Flying Air Canada

[em-sk]

On 2/13/2022 at 5:48 AM, jhenry1 said:

Ugh

That doesn’t sound good.  We have never flown AC but they had the best flight to Athens we could find from Austin Texas.  Hope all works out.  We are in business class.

We usually fly American, United, or BA which now has a direct flight once a day from Austin. 
Anything we need to know about AC?

 

Air Canada business class is very good.  On par or better than most other North American or European airlines.   In business class the seat open out to a flat bed so you will get some sleep.   

 

Meals are subjective.  I have never had an issue with the Business Class offering.  

 

If you collect points on United, you can put you united frequent flyer number on your AC flight.  

 

Air Canada has some "Rouge" branded aircraft.  These generate most of the complaints as they are used on vacation routes competing against discount carriers and have dense layouts.  None of the rouge aircraft have the range for Toronto to Athens so will not not be on one of these. 

 

Toronto is divided into two terminals and  each terminal is divided into a domestic, US and international concourse.  A bit different than the US but very similar to how this are done in Europe.  Air Canada and their star alliance partners (United, Lufthans etc) are in one.  WestJet and their partners (Delta, Air France, KLM,  etc.) are in the other.  

 

Coming from the US you will have a very basic document check and be directed into the international concourse.  Bags will automatically transfer.  

 

Coming back if your also transferring in Toronto you would go from International to US (bags are automatically transferred), you clear US customs in Toronto and arrive at a domestic gate state side.  

 

Edited February 17, 2022 by em-sk

[dawnvip]

@em-sk lie flat seats are available on most of the wide-body AC aircraft. Not available on A319/321/321, Rouge branded, or 737. 

I'm not positive, but don't think there are any Rouge aircraft going to Europe at this time, so OP should be on a wide body.

Agree the food and service in business class is usually excellent.  We flew to Paris last fall though and were disappointed that the service was limited due to covid need to reduce contact. 

[em-sk]

6 hours ago, dawnvip said:

@em-sk lie flat seats are available on most of the wide-body AC aircraft. Not available on A319/321/321, Rouge branded, or 737. 

I'm not positive, but don't think there are any Rouge aircraft going to Europe at this time, so OP should be on a wide body.

Agree the food and service in business class is usually excellent.  We flew to Paris last fall though and were disappointed that the service was limited due to covid need to reduce contact. 

 

Air Canada has retired some Rouge 767 or and the remainder are being converting into all cargo aircraft. Those are not in passenger service anymore.

 

The remaining Rouge aircraft (Airbus 320,321) don't have the range for Europe. 

 

The OP will end up on a Airbus A330, Boeing 787 or Boeing 777.    Air Canada purchased all the 787 and 777 new and most of the A330 new in Air Canada configuration. 

 

There were a couple A330 they picked up from Singapore Airline or TAP Air Portugal.  Those were not as nice as the AC layout, but I think during the covid slowdown they were all refurbished to a standard Air Canada layout.  

 

 

[gnome12]

15 hours ago, dawnvip said:

@em-sk lie flat seats are available on most of the wide-body AC aircraft. Not available on A319/321/321, Rouge branded, or 737. 

I'm not positive, but don't think there are any Rouge aircraft going to Europe at this time, so OP should be on a wide body.

Agree the food and service in business class is usually excellent.  We flew to Paris last fall though and were disappointed that the service was limited due to covid need to reduce contact. 

Be grateful. I flew back from Lisbon to Toronto on Air Canada Rouge in 2015 (I needed to get back from Seville in one day snd this was the only option) and even in premium economy it was my second worst trans-Atlantic flight next to an Air Transat flight Toronto-Cardiff-Toronto on a 757 narrow bodied aircraft. 

[dawnvip]

16 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

Be grateful. I flew back from Lisbon to Toronto on Air Canada Rouge in 2015 (I needed to get back from Seville in one day snd this was the only option) and even in premium economy it was my second worst trans-Atlantic flight next to an Air Transat flight Toronto-Cardiff-Toronto on a 757 narrow bodied aircraft. 

Agree with you that almost anything is better than a transatlantic flight on Rouge!! 

My point was that for the $$ paid, the "once down the aisle to deliver drinks and that's it"  seemed a bit stingy, even during covid. I like business class and I like my champagne!