yyzflyer

Just returned from LAS on AC. As a now-infrequent flyer with AC I'm not as up-to-date on their fleet as I used to be. Our scheduled 767-200 was replaced with a 767-300 (packed) on the outbound. I could not see the registration numbers from either airport window, so I'm hoping one of the fleet experts can satisfy my curiosity.

From the exterior it looked like any other AC plane (usual paint scheme), but featured 1-2-2 seating in F and dark blue upholstery rather than the usual AC green. Most labelling (seat belts, life jackets, lavatories) was in English and Spanish, with the very few French labels being hastily-applied stickers rather than the permanent style of the others. Most noticeable was the seat pitch, which was easily 2 inches more than the 767-200 we returned on (same seat numbers in both directions). Was this simply a former Canadian plane or some recently-aquired lease? Appreciate the insights.

jakpot

uh oh, here we go again.

1D

Shareholder

These are on lease and were used originally by a Spanish carrier, thus the odd combination of languages on the signage. This type of 300 has been used for well over a year, maybe two or more and is set up in the old CP international configuration. It may be one of several 767s that are leased by the hour, and thus very economical for AC to operate. BTW, AC's front cabin is known as Executive Class and is J/C and not F. If you want to know more about the weird variety of 767s flown by AC, do a search under "Purple Elvis" and settle back for a few hours of reading. Flying 767s within NAmerica is another of AC's famous lotteries, because one seldom knows what the configuration will be until flight time, even when a specific variety is stated in the sked. You lucked out on the way down to Vegas. Did you also luck out while there?

Andrew Yiu

Purple Elvis is long gone from the fleet.

yyzflyer - did you meant to say 2-2-2 seating?

There are some 767s out there that were recently reconfigured to 42J. The one that you were on most likely came from Spanair.

Did you get the FIN number?

A Flygirl

As others have said it's an exCAIL fin (leased by them) and kept in the fleet by AC as a "power by the hour" bird. Shareholder's right - its a very advantageous lease for AC.

If you give me the flight number, arrival date LAS to YYZ was the 20th I assume, I can look up in the computer the fin that operated that leg.

Empress, not all of the 762 birds have been reconfigured. I was on fin 647 today and it is still configured as 2-2-1.

Andrew Yiu

Um, are you sure it was 647?

That's an ex-CP bird (763) in 1-2-2.

You meant 617?

yyzflyer

Wow. Thanks for all the info. I don't normally spend a lot of time on the AC forum since I switched airlines 3 years ago, or I'm sure I would have heard of "Purple Elvis". It was flight 291 last Saturday, the 16th., sold as a 762. Due to the gate position I couldn't see any of the numbers through the window and unfortunately T2 at LAS is even worse for viewing. (I'm used to T1 there, where there is no secondary set of windows to keep you from looking straight out.) I could only see the nose of the aircraft and didn't realize it was a 763 until boarding when they called many more row numbers than expected. The plane was completely full. No green seats, but navy blue with red accents. The biz class seating was 1 on the A side, with 2 in the center and 2 on the other side - similar to what I've seen on CP 300's, but not nearly as "fancy" as CP's. Unfortunately I was in the rear cabin. As I mentioned, all permanent labelling was in English and Spanish, which I've never seen. The most pleasant part of the change was the extra legroom - as much as AA MRTC. The 762 going home was really cramped - just like I remember.

BTW I was really surprised by the lack of a full meal on flights of this duration. I thought AC had not followed the example of the US carriers, but we received only a "cold snack" (their description) in both directions, the return covering the dinner hour.

A Flygirl

291, Nov 16th, LAS - YYZ, got it. I'll look it up in the computer Friday when I don the green again unless another lurking employee can provide the info sooner. The ops computer system allows us to go back a fair ways to retrieve flight info such as this.

Drats Empress...I might work for AC but I swear you have a better handle on the birds than I do. Thanks for graciously assuming I made a typo but I don't think you should let me off the hook. I was on 647, 614 and 604 today. I'm convinced that one of those suckers was configured 1-2-2. Okay I typed it backwards earlier.

I step on board many fins each shift at work and I'm usually oblivious to the configurations since I'm working with a different agenda. Now that you have gently and tactfully indicated that I should pull up my socks, well...I'm reaching for them.

Can I have a peek at your spreadsheet?

yyzflyer

Other way around actually, YYZ-LAS.

Andrew Yiu

Sure, fly out here to YVR and I'll show you.

A Flygirl

Got it for you! Sorry to take so long. The employee who knows the computer codes to backtrack flight info. was sick with the flu Fri.

291 on Nov 16th was operated by fin 650.

yyzflyer

Thanks for the info. Is this an ex-CP plane?

Andrew Yiu

That's right. 650 is an ex-CAIL plane. That's why you saw 1-2-2 configuration in J. This plane originally came from TACA/BY I believe.

[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 11-26-2002).]

Andrew Yiu

Btw, for those who are wondering, there are still some 762 out there configured with 5 rows of 2-2-1 J.

Dogstar

<sniff> What a treat she was. May she/they RIP.