Travel tips, tricks and warnings
If you're flying in Canada, sometimes you don't have a choice. You might be trapped by Aeroplan--or someone else is making the choice for you. Or, you're just going somewhere no one else flies.
These are my tips on how to make the most out of your Air Canada experience. You may also enjoy my companion lens: Surviving WestJet
(Photo of the non-AC prop plane by 768 of Flickr)
New Table of Contents
Saving money
Or, how to get screwed by fine print (unless you read this)
I'm highlighting the fine print on the fare-reductions Air Canada offers so you don't have to read it. Some of these include the "simplified fare options."
- Save $3 if you don't check a bag
...but, if you end up wanting to check a bag be prepared to pay $50 if you arrive at the airport with a bag to check if you saved the $3.
A second checked bag with a Tango fare was free - then it was $25 - now it's free again. - Buy a prepaid voucher for on-board food for $6 (worth $8)
- Advance seat selection is $15, $17 or $22 (depending on the type of seat you want) with the base Tango fare
...but, if you check in online 24 hours before your flight, you can generally get the window or aisle seat you were looking for. - When flying in Canada, take a flight that continues on as an international flight. The crew may distribute things (like headphones) for free during the domestic leg of the flight. How to spot these flights? The flight numbers are usually under 100 - like flight 1 from Toronto-Vancouver-Tokyo
In-Flight Entertainment
It's free (and actually better than WestJet)
Air Canada has on-demand video on all of their airplanes. They used to show their upgraded airplanes with a red star on their booking. But, now it seems to be on all of their airplanes.
What does this mean?
In a row of three seats, there are two, normal AC plugs that you can use during the entire flight. These plugs don't require an adapter if you're dealing with North American gadgets. The window seat is the one without its own plug.
You can start, fast forward, rewind, and pause video. Pause the movie you're watching when the flight attendants/food sales people stop by. Don't wait for that "end of the movie" run on the washrooms.
Watch (relatively) advertisement-free. There are about four or five ads before the shows start. But, after that point, you won't be interrupted. If you start a movie and move back into the menu, you won't have to watch the ads again if you go to restart the movie where you left off.
The touch screen is not instantaneous. Give it a second.
You can turn off the screen if you don't want to stare at it. This is not a simple task. First, go into the XM Satellite Radio. Then, choose a station to listen to. From that screen, you will have an option to turn off the screen.
What does this mean?
In a row of three seats, there are two, normal AC plugs that you can use during the entire flight. These plugs don't require an adapter if you're dealing with North American gadgets. The window seat is the one without its own plug.
You can start, fast forward, rewind, and pause video. Pause the movie you're watching when the flight attendants/food sales people stop by. Don't wait for that "end of the movie" run on the washrooms.
Watch (relatively) advertisement-free. There are about four or five ads before the shows start. But, after that point, you won't be interrupted. If you start a movie and move back into the menu, you won't have to watch the ads again if you go to restart the movie where you left off.
The touch screen is not instantaneous. Give it a second.
You can turn off the screen if you don't want to stare at it. This is not a simple task. First, go into the XM Satellite Radio. Then, choose a station to listen to. From that screen, you will have an option to turn off the screen.
Safety and AC in the news
What's not taking off
Here are a bunch of news articles related to Air Canada and safety.
- BBC NEWS | Americas | Airline lifevests go to cut costs
- (Air Canada Jazz) A regional airline in Canada is removing lifevests from all its planes to cut weight and so reduce fuel costs.
Bathrooms at 30,000 feet
How to survive Air Canada's bathrooms
There's nothing pleasant about any airline bathroom. It's tiny, it's cramped, it's inaccessible.(Photo of occupied doom by 00dan of flickr)
First of all, be a nice passenger and clean off that sink after you use it. It takes a bit of effort to wipe off that sink. If something unfortunate happens to the toilet seat, wipe that one, too. Remember: we're all in this together.
A lot of people have complained about the cleanliness of Air Canada's on-board bathrooms. Yes, sometimes it's not pretty. My only advice in this area is to try them out at the beginning of a long haul flight. Don't use them on a short haul because you'll land in 20 minutes anyway.
If you ask the staff to clean up any mess, just face it - they won't. Make a fuss and it might get cleaned if you have a stop-over.What's the best part of Air Canada bathrooms? They have Fruits and Passion hand soap. It's the orange-cantaloupe fruity hand soap.
- Pilot locked out of cockpit after bathroom break
- WINNIPEG - An Air Canada pilot who left the flight deck to visit the washroom found himself locked out of the cockpit when he tried to return -- forcing the crew to remove the door from its hinges.
