Vaab
Oct 22, 02, 4:40 pm
First trip report - I hope it's okay!
After a long flight from BKK to LHR I was looking forward to getting home to Toronto. Once my upgrade from Economy to Executive First was squared away at the check-in desk, I was off to the Maple Leaf Lounge in T3 at LHR. There have been some changes with the MLL at LHR recently – they used to have a separate private room for their top tier members (Super Elite) but this has now been opened to everyone using the lounge because of an increase in passengers. The Thai Airways lounge has been closed permanently at LHR and, since Air Canada handles all TG flights in and out of LHR, I guess it makes sense for their premium passengers to be directed to the MLL. Also, the SAS lounge at LHR is closed for refurbishment for a few months so their premium passengers are also being directed to the MLL. SK has also installed a small desk at the front of the MLL staffed by a SK employee, and the MLL now has newspapers in Danish, Swedish, etc. Needless to say, it was busy!
Anyway, I had a couple of drinks and some snacks before heading off to gate 28 for the flight to Toronto. Once in the gate area, Air Canada had a nice selection of magazines set out at the gate for all pax boarding. Selection included the new edition of Vanity Fair (the Music edition) as well as OK! and some others.
Once boarded, I had a brief chat with two of the FA’s in the front cabin and then was comfortably settled in my window seat, 5K, on the A330-300 – one of my favourites of the AC fleet. The seat was in the last row of the front J class section. The seating in the front cabin is 2-2-2 and there is plenty of room, pitch is good, seats are comfortable. In the front section there were only 22/32 seats occupied and the one next to me was empty. There is a small second J class section with additional 12 seats behined the galley/washrooms, and it looked like there were 4 people back there. Just before the door was closed one of Air Canada’s Concierge came on board to ask how my vacation was and if I needed anything before departure or on landing in Toronto. This is a nice touch for Air Canada's SE members and the Concierge in LHR have saved my butt a couple of times in the past. I have said it often on Flyertalk, but the AC staff at LHR are great, especially the Concierge - they are amazing people and can work sometimes work miracles.
Flight attendants then came around with a pre-departure drink – choice of juice, water or champagne. I had juice and – surprise – it was Mango juice. Once I downed that the FA asked if I wanted more – so I asked for half mango/half champagne. Yum yum!
Once we took off they announced a flight time of 6.5 hours and started the service. There is a new J class service on this route, which started about 6 weeks ago and is being introduced to all International routes over the next little while. It includes a more personalized, restaurant-style service, as well as more Canadian-inspired, International and vegetarian choices for meals. Well, I have to say that I was quite impressed. I asked one of the FA’s about the “new and improved” service and he said that it was definitely new but he would check back with me at the end of the flight to see if I thought it was improved. Nice touch there!
The FA’s passed out today’s menu as well as newspapers and headsets, and also came around with a trolley of magazines on offer, including Vanity Fair, Wallpaper, Newsweek, Time, etc. Unfortunately, the wine list wasn’t loaded on this flight but this was the menu for meal choices:
DINNER
SPIRITED DEBUT
In addition to our full bar listing, we are pleased to feature today Northern Lights, a refreshing blend of Newfoundland-made Iceberg vodka, one of the world’s finest, mixed with cranberry juice and a splash of Grande Marnier Liqueur…Cheers!
OPENING ACT
Marinated Lamb with Pear and Vegetables (Canadian Signature Speciality)
or
Crepe filled with Cream Cheese and Herbs, accompanied by Asparagus and grilled Vegetables
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Filet of Beef marinated in Balsamic and Maple Syrup, offered on Wild Rice Panache, Broad Beans (Canadian Signature Speciality)
or
Grilled Scallop Brochette served over Singapore Noodles and Chili Sauce
or
Baked Eggplant with Ratatouille presented on Pesto Linguine and Pumpkin Sauce
SIMPLY INDULGENT
A selection of fine port, gourmet cheese and fresh fruit – plus today’s desert selection:
Passion Fruit Cheesecake
or
Apple Tart
INTERMISSION
Enjoy Ice Cream and freshly-baked “Ultimate” cookies during the movie
LITE BITES
Your choice of:
Chicken Tikka Kebabs
Mini Pizzas
Mixed Greens with dressing
Fruit Scones, Clotted Cream, Jam
We started with a beverage service accompanied by a bowl of warmed nuts. I haven’t had hot nuts on an Air Canada flight in recent memory – no comments please - so this was a welcome treat! I asked how the speciality cocktail was - it sounded good - and the FA said he would whip one up and, if I didn't like, it, would be pleased to get me something else. It was very good.
