AC International J Service Experience During Covid
 

I don't usually do trip reports but figured this experience was unique enough to write up. Enjoy and AMA!

Thanks for the write up... very interesting and crazy pictures of empty terminals.

No travel planned at the moment, but will be on a plane as soon as Taiwan opens up.

Probably not on AC as I believe AC cancelled all Taiwan flights till mid next year.

Thanks for the write up. A very different experience than the old normal.

Great report - thanks for the details!

You are right--- probably through YVR and HKG/TYO/ICN... then connect on OZ, NH or some other airline. Or EVA from YYZ, but a few dates I looked at had that routing pricing out at >$11K.

I will read up on other airlines Covid J service before I decide whether to fly AC over the ocean. I did appreciate hearing about how AC is handling things.

One wonders if AC will return to Taiwan at all, never mind mid next year.

Good report capedreamer, and your travel experience mirrors the one I described on the 'domestic' thread, minus the on-board food service of course. Do you know the rough loads for the back section of your YYZ-FRA flight? Given the lack of lounges, priority service, irrelevance of points accrual etc, might it have made sense to sit in Y with your own row? You look young enough that stretching over 3 economy seats wouldn't inflict much discomfort.

This is some really solid content here!
Safe travels!

Awesome trip report, thanks capedreamer .

Freaky to see YYZ so deserted ...

Thanks for the kind words, everyone.


Not sure about the loads in Y, but I used eUpgrade credits that were going to go to waste anyways. Definitely would agree that paying $ for the current service level in international J is hard to justify. On that note, during boarding, one Y passenger came up to the J cabin to ask the SD if he could take one of the empty J seats because his leg was in pain. The SD jokingly offered to take out his credit card machine if the passenger is willing to fork up $5,000. :p

I'm glad that they're providing the CleanCare+ kit now. My J seat on ICN flight about 3 weeks ago was absolutely disgusting. Did they not provide the meal all in one tray? That's what they were doing in YVR in late March.

Oh they did. Same neon green tray (and contents also look identical). I just took things out for a (slightly) more appealing presentation. :p

Interesting that the meal was the same for all cabins. That was my suspicion, too, even though I was advised otherwise by a Concierge agent.

Thanks for sharing that trip report! Very interesting! And ignore the fearful person whose comment belongs in OMNI. :)

Thanks for the trip report! I was curious as to what the experience is like these days.

Cost saving.... not health safety?
 

What is the rationale for such cuts in AC J class catering service (wine, drinks, food)? CX and other airlines offer almost full pre-Covid service in these areas. Salads and entre are kept covered allowing the passenger to remove themselves. I can go to a full service sit down restaurant in Canada. If anything, the air circulation and filtering in the J cabin is far superior to a restaurant.

I understand removing blankets and pillows (but even those would be replaced between flights). The cut in food and beverage service seems to be cost-motivated, hiding under the guise of non-existent Covid restrictions.