Beware of Old 763's on YVR-HNL route
#61
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: hnl
Posts: 241
Air Canada just undertook a significant investment to get these airplanes (fins 687/689 and 690) into good condition. There are new seats, new carpets, refurbished premium seats and other modifications to get these airplanes into good condition for flying. I personally visited the aircraft and found them to be in relatively good shape.
#62
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: AC*SE, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 108
Flew YYC-PUJ on two of these planes over the past week and they were not the horror story that you would think.
We had a comfortable ride in J and for only $300 extra per AC Vacations package for a 7+ hour flight.
Would I have liked an XM aircraft? Yes.
Did I pay for an XM aircraft? No.
Overall no complaints...
We had a comfortable ride in J and for only $300 extra per AC Vacations package for a 7+ hour flight.
Would I have liked an XM aircraft? Yes.
Did I pay for an XM aircraft? No.
Overall no complaints...
#63
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Toronto YYZ UA-1K 1MM,QFgold
Programs: Royal Ambassador/ SPG Platinum 75/Marriott gold
Posts: 14,283
My expectations are that I will be in an airplane that is in good operational condition...Not have rips in my seats, not have the tray tables fall apart, not have the lavatory door break.
Also, my expectations is that I will be honor with the seat that I was checked into, that shows on my printed boarding pass....And that AC does not move me to the last row, in favour of their own employees flying...
Also, my expectations is that I will be honor with the seat that I was checked into, that shows on my printed boarding pass....And that AC does not move me to the last row, in favour of their own employees flying...
#64
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YVR
Programs: AC*E, Fairmont PG, Starwood Gold, Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 118
WS' satellite service cuts out 30 minutes beyond YYJ, so no pay-per view for the remainder of the flight. Bell doesn't have satellite coverage beyond YYJ...
#65
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: toronto
Posts: 913
My expectations are that I will be in an airplane that is in good operational condition...Not have rips in my seats, not have the tray tables fall apart, not have the lavatory door break.
Also, my expectations is that I will be honor with the seat that I was checked into, that shows on my printed boarding pass....And that AC does not move me to the last row, in favour of their own employees flying...
Also, my expectations is that I will be honor with the seat that I was checked into, that shows on my printed boarding pass....And that AC does not move me to the last row, in favour of their own employees flying...
#68
Join Date: May 2007
Location: YOW
Posts: 2,351
I think I was on the same flight as Commie to HNL (unless the doors are falling off every night ). I was sitting in row 2 but I am not an AC employee and I booked that seat months ago so I didn't steal it from you.
The door coming off of the lav was by far the most entertaining part of the flight. The FA said that the doors are designed to come off though in case someone in a wheelchair needs to use it. So just be gentle if you are on one of these planes.
I would suggest avoiding row 1 and row 2 in the middle aisle. The reason for avoiding row 1 is that the row 2 reading light will be in your face if they turn it in. Row 2 is the real one to avoid though. The projector shakes and I wouldn't be surprised to see it come apart (on my return it was much sturdier so it might just be on one fin).
The best seats would be 1AC and 1HK. The rest of the seats are really tight, I would rather be in an E+ exit row than in those things.
On the return they had a movie from 2009 (The Informant) so they must have dug up a VHS copy of that somewhere. The second feature was Working Girl - a great movie for the kiddies.
The crews for both of my flights were excellent. On the return it seemed as though the whole crew was working the front cabin because they all seemed to be there the whole time (probably making sure that the lav door stayed on). The return was on a different fin though because on that plane the reading lights weren't working so they kept the cabin lights on the whole flight which was a bit annoying.
If anyone saw some weirdo hauling pineapples back today between Honolulu and Ottawa that would have been me .
One last thing, I was disappointed in it being on this junker. I booked this flight back in February and was expecting to be on a 330 (I forget if this was before they started to XM them but it would still have been a better plane than what is being used). I learned of the change a few months ago and figured I would survive but if I go next year I may have to look into other options (or just another destination - three pineapples is pretty heavy to lug around airports all day...)
The door coming off of the lav was by far the most entertaining part of the flight. The FA said that the doors are designed to come off though in case someone in a wheelchair needs to use it. So just be gentle if you are on one of these planes.
