Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Where's the bonus? Air Canada Calgary-Tokyo

As I was updating my Aeroplan Bonus Opportunities page on Rewards Canada with the just released Aeroplan Bonus offers for the new Air Canada routes out of Toronto, it got me thinking, why isn't there an Aeroplan bonus for the new Calgary to Tokyo route? The route starts sooner then the new Toronto routes and has been public knowledge for sometime, so why no bonus? Most airlines tend to offer some sort of bonus when launching a new route to drum up business and pull customers from other airlines. In the past week alone I have posted offers from Air Canada, American, Jet Airways and more for bonus offers on new routes, but somehow the new YYC-NRT service does not have one.

Did Air Canada/Aeroplan forget?
Highly unlikely.


Is it possible bookings have been strong since the service was announced hence no requirement of a bonus?
This is definitely possible.


Could it be that the flight only operates three times weekly?
Also a possibility, whereby offering a bonus on a not so frequent route may not add much to the bottom line, as most travellers who this offer would appeal to are looking for flights that fit their schedule which could mean not using the direct flights and routing though YVR


Of course only Air Canada and Aeroplan know why they are not offering a route bonus on this new route.

Perhaps Air Canada may put something up though as the competition, Japan Airlines just launched a systemwide double mile offer, accelerated elite status and other offers as an apology to their Bankruptcy issues, so some travellers may just choose JAL out of YVR for their Japan flights. ANA has also matched JAL's double miles offer but that would mean transitting in the U.S. as the bonus is only applicable to ANA metal, but once again several potential travellers may opt for this type of routing to take advantage of the bonus miles.

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