Air Canada Business Class

[Palmetto Lady]

What can you tell me about Air Canada's Business Class International. Right now, they are having a sale on LAX to Hong Kong.

[greatam]

What can you tell me about Air Canada's Business Class International. Right now, they are having a sale on LAX to Hong Kong.

 

Don't know anything about Air Canada but what are the restrictions for the flights-sale dates, flights available, etc. etc. And price???? I can't find anything on their website.

 

I have to get 4 employees to SE Asia for a trade show in October. I always fly them through Hong Kong. This may be worth looking at. Thanks for any info.

[6rugrats]

Not flying them until July, but note that most of these flights don't have business, but are actually in F.

 

I don't see any such sale on their US webpage, unless you are talking about the Executive class summer sale. Executive class is F, not C.

[jasl]

We flew Bangkok/Vancouver a while back. Routing Bangkok/Seoul/Vancouver, first leg was with Asiania and what a thrill, truly First Class. Seoul/Vancouver on Air Canada no comparison, their "service" was almost rude, meal tasteless, actually not much better than their economy.

 

Their long haul aircraft are now furnished with the "bed type" seats which seem comfortable and if you can score a good fare, probably worth it. Should the fare on one of the Asian airlines be comparable, I would opt for their flights.

[ab0si]

I think all of their planes are now two classes. Most, if not all, of their long haul front of plane are now fully flat beds. A bit shorter than some (70 inches) and a bit narrower than some (20 inches). Every seat has direct access to an aisle, so no climbing over anyone to get to the loo. This is not Singapore 1st class, but it is better than most of front of plane cabins for North American based carriers.

[DougYWG]

Air Canada did away with First Class many years ago. Internationally, they call it 'Executive First' but it is J class not F. They have the new privacy type cocoons with lie flat beds. If the price is right, go for it. Canadians do not like Air Canada and will always find fault so you need to take their opinions with a grain of salt. Not to say AC is perfect but I fly a lot and have not found the rudeness etc that others complain about. Of course it can't compete with the Asian or Gulf carriers for in-flight service but on the other hand, when did you last fly United, Alitalia or Egyptair? We met a New Zealand couple on one cruise who flew in on Air New Zealand. "Well, you have to, don't you?" they said "after all, it's ours." That kind of sentiment has not been heard in Canada since Pontius was a pilot.

[Palmetto Lady]

Thank you all for your comments. Yes, the designation was "Executive" amd there were two catagories of Executive, one of which appeared comparative to business. The rates are supposed to be good untill Sept. I think I found this rate through American Express travel.

[YXU AC*SE]

I'm a regular Air Canada flyer. AC's J product (branded as Executive First) is decent enough. Certainly better than their North American peers imho. Ticketed as J (business class) versus F (first class), I'd say it is head and shoulders above it's NorAm peer group. The seats are the real star (as mentioned above, 180° true lie-flat seats), the food is adequate, and service is dependent upon what crew you get. There are known issues with the Thales AVOD system (at seat audio and video) that are being addressed fleet-wide.

 

I find the pod seating is quite comfy, and great for a single traveller. I get it domestically travelling on business a lot as a/c are being moved between AC's hubs. For a couple travelling, because of the herringbone design, I'd book seats the are back-to-back (eg the middle row of AC's 77x) or across the aisle from each other (eg the A-D row on their 763.) There is a divider that can be lowered between the middle pods so you may chat easier. No real advantage to sitting at a window, as the angle of the seat makes you crane your head out.

 

Your routing, if on Air Canada metal, will be via Vancouver.

 

You can check out the Executive First cabin via online video here: http://www.aircanada.com/demos/execfirst/execfirst.html

 

Any specific questions, glad to assist.

 

Scott.

[world~citizen]

Don't know if if its true, but it is the conventional wisdom in these parts:

 

It seems airlines like Singapore choose flight attendants for their willingness to perform their responsibilities with grace AND efficiency.

 

Air Canada flight attendants fly international routes according to their seniority. So, the more experienced and bitter you are the more likely it is you can successfully bid on the more attractive international routes. That, combined with a really well thumbed collective agreement in their pockets makes for a really memorable business class experience for PAX. :eek:

 

If this isn't true I stand to be corrected, but it seems to explain reality as I understand it.

 

Smooth sailing...

[alidor]

My neighbor has a good comparison of flight attendants on these routes as she should know as she's been flying for a US carrier for 28 years or so and her normal route is from the states to Tokyo.

 

As she puts it, the attendants from Singapore, Thai, Cathay Pacific, etc., put their hands together and greet you with their traditional bow. The US flight attendants put their hands together to give you the finger! That pretty well sums it up!

[FlyerTalker]

Air Canada flight attendants fly international routes according to their seniority. So, the more experienced and bitter you are the more likely it is you can successfully bid on the more attractive international routes. That, combined with a really well thumbed collective agreement in their pockets makes for a really memorable business class experience for PAX. :eek:

Unionized flight attendants, like their pilot brethern, live and die by their seniority. Seniority determines your base, your bid line, and in times of cutbacks, whether you get furloughed or not. And it's not just for international flights.

 

Long haul international routes are plum choices, as there are lots of duty hours with long stretches of "inactivity". Milk runs with constant activity are for the newbies who can't bid anything more desirable. So, you will get the "senior" crews for those prize routes. Ditto for those to desirable destinations - who wants to bid a trip that overnights in Fargo??

 

Also, unlike pilots, there is no mandatory retirement age for FAs. Was on a DL flight recently and the FA had to have been at least 10 years older than the oldest passenger....and that was saying something.

 

As for the bitterness....well, that's tough to factor into an FA's bidding priority. But sometimes seniority tends to correlate with it.

[Shorex]

Also, unlike pilots, there is no mandatory retirement age for FAs. Was on a DL flight recently and the FA had to have been at least 10 years older than the oldest passenger....and that was saying something.

 

For a trip down memory lane read this article from Departures magazine. Wonder if Robert is still flying ....

[YXU AC*SE]

:confused:

Don't know if if its true, but it is the conventional wisdom in these parts:

 

It seems airlines like Singapore choose flight attendants for their willingness to perform their responsibilities with grace AND efficiency.

 

Air Canada flight attendants fly international routes according to their seniority. So, the more experienced and bitter you are the more likely it is you can successfully bid on the more attractive international routes. That, combined with a really well thumbed collective agreement in their pockets makes for a really memorable business class experience for PAX. :eek:

 

If this isn't true I stand to be corrected, but it seems to explain reality as I understand it.

 

Smooth sailing...

 

You have part of it ... seniority indeed does rule, as does language qualification. Generally speaking, FAs that carry a third (or more) language skew younger. In the case of AC, all international routes will have FAs that serve in both official languages (English / French) plus the language of the route and / or its connections.

 

A good example is YYZLHR or YYZFRA. Both those routes have language slots for arabic speakers in addition to German / English / French. As a result you have a lot of eager juniors flying the route in addition to the ahem more senior (read matronly?) FAs.

 

And while internationals do give you flying hours (it takes less flights to build your block) they dont have the same opportunity for overnight expenses (AC still pays its FAs pretty generous per diems for overnight travel) that flying a three- or four-day pairing might be which can be equally as productive from a wage perspective (and a time away from home perspective). Per diem remuneration, if 'reasonable', is tax free in Canada.

 

 

Scott.

[Palmetto Lady]

I had to laugh a few years ago. When I was in my 20's, I could not have qualified as a "stewardess" because I wore glasses. A few years before I retired, I saw an ad in the newspaper for flight attendents. I met all the qualifications. I wasn't interested because today there is nothing glamorous about the job.