Aviation Appreciation Station v2

[Bigtime]

This will be one of the best looking 747's out there (technically two of them):

https://twitter.com/user/status/1634308833089658881

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

This will be one of the best looking 747's out there (technically two of them):

https://twitter.com/user/status/1634308833089658881

I didn't realize that they scrapped Trump's livery design.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I didn't realize that they scrapped Trump's livery design.

From the press release:

The Air Force previously displayed a red, white, and blue livery for the VC-25B because it had been publicly expressed as a preferred livery in 2019. A thermal study later concluded the dark blue in the design would require additional Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing for several commercial components due to the added heat in certain environments.

[Cube Inmate]

I can't tell for sure but it looks like they've dropped the shiny silver swoosh on the lower fuselage ahead of the wings. I hope not... that's my favorite part!

[Lubicon]

So how does this work now that the 747 production line is finished? Does Boeing build as a one off? (or two off I guess).

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

So how does this work now that the 747 production line is finished? Does Boeing build as a one off? (or two off I guess).

The Air Force are using two B747-8s that were finished but never delivered because the customer went bankrupt.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Cube Inmate

I can't tell for sure but it looks like they've dropped the shiny silver swoosh on the lower fuselage ahead of the wings. I hope not... that's my favorite part!

Also covered in the Boeing press release:

Finally, there is no polished metal section on the VC-25B because modern commercial aircraft skin alloys don't allow for it.

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Disp...air-force-one/

[Bigtime]

Uh oh, trouble for Flair?

https://twitter.com/user/status/1634633171768844288

[Lubicon]

The Canadian market is too small for two major airlines and 4 discount carriers (if you count Swoop and Rouge). One or two of them are not going to survive.

Unrelated (sort of), The Feds just approved WestJet's purchase of Sunwing so there's going to be one fewer competitor in the vacation market.

[the-rasta-masta]

I hope Flair fizzles out completely.

I was in Vancouver two weeks ago, and flew out via Flair on Friday and was returning on Monday morning at 6am with Flair again. Over the weekend, my ID developed a hairline crack in it (just from sitting in my wallet, the new Alberta IDs are super thin p.s.), and the Flair agent at the desk told me they could not accept it as it was now void. I had paid for a checked bag fee and a carry on fee, about $130 on top of my ~$120 fare. They refused a refund at the desk and also in my calls to customer service since.

I walked over to Air Canada and WestJet and told them the situation and both airlines were super great customer service wise, and happy to accept my ID with the crack in it (thankfully rationality and reasonability exist). We looked into booking me a flight, however unfortunately Air Canada only had business class available on flights to Calgary, and wanted $1700 (couldn't believe that price for a 1 hour flight!!), and WestJet couldn't get me out until late in the evening and it would have been another $550. I ended up going the most economical route and renting a car and driving.

If the other airlines had said the same thing about the ID, I'd have understood that policy is policy. #### Flair!

[Ironhorse]

Flair probably oversold the flight and used your cracked ID as an excuse to recover a seat

[chedder]

I tried flair and will never fly with them again. The adage, you get what you pay for, couldn't be more correct with them. Paid for seats both ways, didn't get my seats. Couldn't check-in on app or website. My spouse, who had a ticket and booking email was told she wasn't on the flight. (They did let her on after showing them all my emails).

Flight was cancelled due to weather (not their fault). They gave me a rebooked flight home from Ontario 10 days later! I had to find a flair flight out of Pearson (an hour plus away) and call the customer service line to ask if they'd put us on that flight. It was that or pay $1300 x 3 to get us home with a real airline.

This was still 3 days after the cancellation. So 3 nights hotel, food and rental car all with no compensation.

As poor as Westjet has been I would have been home one day late had I not been so tempted to try the new cheap airline.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

If everything goes right, nothing wrong with the ULCCs.

That said, I prefer to fly Air Canada as when things go wrong, they have the capacity to fix it.

8 years ago today my wife and I flew WestJet out of Halifax. Worst customer service I've ever had from an airline at the airport. Was booked for the next day, flight was cancelled, and if I didn't have the forethought to get them to rebook me from Halifax to Vegas via St. John's we wouldn't have gone. I remember standing in the airport looking at the departures board in queue for security, the board was full of Air Canada flights, with one WestJet flight. If I was flying Air Canada, it would have been much easier to book and get out.

A few years ago, I was flying Toronto to Sydney. Was sitting in the Maple Leaf Lounge, when I got a notification that my flight as cancelled. I checked the desk and sure enough it was (weather related). I was rebooked for the next Sydney flight (24 hours later as there was one flight a day).

I asked if we could be booked via Halifax in the morning. No problem. Due to the weather they upgauged to a 767. Flew out no problem in the morning and connected there to Sydney.

There's a piece of mind that comes wtih the big boys.

Unless it's the summer, and it's a leisurely whatever trip, I'm not booking the ULCCs.

Something goes wrong, you're screwed.

[Ped]

Flying out of Pearson and Air Canada has automatic scanner machines prior to screening that checks your roll-on carryon and people are losing their #### when they’re told their bag is too big.

[Bill Bumface]

I know nothing about the business, but I'm still shocked that people look at the market in Canada and think "Yeah, I'm totally going to start a new airline and make tons of money!"

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Ped

Flying out of Pearson and Air Canada has automatic scanner machines prior to screening that checks your roll-on carryon and people are losing their #### when they’re told their bag is too big.

Good. People are always trying to get away with huge bags as carry on. About time they enforce their rules.

[Madman]

[speede5]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

I know nothing about the business, but I'm still shocked that people look at the market in Canada and think "Yeah, I'm totally going to start a new airline and make tons of money!"

Used planes are cheap so it makes the entry cost attractive.

Jmo, Everyone wants to be the next WJ but there's no room in Canada for another major airline and these small carriers can't grow their fleets large enough to lower the maintenance/staff and other costs.

[MRCboicgy]

I'd be interested to know what size they actually use - like the old metal measurement stand by the gate that could only fit a carry-on from 1993, which may be the size on the website too?

Don't get me wrong, love that they are finally enforcing it, as I only carry on a small North Face roller. But it would be good to know exactly how the bag is being scanned since nothing is a perfect rectangle...

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Ped

Flying out of Pearson and Air Canada has automatic scanner machines prior to screening that checks your roll-on carryon and people are losing their #### when they’re told their bag is too big.

This makes me happy, hopefully it spreads to other airports.

Originally Posted by speede5

Used planes are cheap so it makes the entry cost attractive.

Jmo, Everyone wants to be the next WJ but there's no room in Canada for another major airline and these small carriers can't grow their fleets large enough to lower the maintenance/staff and other costs.

IIRC both Flair and Lynx are operating brand new 737-8's. Some of Flair's are white tail pickups so maybe they got them cheap to take them off Boeing's hands when the Max program was suspended.