Air Canada - Is it only me?

[Nihontraveller]

I have recently moved to Canada and have used Air Canada on 12 sectors in the last 3 months on routes between Canada and Europe and Japan. Never used them before.

On 10 of these 12 sectors the flight has been delayed. The longest delay was 8 hours, the shortest was 2 hours. I was kicked off of one due to overbooking at Frankfurt and rerouted through London 6 hours later with the Lufthansa staff at Frankfurt saying "this always happens with Air Canada". The subsequent flight from London was then delayed 2 hours. In one almost comical case, after waiting 4 hours for an aircraft which "arrived late" into Toronto, we were boarded and immediately exacuated due a "fuel leak?". Had to wait another 4 hours for a replacement aircraft. It was almost a joke!

The final case was on Tuesday this week at LHR when the Air Canada flight office was closed due to an "incident" and the flight crew could not get in to arrange for the refueling of the aircraft.

My question is this? Am I just unlucky or is this normal Air Canada performance.

How long can they stay in the Star Alliance, code share and carry passengers from airlines like Lufthansa and ANA who get it right?

I'd like to know if it is worth persevering with them.

[Rollingthunder]

Got to say you're having a run of bad luck. OTP was 78% last week - system - all fleets. There is a current, ongoing initiative to improve that further.

[AlanM]

Bad Luck??

I have only flown ACA once - from Calgary-Heathrow.

OK - it was 2 years ago and things may have changed, but it was a poor flight. The inflight entertainment was old Hollywood films from the 50's!! The A340 had no individual screens and the service was by a guy who had his top 3 buttons undone, no tie and an un-ironed short from the moment he made sure I was strapped in!

My colleague also flew back the next day, and due to rostering probs and crew duty hours they had to go and pick up a 3rd crew member from another airfield which meant de-fuelling the fully fuelled aircraft and bigger delays!

All in all, they won't be getting our money again. Sadly, people only remember the bad flights!

[Eboy]

I've done DC to Vancouver, Montreal, or Quebec City several times a year for several years, mostly Air Canada with some code sharing with United. No significant problems and pleasant service. I have no Europe experience with Air Canada.

[SuperStreaker]

Had a really bad flight from Toronto to Heathrow back in april. Outbound they forgot to get weight figures so take off was delayed (although I'm glad it was, don't want to become a part of the Malton landscape). Capt (and I apologise if I'm nitpicking) turned on the seatbelt signs an hour into the flight and never turned them off again, quite content to leave us chained to our seats in clear skies and the cabin crew were generally rude to the unwashed masses in "Hospitality".

Coming back was a different story thouogh. Same type (767) but I selected a better seat at the window (I was pretty chuffed on the LHR bound to get a seat by the bulkhead, as I stand 6' 4" and width to match, not earning a packet or I would have paid for the bigger seat. I found I had less room in this seat then anticipated) but coming back was great. Fed, watered and looked after very well. Comfortable seating and friendly crew made me reconsider my harsh feeling from the outbound flight.

Could it be a conspiracy? Treat em' bad on the outbound, he still has to come back and we can change his mind (I had training on interrogation of POW's in the forces, it's a trick. Good guy Bad guy routine). When all is said and done, I will use AC again and save for the Business class seat. If I'm satisfied they may just have a loyal customer (albeit infrequently as I don't fly that often)

Graham

[Big_Mooney]

I flew with A/C in April from Glasgow to Toronto then onwards to Calgary on an ancient 762. Full to the brim with old grannies, and old style cinema screens at the front of every section. Couldn't even see the crappy film, and the food wasn't that great too. Was really wanting the new A340 from LHR with wee tellys in the seat infront etc but couldn't get the flight I wanted, so had to settle for Glasgow departure instead. Last time i went to Calgary, Flew UAL on nice big 777 tellys, good food, the lot, and changed in Chicago. Think I'll stick with UAL if there still around? Flight to Calgary from Glasgow was £500 return NO THANKS NEVER AGAIN.

[pilotwolf]

Here's my experience with them...

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=544733#post544733 (http://)

:mad: