The Ebb and Flow of AC 33 YVR - SYD
Sep 14, 2018, 6:02 pm
#46
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 6,367
Quick question : Thinking of booking my pops on AC J from YYZ to SYD using my Aeropesos before they become actual pesos! Is it worth flying on AC in Executive Class or is UA Polaris still the better? Who has the better hard product (pun intended on deflategate)?
Safe Travels,
James
Safe Travels,
James
Sep 15, 2018, 4:29 am
#47
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,126
However, finding J tickets to Sydney is difficult. If you find what you are looking for on UA, grab it!
Sep 16, 2018, 7:31 am
#48
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,814
By a mile. The 2-2-2 787 and 2-4-2 777 hard product is absolutely awful. Once it's all Polaris, it should be decent, but until then, it's not even close. It would take a MASSIVE price difference between AC and UA for me to even consider UA on something really long like going to Australia.
Sep 16, 2018, 12:22 pm
#49
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: Bottom feeder Star Gold
Posts: 2,652
James, the first two answers to your question are valid: AC generally offers a better hard product (than non-Polaris only) and easier connections than UA, but the UA regular business class product is far from awful. Note the "not even close" comment included a configuration on a plane that UA doesn't even fly to Australia. My own experience on AC 33/34 has been hit & miss, and the term 'lie-flat seats' at Air Canada takes on an entirely new meaning if you score a deflated cushion.
Agree with StuMcIlwain above that if you can find UA space, grab it. A variable I'd consider with UA is the YYZ-->US west coast leg, as it may not offer superior connections like in YVR, nor will it be a lie-flat seat, unless you manage to get AC Signature to LAX/SFO. For such a short leg, that's not generally a factor, although it may be appreciated on the eastbound leg following a long TPAC crossing.
Best of luck; your father should be very comfortable on either airline.
Agree with StuMcIlwain above that if you can find UA space, grab it. A variable I'd consider with UA is the YYZ-->US west coast leg, as it may not offer superior connections like in YVR, nor will it be a lie-flat seat, unless you manage to get AC Signature to LAX/SFO. For such a short leg, that's not generally a factor, although it may be appreciated on the eastbound leg following a long TPAC crossing.
Best of luck; your father should be very comfortable on either airline.
Last edited by tcook052; Sep 16, 2018 at 9:38 pm Reason: personal invective
Sep 16, 2018, 2:39 pm
#50
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,694
As someone following this thread with no first-hand experience to contribute, my take of posts 46-48 is that they unanimously shed negative light on UA’s product to AC’s on a particular route where either of the UA options are decidedly subpar. I’d like to think that that sort of first-hand observation is helpful to OP and anyone else who takes interest in this thread.
Sep 16, 2018, 7:52 pm
#51
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: Bottom feeder Star Gold
Posts: 2,652
The new Polaris product is already offered on UA's Down Under routes and J flyers are increasingly likely to find themselves on a so-equipped plane. They are not likely to see UA's 2x4x2 777 J configuration. I see an out-of-hand condemnation of a carrier offering a rapidly-improving product that shows real potential to provide a preferred option over Air Canada for central and east-coast Canadians traveling to Australia. It may help to point out the provided rationale for such a condemnation may not be completely supported by facts, notwithstanding actual firsthand experience of critics.
Given that the actual seat will almost certainly be very comfortable with either airline, and the experience pleasant, j2simpso's primary variables to consider may come down to award availability, en route (timing & connection) convenience and cost of surcharges. It's a choice to be made by him (and his lucky father, I suppose).
Given that the actual seat will almost certainly be very comfortable with either airline, and the experience pleasant, j2simpso's primary variables to consider may come down to award availability, en route (timing & connection) convenience and cost of surcharges. It's a choice to be made by him (and his lucky father, I suppose).
Last edited by tcook052; Sep 17, 2018 at 11:27 am
Sep 16, 2018, 8:40 pm
#52
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 6,367
United Business is now called Polaris regardless of the aircraft config, however none of UA’s aircraft operating to Australia offer the new J class seat.
Sep 17, 2018, 7:37 am
#53
Suspended
Join Date: May 2018
Location: ord
Programs: UA 1k SPG Platinum
Posts: 365
UA also does not use the 2-4-2 to Australia. Upgrades are very easy to score on UA to Australia, and you clear when booking your flight. Fly mon-weds.
Sep 17, 2018, 11:10 am
#55
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,814
James, the first two answers to your question are valid: AC generally offers a better hard product (than non-Polaris only) and easier connections than UA, but the UA regular business class product is far from awful. Note the "not even close" comment included a configuration on a plane that UA doesn't even fly to Australia. My own experience on AC 33/34 has been hit & miss, and the term 'lie-flat seats' at Air Canada takes on an entirely new meaning if you score a deflated cushion.
A deflated seat would certainly shift the balance, but in several dozen flights, I've yet to have one, nor has anyone I've travelled with. It's a risk, but one I would be willing to assume.
As for the comment about 777s, the UA pod is pretty much the same between the two. Whether or not it's currently flying Australia was not particularly important - UA has flown 777s to Australia in the recent past and could do so again, equipment swaps may happen from time to time, and so on. And even if not, it's relevant to a general comparison between AC and UA's J products.
You may not have an issue with UA's hard product, but I've flown both UA and AC pods plenty of times and there is a large and clear gap, as far as I'm concerned, and I will vote with my wallet. As ChrisA330 has already pointed out, the 787s serving Australia for UA do not yet have Polaris. Once they do, as I've already said, that may well change the calculus. But fleet-wide Polaris is still a ways off.
Nov 8, 2018, 7:40 am
#56
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: AC SE MM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 904
The huge advantage of AC 33 is the morning arrival. Forget what has gone before, go through the day in a relatively normal fashion, collapse into bed early evening, and you are good. Yes, it's a long haul, but remember that the night/early morning departure from YYZ/YVR is afternoon/early evening in Sydney. So you have dinner(s) in accordance with destination time, snack mid flight as needed, have breakfast at an actual breakfast time, and it will all work.
Last edited by YVRtoYYZ; Nov 8, 2018 at 7:51 am
Nov 8, 2018, 8:02 am
#57
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,567
Doing AC33 in the coming days and I still am not sure how to best adjust given I normally sleep just 4-6hrs a night. Thinking of sleeping YYZ-YVR and then staying awake for the first 8hrs YVR-SYD and sleeping the remainder of the "Australia night" so awake in time from breakfast in Sydney.
Personally, I tend to nod off on the YVR portion but get a good 8 hours in towards SYD.
If all goes well, I wake up with about 6 hours left...a bit of food/movies/breakfast
That has been my standard routine for years
Although, this trip I am in PE, so my sleep I am sure will be different
Nov 8, 2018, 12:18 pm
#59
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
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