If you want to hear about final boarding calls and what not, hang around SYD Int'l.

I don't think one flight goes out without a family (or 3) not there as they begin to offload bags.

Every flight, consistently

We try not to talk about "class" in Canada.

But not talking about "class" doesn't mean "class" doesn't exist, at the level of habits and social cues.

I personally do not extend this to quality or worth of the person. Others do, which is a good reason why it's perhaps an unsavoury topic.

I'm a bit lost as to your point. Are you referring to the fact that AC and WS have two different styles of fliers? Essentially AC having a "class" system due to the nature of Altitude and WS really doesn't (for all intents and purposes?)

I sort of viewed your comment as coming from left field so respectfully asking for clarification. Thanks

Well since I can't talk about "class" I can't very well clarify can I?

Nothing to do with the cold-hearted ROI calculus of "Altitude" versus of whatever scheme WS has going on. Everything to do the way people make personal associations with brand images.

You get tend of thousands of people with money to waste on a cup of coffee and a few bucks in their pockets and a choice between a Tim Horton's and a Starbucks and they all make their choices and part of that choice is always going to have to do with where they perceive themselves belonging. So you end up with different crowds at the two places and it's not all to do with which coffee someone likes in a blind taste test.

The same goes for airlines. I've noticed an obviously different crown on the (admittedly) few WS flights I've been on right from the start.

I'm afraid I've said too much so I'm off to the club for a brandy. (You're not BA Silver like I am. You wouldn't understand.)

Ok, understand. Yes, I do agree with you to some extent. I've seen it on here, and I'm guilty of it too. How many times on FT have we heard the words...

I'm SE. Or I'm E75K. No kids, you're a SE member of a marketing program for Air Canada and I'm a E75K member of a marketing program for Air Canada....

So yes, I get your point. With the airlines, this loyalty thing really gets to people's heads. Prior to the Altitude 2015 changes, I was equally guilty. Now I just sort of...don't care anymore. Really the only thing left that I do care about is priority boarding. I'm basically at 35K in a few weeks, after that i'm golden as I only redeem AE miles for business class and higher seats. (travel work work in Y basically and only travel for leisure in J/F)

Or am I way off base here. Why can't you talk about class? This is an anonymous-ish internet board...as long as it doesn't break FT rules, say whatever you want

And some will just never understand your humour!

Wow, I really missed this one then. A winky face goes a long way on an internet board...

Subtlety is an art form

(thank you zorn)

Egg on my face. LOL

Another factor that maybe at play (and I actually quite value this benefit as it has saved me a few times on WS) is that you don't have to board until 10 mins before departure. This may lead to more paging to get people onto the plane.

Um, as it pertains to destinations, yes... I fly mostly TATL and TPAC, so it makes it difficult to be a WestJet customer... therefore, I am automatically "different".

Since we are drawing conclusions on a one off observation, I conclude that Westjet cares if their pax make a flight, and AC doesnt page people because they are happy if people show up to the gate late, so they can be hit with change fees, etc


Also, my TATL AC flight yesterday was full of kettles, J half empty, so therefore, with 100% certainty I can state that AC is mainly a kettle airline.

The way "leisure flyer" is used on FT it's basically another word for "lowlife". In spite of the fact most FTers do a significant amount of leisure travel as well.

With Westjet, you must buy your ticket to make a res. On AC, you can res a flight without buying ticket. Therefor, they get no shows. I would guess AC has over 75 percent of all CDN FF.

I must be missing something here. How does one reserve a seat without buying one on AC