polarpacific

Hello Ben

Could you please ask the AC department responsible for the website to include Singapore on the drop-down list for Country of Residence.

I have been asking about this periodically for at least 5 years but still no action.

As it stands, it is not possible to make an AC booking online as a Singapore resident, or use a credit-card with Singapore address.

Thanks

Frorose

May I ask if it would be so difficult to pre order your meal when you choose your seat online or check in online?

I have been on other airlines in First/Business where we selected our meals in advance. No issues then. Obviously there will always be those who have not done so at which point choice of meals available on board go by status?


Just a suggestion....

I've never actually needed to use a concierge thus far however, in general as a paying J passenger it would be nice to at least have an email available if the need were to arise. It can't be hard to have a general email for paying international J passengers separate from the SE contact info. Maybe it is, I don't know. Hence the questions.

Welcome Ben. Have you put on the Kevlar yet?

then there is rouge........

YEG_SE4Life

Ben, with the start of Rouge, will Edmonton have the pleasure of seeing some US direct flights? In particular, I read in the paper that Phoenix was the number one international destination for Edmonton in the winter. Now that US is out of the *A, will AC (even Rouge) pick up the slack?

YQMer

Ben, I would like to add to the list of those congratulating you on your recent appointment and also thank you for taking the time to answer questions in this sometimes hostile environment.

Although many here (and I count myself among these) would still clearly express a preference for a more transparent e-up system, I am very impressed by you tackling the issue anyway, and in sharing what you can. We don't have to agree with the rationale, but it's nice at least to know why AC feels the need to proceed on this issue in the way it does.

I think what you're doing and how you're doing it is a great thing, and--although it may prove frustrating from time to time I'm sure--I'm equally confident AC will see benefits from your efforts.

Hope to meet you at a "DO" sometime. Also wanted to mention, by posting the YYZ-YHZ 788 schedule, you seriously have me thinking about buying a ticket just to try it out.

Ben Smith

I would like to officially add that Ben Lipsey is participating in this forum with the full support of Air Canada.
Ben is a great guy and will hopefully be able to share more details about Air Canada products, services and policies that you will find relevant and helpful.
Ben like Andrew Yiu was able to join Air Canada thanks to this site and forum.

I'll add a few comments to some of the issues currently being discussed.

On the refurbishment of our initial 18 77W/77L aircraft I can tell you the following:
Business Class will be our improved and advanced POD which will debut on our 788/789 fleet - the number of seats will not materially change vs what we offer today on those 18 aircraft
Premium Economy will be our new standard also being introduced on the 788/789 fleet
Economy will go to 10 abreast
IFE will be next generation Panasonic
Exact details and seat maps will be released in Q4 of 2014 and not now (for competitive reasons)

With respect to Air Canada rouge we continue our rollout as planned and will adjust when appropriate. As we've publically stated rouge has been introduced to enable Air Canada to profitably compete in leisure markets where yields are not high enough to support our mainline product. As you may have noticed with rouge we are returning to many markets that we've had to abandon over the years due to lack of profitability. EDI/GLA MAN LIS NCE. We've also expanded our capacity and extended our operating season on others. ATH DUB BCN FCO MCO LAS PHX.

YYZBGI was a route that could have gone either way (market yields). Initially we did not have the ability to fly a mainline widebody aircraft this year during the peak winter and having the ability to fly a rouge 767 was a big factor in our initial decision to transfer this route to rouge. Now with a firm plan to refurbish the 777s and an updated 787 delivery plan we became more comfortable with our ability to continue to make available a mainline 777/333/763 to fly this route during winter. Therefore you can expect this route to operate as mainline on a year-round basis from October of this year.

I hope that helps.

Jasper2009

Thanks for the update - much appreciated!^

Thatīs excellent news for J and PE pax. 10 abreast on the 77W is quite nasty, but not unexpected since it has unfortunately become the industry standard. Any comment on whether there will be a few rows of preferred seats in Y with improved legroom?

starflyer

Welcome Ben!

Any chance that fuel surcharges will be eliminated from reward tickets, or should I continue to take my business elsewhere if I want free reward travel that is actually "free"?

Thank you.

Diabeetus

^^

Will the Economy class seats change to 31" pitch?

Ben Smith

Yes our international spec will migrate toward this new standard
J New next generation direct aisle access POD
PE @ 37-38" pitch improved width vs Y and improved meal spec vs Y
Y+ (preferred seat) improved seat pitch vs Y same seat width and same meal spec as Y
Y

AtlanticXpat

That's as maybe, but the reality is that on many routes now Rouged, AC is providing a poorer quality of service at the same price that was charged for mainline. So AC may profitably compete but expects customers to pay the same for less. Should we simply be grateful that you've not abandoned the routes all together?

drumbo

Thanks Ben! that is great!^^^
Could you please confirm what the number of POD J would be on a 777
thanks!

Ben Smith

TBA - but I can tell you we will be competitive with our main partners and competition
BA AF KL LH UA AA DL CX KE QF EK

Jasper2009

Thanks! That sounds good news - though itīs too bad AC didnīt take the AA approach and keep the 3-3-3 config in Y+. I guess my preferred pairs of seats (18A/B and 18 J/K) will also disappear.

If I may ask for one improvement this year: Could you please introduce seat-blocking for SEs (and possibly other elites) or at least not release all the preferred seats at T-24h?

Ben Smith

The market fares on these routes are not high enough to sustain mainline product/costs forcing us to decrease capacity or completely withdraw.

The 777HD and rouge will help position us to regain a sustainable position in these markets.
YUL-CDG we were the #3 or #4 player depending on month
YVR-Hawaii we went from majority share to minority share
YVR-California same as above
LAS MCO PHX same as above
Cuba Dominican Republic Mexico same as above

rouge is designed to complement AC and adjust the product to the market yield reality in leisure markets - we will continue to offer many of the Air Canada family benefits on rouge (mileage accumulation/redemption, Altitude status recognition, connectivity to mainline, premium ground products where applicable, IFE and various seating/cabin options)

we will continue to invest in premium products to serve markets that support the mainline model 787 777 refurbishment 737MAX and aim to position these products as NA industry leading (new PODS IFE PE)

you can look forward to continued investment in the mainline product both in the air and on the ground (espresso makers, additional and improved lounges) new routes IST MXP GIG - many more to come

agjil

I said this in a couple of other threads, but why do people claim the number of J seats will be significantly reduced after a retrofit when there's nothing to support it?
Do you actually want this to happen? (assuming you are concerned about the upgrade chances.)
Thanks to Ben, now we have a pretty good picture of what the retrofit will result in, and hopefully the meaningless claims can stop now.