Executive class Toronto to Las Vegas
Jan 1, 2010, 12:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 132
Executive class Toronto to Las Vegas
I joined Flyer Talk several months ago, as I was going to fly again after a 20 year absence and was looking for some good advice and tips from the knowledgeable people at FT. So I thought a trip report might be of interest.
Back in March 2009 I purchased an Air Canada J class ticket from YYZ to Las Vegas at an unbelievable price of just $630 one way. For round trip inclusive of taxes and various surcharges it was just $1440 for a totally refundable ticket, quite a bargain so I reserved it at once.
I was booked on AC 593 (an Airbus 320) departing T1 at 2040 on Wednesday the 23rd of Dec. My limo dropped me off at the transborder terminal and I checked my one bag at a super elite wicket, and was instructed to take it to U.S. customs. I filled out a declaration and within one minute I was directed to a U.S. immigration inspector who only asked where I was staying in Las Vegas, and then stamped the declaration form. Next I went to the U.S. customs agent who asked nothing, just took my card and away I went to the priority security line. Going through this line took about three or four minutes and then into another room where I took off my shoes, jacket, overcoat etc. and went through the metal detector without incident. The next hurdle was to take my bag to AC’s rather long line for deposit. I then saw a person with a badge and I said “does an Executive class passenger have to line up?” He replied certainly not and took my bags away. So far all quite impressive.
I eventually found my way to AC’s MLL, where I was politely greeted and found a seat in this huge lounge (much larger than the old first-class lounges of 20 years ago.) I would guess there were only about a dozen people in the lounge, which surprised me as this was the holiday period. I took immediate advantage of the complimentary gin as well as excellent soup and salad. Since AC does not call departures in the lounge, I had to keep track on the departure board. About 40 minutes before departure I went looking for the gate (I believe it was 153). Eventually I found it and maybe ten minutes later the call was made for Executive, elites and super elites. Upon boarding, the male flight attendant took my overcoat and suit jacket and put them in a closet that was just ahead of my assigned seat 2C. He also addressed me by name and provided a non-alcoholic drink.
After takeoff (about 20 minutes late) the passengers were handed a menu that was just a single card in very small print. I seem to recall there were three choices of main courses, and I chose the salmon that was quite tasty. We also had a salad and dessert as well as generous portions of wine. I believe I was unconscious for most of the remaining flight to Las Vegas, as I can only recall one announcement (that we would be arriving 20 minutes early). Since I was at the front of the plane I was one of the first off, and making my way to the luggage pick-up, I was pleased to see that my bag was about the third one off the plane. So indeed the red priority tag worked.
While in Las Vegas I heard about the terrorist incident over Detroit, and wondered how this would affect my return journey. I was booked on AC592 (an Airbus 319) departing LAS on Monday the 28th of Dec. at 1210. I was also concerned about the lack of lounge facilities for Air Canada passengers in Terminal 2, so I was very pleased that my cousin in Las Vegas who is an executive with one of the large casino corporations used his influence to persuade a certain airline to issue a pass as their guest in the quite beautiful first-class lounge in Terminal 2. I was warmly greeted and pleased to see they had my favourite brand of gin. This is a wonderful asset in Las Vegas, and I don’t see why Air Canada does not have some sort of relationship with the operators of this lounge. As for security leaving LAS, it was quick and efficient with nothing extra if one is leaving the U.S. Obviously quite the opposite entering the U.S., so I was certainly lucky to have missed the terror incident earlier in the week.
Of course the increased security did affect Flt. 592 as it was a Montreal to LAS flight that is turned around to become a LAS to YYZ flight. This flight was about an hour late in arriving, to we were about an hour late departing. After receiving priority J class boarding and again having my garments stowed in the closet, I was addressed by name by another male flight attendant and given a non-alcoholic departure drink. Although this was a noon-hour flight, I noticed that the menu was virtually the same as my dinner menu on Flt. 593. I chose some sort of beef dinner that was rather tough, I should have stayed with the salmon. Again plenty of wine, but I had to ask for a Grand Marnier after dinner. Not up to the old first-class standards, but nothing I could really complain about.
