I flew YOW-YWG on Tango last weekend for the first time because the recent (and apparently short-lived) schedule enhancements made it possible to get flights at decent hours.

The outbound trip had a connection in YYZ but both flights turned out to be operated using the same plane: fin 403. This must have been a substitute aircraft because even though it is an ex-CP A320 painted in Tango colours with CP seats in the rear and no phones, it also has a J cabin with 5 rows of AC J seats in the front (also with no phones). I had reserved a seat in row 6 for these segments, which doesn't exist when there is a J cabin. For both flights, I was reassigned to a business class seat, probably because of my Elite status. (I guess there are times when status does matter.)

The return flight was a Tango 737, which had 19 rows of 6 seats to give a total of 114 rather than the 117 advertised in all the press releases. They had moved row 9 back a few inches so they could put in a window seat just behind the emergency exit, so people sitting in front of row 9 now have a generous 33" pitch. This was one of the 737s without an A/V system, which seems weird considering the distances some of these flights operate. I would have thought that the planes without an A/V system would have been assigned to Zip and those with A/V to Tango. Due to a catering error, a standard AC snack was loaded rather than the usual Tango for sale items. So we received the same free snack service that AC offers on its mainline flights between YWG and YOW (including free soft drinks and coffee).

I certainly had trouble recognising the Tango brand. But the ticket cost $200 less.

Despite the long weekend (I was flying Friday evening and Tuesday afternoon) and the J cabin on the outbound flights, none of the planes were full.