Cross country with Air Canada

#9, next time insist on staying on the old, defective plane. They probably just changed to a new one for fun.

Blanket/pillow combo costs $2 to rent on Air Canada on domestic flights.

What are they like internationally? I'm flying from Sydney to Ottawa, stopping over in Vancouver. Will I arrive looking emaciated and Nicole Richie-like, with skeletal structure accutely visible?

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<hr>I can vouch for the poor service from Air Canada. Our flight was delayed repeatedly and after we boarded it, the captain announced that we had to return to the airport. We were given a new plane but no one informed us of the situation or how we would make our connections. Once we were in the air the flight crew apologised repeatedly and provided the needed information. Give Air canada a miss....<hr></blockquote>

They would have switched planes because the captain was concerned about a safety issue....

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<hr>What are they like internationally? I'm flying from Sydney to Ottawa, stopping over in Vancouver. Will I arrive looking emaciated and Nicole Richie-like, with skeletal structure accutely visible?<hr></blockquote>

You'll survive somehow. Air Canada is about middle of the pack internationally service-wise, which is good for an North American airline. They're comparable to a Qantas or Air New Zealand.

Having flown both Westjet and Air Canada, I did not see a difference in service.

On both of them, you have to pay for food.

Delays can happen with any airline.

When I went to Toronto last month on Wesjet, we were delayed 3 hours due to a storm. These are things that happen.

Westjet does seem to have weird connections. There were people on our flight from Montreal to Toronto that were going to Halifax and other places East of Montreal. For me personally, I would not like to fly West to go East. So, in that respect, I would pick Air Canada over Westjet.

I must be really lucky because I have never had a problem with AC. Last flight I had with them in economy, the attendant offered me a free hot meal from business class section. They had too many, so they gave them out. It was a gesture that was appreciated as I had had a long day ...

I have flown Canada - Germany many times and recently Toronto - Vancouver and Calgary - Toronto.

AC is alright, nothing exceptional, I don't have much to complain about AC, except for the Calgary - Toronto leg we had to wait about 1/2 hour on the runway for the ground crew to arrive, which sucked, as we landed close to midnight already and to make it worse, another 1 1/2 hours at the baggage claim, as the belts of the conveyer were getting stuck over and over again.
Usually AC is pretty good with families from what I have seen, really depends on the crew and the persons "mood".
If you are lucky you get someone that won't even charge you for a blanket for your kid, but thats kind of hard to predict.
I bring smth to eat most of the time, some fruit and a sub or smth like that, smth fresh usually.

One thing that doesn't make sense to me is that they have in-flight entertainment for continental flights, but not for international travel (as leat not for the Canada-Germany flights), but I guess that will change soon, when they are gonna introduce the new 777 for their Toronto - Frankfurt flights (hopefully!).

They had three consecutive movies on the AC international flights I've been on recently.

We have just flown Beijing - Vancouver and then across to Ontario, back to Alberta, onto Victoria and then returned to Beijing, all with AC.

First, internationally, you get three movies and two full free meals if the flight is the length it was on ours, about 12 hours. All drinks, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, are free. The blankets, pillows and earphones are free and you can take them with you if you wish.

Flying inside Canada you need to buy food and snacks as well as alcoholic drinks. Non-alcoholic drinks, juice, milk, coffee and tea are free. You might get a very small package of snacks depending on the flight.
We did get one bonus. The flight from Vancouver to Toronto was a continuation flight from Shanghai. Four days before our flight, AC had decided this flight would have a free full meal and free drinks. They had gotten tired of explaining to the Chinese passengers why everything was free until they got to Canada and then had to pay for drinks and food. We really lucked out!! The flight left Vancouver at around noon. It might be worth checking out if you arelanding in Vancouver and heading east.

Have a great trip and hopefully you are treated well.

Domestic flights: AC charges for pillows. Blankets are scarce. Food is scarce -some for sale, all bad. ('won't launch into how downhill it has gotten, but still better than US airlines).

Bring your own comfort items! Try to purchase everything (except liquid) before you get to the airport, as most airports don't have great selection of kid-related snack food (junk only). You can't take liquid through security - so bring empty bottles and fill up the water on the plane side of security.

I meant they don't have AVOD for every passenger on international flights like they had on the Calgary - Toronto flight, but I think thats changing with the new 777 they are gonna have on the YYZ - FRA route.

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<hr>One thing that doesn't make sense to me is that they have in-flight entertainment for continental flights, but not for international travel <hr></blockquote>

On international longhaul routes, some 767's have AVOD , all 777's do, A330's will start to by the end of the year. They are in the process of updating all aircraft in their fleet except for A340's as they are to be sold. All new aircraft (777's, E75's, E90's and CRA's) all have AVOD at every seat as well as most A320's. AC's AVOD is way better than Westjets (larger screen,you can watch what you want when you want, free movies, iPOD input).

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<hr>Blanket/pillow combo costs $2 to rent on Air Canada on domestic flights. <hr></blockquote>

Actually they are $2 to purchase on daytime flights, free on evening and overnight flights.

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<hr>the belts of the conveyer were getting stuck over and over again.<hr></blockquote>

and that is the airlines fault?

And no I dont work for Air Canada...but I do fly alot with many different carriers and have seen it all.