Yesterday, I was in the Vancouver (concourse B) domestic lounge, at about 10:30 Am - for about 25 minutes.

In terms of the solid refreshments available (I am not talking about the liquid refreshments), the only thing available was some fruit (ie bananas, and oranges). No nuts, no pretzels, no cereal, no cheese etc.

Questions- 1) what does the lounge offer at other times of the day?
2) does the offering of solid refreshments vary according to the location (ie Canada, LA, overseas) or role (Canadian domestic, transborder, or international) of the lounge?

More importantly:

1) how does the quality and quantity of food compare with that of MLL and Empress Lounges before the takeover of CP by AC.
2) how does MLL lounge food compare now with American, European, Asian, and other international lounge food?

I remember seeing sandwichs in Empress lounges but never in MLL... only cheese. They should at least have them for sale as sometimes the wait can be for a few hours... it's no fun to eat cheese and nuts for meals.

Free drink is cool. Too bad I don't drink alcoholic beverages. I know most other US lounges charge for them.

I have generally found a good range of cereals, yoghurt, and pastries in the earlier morning.

10:30 is that dead time, I think. Still an hour or so before the afternoon nibblies (cheese etc.) go out.

The 'flagship' Empress Lounge in Vancouver had wraps, fresh fruit, cheese, cookies, ice cream, etc etc. Also had showers etc. Also had NEC Business Centre with *PRIVATE* work stations, with doors.

IMO AC MLLs are run by cheapskates. It would take very little to improve catering. In fairness though, MLL catering is *marginally* better than last year, but last year was worse than the previous year. IMO they should bring back the sparkling wine as well...

The MLL at Vancouver's international terminal wasn't too bad. I had a few things to drink, but didnt' really pay too much attention to the food offered. The business area is where I spent most of my time, phoning and using the computers to take care of a few things.

I missed out on using AC's arrival lounge last December, due to the horribly slow customs/immigration agents. The arrivals lounge are said to offer free buffets, and showers.. along with other amenities.

I had sandwiches in YVR Int'l MLL during the 20-hour AC3007 ordeal in Christmas. They served smoked salmon bagels/sandwiches and other yummies!

Also in YVR Int'l MLL, there are instant noodles available, but AC is not smart enough to place a hot water flask. Instead we had to get hot water from the coffee machine, which is too small for the noodle bowl. You have to hold the bowl, the hot water splashes all over your hands, and the styrofoam bowl gets extremely hot. It won't be long that someone will get hurt and it will be a big excuse for $$$ compensation.

I was in the YVR MLL last saturday morning at 7am and they had a nice spread...bagels, fruit, yoghurt, all the fixins. Maybe breakfast goes away just before you got there?
it was the MLL near the A gates.

Last week in the YVR Int'l MLL, there was only some cheese and crackers when I was waiting for AC3007. I remember when it was still an Empress Lounge, they had sushi and smoked salmon before and there is always a big lineup for it.

Food across the system in MLLs (and former Empress Clubs) is far from standard. Both lounges at YOW continue to serve hot soup and rolls, the only place I have found this offering. Though the morning spreads across the country are closest to a full continental breakfast buffet, as at the LHR Arrivals Lounge. [All that's missing is the cottage cheese... couldn't resist, since I actually don't mind the stuff at all and the meal critiqued on another topic is one of my regular light dinners for a sweltering hot summer evening.]

I have yet to encounter the offerings found in the CX lounge at YVR [among airport lounges in NAmerica], which include a wide range of steamed delicacies which make up a very fine dim sum.

Of course, there is nothing that can rival BA's pre-flight dining for its First class passengers ex-YYZ. There is an intimate dining room off the Executive Club lounge in T3 with buffet (soup/salad/desserts) and waiter service for main course and wines.

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 02-28-2001).]

I encountered them late last year - nice for a snack but their dim sum sucks. Ya'aint missin' much.

A very interesting question: I've stayed in thousands of hotel rooms during the course of my 23 year career with AC. Of course, the hotel bill has always been picked up by AC.
Much the same way that most business travellers hotel rooms are paid. By their company.

As an example, AC utilizes Hilton in a large number of cities. I have never once received as much as a free lunch from Hilton. They never offer me free cocktails, free food or anything approaching what an airline offers its frequent customers. Perhaps I have been satisfied up until now, because the courtesy has never been extended. I would probably rank among the top tier of Hilton frequent guests, if a count had been kept.

Also, I've never once been upgraded to a premium room due to my frequent customer status. Peculiar?

I've only been travelling about 4� years. But over the last couple of years, I've regularly received the offer of cocktails (but I don't drink), snacks, meals, airline points and tickets, cash, lots of free rooms, regular upgrades (recently to full suites, even at a weekend rate of $61, in Chicago), merchandise, refunds, waivers, trinkets like mugs and key chains, and on and on. A colleague recently received an award of a 54" projection TV from Marriott. In the near future, I expect to receive either a camcorder or a an HDTV from Hilton, unless I choose something else from their substantial catalogue. (One of those portable DVD players looks pretty cool too, but my next laptop might already have one.)

Perhaps you haven't received any of these things because, as an airline employee, you pay a fraction of what most of us do.

Or maybe they just don't like you.

Perhaps AC should just stop offering stuff to its frequent customers.

Think of the money they'd save.

purser@AC: With the rates that airline pays to accomodate their employees, don't you think it's even crazy to suggest that you be given other free stuff during your stay other than your room? Just today at YVR Hilton Airport when I was checking in, I saw a group of CX crews like a bunch of little kids asking the front desk staff to change rooms because others got a bigger room suite than other and they want the same.

Maybe AC or other airline should start giving all FA FF status and points while you work your flights since after all as you suggest business travellers gets points and free stuff while the company is picking up the bill. Business travellers gets the free upgrades and stuff because that's part of the incentive {including keeping FF points}that they get for travelling for the job. FA or other airline employees gets the discount travel and hotel as a benefit for their job so what else you expect? Maybe airline should start negotiating hotel status and airline status for their airline employees so they could get all the free stuff while they stay at their hotels.

[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 03-02-2001).]