Originally Posted by
YYZC2
I stand to be corrected on this but I believe the red stars are reserved for routes to which AC has either dedicated XM planes or is very confident they can supply XM aircraft for. The other routes are essentially toss-ups and while you may get an XM aircraft, you may not, and as such AC doesn't set the expectation of such.
I know that I have flown on 767 flights that while not "red-starred" online, did feature XM amenities onboard.
This is true, but the logic AC uses baffles me since YYZ-LHR is its premier transAtlantic route and one would think it would ensure every 763 flying it -- save for the summer tourist sked -- would be XMd even if it means taking a plane off another route should the original aircraft go technical. Like you, I've had my pleasant surprises when the aircraft I booked didn't have a star beside it turned out to be a XM'd one...763s as well as narrow body airbuses for it seems AC does not mark any of these latter aircraft as it does the Embraers and CRAs.