- Air Canada Reviews and Passenger Opinions from AirlineQuality.com
- Read Air Canada Reviews and Passenger Opinions about Air Canada customer service quality, Air Canada flights, cabin staff and bathrooms.
Pets and Air Canada
How to not travel with your pet
Air Canada has recently (July 2007) changed their policy regarding pets and air travel. They used to allow you to bring small pets on board and larger pets in cargo. Now, you can't do either.You can ship your pet on Air Canada cargo - and only when the temperature is above zero. Why did they arrive at this decision? They said that the on-board pets were causing allergy problems. I personally believe that it's cheaper for them to fly with the baggage compartment not pressurized.
Need to travel with your pet in Canada? Try WestJet.
Things you can buy on board
HEADPHONES: Air Canada now charges for headphones on all its flights. They're $3 and actually not bad quality. They're a little cushy and not weird like the ones you used to have to clip to your ears.
FRUIT: I really do enjoy the apple slices (and sometimes carrots) that you can buy on board. They're $2 per bag and come with dip.
PIZZA: This is your one ticket to a hot meal if you don't consider pot noodle to be food. It's $5. One thing to remember is that you need to order it early in the flight because they stop serving them after they become rubber.
MR NOODLES: If you're looking for a big cup of salt to enhance your in-flight dehydration, order a piping hot Mr Noodles. $2.
FRUIT: I really do enjoy the apple slices (and sometimes carrots) that you can buy on board. They're $2 per bag and come with dip.
PIZZA: This is your one ticket to a hot meal if you don't consider pot noodle to be food. It's $5. One thing to remember is that you need to order it early in the flight because they stop serving them after they become rubber.
MR NOODLES: If you're looking for a big cup of salt to enhance your in-flight dehydration, order a piping hot Mr Noodles. $2.
Mobile check-in
The future today
Air Canada now offers mobile check in. It's basically your boarding pass sent to your phone. Air Canada will send you two messages
When you go to security, you show a text message to the person who looks at boarding passes.
When you're at the gate, you need to show the second message which is a link to a bar code. The gate will probably not have the equipment to scan this bar code. So, they'll just check you in manually anyway.
Even if you do a mobile check-in, you can still reprint an old-fashioned boarding pass at the kiosk. Something to keep in mind of your phone isn't fully charged.
When you go to security, you show a text message to the person who looks at boarding passes.
When you're at the gate, you need to show the second message which is a link to a bar code. The gate will probably not have the equipment to scan this bar code. So, they'll just check you in manually anyway.
Even if you do a mobile check-in, you can still reprint an old-fashioned boarding pass at the kiosk. Something to keep in mind of your phone isn't fully charged.
Air Canada in the news
From stock price crashes to actual crashes to computer crashes
Air Canada is in the news a lot, and it's hard to keep up. Whether it's attempts to hire newbie pilots or bankruptcy, it's all here.
- August 28, 2007: Air Canada flight incident
- "We had a standby landing. It was an Air Canada flight from Edmonton with 27 people on board and essentially, there was a report of loss of pressurization. But, it did land safely without incident."
- globeandmail.com: MarketsBlog - Citi clips Air Canada's wings
- Citing "disappointing results so far in '07," analyst Andrew Light said in a client note Tuesday morning that he has slashed his 12-month target share price for Canada's largest airline to $16.20 from $21.50, although he's still calling the stock a "buy/high risk."
- August 29, 2007: Jazz wing flaps
- Air Canada Jazz said yesterday that it has been taking "corrective action" for several months to ensure its 57 Bombardier CRJ aircraft have wing flaps that work efficiently.
- The Canadian Press: Bicycle belonging to charity cyclists crushed during Air Canada flight
- PENTICTON, B.C. (CP) A Penticton B.C. couple who cycled across Canada to raise money for charity have had a rather crushing homecoming. Dr. David Cleveland and Stacey Butterfield raised $15,000 and their $3,000 bike will not be replaced by Air Canada
- aircanada.com - Air Canada ranked 'Best Airline in North America' in world's largest survey of air travellers
- Somehow Air Canada won this survey. Myself and other Air Canada patrons are in shock.
- Air Canada, WestJet drop fares
- Rival airlines Air Canada and WestJet are lowering their fares to $48 for travel between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
- edmontonsun.com - Canada - Air Canada shows off new 777
- By the end of November, the Air Canada fleet will include eight 777s, with nine more being added in 2008.
