YOW-YYZ-YYC
Sep 27, 1999, 5:23 am
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Canada
Programs: AC SE 2MM, HH Dd, SPG; IC Pl/A; AA; DL
Posts: 14,321
YOW-YYZ-YYC
Meetings finished early so headed out to Ottawa airport and asked to get on earlier flight--heaven forbid I also wanted to get home earlier so was asking to drop the side trip to Edmonton on the way back to Calgary. No problem--had it all fixed up in one minute and I was on my way. Tried to upgrade my friend who was going east while I was going west but had a very reluctant Maple Leaf Lounge agent. 
Noticed another SuperElite member who was having no luck getting his upgrades to Toronto but was OK from Toronto to Frankfurt. They even had his wife and him split up in the economy cabin, one of them at the back (he wasn't too happy)
Got my friend into the lounge, gave him a lounge pass for his Halifax layover and headed for my flight. The AC flight departed on time, got out onto the runway and then the dreaded announcement (we are going back to the terminal as we have an instrument malfunction). We were advised to remain on board but people were given the option to go out to the gate to try and change there plans. There was much confusion for the next 1.5 hours as people scrambled to try and change plans (many people were connecting to Frankfurt and US bound flights) but to no avail as all outbound flights from Ottawa were overbooked. At least the crew kept us up to date on the fixing process. Almost all those who left the plane eventually came back and we departed 1.5 hours late.
No meal this time -- was supposed to be a mid afternoon flight that turned into a supper hour flight. All they had was Lindt chocolate gelato. That was OK and filled the gap. The plane was a DC9 with a newer interior (unlike the shabby ones flown on many western Rapidair routes). The J seats are not quite as comfortable as the Airbus but they are OK.
Arrived in Toronto and then had to wait for a slot to open as they were all full (this is becoming a pattern at Toronto and Calgary).
While everyone scrambled over to the gates to get their flight plans rearranged, I walked into the Maple Leaf lounge, was first in line and got my boarding pass on the next flight no problem. Unless you are first off the plane, I highly recommend the short stroll to the lounge if you find yourself in this type of situation (delayed/cancelled flight). Caught up on some Flyer Talk at the free internet access computers in the lounge. Two negative things in the lounge -- the washbasin in the main restroom and the entire men's private restroom were still out of order (as they were when I went through three days earlier--surely they can get things fixed faster than that!
Trip to Calgary was also full. Showed Notting Hill (not bad but could have done without the ending -- way too unreal). Dinner was the new cuisine and it was slightly better than some of the standard fare. Started with a good mixed green salad and semi-fresh rolls. Wine quality seems OK but a notch below a year ago. Herb stuffed chicken, Portobello mushrooms and rice with an OK sauce. Dessert was a jam tart that didn't impress me much.
Read an article in the Globe and Mail or National Post about the black AMEX card (that arrives in a special box with an armoured car -- for those who make over $350,000 a year, by invitation only).
Arrived in Calgary a little late and then had to wait as all the slots were full. It was still about 2 and a half hours earlier than if I had gone on my planned side trip to Edmonton. Happy to be home again.
Noticed another SuperElite member who was having no luck getting his upgrades to Toronto but was OK from Toronto to Frankfurt. They even had his wife and him split up in the economy cabin, one of them at the back (he wasn't too happy)Got my friend into the lounge, gave him a lounge pass for his Halifax layover and headed for my flight. The AC flight departed on time, got out onto the runway and then the dreaded announcement (we are going back to the terminal as we have an instrument malfunction). We were advised to remain on board but people were given the option to go out to the gate to try and change there plans. There was much confusion for the next 1.5 hours as people scrambled to try and change plans (many people were connecting to Frankfurt and US bound flights) but to no avail as all outbound flights from Ottawa were overbooked. At least the crew kept us up to date on the fixing process. Almost all those who left the plane eventually came back and we departed 1.5 hours late.
No meal this time -- was supposed to be a mid afternoon flight that turned into a supper hour flight. All they had was Lindt chocolate gelato. That was OK and filled the gap. The plane was a DC9 with a newer interior (unlike the shabby ones flown on many western Rapidair routes). The J seats are not quite as comfortable as the Airbus but they are OK.
Arrived in Toronto and then had to wait for a slot to open as they were all full (this is becoming a pattern at Toronto and Calgary).
While everyone scrambled over to the gates to get their flight plans rearranged, I walked into the Maple Leaf lounge, was first in line and got my boarding pass on the next flight no problem. Unless you are first off the plane, I highly recommend the short stroll to the lounge if you find yourself in this type of situation (delayed/cancelled flight). Caught up on some Flyer Talk at the free internet access computers in the lounge. Two negative things in the lounge -- the washbasin in the main restroom and the entire men's private restroom were still out of order (as they were when I went through three days earlier--surely they can get things fixed faster than that!
Trip to Calgary was also full. Showed Notting Hill (not bad but could have done without the ending -- way too unreal). Dinner was the new cuisine and it was slightly better than some of the standard fare. Started with a good mixed green salad and semi-fresh rolls. Wine quality seems OK but a notch below a year ago. Herb stuffed chicken, Portobello mushrooms and rice with an OK sauce. Dessert was a jam tart that didn't impress me much.
Read an article in the Globe and Mail or National Post about the black AMEX card (that arrives in a special box with an armoured car -- for those who make over $350,000 a year, by invitation only).
Arrived in Calgary a little late and then had to wait as all the slots were full. It was still about 2 and a half hours earlier than if I had gone on my planned side trip to Edmonton. Happy to be home again.