Once everyone was settled with a drink and offered more warmed nuts, dinner orders were taken. I decided on the lamb appetizer and the scallops. As I said, this is the new service and everything is plated in the galley and then delivered individually to your seat. Tablecloth was laid as well as a plate for a dinner roll, a ramekin of whipped butter, cutlery (all plastic) and napkin, and a wine glass. Some of you may recall that Air Canada had quite puny wine glasses. They have now gone to full-blown goblets that probably hold at least 16 oz of wine. The appetizer was delivered shortly thereafter – three slices of lamb served cold, pink in the middle, served with a poached pear, vegetables as well as a white bean salad with diced black olives and onion. It was pretty darn good. Accompanied by choice of three breads, all of which were good as well.
As I said there was no wine list loaded but the selections were the typical two reds (Canadian and Californian), two whites (Canadian and French). I was drinking the white from the Alsace and it was okay. Maybe the wine list looks more impressive - I know in the past that it is extensive but only two types of white and red from the list are loaded for a flight.
Once I was finished the appetizer and it was cleared away, the main course arrived. This is really where I noticed the improved service. The scallop brochettes and noodles were served in a large round pasta bowl – probably 10 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. There was a generous helping of multi-coloured noodles in a sweet tangy spicy chili sauce and, atop this, two brochettes of large, tender, tasty scallops. There were 4 on each brochette, each wrapped individually with a long strip of green or yellow zucchini, interspersed with onions and mushrooms on the skewer. It was the best meal I have ever had on an aircraft and I let them know.
Throughout I was offered more wine as well as water and additional bread. I was stuffed by the time I was finished but this was then followed by the cheese and fruit course, and a glass of port (served in the old Air Canada wineglasses – it was HUGE!). The cheese on this flight included some sort of British Cheddar, Stilton, Camembert, and something I hadn’t heard of called Mull of Kintyre (which was super!). You could pick and choose which ones you wanted, plated at your seat by the FA, and this was accompanied by your choice of dried (figs, apricots, prunes) and fresh (apple) fruit as well as rounds of toast.
Once this was cleared away we had desert service, on the trolley, with coffee or tea, and a selection of liqueurs (Cointreau, Drambuie, Bailey’s etc). I had the apple tart and some Drambuie as well as a coffee. Once this was served the purser came back and asked what I thought of the service. I told him I thought it was very good, and asked how THEY liked it. He said they were still getting some of the bugs worked out but did say that on the outbound (YYZ-LHR) the service was actually shorter than before. This has been a complaint of J class passengers in the past – a 2-hour meal service on a 7-hour flight. Anyway, he seemed happy and was glad that I was pleased with the service.
One of the reasons I like Air Canada’s A330 is the Available On Demand entertainment system. It allows you to watch something and pause it while you speak with the FA or use the washroom, or even watch something else for a short time. On this flight there were 18 movies available, classified into groups such as Hollywood (Men In Black 2, Panic Room, Minority Report, etc.), Avant Garde (foreign or lower budget films), Classics (Goldfinger, To Kill a Mockingbird, Priscilla Queen of the Desert) and a section of Canadian Films. There were also TV shows (Friends, Get Smart, Nigella Bites) and 5 CD’s in the Audio section. The system also allows you to create your own playlist choosing from the 5 CD. Anyway, I watched Minority Report and To Kill a Mockingbird. My water bottle was either topped up or replaced everytime I emptied it. I did have some questions about the entertainment system and the FA said that there was an even different one coming on the new A340-500’s being delivered shortly, which means that there will be at least 3 different systems on the A330, A340-300 and A340-500.
About 2 hours after dinner we were offered Ice Cream and Cookies. They looked good but I had to pass – I just had a coffee. And shortly before landing I was offered a selection of the nibbly bits, but again, I had to pass but they looked and smelled great. I was stuffed! This is a lot of food for a 6.5 hour flight. I am a big guy and can eat – I don’t know where everyone else was putting it!
I also had a nice chat with one of the FA’s about our respective vacations in Thailand – his in the North and mine in the South, and which was better, as well as our experiences on Thai Airways. He was a great guy and did a great job. It was nice to chat with him. In fact, all of the FAs on this flight were exceptional and it’s been some time since I have seen such an outgoing, friendly, professional group. I hope it filters down to all of theother staff at Air Canada.
Overall, this was one of the best flights I have had with Air Canada, or any other airline (then again I haven't flown Cathay or Singapore before!). I hope that they keep up the good work. Of course, maybe the fact that I was stuck in Y on TG for 12.5 hours shortly before this flight was like putting on rose coloured glasses!
