JetsGo trip report
Apr 16, 2004, 5:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,125
JetsGo trip report
I flew YWG-YOW last Monday evening (April 12). WestJet had nothing available after 9am, so I tried JetsGo.
Flights: SG132 YWG - YYZ 18:20 - 21:40
SG114 YYZ - YOW 22:30 - 23:20
The check-in line in Winnipeg was very short. The agents were a bit grumpy and had a "we don't care" attitude, but were fairly efficient. Boarding was by row number.
The first flight was on an MD-83 with the old seating configuration. The seat pitch varied slightly throughout the cabin, but based on the few seats that I measured, it seemed to be 30" - 31". The seat pitch felt very tight compared to the typical 31" found on many airlines. Exit rows were 21 and 22, and they had a lot of extra room (I did not get a chance to measure them). You pay for everything on SG: snacks, all drinks, water. You do get a free green smiley face button if you want one (I passed). This flight was close to 100% full.
The second flight was on an MD-83 with the new comfort plus seats. What they have done is removed row 5 from the left side of the plane only (who knows why they chose row 5), and added extra space to the first 8 rows on that side (rows 1-4 and 6-9 since row 5 is missing). Yes, the seats in the comfort plus section are 2 abreast as advertised, but so are all the other seats on the left side of the plane. (The MD-80s have 2-3 seating.) The right side of the plane hasn't been changed and does not have comfort plus. Pitch in the comfort plus section is 35", which is very good (similar to E+ on United), but I don't see how that equals 36% more legroom as advertised. Maybe they only count the space between the seats but not the seats themselves? (Michel Leblanc has never been completely upfront and honest with his claims, so this wasn't a big surprise.) The confort plus seats are leather and have more padding, and are probably worth the $25 JetsGo plans to charge for them starting in June, but this is not a business class. There is no other advantage to sitting in this section -- the service is identical. The load on this flight was dismal -- less than 20%. The FAs seemed to be quite happy there were very few people to serve.
I was lucky -- both flights were on time.
Given the choice, I'd prefer to fly WestJet. But WestJet's schedules to Ottawa are still quite inconvenient, and I wouldn't hestitate to fly JetsGo again if their times were significantly better.
Flights: SG132 YWG - YYZ 18:20 - 21:40
SG114 YYZ - YOW 22:30 - 23:20
The check-in line in Winnipeg was very short. The agents were a bit grumpy and had a "we don't care" attitude, but were fairly efficient. Boarding was by row number.
The first flight was on an MD-83 with the old seating configuration. The seat pitch varied slightly throughout the cabin, but based on the few seats that I measured, it seemed to be 30" - 31". The seat pitch felt very tight compared to the typical 31" found on many airlines. Exit rows were 21 and 22, and they had a lot of extra room (I did not get a chance to measure them). You pay for everything on SG: snacks, all drinks, water. You do get a free green smiley face button if you want one (I passed). This flight was close to 100% full.
The second flight was on an MD-83 with the new comfort plus seats. What they have done is removed row 5 from the left side of the plane only (who knows why they chose row 5), and added extra space to the first 8 rows on that side (rows 1-4 and 6-9 since row 5 is missing). Yes, the seats in the comfort plus section are 2 abreast as advertised, but so are all the other seats on the left side of the plane. (The MD-80s have 2-3 seating.) The right side of the plane hasn't been changed and does not have comfort plus. Pitch in the comfort plus section is 35", which is very good (similar to E+ on United), but I don't see how that equals 36% more legroom as advertised. Maybe they only count the space between the seats but not the seats themselves? (Michel Leblanc has never been completely upfront and honest with his claims, so this wasn't a big surprise.) The confort plus seats are leather and have more padding, and are probably worth the $25 JetsGo plans to charge for them starting in June, but this is not a business class. There is no other advantage to sitting in this section -- the service is identical. The load on this flight was dismal -- less than 20%. The FAs seemed to be quite happy there were very few people to serve.
I was lucky -- both flights were on time.
Given the choice, I'd prefer to fly WestJet. But WestJet's schedules to Ottawa are still quite inconvenient, and I wouldn't hestitate to fly JetsGo again if their times were significantly better.
Last edited by StuMcIlwain; Apr 16, 2004 at 7:08 pm
Apr 16, 2004, 10:06 pm
#2
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Sounds like maybe sticking with WS may be best for now. Thanks for the report as we can always use commentary on new options.
Apr 16, 2004, 11:17 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SJC
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Posts: 2,117
I actually think that the Jetsgo seats aren't that bad. Definitely bearable for a 5 hour transcon flights. What's annoying is that I always get thirsty on longer transcon flight and that I'll have to pay $2 for each drink on Jetsgo. To me, the seats that I found unbearable were the Royal A310 seats (they fit 9 seats across instead of 8, way too narrow) and the Canada 3000 A320 (something like 29-30 pitch?).