We must have had some tailwinds, as we made up time, and I think we were only about 30 minutes late upon landing. We were delayed in getting off the plane as the door was stuck, and it looked like the arming mechanism for the emergency chute was causing problems. Then we were told that the door was frozen, and after much hammering and banging by the ground crew it finally opened, and once again I was one of the first passengers off the plane and making my way toward customs and baggage pick-up. On and on and on I walked through this interminable terminal. I went up an escalator, walked at great length and rode three moving sidewalks, walked some more, went down an escalator through some doors and into a gargantuan room that could probably hold over a thousand passengers. Fortunately, even though this was the holiday period, there were almost no people in this room, just a line of Canada customs agents waiting for passengers. I cleared customs and immigration in less that a minute, went through another door into another huge room where many luggage carousals confronted the passenger. I eventually found mine, and was pleased to see my priority bags (I left with one and came back with two) were already coming down the chute.
After finding my limo, I was driven back to my apartment at Yonge and Bloor in about thirty minutes (no traffic or weather problems).
In summary all went very well and I suffered no significant inconvenience. However, Toronto’s Terminal 1 is an awful place in terms of its size and how long you have to walk to go to or from anywhere. I would certainly hate to put up with T1 on any sort of frequent basis, however, for a once a year excursion I guess it is better then spending three to five days on the train which I have done in previous years.
Back in March 2009 I purchased an Air Canada J class ticket from YYZ to Las Vegas at an unbelievable price of just $630 one way. For round trip inclusive of taxes and various surcharges it was just $1440 for a totally refundable ticket, quite a bargain so I reserved it at once.
I was booked on AC 593 (an Airbus 320) departing T1 at 2040 on Wednesday the 23rd of Dec. My limo dropped me off at the transborder terminal and I checked my one bag at a super elite wicket, and was instructed to take it to U.S. customs. I filled out a declaration and within one minute I was directed to a U.S. immigration inspector who only asked where I was staying in Las Vegas, and then stamped the declaration form. Next I went to the U.S. customs agent who asked nothing, just took my card and away I went to the priority security line. Going through this line took about three or four minutes and then into another room where I took off my shoes, jacket, overcoat etc. and went through the metal detector without incident. The next hurdle was to take my bag to AC’s rather long line for deposit. I then saw a person with a badge and I said “does an Executive class passenger have to line up?” He replied certainly not and took my bags away. So far all quite impressive.
I eventually found my way to AC’s MLL, where I was politely greeted and found a seat in this huge lounge (much larger than the old first-class lounges of 20 years ago.) I would guess there were only about a dozen people in the lounge, which surprised me as this was the holiday period. I took immediate advantage of the complimentary gin as well as excellent soup and salad. Since AC does not call departures in the lounge, I had to keep track on the departure board. About 40 minutes before departure I went looking for the gate (I believe it was 153). Eventually I found it and maybe ten minutes later the call was made for Executive, elites and super elites. Upon boarding, the male flight attendant took my overcoat and suit jacket and put them in a closet that was just ahead of my assigned seat 2C. He also addressed me by name and provided a non-alcoholic drink.
After takeoff (about 20 minutes late) the passengers were handed a menu that was just a single card in very small print. I seem to recall there were three choices of main courses, and I chose the salmon that was quite tasty. We also had a salad and dessert as well as generous portions of wine. I believe I was unconscious for most of the remaining flight to Las Vegas, as I can only recall one announcement (that we would be arriving 20 minutes early). Since I was at the front of the plane I was one of the first off, and making my way to the luggage pick-up, I was pleased to see that my bag was about the third one off the plane. So indeed the red priority tag worked.
