Anyone flown Air Canada?

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Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 2,343

Just a quick question, I am travelling to Calgary as part of my trip to Alaska in July/August, and my outbound flight from LHR is with Air Canada, but I have never flown with them before...can anyone tell me what type of aircraft I am likely to fly on (depart on 23rd July!), and has anyone flown with them, and if so, what was it like?

Many thanks.

Original post

Member for

18 years 9 months

Posts: 1,614

I've never been with them but can give you the aircraft type:
There are 2 daily flights with Air Canada:

Air Canada
AC 851 A330-300

Air Canada
AC853 B767-300

Hope this helps

Member for

19 years 8 months

Posts: 741

Having previously flown Air Canada 4times (1x747-100-Toronto,1xDC9-Quebec-1xA340-Calagary,1x767-300-Calgary) they are a fantastic airline,In flight service is great with a wide choice from the IFE system,the food is above average with a varied choice, not just chicken or beef.

BUT!!

This was all befor Air Canada had its little financial problem, and now ive read somewhere that you pay $CDN 10 now for the comfort pack which consists of a pillow,light blanket,eye mask and toothbrush/paste, but you get to keep it for all other flights. it depends on how much you want to sleep, or look out of the window and see the wonderful landscapes that Canada has to offer.

From what information you have left Cloud_9 it sounds like your doing a drive/cruise holiday...if u want more info,then im only happy to help!

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 8,847

Having previously flown Air Canada 4times (1x747-100-Toronto,1xDC9-Quebec-1xA340-Calagary,1x767-300-Calgary) they are a fantastic airline,In flight service is great with a wide choice from the IFE system,the food is above average with a varied choice, not just chicken or beef

Last year I flew Toronto to Cuba and must agree that the food was superb, best airline food since I can't remember when. This is to congratulate them as I had intended to write them a message of praise. :)

Member for

20 years 2 months

Posts: 2,495

If you flying LHR-YYC you shouldnt have a problem. However if your flying LHR-YYZ-YYC back some extar cloths because baggage transfers through YYZ are a nightmare.

Ive never flown them but handle AC in work and I know all about AC and delayed baggage.

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 546

Flew Frankfurt-Toronto on an A330 and quite frankly it was sub-standard comapred to the usual shiny features with IFE etc. Didn't evne have tv's in the seat backs!

Member for

19 years 1 month

Posts: 91

Flew Frankfurt-Toronto on an A330 and quite frankly it was sub-standard comapred to the usual shiny features with IFE etc. Didn't evne have tv's in the seat backs!

That will change with the new 777's on order. Within NA they want to use the 787 from 2008. All the Airbus equipment is being traded in and the 767's sold off.

Member for

19 years 8 months

Posts: 741

That will change with the new 777's on order. Within NA they want to use the 787 from 2008. All the Airbus equipment is being traded in and the 767's sold off.

Even selling off there A340-500s?

Member for

19 years 11 months

Posts: 313

Just a quick question, I am travelling to Calgary as part of my trip to Alaska in July/August, and my outbound flight from LHR is with Air Canada, but I have never flown with them before...can anyone tell me what type of aircraft I am likely to fly on (depart on 23rd July!), and has anyone flown with them, and if so, what was it like?

Many thanks.

Cloud_9,

I flew LHR - YYC [AC853] B767-300 C-FMWV

and YYC - LHR [AC850] A330-200 C-GFUR...

..In Oct/Nov 2004 and found Air Canada to be fairly good. The outbound flight to Calgary from London was virtually empty and the service was excellent! :D Plenty of food, drinks etc and really friendly F/As. The pillows and blankets were free, although this may not be the case now. Both flights were on time.

However coming back on the 850 the flight was full, the legroom seemed a lot less and the service was nowhere near as good.. :mad: The F/As were 'trolly grannies' and unfortuanately they seemed to be very stressed out and tired, perhaps not their fault but still it wasn't very good.

The lack of PTVs was poor I felt, especially on such long flights. I had to laugh though, on the A330 there was a space for them but instead of there being a screen it was covered over with material (held on by velcro!)

So in conclusion Air Canada are ok, not bad but certainly nothing special! From the experience I had it would appear it's very 'hit and miss' with the crew you get!

Regards,

Joe

PS - Calgary Immigration are horrible!

Member for

18 years 8 months

Posts: 4,721

:D My brother is flying on them right this minute coming back home after a sking hoilday with the school (LHR-YYZ-YUL Stowe USA where the sking hoilday is-YUL-YYZ-LHR).
I tell you more about the Airline and aircraft he went when he gets home and post some pictures he said he take for me using my camara.

James

Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 2,343

From what information you have left Cloud_9 it sounds like your doing a drive/cruise holiday...

Well I am actually doing a air/rail/road/sea holiday all in one!

Fly to Calgary, drive to somewhere (can't remember off the top of my head!) and pick up the Rocky Mountaineer train to Vancouver, 7/8 day cruise to Alaska (get to go whale watching and glacier walking!) and cruise back to Seattle, spending 2 days there, and then fly back to LHR on BA in World Traveller Plus.