Either way, good work!
After a long flight from BKK to LHR I was looking forward to getting home to Toronto. Once my upgrade from Economy to Executive First was squared away at the check-in desk, I was off to the Maple Leaf Lounge in T3 at LHR. There have been some changes with the MLL at LHR recently – they used to have a separate private room for their top tier members (Super Elite) but this has now been opened to everyone using the lounge because of an increase in passengers. The Thai Airways lounge has been closed permanently at LHR and, since Air Canada handles all TG flights in and out of LHR, I guess it makes sense for their premium passengers to be directed to the MLL. Also, the SAS lounge at LHR is closed for refurbishment for a few months so their premium passengers are also being directed to the MLL. SK has also installed a small desk at the front of the MLL staffed by a SK employee, and the MLL now has newspapers in Danish, Swedish, etc. Needless to say, it was busy!
Anyway, I had a couple of drinks and some snacks before heading off to gate 28 for the flight to Toronto. Once in the gate area, Air Canada had a nice selection of magazines set out at the gate for all pax boarding. Selection included the new edition of Vanity Fair (the Music edition) as well as OK! and some others.
Once boarded, I had a brief chat with two of the FA’s in the front cabin and then was comfortably settled in my window seat, 5K, on the A330-300 – one of my favourites of the AC fleet. The seat was in the last row of the front J class section. The seating in the front cabin is 2-2-2 and there is plenty of room, pitch is good, seats are comfortable. In the front section there were only 22/32 seats occupied and the one next to me was empty. There is a small second J class section with additional 12 seats behined the galley/washrooms, and it looked like there were 4 people back there. Just before the door was closed one of Air Canada’s Concierge came on board to ask how my vacation was and if I needed anything before departure or on landing in Toronto. This is a nice touch for Air Canada's SE members and the Concierge in LHR have saved my butt a couple of times in the past. I have said it often on Flyertalk, but the AC staff at LHR are great, especially the Concierge - they are amazing people and can work sometimes work miracles.
Flight attendants then came around with a pre-departure drink – choice of juice, water or champagne. I had juice and – surprise – it was Mango juice. Once I downed that the FA asked if I wanted more – so I asked for half mango/half champagne. Yum yum!
Once we took off they announced a flight time of 6.5 hours and started the service. There is a new J class service on this route, which started about 6 weeks ago and is being introduced to all International routes over the next little while. It includes a more personalized, restaurant-style service, as well as more Canadian-inspired, International and vegetarian choices for meals. Well, I have to say that I was quite impressed. I asked one of the FA’s about the “new and improved” service and he said that it was definitely new but he would check back with me at the end of the flight to see if I thought it was improved. Nice touch there!
The FA’s passed out today’s menu as well as newspapers and headsets, and also came around with a trolley of magazines on offer, including Vanity Fair, Wallpaper, Newsweek, Time, etc. Unfortunately, the wine list wasn’t loaded on this flight but this was the menu for meal choices:
DINNER
SPIRITED DEBUT
In addition to our full bar listing, we are pleased to feature today Northern Lights, a refreshing blend of Newfoundland-made Iceberg vodka, one of the world’s finest, mixed with cranberry juice and a splash of Grande Marnier Liqueur…Cheers!
OPENING ACT
Marinated Lamb with Pear and Vegetables (Canadian Signature Speciality)
or
Crepe filled with Cream Cheese and Herbs, accompanied by Asparagus and grilled Vegetables
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Filet of Beef marinated in Balsamic and Maple Syrup, offered on Wild Rice Panache, Broad Beans (Canadian Signature Speciality)
or
Grilled Scallop Brochette served over Singapore Noodles and Chili Sauce
or
Baked Eggplant with Ratatouille presented on Pesto Linguine and Pumpkin Sauce
SIMPLY INDULGENT
A selection of fine port, gourmet cheese and fresh fruit – plus today’s desert selection:
Passion Fruit Cheesecake
or
Apple Tart
INTERMISSION
Enjoy Ice Cream and freshly-baked “Ultimate” cookies during the movie
LITE BITES
Your choice of:
Chicken Tikka Kebabs
Mini Pizzas
Mixed Greens with dressing
Fruit Scones, Clotted Cream, Jam
We started with a beverage service accompanied by a bowl of warmed nuts. I haven’t had hot nuts on an Air Canada flight in recent memory – no comments please - so this was a welcome treat! I asked how the speciality cocktail was - it sounded good - and the FA said he would whip one up and, if I didn't like, it, would be pleased to get me something else. It was very good.
