Originally Posted by
hangpilot
AC is nothing to get excited about. Nice soft product and people, but the seat and food are just OK. Plus you have the hassle of connecting through Canada. I recently flew GVA-YUL-CLE, and AC couldn't print out YUL-CLE (CO) boarding passes in GVA, or airside before immigration in YUL, so I had to rush landside. Turned into a bit of a PITA.
While I always favor non-stops itineraries t ones that involve stops, I can understand that cost is a consideration.
I'm a little surprised, though, by your assessment of AC's J. Their overseas fleet is entirely full flat, and there is always direct aisle access from every seat. Their 767 is 1-1-1 and their 777 is 1-2-1.
Most of the CO 767's are still not lie-flat, instead they still have the very old-school Bracaloungers with the loop style IFE. But even once they are converted to lie-flat and AVOD (2 of their 767's are already converted), they will still be 2-1-2, meaning direct aisle access only from some of the seats, and the only one in which you won't have someone crawling all over you is the central aisle seat.
AC also has excellent AVOD and the catering is very good. Finally the Canadian gateways at YYZ and YUL have U.S. pre-clearance, so once you get on the connection to IAH you are flying a U.S. domestic flight.
If cost is a consideration, I would pick AC over CO in a heartbeat in J.