Is Air Canda a good airline?
May 17th, 2003, 09:08 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is Air Canda a good airline?
My friends and I recently (last month) purchased tickets to London (from Portland, Oregon) and got an awesome deal--$513. We are leaving in June...
We are flying on Air Canada, and have never flown with them before--Is there anything we should be aware of? Is it a nice airline with a good reputation?
We are flying on Air Canada, and have never flown with them before--Is there anything we should be aware of? Is it a nice airline with a good reputation?
May 17th, 2003, 09:15 PM
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I work for Air Canada--I shall have you know that AC is known to be one of the safest airlines in the world and the comfort of seats are slightly better than those of the American counterparts. The meals are pretty good and our seat sales have been amazing. Great deal! Just make sure you confirm your reservations 24-48 hours prior to departure as we are experiencing financial difficulty we may have changed our flight schedules. Have a great trip.
Flycrab
Air Canada employee
Montreal, Canada
Flycrab
Air Canada employee
Montreal, Canada
May 17th, 2003, 09:20 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flycrab,
Thank you very much for your quick response! You have put my mind at ease, and I'm very much looking forward to the trip--
I hope our flights haven't been changed though
(I'll keep my fingers crossed!)
Thank you very much for your quick response! You have put my mind at ease, and I'm very much looking forward to the trip--
I hope our flights haven't been changed though
(I'll keep my fingers crossed!)
May 17th, 2003, 09:40 PM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,260
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Eskimogirl
About 18 months ago, due to the failure of their opposition, our national airline in Australia, Qantas, leased some Air Canada planes and crew to help out so they could take up the excess passengers.
I took a Qantas flight, business class, to New Zealand, and it turned out to be an Air Canada plane and crew. It's only a 3-hour flight, and while the flight itself was OK, the service was appalling, close to non-existent! I presumed it was just the Air Canada way. Never again!
About 18 months ago, due to the failure of their opposition, our national airline in Australia, Qantas, leased some Air Canada planes and crew to help out so they could take up the excess passengers.
I took a Qantas flight, business class, to New Zealand, and it turned out to be an Air Canada plane and crew. It's only a 3-hour flight, and while the flight itself was OK, the service was appalling, close to non-existent! I presumed it was just the Air Canada way. Never again!
Trending Topics
May 17th, 2003, 09:55 PM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,260
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I didn't say Qantas was affiliated - they just needed to lease planes and crew - and Air Canada apparently had those to spare. It certainly wasn't Canadian Airlines. The crew wore Air Canada uniforms, and the plane had Air Canada markings.
May 18th, 2003, 04:51 AM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 497
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I second every word of Margo's description. Never, never, never again! The service on the flights I took with Air Canada was a shame, the food terrible, the procedure of transit in Toronto was torturous! One of the flights we took was from Baltimoe-Washington. They require to arrive 3 hours prior to departure. When We arrived there on time, We found a sign on their counter stating that "The couter will open 1 hour prior to departure"... We had to sit there and wait for 2 hours with all our suitcases.
Since 3 other friends of mine experienced the same ordeal, I am sorry to say that it most probably was not an unfortunate experience.
Since then I am making sure that none of my friends and family makes use of their bad services.
Sorry, Flycrab!
May 18th, 2003, 05:47 AM
#10
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My experience with this airline was similar. Food was terrible but we wouldn't complain if service was pleasant but it was the most rude on our flight to St. Lucia
We used them for a few different flights and we NEVER noticed that seats were larger that on any other airlines except AA
Hmmm!A comfort of seats is a little better. What does it mean? If anything our seats on a flight from Toronto to Calgary were very uncomfortable and why so narrow? But I understand why Flycrab makes such statements. As she stated she works for Air Canada. It is possible that seat sales have been amazing since there is no longer any competition.
And do not forget that the Toronto airport is known as the most user unfriendly airport anywhere not just in Canada.
Sorry, Eskimogril
You will be fine as long as you know what to expect And maybe, just maybe your flights will be exceptionand better than those we took. Good luck
We used them for a few different flights and we NEVER noticed that seats were larger that on any other airlines except AA
Hmmm!A comfort of seats is a little better. What does it mean? If anything our seats on a flight from Toronto to Calgary were very uncomfortable and why so narrow? But I understand why Flycrab makes such statements. As she stated she works for Air Canada. It is possible that seat sales have been amazing since there is no longer any competition.
And do not forget that the Toronto airport is known as the most user unfriendly airport anywhere not just in Canada.