Once everyone was settled with a drink and offered more warmed nuts, dinner orders were taken. I decided on the lamb appetizer and the scallops. As I said, this is the new service and everything is plated in the galley and then delivered individually to your seat. Tablecloth was laid as well as a plate for a dinner roll, a ramekin of whipped butter, cutlery (all plastic) and napkin, and a wine glass. Some of you may recall that Air Canada had quite puny wine glasses. They have now gone to full-blown goblets that probably hold at least 16 oz of wine. The appetizer was delivered shortly thereafter – three slices of lamb served cold, pink in the middle, served with a poached pear, vegetables as well as a white bean salad with diced black olives and onion. It was pretty darn good. Accompanied by choice of three breads, all of which were good as well.
As I said there was no wine list loaded but the selections were the typical two reds (Canadian and Californian), two whites (Canadian and French). I was drinking the white from the Alsace and it was okay. Maybe the wine list looks more impressive - I know in the past that it is extensive but only two types of white and red from the list are loaded for a flight.
Once I was finished the appetizer and it was cleared away, the main course arrived. This is really where I noticed the improved service. The scallop brochettes and noodles were served in a large round pasta bowl – probably 10 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep. There was a generous helping of multi-coloured noodles in a sweet tangy spicy chili sauce and, atop this, two brochettes of large, tender, tasty scallops. There were 4 on each brochette, each wrapped individually with a long strip of green or yellow zucchini, interspersed with onions and mushrooms on the skewer. It was the best meal I have ever had on an aircraft and I let them know.
Throughout I was offered more wine as well as water and additional bread. I was stuffed by the time I was finished but this was then followed by the cheese and fruit course, and a glass of port (served in the old Air Canada wineglasses – it was HUGE!). The cheese on this flight included some sort of British Cheddar, Stilton, Camembert, and something I hadn’t heard of called Mull of Kintyre (which was super!). You could pick and choose which ones you wanted, plated at your seat by the FA, and this was accompanied by your choice of dried (figs, apricots, prunes) and fresh (apple) fruit as well as rounds of toast.
Once this was cleared away we had desert service, on the trolley, with coffee or tea, and a selection of liqueurs (Cointreau, Drambuie, Bailey’s etc). I had the apple tart and some Drambuie as well as a coffee. Once this was served the purser came back and asked what I thought of the service. I told him I thought it was very good, and asked how THEY liked it. He said they were still getting some of the bugs worked out but did say that on the outbound (YYZ-LHR) the service was actually shorter than before. This has been a complaint of J class passengers in the past – a 2-hour meal service on a 7-hour flight. Anyway, he seemed happy and was glad that I was pleased with the service.
One of the reasons I like Air Canada’s A330 is the Available On Demand entertainment system. It allows you to watch something and pause it while you speak with the FA or use the washroom, or even watch something else for a short time. On this flight there were 18 movies available, classified into groups such as Hollywood (Men In Black 2, Panic Room, Minority Report, etc.), Avant Garde (foreign or lower budget films), Classics (Goldfinger, To Kill a Mockingbird, Priscilla Queen of the Desert) and a section of Canadian Films. There were also TV shows (Friends, Get Smart, Nigella Bites) and 5 CD’s in the Audio section. The system also allows you to create your own playlist choosing from the 5 CD. Anyway, I watched Minority Report and To Kill a Mockingbird. My water bottle was either topped up or replaced everytime I emptied it. I did have some questions about the entertainment system and the FA said that there was an even different one coming on the new A340-500’s being delivered shortly, which means that there will be at least 3 different systems on the A330, A340-300 and A340-500.
About 2 hours after dinner we were offered Ice Cream and Cookies. They looked good but I had to pass – I just had a coffee. And shortly before landing I was offered a selection of the nibbly bits, but again, I had to pass but they looked and smelled great. I was stuffed! This is a lot of food for a 6.5 hour flight. I am a big guy and can eat – I don’t know where everyone else was putting it!
I also had a nice chat with one of the FA’s about our respective vacations in Thailand – his in the North and mine in the South, and which was better, as well as our experiences on Thai Airways. He was a great guy and did a great job. It was nice to chat with him. In fact, all of the FAs on this flight were exceptional and it’s been some time since I have seen such an outgoing, friendly, professional group. I hope it filters down to all of theother staff at Air Canada.
Overall, this was one of the best flights I have had with Air Canada, or any other airline (then again I haven't flown Cathay or Singapore before!). I hope that they keep up the good work. Of course, maybe the fact that I was stuck in Y on TG for 12.5 hours shortly before this flight was like putting on rose coloured glasses!
Either way, good work!