AC cabin service

[sidestep]

I recently had the experience of travelling as a pax on the LHR - YVR route operated with a AC A330. Having travelled quite extensively on the ZED / Star Alliance network up through the years, I was - to put it mildly - very dissapointed with both the attitude and service level provided by the CA's. (not that I deserve any more considering the price of the R2 ticked: but that's hardly the point...)

The average age of the onboard cabin-crew must have been at least 50, and none of them seeem remotely interested in being onboard. My IMPRESSION was of a cabin-crew who seemed arrogant, distant, complacent and completely indifferent to the cattle on M class. While taking the drink-trolley though the cabin, I actually overheard two of the attendents holding a conversation about how they were looking forward to long vacations and subsequently relieved at not having to do these trips for a while.

Anyways: it could have been a bad day for everyone, who knows? My point is this: is this the general service level provided onboard the AC long-range fleet, or was I just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Does anyone else share my impression, or am I the grumpy old bastard here? Or to put it another way: how does AC cabin-service compare to that of it's competing carriers. Based on my experience, I would not purchase a ticked with AC again (if I was paying normal fare.) And if I was an employee there, I would be worried about losing too many customers to competing carriers...

As for myself, I'm an FO with a european operator.

[Lost in Saigon]

I fly Hong Kong-Toronto-Paris on Air Canada about 6 times a year and your experience is pretty common on the overseas flights. Sometimes the service is better, but not often. Business class service is top notch but economy is usually pretty bad.

The problem is mainly due to the fact that all F/A flying is determined by seniority. Longer flights are more productive to their schedules and only the most senior F/A's get them. Air Canada has a lot of 50+ F/A's and the majority of them just don't seem to understand the concept of customer service.

This is compounded by Air Canada lowering the level of service and flying with a minimum number of crew.

Of course there are some senior F/A's who give fantastic service and there are often younger ones onboard due to reserve coverage and language qualifications.

As I watch them go down the aisle with the cart, I get the impression that they just want to get the job done with as little effort as possible in the shortest time possible. It looks sort of like an assembly line as they slowly push the cart down the aisle, barely stopping, as they actually throw a box lunch at you with the absolute minimum of personal interaction.

And if you should dare to ask some details about your choice of dinner or ask for drink re-fill, you will see all manner of eye rolling and impatient frustrated gestures with the occasional rude comment thrown in for good measure.

Other "Legacy" airlines probably have similar problems with senior staff, but I can only comment on Air Canada’s operation.

[groncher]

I use AC 6-7 times per year between Montreal and Frankfurt, and have to agree with your take on the service and general lack of concern from the FAs. I think most of us are very understanding that people can have "bad days", but I can't believe they can have them as frequently as I have witnessed on this route. I have also heard open conversation which included whining and clearly negative comments. I know that these issues are apparent to some degree in almost every company, but can only take this open complaining as a very serious lack of professionalism.

I also think it is is a sign of a very serious morale problem. This business of the "merged" crews from former Canadian Airlines with Air Canada has never really been a popular on amongst FAs, and the former Canadian people like to wear their logos upside down as a form of showing their allegiance to their former company.

Comparison to other airlines is not easy, but honestly I have found that Air Canada has not kept up with the times with many things. On the Air France A330, every economy seat has a personal screen, and a controller that lets you choose your movie or games to play. Even in economy they come around before meal service, and drop a card with the menu choices. I found them to be very accomodating, no problem to ask for something, since they were already making repeated rounds with extra rolls, and of course wine. On my last trip to Frankfurt on AC, I was upgrade to Business, and while I was very grateful for the legroom, the food was nothing special, the seats are large but outdated and in poor condition. Again, the service was also very lacklustre. I have also recently travelled on Lufthansa, BA, and KLM, and would have to say that Air Canada's service standard is the lowest, matched only by KLM. It wasn't like this 6-7 years ago.

Having said these things, I feel it is only fair to mention that on occasion I have seen absolutely wonderful service, and a couple of medical emergencies that were handled very well, and the concern for the passenger was clearly very genuine.

[spencer101]

Beware the stewasaurus:sad: :ouch:

[le soixante neuf]

Is she something like the lickalottapus?

[brucelee]

Sidestep.
I agree, as far as European standards go, AC has a long way to go with in-flight service. However not all European service is all that great either. It seems to be hit and miss the world over. Air Canada is a great place to make a lifetime career in and thus everyone, from pilots to lav cleaners stay until retirement and perhaps that's the problem. Having said all that, Air Canada just won a service award for best service in North America. I guess in your opinion that doesn't say much for N. American in-flight service. The company is spending milions upgrading inflight enternainment wich you will notice starting next spring as well as buying new aircraft and refurbishing old ones. It takes time.