I'm actually lucky to have a fourth option to fly HMY for YYZ-YVR. My next flight with them is in 6 hours (Sat at 730am).
I'm actually lucky to have a fourth option to fly HMY for YYZ-YVR. My next flight with them is in 6 hours (Sat at 730am).
Apr 17, 2004, 4:23 am
#5
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Join Date: Aug 2000
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Can you post what the loads were like? I don't think they are doing well at all as when I was at YVR for 24 hrs (hotel) I saw a couple of their planes just sitting around for good parts of the day.
Apr 17, 2004, 6:05 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,125
Originally Posted by Empress
I heard they are starting YYZ/LAX in late July. They sometimes can't even make YYZ/YVR nonstop, I wonder how they can make LAX nonstop. And 5+ hours in those seats...
Apr 17, 2004, 9:28 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: YYJ
Posts: 4,137
Originally Posted by StuMcIlwain
Ouch! Don't check any luggage on that route!
Apr 17, 2004, 4:48 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada / Moving to NYC
Programs: AC SE; AA Executive Platinum; NW Platinum; SPG Platinum; InterConti Royal Ambassador
Posts: 121
Not in a hurry to fly JetsGo or HMY. The only Low-cost carrier that I will ever fly on (just maybe) is WestJet. But even then it's a maybe ! As soon as WestJet gets the beloved PTV's they might just see me one of their routes.
If they do start the YYZ - LAX routes on JetsGo I'd take the ComfortPlus section - which sounds like a good idea. The leather seats are improvements to the old interiors (just judging by the pictures that I have seen).
JetsGo interiors:
View from the Back
I always love hearing reports from WestJet and JetsGo. I like to see how the service differates from Air Canada.
Thanks for the post StuMcIlwain !
JP
If they do start the YYZ - LAX routes on JetsGo I'd take the ComfortPlus section - which sounds like a good idea. The leather seats are improvements to the old interiors (just judging by the pictures that I have seen).
JetsGo interiors:
View from the Back
I always love hearing reports from WestJet and JetsGo. I like to see how the service differates from Air Canada.
Thanks for the post StuMcIlwain !
JP
Apr 17, 2004, 6:06 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,598
Have my first flight with Jetsgo coming up and I'm already not impessed. Thankfully I was checking my bookings and noticed that they changed my LAS flight 701 to 1000am as opposed to 840pm with no notice 
If it were a weekend flight it wouldn't be a problem but I specifically booked this flight because I could still go to work for a full day then catch this flight after. Oh well, guess I'll just have to take the whole day off then!
Anyone taken this flight yet?
If it were a weekend flight it wouldn't be a problem but I specifically booked this flight because I could still go to work for a full day then catch this flight after. Oh well, guess I'll just have to take the whole day off then!
Anyone taken this flight yet?
Apr 17, 2004, 7:59 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,125
Originally Posted by 500 miles at a time
Have my first flight with Jetsgo coming up and I'm already not impessed. Thankfully I was checking my bookings and noticed that they changed my LAS flight 701 to 1000am as opposed to 840pm with no notice
.
Originally Posted by jptasker
If they do start the YYZ - LAX routes on JetsGo I'd take the ComfortPlus section - which sounds like a good idea. The leather seats are improvements to the old interiors (just judging by the pictures that I have seen).
There's no way I would consider a transcontinental flight sitting in the regular seats.
Apr 18, 2004, 7:48 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: AC Elite
Posts: 2,165
I guess that I am getting used to sitting up front!
Originally Posted by flyingstudent
I actually think that the Jetsgo seats aren't that bad. Definitely bearable for a 5 hour transcon flights. What's annoying is that I always get thirsty on longer transcon flight and that I'll have to pay $2 for each drink on Jetsgo. To me, the seats that I found unbearable were the Royal A310 seats (they fit 9 seats across instead of 8, way too narrow) and the Canada 3000 A320 (something like 29-30 pitch?).
I'm actually lucky to have a fourth option to fly HMY for YYZ-YVR. My next flight with them is in 6 hours (Sat at 730am).
I'm actually lucky to have a fourth option to fly HMY for YYZ-YVR. My next flight with them is in 6 hours (Sat at 730am).
_______________________
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Last edited by Cloud Lounger; Apr 18, 2004 at 7:51 pm
Apr 18, 2004, 8:45 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: YYC
Posts: 116
Originally Posted by Empress
Just heard that Jetsgo are actually modifying their planes to add in extra fuel tanks so they can make the transcon flights nonstop without taking load penalties.
deciding what to leave behind (bags, usually), or an en-route tech stop.
The answer would be to have the max take-off weight of the airplane increased. Don't know if that is possible.