WR Cage

The current front lav location cannot be used as seating area without impacting access to the L1 door. The L1 door (first door on the left and main entrance) cannot move forward as the curvature of the airplane would make door design and operation too prone to failure.

Because of the above, moving front lav would require an expanded galley be put into the area. This would free up galley space from the back of the aircraft for additional lavs.

However the big reason for not putting the front lav into a mid cabin lav position is the loss of seating space. The mid cabin lav would either take 4 biz class seats (2 seats for the lav and another 2 seats to allow for all biz class seats to have proper recline) or take six economy class seats. The loss of seats would reduce revenue by 5-10% per aircraft.

RangerNS

United 737-900 have a lav between biz (er, "First") and stowage: https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Un..._737-900_F.php This seems a pretty reasonable layout, both for lav use during drink (and snackbox!) service, as well as providing a strong barrier across half the A/C.

AC has, on the 321 one lav midline, Aeroflot actually has two. Obviously, this helps not at all if you are forward of them during drink service, but service would take as long as an hour, which would really really suck for most people.

Jebby_ca

Don't forget the pilots, who will have to walk through the business cabin to the middle of the plane in order to use the toilet. Given today's security requirements, that's probably not feasible.

The smallest state

WHile the above might make sense on a real airline, this is Air Canada!!!!! The FA serves you maybe 3x during a flight, this isn't some Asian airline where the FA's are wandering up and down the aisle looking to see if something can be accomplished.

It's just a kid who needs to use the can. Sure Granny sounds a little pushy, the FA did the correct thing according to her job. But was a little girl soiling her clothes and a seat for the next passenger to sit in worth it? If this happened on another airline it probably wouldn't be news, the problem is, AC has such an abysmal reputation, that almost any complaint can be brought to the media.

They've brought this on themselves.

rankourabu

I would like to know what exactly was the FA serving on a domestic flight mid-flight? Hell, you ll be lucky if the FA is even around.....

Its domestic AC .... like chill... its not even a real airline/business class.

The smallest state

Thank you. I wish I wrote that. Describes my feelings entirely. Let's get real here, this is AC we are talking about. Air Canada!!!!


The FA was most certainly sitting in the jumpseat focusing on passenger safety, they are primarily here for your safety you know?

mapleg

It is better than intra-European business class.

The smallest state

Well, the seats are better on AC, the pitch is better and the space is better. True most intra-European business I have flown is simply the 3 economy seats with the middle seat blocked off.

But the service you get on board is better in Europe than AC. I flew Finnair from LHR-HEL and they were all over me with lunch, wine, drinks.

Air Canada doesn't have to compete with Air Berlin, Norweigian and Ryan Air either.

songsc

According to AC they are competing with SQ, NH, CX, EK, etc.

Back on topic. Since the article mentioned a cart in the aisle, I suppose that means two FAs serving drinks while another one is somewhere at the front "guarding" J cabin?

quantumofforce

I've seen others say that, is there a quote from AC anywhere on that topic?

rankourabu

Yes, when the cuts to Altitude were announced - there were a couple of AC employees - one higher up and one minion, who misjudged how their (short lived) participation on FT was going to be received after the cuts

Notable quotes included the above mentioned "we compete with/are like CX, NZ not UA/AA", as well as "upgraded elites cheapen the J cabin", and "AC is not a charity"
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...ess-class.html
http://threadtripping.boardingarea.c...titude-battle/

24left

- October 26, 2014

Yup. Apparently.
Epic thread, well worth the read if for no other reason than insight into AC FTers.

And this, boys and girls, is why AC FT is a learning place:


IMHO, that is what we have all done in this thread. Great to see that no one was throwing things.

YEG_SE4Life

I haven't been able to find the exact words contained in your quotation marks. Would you be so kind as to direct me to them?

canadiancow

That's because he never said people (i.e. elites) cheapen it.

He said upgrades (i.e. the benefit handed out to elites) do.

rankourabu

Here is the quote, sorry its been a few years... It refers to upgrading elites before the flight as a way of cheapening the J product
Clearly, AC believes their J cabin is as valued as CX or SQ J
There was another quote somewhere when it was said that AC is not in business of competing against UA/AA and the likes, but rather sees itself more of a NZ or SQ (not exact quote, put away your pitchfork)


Look, I won’t deny the discrete cost of moving somebody from Y to an empty J seat at boarding 45 mins before departure isn’t huge, but it does two things:
1) It cheapens the J product – I will again reference our European and Asian competitors who have very tight access policies to their premium cabins, and point out how highly valued they are, especially compared to our American competition