I would suggest avoiding row 1 and row 2 in the middle aisle. The reason for avoiding row 1 is that the row 2 reading light will be in your face if they turn it in. Row 2 is the real one to avoid though. The projector shakes and I wouldn't be surprised to see it come apart (on my return it was much sturdier so it might just be on one fin).
The best seats would be 1AC and 1HK. The rest of the seats are really tight, I would rather be in an E+ exit row than in those things.
On the return they had a movie from 2009 (The Informant) so they must have dug up a VHS copy of that somewhere. The second feature was Working Girl - a great movie for the kiddies.
The crews for both of my flights were excellent. On the return it seemed as though the whole crew was working the front cabin because they all seemed to be there the whole time (probably making sure that the lav door stayed on). The return was on a different fin though because on that plane the reading lights weren't working so they kept the cabin lights on the whole flight which was a bit annoying.
If anyone saw some weirdo hauling pineapples back today between Honolulu and Ottawa that would have been me .
One last thing, I was disappointed in it being on this junker. I booked this flight back in February and was expecting to be on a 330 (I forget if this was before they started to XM them but it would still have been a better plane than what is being used). I learned of the change a few months ago and figured I would survive but if I go next year I may have to look into other options (or just another destination - three pineapples is pretty heavy to lug around airports all day...)
#69
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 67
When these aircraft were put back into service they ferried out of YMX (Mirabel) to YVR, the "J" seats are the old seats from the 767-200 airplanes, some the econo seats are new, some have just been recovered with dirty covers from other aircraft, the old vibrant green ones are gone though.
Ramp Roscoe
Ramp Roscoe
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Vancouver
Programs: AE
Posts: 10,566
Note to lurkers: the cost in damage to your brand promise from these junkers is far higher than what you think you are "saving".
I wonder how much money was thrown by AC into Olympic sponsorship? A far better ROI would have come from keeping your existing customers happy.
I wonder how much money was thrown by AC into Olympic sponsorship? A far better ROI would have come from keeping your existing customers happy.
#72
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,393
I'm plenty satisfied with the brand when I fly to Europe or Asia. Frankly, when I fly to Hawaii I want the cheapest fare, and if it's not on AC, it's on somebody else. I wouldn't want to pay extra to have an XM aircraft. If Boeing hadn't screwed up so much on the 787, AC would be getting its first ones around now and these non-XM aircraft wouldn't be around, but that's life, and it's not a hardship.
#73
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YWG
Programs: AC SE100, SPG Plat, Visa Inf Priv
Posts: 509
Note to lurkers: the cost in damage to your brand promise from these junkers is far higher than what you think you are "saving".
I wonder how much money was thrown by AC into Olympic sponsorship? A far better ROI would have come from keeping your existing customers happy.
I wonder how much money was thrown by AC into Olympic sponsorship? A far better ROI would have come from keeping your existing customers happy.
It appears that UAL offers a "slightly" better product through ORD or DEN. Unfortunately, Continental (thru IAH) is a bit out of the way (nice product), and DL isn't anything like what NWA once was to HI.
Come on AC, put these non-XM 763s on your charter routes to Mexico and the Carib destinations (and / or give away "Y+" to your SE/E). $1500 OW for J (Y+) on a non-XM 763 to OGG is crazy. You've raised the bar with your domestic and int'l product, consistency is key.
#74
Join Date: May 2007
Location: YYZ, but my heart is in Asia
Programs: AC-SE, CX-DM, DL-G, Hyatt-DM, Hilton-DM, Fairmont-Plt, Marriott-S, Accor-Plt, SPG-G, IHG-Plt
Posts: 4,396
I thought AC is using them on the YYZ/YUL - ATH/BCN routes in the summer. These will be all Y service.
#75
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
I'm plenty satisfied with the brand when I fly to Europe or Asia. Frankly, when I fly to Hawaii I want the cheapest fare, and if it's not on AC, it's on somebody else. I wouldn't want to pay extra to have an XM aircraft. If Boeing hadn't screwed up so much on the 787, AC would be getting its first ones around now and these non-XM aircraft wouldn't be around, but that's life, and it's not a hardship.