AC3648 YYC-YYZ 08-Sep is showing a 767-300ER with 2-2-2 seating. Could it be?

I knew i should have booked the flight myself instead of letting the FA pick an afternoon flight...

There is purple elvis and she has couple of relatives... There are a couple of domestic 2-2-2 J CP metals flying around and you really don't get much choice flying YYC-YYZ since it's either A320 or a 763 from the purple elvis family. I've been on one of those 2-2-2 J, yuck!

Good Luck!

Pardon my ignorance ... but what exactly is the issue with Purple Elvis and her derivatives?

SimonC

These are a series of leased aircraft CP contracted from a Spanish airline. They don't have the usual CP domestic J-class seating, and have a velvet-like seat covering which is not very comfortable after an hour or so of flying. There are other things too, but I suggest you do a search for Purple Elvis and enjoy the horror stories.

I think part of the aversion to this particular group of aircract comes from the fact we have been spoiled by the flying of international version 767s on our transcons, and find it a real downer to not find those great sleeper seats. AC has a mix of 767s on many of their transcons, too, but their more standard amenities and regular AC seats are more recognizable to us, and thus do not foment the hostilities that Purple Elvis and his cronies do.

My recent trip on 3648 was an international 763. Downside was that this flight is consistently late, an as the a/c was sched to do trans-atlantic, we were dumped at T-1 and treated to a cattle call shuttle service to T2. Could have walked the tunnel faster, but they would not allow us into the main T-1 terminal to access the tunnel.

[This message has been edited by I'llMissCP (edited 09-08-2001).]

AC is not allowed to have non-international passengers in the international section of T1 anymore, due to Canada Customs regulations.

whew, no purple elvis...

As I was running late, I wasn't able to get a good look at the fin number but it looked like 652 and C-GGFJ which should've been an elvis - it even had the 4/doors a side configuration.

However, once inside, the cabin was typical AC(greenish-grey) and looked like it had just come in off a trans-pac flight (chinese newspapers in J). Decent seat pitch with firm and comfortable seats.

The cabin was probably a third full - with at least two AC FA's deadheading. One of them had an AC laptop and was showing this flowchart titled "Crew Response Procedures". It had a two-way fork up at the top of the process - I guess that one is for normal passengers, and the other is for frequent flyers like us!

We were served this cold chicken dish for "lunch" (lunch at 6:00 pm EST?)- not bad, except that it wasn't quite what i'd expect in a long-haul flight straddling dinner time at destination. Oh well, as long as they were happy saving their $1.49...

side note: when I asked the gate agent about the "interior", he kinda looked at me funny and replied that it wasn't a "flying elvis". Hilarious!

Fin 652 is still one of those leased birds with Spanish signs. Last I was on it, it was the most uncomfortable seats in J, worse than an original AC 762. The projector system was so bad, you could not even watch the screen without getting nausious.

Its time AC refit all their birds to have a consisten interior. When I pay $3k for a J ticket, and it is a crap shoot on the type of service, including interior comfort, meals etc, it is no wonder that business is dropping.

I agree, at least in the old days it was a safe bet that on AC, a North American 767 had J amenities roughly equal to an A320 or A319, and on CP, 767s were better but the A320 and A319 were consistent, and 737 was slightly inferior (and usually used on shorter routes, but not always, e.g. YOW-YVR).

Now you can't even count on a domestic 767 being as good as an A320!

andrew

'Tis a ghastly aeroplane.

Illmisscp, don't forget to write to AC and complain about PE, you are entitled to a whopping 75$ AC voucher for the experience!

1D

Tail 652 is not the Purple Elvis and I still think it's a joke that you are asking AC for compensation because you flew on the Purple Elvis.

Btw, I think the Purple Elvis is on its way out. Tail 651 has been shipped to AN on Aug 31.

Empress, my fare was 3700$. Three cabin crew for entire J Class...told to wait until they had finished crew meals for service. No French signage Happened twice.

I'm sorry our attitudes differ, I guess I am being petty but I prefer to stand up for myself.

1D

Did you really need French signage? You seem to read and write in English pretty well.

However I feel you have every reason to complain about the substandard level of service and comfort on your flight. They ought to compensate more than $75. I think a $500 voucher would be more acceptable.

Suppose some of you paid top dollar for an Executive First ticket YYZ-LHR on a 747-400, and at the last minute they substituted the aircraft with a 767-200 in 2-2-2 J config. Wouldn't you expect compensation?

[This message has been edited by FlyerAl (edited 09-09-2001).]

I hate the Purple Elvis as much as anyone else. However, I have to disagree with you FlyerAl...

When you travel international, you were promised Executive First service, so if you were offered Domestic Executive Class service instead, then of course you have a case for complaint and even compensation. However, on domestic/transborder flights, you were only promised Domestic Executive Class service. Most of us are spoiled by the fact that AC uses a lot of international J aircrafts on domestic routes. If you are unfortunate enough to end up on the Purple Elvis, then I would just take it as bad luck. AC offering you compensation is one thing but I don't think it should be expected, needless to say, your proposed $500 voucher idea is ridiculous. Find me another airline that flies that many international J aircrafts on domestic routes, I don't think even your beloved AA does.