Oct 3, 16, 10:53 pm
Last edit by: briguychau
Note: please keep this thread to information on the refurbishment program and its progress; for discussion of which seats are best and other details about the interiors, please visit the seating information thread.
A330-300 Fleet Overview
AC currently has three configurations of 333:
The aircraft are gradually being refurbished to the Dream Cabin standard.
Status of Dream Cabin Refurbishment
A330-300 Fleet Overview
AC currently has three configurations of 333:
- Dream Cabin (15 aircraft): new configuration more in line with the product on AC's 787 and 777 fleets (seat map)
XM (1 aircraft): AC's old configuration dating from the mid-2000s, which is being phased out (seat map)- Arrived in HKG for reconfiguration on October 1
- SQ (2 aircraft): Singapore Airlines configuration, which is being phased out (seat map)
- Important note: the front cabin on these aircraft is an angle-flat product in a 2-2-2 layout that was SQ's "regional" business class. On flights within North America, AC sells it as J; on international flights, they sell it as PY. These aircraft do not have a normal PY cabin
- As of October 2023, these aircraft appear to be mostly used on YYZ/YUL-BOG, YUL-ALG, and domestic/TB TCONs (e.g. YUL-YVR/LAX)
The aircraft are gradually being refurbished to the Dream Cabin standard.
Status of Dream Cabin Refurbishment
Code:
32J 24O 241Y: 297 pax C-GFAF (931) XM configuration [Undergoing refurb at HKG as of Oct 01/23] C-GFAH (932) Completed @QPG, Aug 10/21 - Oct 05/21 [56 days] C-GFAJ (933) Completed @QPG, Nov 24/21 - Jan 12/22 [49 days] C-GFUR (934) Completed @QPG, Oct 08/19 - Feb 28/20 [143 days] C-GHKR (935) Completed @QPG, Oct 04/21 - Nov 25/21 [52 days] C-GHKW (936) Completed @HKG, Nov 27/21 - Feb 21/22 [86 days] C-GHKX (937) Completed @RFD, Sep 02/20 - May 30/21 [271 days] C-GHLM (938) Completed @HKG, Sep 30/22 - Dec 11/22 [72 days] C-GEFA (939) Completed @RFD, Dec 31/20 - Mar 29/21 [89 days] C-GEGC (940) Completed @QPG, May 17/22 - Jul 21/22 [67 days] C-GEGI (941) Completed @QPG, Jan 10/22 - Mar 11/22 [60 days] C-GEGP (942) Completed @QPG, Nov 06/19 - Jul 01/20 [238 days] C-GHKC (943) Completed @HKG, Feb 21/22 - May 05/22 [73 days] C-GKUG (944) Completed @QPG, Mar 02/20 - Feb 10/21 [345 days] C-GKUH (945) Completed @RFD, Oct 08/20 - Jan 12/21 [99 days] C-GOFV (946) SQ configuration [Possibly undergoing refurb at QPG as of Nov 14/23] C-GOFW (947) Completed @QPG, Feb 03/22 - May 20/22 [107 days] C-GXZD (948) SQ configuration [Possibly undergoing maintenance or refurb at MZJ as of Nov 08/23]
Air Canada Airbus A330-300 refurbishments
Oct 1, 23, 9:37 pm
#1501
Formerly doc4science
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: CMH/DSM
Programs: United Airlines Silver, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 541
Oct 1, 23, 10:57 pm
#1502
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Edmonton/Calgary/Vancouver
Programs: AC SE100K 1MM, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 1,522
BOG is still just PY into early 2024 (which of course can change). I assume they will get done eventually. What will be super annoying is if AC adds a couple more former SQ A330's and the configuration continues to roll forward.
Last edited by Adam Smith; Oct 1, 23 at 11:01 pm Reason: Merge consecutive posts by same user
Oct 2, 23, 11:10 am
#1503
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: YVR
Posts: 72
Yeah so far I'm surprised how they are able to just use 2 planes to supplement the YYZ/YUL - BOG route. I guess they just cancel the flights if they don't have a spare plane. That's crazy.
