Flight/Origin-Destination: YVR>YEG(AC 234)
Date: 2013-Aug-11
Cabin: J

Pre departure
Was check in quick and efficient? Yes. Arrived at gate a bit after printed boarding-time, owing to ground delay waiting for a ramp crew on my inbound micro-hop from YCD. Got to gate just as the agent was calling my name ("is Dr. [Mevlannen] in the boarding area?). Was heartened to receive an op-up for this segment. Quite the delightful surprise, that was.

Did you use priority security (if eligible) and if so, was it quick and efficient?
Cleared in YCD, where the CATSA workers are cheerful and efficient. Nothing to it! Free coffee in the YCD boarding lounge, too!

Did you use the Maple Leaf lounge and if so, any feedback in regards to service, food and drinks?
In YEG lounge right now, where the choice is between 'Thai red curry chicken and rice' and 'garden vegetable' for soups. I shudder to think of what 'non-garden vegetable' would be.... Anyway, lounge is quiet, and the dragon was content to scan my BP without seeing my card.

Was priority boarding offered (if applicable to your status) and efficient?
Yup, and yup.

If there was a delay, did the gate agent provide timely updates? N/A, if anything we were a wee tad early on push-back. There was some sort of minor maintenance issue (a light-bulb?) but the YVR Sparky and Wrench guys fixed it. I heard some hammering.

Onboard - Y cabin:
Were the crew professional & well groomed?
Yuppers, absolutely. I was the first to board, arriving in the midst of a cabin-crew huddle in the J-cabin. We all had a good checkle at my having announced myself as 'self-loading freight'. (Well, I **am**, after all....). The SD, Dominique, was equally pleasant in both official languages, although there was a slight hiccough when she announced that we were going to YYC (en anglais) but to YEG (in French).

If there was a delay, were you provided with timely updates? N/A

Was the IFE activated on the ground?
Have no idea, never use it.

Approximately how long after take off did it take for the first meal service/Onboard cafe to begin?
Just as soon as the seatbel;t light came off, also came out the omelette trays. No chips'n'chocos, though.

How was the quality of the meal/Onboard cafe? As usual. Coffee was vastly improved by two shots of Johnnie Walker poured into it (per my habitual request).

Did the cabin crew offer water regularly throughout the flight? Nope, but there was an offer of more orange-juice with the breakfast.

Post departure
If you have checked baggage, did it arrive within reasonable period of time? Not there yet, have yet to trundle on up to YQU, where I fully expect my priority-tagged bags to come out last, as always.

In summary...
Okay so far. The people **always** make the difference!