Sorry, Eskimogril
You will be fine as long as you know what to expect And maybe, just maybe your flights will be exceptionand better than those we took. Good luck
May 18th, 2003, 05:59 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,885
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As posted by FLYCRAB
"comfort of seats are slightly better than those of the American counterparts"
Even if everything else you said was true, your credibility falls apart with the above statement. AC coach seats, in terms of room and comfort, are average at best, and definately not even close to the extra room on AA.
"comfort of seats are slightly better than those of the American counterparts"
Even if everything else you said was true, your credibility falls apart with the above statement. AC coach seats, in terms of room and comfort, are average at best, and definately not even close to the extra room on AA.
May 18th, 2003, 07:12 AM
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,933
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've flown them twice from US to/from Canada and they were just a typical airline, no better or worse than others, as I recall. Their seats were not any better than the usual cramped ones nowadays in coach, but that wasn't a transatlantic flight. I have seen on those airline stds web sites that the seats do supposed have a slightly bigger pitch than some of the usual (BA, AF, VA, United, etc, which are only about 31"
. I've read variations from 32-34" pitch. Should be as good as most airlines and that's a great price.
. I've read variations from 32-34" pitch. Should be as good as most airlines and that's a great price.
May 18th, 2003, 07:31 AM
#13
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here's an excerpt of my mom's email to me about their experience on AC this last week:
"We got to Chicago without glitch, but when we arrived at the departure gate discovered that there were mechanical problems with the Air Canada plane and they had to haul another out of the hangar to replace it -- a little over an hour's delay. We finally boarded the replacement plane, one of those numbers that you board from the ground, only to be herded off again when there was a problem with the door mechanism. This time we had a two-hour wait, a drag, but at least it happened during the final leg of the trip. We weren't so lucky on the way home. This time no one from the airline even showed up at the flight desk to board us. One of the stewardesses finally got on the airport phone -- they couldn't get to the airplane either -- this was a few minutes after the flight was supposed to have started boarding. Finally, a few minutes past the time the plane was supposed to have taken off, a harried looking young man with keys arrived, boarding didn't start until about 15 minutes later. I am beginning to understand why it is that Air Canada is in bankruptcy procedures. They came at us with a rather lame excuse about "security procedures" which in no way I can see would account for the absence of personnel at the flight desk.....as I recall, there was no apology presented either. Originally, we had about 45 minutes in Chicago to make our connection, this margin was reduced to 5 minutes, we did try to make it, but we had to go to an entirely different part of O'Hare, there was no way, and since Air Canada was just affilliated with United, there was no chance that they might delay the take-off for us. That was the last flight of the night for San Jose, so we ended up waiting until a 9:00 flight to San Francisco, didn't get home until around 1:30/2:00, which was 4:30 AM by our inner clocks. Yawn.
"We got to Chicago without glitch, but when we arrived at the departure gate discovered that there were mechanical problems with the Air Canada plane and they had to haul another out of the hangar to replace it -- a little over an hour's delay. We finally boarded the replacement plane, one of those numbers that you board from the ground, only to be herded off again when there was a problem with the door mechanism. This time we had a two-hour wait, a drag, but at least it happened during the final leg of the trip. We weren't so lucky on the way home. This time no one from the airline even showed up at the flight desk to board us. One of the stewardesses finally got on the airport phone -- they couldn't get to the airplane either -- this was a few minutes after the flight was supposed to have started boarding. Finally, a few minutes past the time the plane was supposed to have taken off, a harried looking young man with keys arrived, boarding didn't start until about 15 minutes later. I am beginning to understand why it is that Air Canada is in bankruptcy procedures. They came at us with a rather lame excuse about "security procedures" which in no way I can see would account for the absence of personnel at the flight desk.....as I recall, there was no apology presented either. Originally, we had about 45 minutes in Chicago to make our connection, this margin was reduced to 5 minutes, we did try to make it, but we had to go to an entirely different part of O'Hare, there was no way, and since Air Canada was just affilliated with United, there was no chance that they might delay the take-off for us. That was the last flight of the night for San Jose, so we ended up waiting until a 9:00 flight to San Francisco, didn't get home until around 1:30/2:00, which was 4:30 AM by our inner clocks. Yawn.
May 18th, 2003, 09:13 AM
#14
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 393
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a Canadian now living in the US and have flown Air Canada more than I care to remember I have found that there customer service is terrible but I personally find the planes themselves more comfortable. Flying Air Canada internationally in economy was far more comfortable than flying Delta. I'm very tall and find that I always have more legroom in Air Canada. As far as airline food goes Air Canada's was better than Delta's. In my opinion all the airlines have been slipping a lot in service with all the cutbacks.