While in Las Vegas I heard about the terrorist incident over Detroit, and wondered how this would affect my return journey. I was booked on AC592 (an Airbus 319) departing LAS on Monday the 28th of Dec. at 1210. I was also concerned about the lack of lounge facilities for Air Canada passengers in Terminal 2, so I was very pleased that my cousin in Las Vegas who is an executive with one of the large casino corporations used his influence to persuade a certain airline to issue a pass as their guest in the quite beautiful first-class lounge in Terminal 2. I was warmly greeted and pleased to see they had my favourite brand of gin. This is a wonderful asset in Las Vegas, and I don’t see why Air Canada does not have some sort of relationship with the operators of this lounge. As for security leaving LAS, it was quick and efficient with nothing extra if one is leaving the U.S. Obviously quite the opposite entering the U.S., so I was certainly lucky to have missed the terror incident earlier in the week.
Of course the increased security did affect Flt. 592 as it was a Montreal to LAS flight that is turned around to become a LAS to YYZ flight. This flight was about an hour late in arriving, to we were about an hour late departing. After receiving priority J class boarding and again having my garments stowed in the closet, I was addressed by name by another male flight attendant and given a non-alcoholic departure drink. Although this was a noon-hour flight, I noticed that the menu was virtually the same as my dinner menu on Flt. 593. I chose some sort of beef dinner that was rather tough, I should have stayed with the salmon. Again plenty of wine, but I had to ask for a Grand Marnier after dinner. Not up to the old first-class standards, but nothing I could really complain about.
We must have had some tailwinds, as we made up time, and I think we were only about 30 minutes late upon landing. We were delayed in getting off the plane as the door was stuck, and it looked like the arming mechanism for the emergency chute was causing problems. Then we were told that the door was frozen, and after much hammering and banging by the ground crew it finally opened, and once again I was one of the first passengers off the plane and making my way toward customs and baggage pick-up. On and on and on I walked through this interminable terminal. I went up an escalator, walked at great length and rode three moving sidewalks, walked some more, went down an escalator through some doors and into a gargantuan room that could probably hold over a thousand passengers. Fortunately, even though this was the holiday period, there were almost no people in this room, just a line of Canada customs agents waiting for passengers. I cleared customs and immigration in less that a minute, went through another door into another huge room where many luggage carousals confronted the passenger. I eventually found mine, and was pleased to see my priority bags (I left with one and came back with two) were already coming down the chute.
After finding my limo, I was driven back to my apartment at Yonge and Bloor in about thirty minutes (no traffic or weather problems).
In summary all went very well and I suffered no significant inconvenience. However, Toronto’s Terminal 1 is an awful place in terms of its size and how long you have to walk to go to or from anywhere. I would certainly hate to put up with T1 on any sort of frequent basis, however, for a once a year excursion I guess it is better then spending three to five days on the train which I have done in previous years.
Last edited by royalflight; Jan 1, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Jan 3, 2010, 6:26 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Programs: VIA Rail - Premier, Fairmont, Cunard - Diamond, AC - Mere mortal
Posts: 212
I'm glad to read a positive review of Air Canada's upgraded "J" service.
Their North American "J" meals had nowhere to go but up. It's about time they improved the offerings. For a few years lunch and dinner started with some boring salad served in a plastic bowl with a lid that had to be removed by the passenger. One time we had a hideously over-spiced pasta salad and one other memorable salad was carrot shavings without any dressing or even raisins. Desserts weren't served either, just a chocolate. It is my understanding that the Las Vegas flights don't rate the ice cream and cookies as do the other long-hauls, such as Toronto to Vancouver. It's a shame they haven't brought back the faux-champagne which was an excellent Spanish Cava, but the wine selection was always reasonably good even when the food was not up to par.
Their North American "J" meals had nowhere to go but up. It's about time they improved the offerings. For a few years lunch and dinner started with some boring salad served in a plastic bowl with a lid that had to be removed by the passenger. One time we had a hideously over-spiced pasta salad and one other memorable salad was carrot shavings without any dressing or even raisins. Desserts weren't served either, just a chocolate. It is my understanding that the Las Vegas flights don't rate the ice cream and cookies as do the other long-hauls, such as Toronto to Vancouver. It's a shame they haven't brought back the faux-champagne which was an excellent Spanish Cava, but the wine selection was always reasonably good even when the food was not up to par.