How cool is that!

...if u want more info,then im only happy to help!

Thanks, any help will be much appreciated. PM me if necessary.

Member for

18 years 9 months

Posts: 1,614

That will change with the new 777's on order. Within NA they want to use the 787 from 2008. All the Airbus equipment is being traded in and the 767's sold off.

I thought the Pilots had rejected all that and so no new Boeing aircraft for the meantime - the fleet will remain as it is. See Boeing press release:

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787family/news/ews/2005/050618g.html

Member for

19 years 1 month

Posts: 91

I thought the Pilots had rejected all that and so no new Boeing aircraft for the meantime - the fleet will remain as it is. See Boeing press release:

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/787family/news/ews/2005/050618g.html

June 8, 2004???!!!

Old news! As everyone expected - the deal with Boeing was always still on. The federal labour arbitrator made his ruling and it was binding on Air Canada and the union. As soon as that ruling took place – the talks with Boeing went ahead as if they never left off. From what was last reported, Boeing have allowed them to mix and match their fleet needs by dumping the 737 next gen and adding more 787’s. In fact if Air Canada takes up all it's options they will be buying 60 787's! The 2 777F's in addtion to the other 777 orders were also a surprise as well - as before the labour issues, the freighters were not even mentioned in the first round of talks.

April 2005
http://www.airfax.com/airfax/releases/showrelease.asp?id=1362

Nov 2005
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/news/2005/q4/nr_051109g.html

Now... (With more upgrades to the aircraft)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060208/sfw088.html?.v=45

Many people say good old Robert really used the union to drive an even better deal from Boeing then he had before. It was always interesting to see that the contract with Boeing was on condition that the union agree to lower wages or working condition changes. One could say he played each other off against each other and Airbus against Boeing. With this 6 Billion+ order, Air Canada has certainly been able to use volume discounts to drive a lower unit price. It now appears that they may keep the mid range Airbus aircraft for domestic routes instead of trading them in as per the earlier deal.

Member for

19 years 1 month

Posts: 91

Even selling off there A340-500s?

Trade in's!

Member for

19 years 8 months

Posts: 741

Trade in's!

So what the hell are Boeing going to do with 2xA340-500, 10xA340-300 and 8xA330-300?

Member for

19 years 1 month

Posts: 91

So what the hell are Boeing going to do with 2xA340-500, 10xA340-300 and 8xA330-300?

Send them to international lease finance? I'm sure someone will find a use for them. :) The 767's are being traded for the 787's and the 777's in model 8 and 9 form are replacing the A330's and 340's.

I think Air Canada just made a deal for regional jets for Jazz as well - EB's I think - 100 pax size.

I assume that the engine deal is for GE's - but you never know if they could go Trent 1000 if the price was really right. I haven't seen any engine deal signed yet. Air Canada does a big business in servicing other airlines maintenance needs both airframe and engines so you would have to figure that if they have gone Boeing this time, that they have done a deal on parts and service work in the contract.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 455

I think I'm the only Canadian to respond on the topic. I've flown them so many times, many of which were to LHR from YYZ (763/744).

Air Canada are not too bad compared with other carriers. They definitely beat the US carriers, however, not as good as BA or QF. No, they don't have the personal entertainment systems yet, though the A350 fleet (which is not being sold--to my knowledge) will have them in the next twelve months.

The staff are generally a bit older, though I've been pleasantly surprised with some younger staff of late. Leg room is not great, but food is pretty good. You only pay for "extras" on domestic legs.

They have express check-in at Canadian airports (love it), not sure about the UK.

The carrier has really turned things around in the past twenty-four months and survived some truly rocky moments. I recommend "The View from the Top: The Truth About Air Canada" by its CEO, Robert Milton.

I can't believe how many people have flown AC.

Member for

18 years 8 months

Posts: 4,721


No, they don't have the personal entertainment systems yet, though the A350 fleet (which is not being sold--to my knowledge) will have them in the next twelve months.

Do you mean A330 not the A350?

James

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 455

Sorry, A345

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,956

AC is a good airline. I've flown them long and short haul. Most people will immediately jump on them due to lack of PTV's, but I flew them HNL-SYD and service, food, etc., was pretty good. I've gone away from flying them, however, in the last year or so as they have tightened their policy of mileage accrual for their partner airlines. I flew them from ORD to YUL in Sept. of 2004 and I didn't get credit for those flights. I called United and I was told that a few months prior to that mileage plus members can now only get credit on AC flights on certain classes of fares (I believe H class) and higher. So I avoid them now, and luckily UA puts their own metal on a lot of the routes AC used to fly exclusively with a UA codeshare.

Member for

18 years 8 months

Posts: 23

I went business class with them in May 04 (Airbus) from LHR to Calgary and couldn't fault it. Very enjoyable. Thought Canada was cracking too!