Lynx Air - new low cost carrier

[benyl]

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Issue with these budget airlines are their reliability. Expect delays, and cancellations.

It makes no difference. Budget or premium. You aren't getting anywhere on time.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/air...time-1.7072663

[ExtraSlow]

There are zero premium airlines in that list.

[benyl]

Delta topped the world. There aren't any premium airlines in the top 5 of any region. Emirates, Singapore, etc are not found on the list.

Surprised to see Philipine Airlines in 3rd in the TPAC as their plane into YVR is lucky to arrive at all, let alone on time.

[KrisYYC]

The problem with the on time performance of low cost airlines like Lynx and Flair is they routinely fudge the numbers.

For example, they'll have a flight massively delayed due to a mechanical issue. Eventually they bring in a rescue aircraft (usually 16 to 24 hours later) but it's a different ad-hoc flight number so because the rescue flight operated without issue and was "on-time" it's marked as such. Reality is those passengers were 16 to 24 hours delayed in getting to their destination. Nice little scam.

You are MUCH more likely to be severely delayed on Lynx or Flair as their delays are often catastrophic with no spare aircraft compared to Westjet and Air Canada who can recover from issues much quicker.

[Sugarphreak]

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Just for kicks, I decided to compare Westjet and Lynx for a specific trip.
YYX-LAX round trip, March 7-11th 2024. I'll bring a real carry-on bag and 1 checked bag and I want to select my seat.
Lynx offers direct flights, and base fare is very low, $7 one way and $36 the other, after normal taxes and fees, it's looking like $191 round trip. Then add seats $21 each way, carry-on bag $32 each way, checked bag $74 each way, and it all rounds up to $443 round trip.

Westjet, on the same days, and without any coupon codes etc, is more at $591 for an econoflex fare which includes seat selection and checked baggage. You might save a couple bucks by shifting dates, but it didn't look big.

So, I think it's fair to say that Lynx DOES save you money under nearly every circumstance. Particularly if you DON'T need a checked bag. There are ways to save money with Westjet as well, but I doubt you'll ever find it straight up cheaper than Lynx on routes where the two compete.

Now how you personally view the VALUE of each offering is up to you. Neat to have options.

I am doing something similar, flying in on West-Jet and then flying out on Lynx. I was more focused on the time of the flights rather than the carrier. I'll be able to compare and contrast them after.

I think this is the first time I've ever booked with a low cost carrier. It is just a 1 day trip, so luggage really isn't an issue. Really, how much worse can it be than AC or West Jet?

Total cost of a round trip to Calgary was 123.57$ all-in. I didn't get a broken out cost on my receipt for the flight package.

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Don't be poor.

My pro-tip to not being poor is to live in Benl's head rent free

I think you are confusing cheap with poor in this case though. I bet half the people taking low cost carriers for short-haul flights are secret rich people.

[ExtraSlow]

For a short flight, if the flight takes off on time, the experience won't be much different. But if the flight is delayed, the recovery will be a shitshow with lynx, and slightly less with a bigger airline.

[Sugarphreak]

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For a short flight, if the flight takes off on time, the experience won't be much different. But if the flight is delayed, the recovery will be a shitshow with lynx, and slightly less with a bigger airline.

I mean if it really gets seriously delayed, I can just go get a flight on another carrier last minute

For long-haul, or low volume runs, I could see it being a bigger issue

[max_boost]

Bring a carry on keep calm and carry on

[benyl]

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I mean if it really gets seriously delayed, I can just go get a flight on another carrier last minute

For long-haul, or low volume runs, I could see it being a bigger issue

just happened to my sister in law on a 1 day trip to Van. She ended up buying a last minute WJ ticket to get back home to Calgary because the Lynx flight was delayed with no estimate of departure.

[jwslam]

What is compensation like for these 16-24hr delays?

[Sugarphreak]

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just happened to my sister in law on a 1 day trip to Van. She ended up buying a last minute WJ ticket to get back home to Calgary because the Lynx flight was delayed with no estimate of departure.

Oh that is crappy

Yeah hopefully won't happen to me. My flight back is less critical for timing at least

[89coupe]

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They likely don't have enough aircraft or crew. Prioritizing other more lucrative routes.

This is usually the reason.

[Xtrema]

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What is compensation like for these 16-24hr delays?

Flair gave my friend a $20 food voucher.

I don't think I'll bother with these low cost airlines but I appreciate that they do keep WJ/AC prices lower more often.

[Sugarphreak]

My WestJet leg was ridiculous. It left 1.5 hours later, then I had to sit on the plane forever because the gate was broken.

Lynx is going to have to be absolutely awful to top this.

Also what the fuck Calgary, -32.... This is stupid cold

[jutes]

Time to enclose the terminal area of airports.

[Sugarphreak]

Monorail from Vancouver to Calgary... It's the only real solution

My Lynx flight is off to a rough start. It got delayed overnight by 3.5 hours (so far). At least I didn't rush off to the airport too soon for this one.

[ThePenIsMightier]

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Monorail from Vancouver to Calgary... It's the only real solution

My Lynx flight is off to a rough start. It got delayed overnight by 3.5 hours (so far). At least I didn't rush off to the airport too soon for this one.

The de-icing of a plane really seems to sneak up on airlines of all kinds.
"Just because it's been -20 for a week and -40 the last couple of days doesn't mean that it couldn't have suddenly become +8 when we finally make the call about 3hr before the flight!!1¡!11!!"
If we continue to follow the Spanish model, those people will get promoted to MP's and we'll all be better off.

[ExtraSlow]

I don't think any airline includes time for de-icing into its schedule. I am not sure why that is.

[Tik-Tok]

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The de-icing of a plane really seems to sneak up on airlines of all kinds.
"Just because it's been -20 for a week and -40 the last couple of days doesn't mean that it couldn't have suddenly become +8 when we finally make the call about 3hr before the flight!!1¡!11!!"
If we continue to follow the Spanish model, those people will get promoted to MP's and we'll all be better off.

Plane de-icing problems is always a domino effect. First it's a job usually filled by newly immigrated Canadians from warm countries and no money. So they rely on shitty cars or transit, both of which fail often at -30°, that's even if they decide to go to work in this weather where they are up in a bucket truck in the wind and getting soaked with glycol for $15 an hour. So maybe half the de-ice crew bothers showing up for their 3am shift. Then the de-icing truck themselves are usually in poor maintenance, and are expensive to replace. So one or two are always not working in this cold.

Lets pretend we actually have full crews of peons and fully working trucks though. De-ice and Anti-ice itself takes awhile on a large aircraft, lots of flight surfaces to spray. They have to report the start time and end time. The big problem is anti-ice only lasts for so long (called HoldOver Time), the colder it is, the less the HOT is. If it's below -25°c and there's light snow, they have less than 7 minutes from START of spraying to TAKE-OFF. You can imagine how little time that really is. Now imagine there's a line-up for the runway. The plane the was supposed to take off has a minor problem, they delay a couple of minutes, and now they have to return to get sprayed again, and more than likely every plane behind them will also need re-spraying.

Now think how busy the airport is, not just for large airliners at the terminal but literal tons of other private, corporate, cargo, etc. aircraft also needing the same treatment.

Domino effect.

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I don't think any airline includes time for de-icing into its schedule. I am not sure why that is.

Because it's completely weather dependent, and including it into its schedule would be a guessing game and would destroy their "On-time performance" numbers.

[killramos]

We should build a de icing tunnel the planes can drive through.

Is the tunnel under the runway that goes nowhere available?



Just sketched out a proof of concept.