Flight/Origin-Destination: AC 876/YYZ-FRA
Date: 8/21/10
Cabin: J
Status: AC*E

Pre departure
Was check in quick and efficient? Yes (online)
Did you use priority security (if eligible) and if so, was it quick and efficient? Yes
Did you use the Maple Leaf lounge and if so, any feedback in regards to service, food and drinks? No time.
Was priority boarding offered (if applicable to your status) and efficient? Yes. There was a GA who checked boarding passes and status and redirected others to the general boarding line.
If there was a delay, did the gate agent provide timely updates? n/a

Onboard - J cabin:
Were the crew professional & well groomed? Yes
If there was a delay, were you provided with timely updates? Yes
Was the IFE activated on the ground? Yes
Was a pre-departure beverage offered on the ground? Yes
Did crew offer to hang your jacket? n/a
Were newspapers & menus distributed and meal orders taken (Please specify when meal orders were taken - on the ground or in the air)? Menus in seat prior to boarding. Newspapers offered shortly after boarding. Meal orders taken in the air.
Did crew offer a hot towel prior to the meal service? Yes
Approximately how long after take off did it take for the first meal service to be completed? (From takeoff to all items collected) Too long. I ordered the express meal and it was over 1.5 hours.
How was the quality of all the meals? Poor - I think they took my original VLML from coach and plopped it on a plate (I had my upgrade confirmed several days prior, so I would have assumed there was sufficient time to order a J-class VLML). FA should have given me the veggie option from the menu (if I had known how bad the meal would be, I would have insisted on substituting it in the beginning).
Did the cabin crew continiously top up the beverage of your choice throughout the flight? Yes

Post departure
If you have checked baggage, did it arrive within reasonable period of time? n/a

Overall experience/any other comments
I find that the J cabin experience is really hit-and-miss with AC. A few times I have received superior attention and service and at other times it is mediocre at best. This time around was one of the worst I've experienced - when I first boarded, there was something caked onto my seat (looked like chocolate rubbed into the head rest). When I asked the FA for a towelette or something to clean it up, I was told to get some papertowels from the lavatory and to take care of it myself. I can imagine that in Y class, but J class?? Very disappointing. The FA also forgot that I had ordered the express meal (so it took more time to get it together than normal) and as mentioned above, the meal was terrible.