Groncher.
You may be right, the merger of CAIL and AC may have something to do with it but I can tell you that the bigger problem was the bankruptcy. Having experienced CCAA, our management has taken a new approach with cost-cutting measures in order to avoid any future financial problems. In Europe, airlines were not affected as bad from 9/11 and never really had to adjust the level of service that much. In N. America we are still in 9/11 mode and perhaps will always be.

[er340790]

Having moved over to Canada from NL last year, I agree wholeheartedly with the comments about the AC cabin crew or the 'hounds of hell' as we christened them after our last horrific flight ex-LHR.

The explanation I was given was the downsizing of AC admin and head office functions over recent years resulted in many (strongly unionised) long serving personnel facing either a job on the front line or redundancy. Those who took up the front line jobs don't really want to be there; have zero interest in customer service and are merely serving out their time 'til pension.

My personal choice of carrier is now domestically WestJet, who are a breath of fresh air and internationally Air Transat Business Class which is usually cheaper than AC economy.

AC should have been allowed to go to the wall. It is time to bury this dinosaur once and for all.

[brucelee]

er340...
"AC should have been allowed to go to the wall. It is time to bury this dinosaur once and for all."

Rather strong comments for a person who just moved to Canada last year. Don't believe everything you hear. The downsizing has nothing to do with it. AC did go to wall (30,000+ people almost lost their jobs) and has come out of it successfully,stronger and more popular than ever judging by our loads. And on behalf of every AC employee, I apoligize for your bad experience on our flights. If a breath of fresh air is what you need, go for it. The old dinosaur will keep flying though, contrary to your wishes and probably continue receiving awards for best service (sorry for repeating it):ok:

[Saltaire]

Unfortunately, the awards within NA means Jack....AC isn't even on the radar for international awards. AC needs to take those hideous old 767's off the international curcuit. They have one movie playing with no options for other inflight entertainment. The flight attendants shouldn't be allowed to sleep and snore amongt the passengers. The last AC flight I took, one of the cabin crew was laid out across the back, snoring for about 3 hours. The problem is that there are always promises with AC about things about to change. yada yada, but it makes them far behind the leaders. The 777's are badly needed....

[Rollingthunder]

Well, I must lead a charmed life. I can't remember the last time I had a bad AC flight. I do YVR-LHR and LHR-YVR about 12 times a year plus many trans-con flights. Check-.in and cabin crew have always been friendly and helpful. The interiors are always in good nick - clean and serviceable. Yes, there are no PTVs unless in business class (portable individual units)- the result of financial constraints in the past but you get movies and news and some TV comedy shows plus the enroute moving map.
The financial constraints never affected the maintenance of the aircraft. I actually prefer the 767s - probably because that's the aircraft I have spent the most time jumpseating on the flight deck,(over Greenland on a clear night is quite amazing) but I find even the hospitality class cabin comfortable. A340 and A330 seats not quite as comfortable. Food can be mediocre but I've had some quite tasty meals as well and as much whisky etc. as I want without hassle. Flights are usually on-time, often early on arrival.

I might be a little biased but I'm also quite critical. 29 years with Canadian Airlines and predecessors and Air Canada. Apologies to those who have had bad flights.

[brucelee]

I sat next to an american pax on the way back from LHR. She was from MIA and told me she comes all the way up to YYZ to fly AC to Europe and back because of the better service compared to many others she had tried. We all have our stories, good and bad. I guess beauty (or good service) is in the eye of the beholder and some people need glasses. We're
not perfect, never will be. Just doing our best.:ok:

[sidestep]

It's good to see so many people responding, and different views being expressed. It was never my intention to "bash" Air Canada: I was just curious to see if any AC pilots share my point of view about the cabin service putting their airline at risk in the ever-harsher marked. We have much the same problem in Scandianavia with SAS; unions with too much power which is crippling the airline's ability to meet the rapidly changing marked demands (which was NOT the situation some years ago when such operators had government financial provisions to meet the rising union demands.)

But all the best to my collegues at AC. You've got a great country to fly in, a fantastic route network and hopefully a new fleet in a couple of years!

[rotornut]

And they're getting passengers:

http://biz.yahoo.com/cnw/050907/e_aircanada_loadaugus.html?.v=1