Poles and the mother country, which ever the costs. Similarely, LOT used to serve at any cost both Lille-Lesquin and Lyons-Satolas because these french cities also harbour a large polish community.
Now
-Poland is again ruled by market orientated economy,
-ethnic Poles altogether regain their freedom to go vacationing whereever they wish
-and LOT looks more like a privately held market focused airline especially since they are part of Star Alliance
But
LOT has not so many 767s in their fleet and they probably need them all to better focus on lucrative long haul served YEAR ROUND by increasing frequencies for instance and therefore preventing some charter operations either to keep going or to be resumed.

Alain

[A332]

Perhaps it simply was not profitable enough to continue the service... there's really not alot of international destinations out of YEG at all, simply because of the proximity of YYC, which provides more connections and has better infrastructure.

[YEG boy]

YEGs current long haul and transborder flights are;

Houston,Continental 737-500 1xdaily
Chicago,United CRJ-700 2xdaily
Denver,United CRJ-700 2xdaily
Seattle,Horizon Dash 8 Q400 3xdaily
Minneapolis,Northwest A319,A320 3xdaily
Phoenix,America west CRJ-900 1xdaily
Las vegas,America west CRJ-900 1xdaily Switches to A319 this may
Los angeles,America west CRJ-900 1xdaily

Amsterdam,Martinair 767-300 2xweekly
Amsterdam,Air transat A330-200/300 1xweekly
Frankfurt,Air transat A330-200/300 1xweekly
London Gatwick,My travel A330-200 1x weekly
London Gatwick,Zoom 767-300 1xweekly

AN-124s of polet,Volga Dnepr,and ADB are regulars.
Plus Horsemeat charters to japan every monday bring in a assortment of freighters(eg)Atlas air 747-200Fs Polar 747-400Fs etc...
Log onto Kirk webbers stratosphereaviationphotography web site it shows the diversity YEG gets.

[A332]

I'm not saying YEG doesn't get any international services, but it certainly does not have the kinds of connections that YYC can offer.

Perhaps YEG would have been a more competitive airport for YYC if YXD was closed down and all traffic routed to YEG... doesn't really make sense to operate two airports for one city.

[babypurin]

Maybe when they get new longhaul aircraft, they will keep the 767's for charter use.

[brento79]

[QUOTE=YEG boy]YEGs current long haul and transborder flights are;

Houston,Continental 737-500 1xdaily
Chicago,United CRJ-700 2xdaily
Denver,United CRJ-700 2xdaily
Seattle,Horizon Dash 8 Q400 3xdaily
Minneapolis,Northwest A319,A320 3xdaily
Phoenix,America west CRJ-900 1xdaily
Las vegas,America west CRJ-900 1xdaily Switches to A319 this may
Los angeles,America west CRJ-900 1xdaily

QUOTE]

Where do you see the change to an A319? That would be awesome, but I don't see that. And why would that happen on the LAS route when the LAX and PHX routes seem to be doing better?

[a78jumper]

I'm not saying YEG doesn't get any international services, but it certainly does not have the kinds of connections that YYC can offer.

Perhaps YEG would have been a more competitive airport for YYC if YXD was closed down and all traffic routed to YEG... doesn't really make sense to operate two airports for one city.

The Muni has been closed to scheduled traffic for some years now. I think only planes with less than 15 pax are allowed to use it. YEG is SOOOOO far out of town(south towards YYC) it is not funny, especially if you live in the north end. YEG used to have international scheduled flights, AC flew 1011-500s to LHR in the early 90s I think three times a week, and LH used to fly a DC10-30 from FRA as well. Wardair, then CP flew non stop to LGW with A310s and then 767-300s at least as late as '91.
________
Bdsm videos

[brento79]

The City Centre airport is still open to scheduled air traffic of planes holding less than 10 passengers from the North. Edmonton International is south of the city, but really not that far out. Compare it to most commuters in cities around the US YEG is in a perfect location. I use DEN all the time and it 10 miles just the Airport road to get the the terminal not even considering the 10-15 miles to the city centre.

YEG is in a prime location for air traffic, with open skies I think they will see more. Look at Alberta as the smaller Dallas and Houston of the North. continental has IAH and AA has DFW.

[Crazy764]

YEG suffers the same fate as YOW does: they are too close to other urban centres. YEG is too close to YYC, and YOW is too close to YUL (and YYZ).

[A332]

YEG suffers the same fate as YOW does: they are too close to other urban centres. YEG is too close to YYC, and YOW is too close to YUL (and YYZ).

Exactly... well put.

Calgary is also the business centre of western Canada and has tons of related travellers. As long as oil & gas are booming, Calgary will continue along this trend.

[brento79]

Exactly... well put.

Calgary is also the business centre of western Canada and has tons of related travellers. As long as oil & gas are booming, Calgary will continue along this trend.

You both are right. However let me stress that Edmonton is still underserved. As a business flyer that flies often to Edmonton (YEG) I can tell you the planes are almost always over sold. Last year for people like we was a welcome year as we travellers to Edmonton saw serves to YEG grow from 4 flights to 8 destinations in the united States. Being based in COS I fly the DEN-YEG route talk about crazy.

Air Canada will never service Edmonton like Calgary, but another carrier may especially if and when we see open skies.

[BlueMatt]

I beleive YEG is underserved as well, but unfortunately I don't see them getting any new services anytime soon. Last year they had their letter writting campaign trying to acquire a YEG-FRA service with AC or LH and doesn't look like either of those airlines was interested in that. Sure for a city the size of Edmonton it should have more international services but its not feasable when YYC is just a 40 minute flight away. YEG has been good lately tho at getting more service to the US as several airlines have opened up new routes and they all seem to be doing really well. Time will only tell whether they will be able to get more int'l services tho. I mean YWG also has like no int'l services and they are even farther away from another major airport.

[Crazy764]

Last year they had their letter writting campaign trying to acquire a YEG-FRA service with AC or LH and doesn't look like either of those airlines was interested in that.

Last year, LH apparently expressed some interest in a FRA-YOW route, which sparked a letter writing campaign in this city too. A couple months ago, there were some new rumours about this again. I'm not sure if this will ever happen, but that would be fantastic.

[TriStar-MiStar]

Plus Horsemeat charters to japan every monday bring in a assortment of freighters(eg)Atlas air 747-200Fs Polar 747-400Fs etc...

Do what? Horsemeat charters? Is this what I think it is? Explain, please.