First time in First!
 

My work trip for next week required me to travel YOW-YYZ-YEG Sunday evening. Having booked it less than 2 weeks ago, I had to book a Latitude fare for that part of the trip.

Now, I had 4 NAUs so, I called my travel agent this morning (I am Prestige) and asked about upgrades. Guess what? "No problem". So, I am sitting in 4K and 3C, respectively, Sunday. First time I have been upgraded!

Questions, if you don't mind sharing your knowledge and opinions, please.

First, food:

I know I get lounge access in YOW and YYZ, but any idea what is normally available for eats?

What can I expect to get on the plane? (AC 463 18:00 YOW-YYZ, and/or AC1157 20:40 YYZ-YEG.)

Or, should I get a smoked meat sandwich before I go through security in YOW?

Second, dress:

Usually, for a Sunday night flight, I would wear a golf shirt, black jeans and running shoes. How would that go over? Should wear slacks and my dress shoes instead? I don't want to offend anyone, unless they suggest a suit and tie. ;)

I am excited about my first time, even though I have heard cattle class (the rest of my trip is in Tango Plus (Q, I think) - so little chance of upgrades) will feel rather dismal having tasted the good life.

AC calls it "Executive" as opposed to "First".

Well, there is usually soup, bread, chips, other little things, and drinks. Enough for me to fill up on if I don't feel like eating on board.

But, and this is an enormous but, you don't get access to the MLL on an upgrade. Sorry about that!

You will get a snack on the YOW-YYZ flight and a hot meal on the YYZ-YEG flight. There is no need to buy anything before. Jaded veterans of domestic executive class travel may advise you otherwise, but I suspect you are going to really enjoy these flights, so I say go for the whole experience.

That will be fine. You might want to catch a nap after dinner on your way to YEG, so dress comfortably.

By the way, YEG is quite a distance from the city (if that's where you're going). If you are staying only for a day or two I suggest renting a car rather than take a taxi there and back.

That's a bummer. Perhaps I will use a MLL pass, anyway. The snacks sound not too bad.


I expect I will enjoy it. Thank you.

I may try - but I have a ot of reading to do before I get there.

I always do there.

Thanks for the tips.

I've only been in domestic J a handful of times, and it's been pretty different for me every time, so I can't comment much. I must say the most memorable was the snack on a short-haul that contained a piece of cantaloupe wrapped in meat. :p

According to what I've read around here, if you're on anything but the 762, it should be a nice experience. As for my personal comment on food, I don't like it much, but at least you get food. I've travelled in CX J before which has raised my expectations for J food. Having said that, I find the service to have been excellent everytime on AC though.

As I've also read around here, I think just dressing comfortably would be good enough. I've never looked around trying to judge what people wear. ;)

It's so good to read your post and see someone so excited about their first F or EF experience. Have a great trip!

Thanks.


The flights are on a 763 and a 767.

Someone based in YYZ saying that YEG is some distance from the city?!?!?! Really?!?! C'mon... :confused:

That meat was prosciutto, and its actually a pretty classic pairing!

I was thinking more about cost and comfort, also assuming a short stay. I'm used to the traffic scene in YYZ, but I wouldn't wish it on a visitor necessarily. Then, if going downtown, there is the matter of what to do with the hunk of metal you've rented.

I find YEG to be a little more civilized on all these accounts.

Well then I guess this belongs in this thread: I had been hyped up all last week for an upgrade to Executive First, which was my first time ever on AC's international J product. It confirmed after 2 days into my 4-day window, so I was ecstatic! I loved it and hope I get my upgrade on the way back. ^

Thanks! I had been wondering all this time whether it was just the chefs trying something random. ;)

Prosciutto e Melone: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._22998,00.html

=aw

Since this is your first trip through the system make sure that you get into the MLL in YYZ on your transfer. The same lounge pass you present in YOW should work for the lounge in YYZ. Just get the YOW receptionist to mark on your YEG BP that a pass has been collected.

The T1 MLL is one of the flagships in the AC MLL system. Although the food and drink is the same, the ambiance is clearly a cut above the rest.

Enjoy!!

DF

That is something I never would have guessed. Thanks.

It is really nice to read about the excitement of the first J trip of anyone. Thank you...

Dress as comfortable as you can, no one should care about the way you look except yourself. Make sure that you are up with the latest security measures and enjoy.

Nor I. It says "good for one time use" and I've never heard of using the same pass to enter more than one MLL on each leg of the trip. I would suggest using the YYZ lounge if you have a long connection time, rather than the YOW one, if you are only permitted to use the pass once. You can always use the new Servisair lounge at YOW for $14 by prebooking it online.

Enjoy your first ExecClass flight, and visit to a MLL. (Don't get hooked, or spoiled!)