Oct 5, 23, 10:53 pm
#1504
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YLW
Programs: AC- SE100 1MM, HH Diamond, National , Nexus/GE
Posts: 4,237
I have done ML to BOG this year and have flown on the updated version, the classic version all in J, and now in February, I am scheduled to fly the SQ version in PY. fares dropped by $300 each way so I canceled the Y flight for the PY flight and made sure I am on the 77W out of YVR so I am in PY all the way! May upgrade the YVR/YVR portion to J.
Oct 6, 23, 11:07 am
#1506
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, AA PPro, UA Gold, Bonvoy Tit LT Sil, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond, Accor Silver
Posts: 43,495
Oct 9, 23, 9:51 am
#1507
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: YOW
Posts: 137
8 years ago, we were probably still arguing about when AC will get rid of the A330 vs spending money to retrofitting a new PEY cabin.
Meanwhile the fleet has grown from 8 to 20... I don't think many have foreseen this coming.
Oct 11, 23, 11:14 am
#1508
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: YVR
Posts: 72
I have done ML to BOG this year and have flown on the updated version, the classic version all in J, and now in February, I am scheduled to fly the SQ version in PY. fares dropped by $300 each way so I canceled the Y flight for the PY flight and made sure I am on the 77W out of YVR so I am in PY all the way! May upgrade the YVR/YVR portion to J.
Oct 11, 23, 12:21 pm
#1509
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, DL PM, WS Plat, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,091
8 years ago, we were probably still arguing about when AC will get rid of the A330 vs spending money to retrofitting a new PEY cabin.
Meanwhile the fleet has grown from 8 to 20... I don't think many have foreseen this coming.
Oct 11, 23, 2:51 pm
#1510
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, AA Plat MM
Posts: 3,557
Just booked my flights to BOG and back as well for December. Looking forward to trying out the SQ cabin. Why won't AC let us book J on the first leg (YVR to YUL) and PY on the next. I know we can book split cabins if you have a round-trip and book a different cabin for To and from for most trips. I know we can upgrade but that won't count towards SQD. 🥲 First world problems hahaha.
Oct 11, 23, 4:46 pm
#1511
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YLW
Programs: AC- SE100 1MM, HH Diamond, National , Nexus/GE
Posts: 4,237
Just booked my flights to BOG and back as well for December. Looking forward to trying out the SQ cabin. Why won't AC let us book J on the first leg (YVR to YUL) and PY on the next. I know we can book split cabins if you have a round-trip and book a different cabin for To and from for most trips. I know we can upgrade but that won't count towards SQD. 🥲 First world problems hahaha.
Ya, PY from YVR so its an upgrade to J
Oct 11, 23, 5:43 pm
#1512
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Edmonton/Calgary/Vancouver
Programs: AC SE100K 1MM, Bonvoy Platinum Elite, IHG Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 1,522
Indeed, and I've looked at whether there's a clean place to split this thread, but the SQ aircraft started to arrive before the PY refit was finished, so it has been pretty much a continuous issue for this entire time. Hopefully they ex-SQ planes will get re-configured in 2024 and this thread can finally die then
Oct 11, 23, 6:29 pm
#1513
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, DL PM, WS Plat, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,091
Depends on what odds you'll give me 
When Q3 results come out, it will be interesting to see whether the additional aircraft will be around long-term, or whether they might be on a shorter lease just to cover the delays in XLR arrivals, GTF issues, etc. If they're just on, say, a 1- or 2-year lease, AC won't spend the money on re-configuring them.
There are soon to be more so I think my odds went up.
Last edited by Adam Smith; Oct 11, 23 at 10:07 pm Reason: Corrected typo
Oct 11, 23, 9:41 pm
#1514
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: YVR
Posts: 72
Will do, I'm curious as well. I don't even know if there are "bad" seats for the PY cabin. Assuming first row are the "worst" ones since they're closest to the galley?