May 18th, 2003, 09:46 AM
#15
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We flew once with AC to Paris from Seattle and decided Never Again. The flight was actually an Air BC flight up to Vancouver, BC, then transferring on to an AC flight to Paris, stopping in Toronto. Although everyone from AC assured us our luggage would be checked through, in fact we had to recheck it in Vancouver. In Vancouver and Toronto, the flights were delayed and oversold. We arrived in Paris; our luggage did not. It took three days to show up (all our luggage was clearly tagged and checked in with time to spare). Although we were entitled to $$ for the delay, the AC staff in Paris tried to fob off two biz class amenity kits as total compensation. Fortunately, a very nice person from Air France (!!) intervened and forced AC to ante up. He said AC is known at CDG for mishandling a LOT of luggage, esp. on flights from Toronto. Our luggage was also lost on the way home (this time only two days behind us). The AC staff response to the situation was a curt "be glad you're getting it back at all." AC? No thanks!
May 18th, 2003, 11:29 AM
#16
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flown Air Canada many times.
Seats are bigger than charter airlines - cannot say about US airlines.
Safety: good record (NOT as good as Quantas though)
Punctuality: pretty good in my experience. I have never had a flight delayed for longer than 1/2 hour.
Planes: clean and look well maintained
Service: Hit or miss. I have had horrible service and excellent service.
Last trip I took - service was excellent on outbound flight but just OK on return flight.
BTW - that is a great deal you are getting - so I would not obsess too much on service issues. The chances are good that everything will be just fine.
Seats are bigger than charter airlines - cannot say about US airlines.
Safety: good record (NOT as good as Quantas though)
Punctuality: pretty good in my experience. I have never had a flight delayed for longer than 1/2 hour.
Planes: clean and look well maintained
Service: Hit or miss. I have had horrible service and excellent service.
Last trip I took - service was excellent on outbound flight but just OK on return flight.
BTW - that is a great deal you are getting - so I would not obsess too much on service issues. The chances are good that everything will be just fine.
May 18th, 2003, 12:49 PM
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yikes! You guys have me worried now...but I guess I can't complain since I did get quite a good deal on the tickets. I think I will plan to carry on my luggage though---I don't want to spend the first part of my vacation worrying about that!
If the service is bad, I'll just be an extra demanding customer..lol...they love that.
If the service is bad, I'll just be an extra demanding customer..lol...they love that.
May 18th, 2003, 03:52 PM
#18
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maybe we are the exception but we flew from San Fran. to London with a change in Toronto. Have no complaints. We asked for bulkhead seats and had no problem getting them. We both requested special meals and they were just a tad over average. We arrived in London on time. Would I fly them again? You bet.
May 18th, 2003, 06:14 PM
#19
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have flown AC several times as well as many other airlines...Domestically, AC is not so great...However about 1 1/2 years ago flew from Calgary to London return and both ways they were just fantastic...I was surprized...Many Europeans were on the flight home and all commented on the service, the cleanliness, and the leg room...But generally speaking AC has a great safety record, lately has really good seat sales and is alot better than alot of other airlines..
Certainly they are not the world's greatest airline, but they are just fine...They need to take some lessons on service from Japan Airlines however...I would not hesitate booking internationally with AC.
Certainly they are not the world's greatest airline, but they are just fine...They need to take some lessons on service from Japan Airlines however...I would not hesitate booking internationally with AC.
May 18th, 2003, 06:39 PM
#20
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 735
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My only negative experience on AC occurred 4 years ago when my daughter was returning home from a junior year abroad on a special student ticket on AC; there were limited student seats on each flight. It was absolutely impossible for her to talk to AC in Paris and get a flight. AC had a system where you were put on hold indefinitely. Each time my daughter tried, she used up a telephone card.
She emailed me and I did it from the US and emailed her back. No one should have this sort of problem and I hope AC has fixed the problem contacting them in Europe. My daugher sent me several frantic emails before her flight was straightened out. And, even over a month in advance, she had to come home a week after she wanted to.
These are things they do not tell you when you send a child to do a junior year abroad.
She emailed me and I did it from the US and emailed her back. No one should have this sort of problem and I hope AC has fixed the problem contacting them in Europe. My daugher sent me several frantic emails before her flight was straightened out. And, even over a month in advance, she had to come home a week after she wanted to.
These are things they do not tell you when you send a child to do a junior year abroad.
