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Alaska Airlines has long held a monopoly on the Victoria to Seattle route for several years. The Seattle based airline currently operates five daily flights to Victoria with 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft operated by its subsidiary, Horizon Air.
However, unlike its primary competitor, the new Delta flights will offer three classes of service including Economy, First Class, and Delta Comfort. The Delta Comfort Class is a form of Premium Economy offering an enhanced experience including priority boarding, dedicated bin space, additional legroom, and free beer, wine, and spirits among other amenities. Upgrade fees to Delta Comfort Class on the Victoria to Seattle route start at just $20.
In an interview with the Victoria Times Colonist, Victoria Airport Authority CEO Geoff Dickson said that the new flights will increase both business and tourism. "Victoria International Airport has hit record growth every month since November 2013 right through until April of 2015," said Dickson. "We've had measured capacity growth and the carriers are seeing Victoria is a vibrant tourist destination, a vibrant tech market, and they are seeing the business opportunity."
Dickson added that airlines that are conducting analysis of market sizes see an opportunity in Victoria and this won't be the last expansion of service. "We are investing in apron capacity now to accommodate more aircraft," added Dickson.
Passengers travelling on Delta's new route to Seattle will also enjoy access to the carrier's rapidly growing hub at Seattle Tacoma Airport, where it operates 128 daily flights to a variety of destinations.
The last time Alaska Airlines had competition between Victoria and Seattle was in 2001 when SkyWest operated four daily flights with Embraer EMB-120 turbo-prop aircraft on behalf of United Express. That service was later terminated due to challenging economic conditions.
This is not the first time that Delta Airlines has served Victoria International Airport. The US carrier last served the BC capital when it launched non-stop flights between Victoria and its hub at Salt Lake City in 2006. The service was offered on a seasonal basis between June and September and operated by a Bombardier CRJ200 from SkyWest operating on behalf of Delta Connection. However, it was also terminated due to challenging market conditions.
Although the last two attempts to challenge Alaska Airlines were met with difficulty, the odds of the new route's success remain favourable given Victoria's rising popularity as a tourist destination, the weak Canadian dollar, and Delta's growing presence in Seattle.
Alaska Airlines has been the dominant player in the Pacific Northwest for decades. But Delta Airlines is seeking market share of its own. At present, Alaska has more flights from Seattle Tacoma Airport, but Delta offers more international flights including six non-stop routes to Asia and four to Europe.
Delta is now working to build its feeder network expanding to cities across the United States and Canada to feed international flights departing from its Seattle hub. All of these new flights are an immediate threat to Alaska Airlines.
Delta plans to transform Seattle into the carrier's West Coast international gateway. In addition to offering more flights from Seattle, it will also create more jobs and invest heavily in facility improvements.
In an interview with the Seattle Times, Bob Cortelyou, Vice President of Network Planning for Delta, stated that Seattle offers huge potential as a global gateway but is currently lagging behind Vancouver International Airport.
Although Alaska Airlines is a hometown favourite carrying more than half of all passengers from Seattle Tacoma Airport, Delta is the world's third-largest airline. Many industry analysts are speculating that Delta is turning up the heat to corner Alaska into a takeover.
I am an avid traveller, freelance writer, and hospitality management professional. I enjoy helping people see the world through travel by sharing my own experiences and knowledge. British Columbia is an amazing place that is just waiting to be explored. #ExploreBC
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