- globeandmail.com: Computer glitch hits Air Canada
- November 16, 2007 TORONTO - Air Canada was struggling Friday to contend with a major computer network failure that caused flight delays at Toronto's Pearson International Airport and could cause similar backups at airports across the country.
- Passengers hurt after Air Canada plane turbulence
- CALGARY, Alberta, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Ten passengers were injured, six badly, on Thursday after an Air Canada plane bucked in midair on a flight across Canada, because of heavy turbulence, and made an emergency landing in Calgary.
- Co-pilot 'falling ill' forces Air Canada emergency landing
- January 29, 2008: The co-pilot of an Air Canada flight from Toronto to London has been placed in psychiatric care in an Irish hospital after the plane made an emergency landing Monday, say reports.
- Airlines cut consumer fees
- Air Canada, the country's largest carrier, announced it will eliminate the $25 fee charged for a second bag of luggage on North American Tango and Tango Plus fares starting Sept. 23.
- Air Canada flight attendant helped land plane after co-pilot breakdown: report
- An Air Canada flight attendant took over some cockpit duties earlier this year when the flight's co-pilot had a nervous breakdown, an official report said Wednesday.
- Canada Gives Obese Flyers an Extra Seat for Free | Autopia from Wired.com
- The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld a regulatory ruling requiring the country's airlines to provide an extra seat -- at no charge -- to obese passengers and those with disabilities
- Air Canada Flight 190 may have hit an "atmospheric bore" - Turbulence Forecast Blog
- Turbulence Forecast Blog
Air Canada Flight 190 may have hit an “atmospheric bore”
Air Canada Flight 190 may have hit a very rare phenomenom called an ‘Atmospheric Bore’, a sort of tidal wave in the sky. They are exceptionally rare.
A rogue aerial wave known as an atmospheric - Docs balk at deciding how fat is too fat for one seat | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
- Canada's doctors don't want to be the ones deciding whether obese people are entitled to a free extra airline seat.
Air Canada Parody Ads
Because ads with Celine Dion are just not funny enough
curated content from YouTube
On Air Canada
"Literature" about Air Canada
What better to read on the airplane than a book about the airline itself?
Air Monopoly: How Robert Milton's Air Canada Won - and Lost - Control of Canada's Skies
Amazon Price: $28.95 (as of 12/09/2009) 
List Price: $28.95
Used Price: $3.29
Straight from the Top: The Truth About Air Canada
Robert Milton's biased view of his "transformation" of Air Canada.
Amazon Price: $14.78 (as of 12/09/2009)
List Price: $18.95
Used Price: $3.90
Freefall
This is a factual, hair-raising account of a 1983 Air Canada Boeing 767 that, due to a maintenance man's mathematical error in fueling and a fuel system computer malfunction, ran out of fuel and immediately lost all electrical power while in flight at a height of 41,000 feet.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
List Price: $17.95
Used Price: $0.01
Air Canada Airport Play Set (O/C)
Pretend you're Robert Milton all from the comfort of the tray table in front of you.
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 12/09/2009)
List Price:
Used Price:
Find a flight on Orbitz!
Just not comparing WestJet fares to Air Canada
If you want to compare airfares, I highly recommend SideStep. It searches all the airlines - including WestJet. You never know...sometimes Air Canada has the best price (once in a while).
Baggage
The lost, the found and the misdirected
- Smaller aircraft, personnel shortages spurring lost luggage, union says
- A spokesman representing station attendants in Ontario says baggage handlers are having a difficult time ensuring luggage remains on track because of smaller aircraft and staffing shortages.
- aircanada.com - Travel Info - Excess Baggage
- As of September 2007, Air Canada has increased the prices on excess baggage. Plus, they hit you twice if something is oversized and overweight.
- 'Lost luggage capital of the world'
- If the bag was lost by a Canadian airline, like WestJet Airlines Ltd. or Air Canada, its contents went to charity.
- Stricter airport security means more lost luggage
- For every 1,000 passengers in August, 8.08 bags were reported lost or delayed, up from both July's rate of 6.5 and the August 2005 rate of 6.4. The Canadian Transportation Agency does not collect comparable statistics as federal laws do not require Canadian airlines to report lost luggage numbers.
- Air Canada "realigns" baggage policy
- Did you dare to check baggage? Air Canada now wants you to pay a little extra for your second checked bag. $25 if you buy a Tango or Tango Plus ticket.
Reader Feedback
Have you had an Air Canada horror story? Or, did they save the day? Leave a comment - or even your own tip for surviving Air Canada.
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- JoannaBee JoannaBee Nov 19, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
- I posted your comment but I'm not sure that you might have asked for all of the services Air Canada offers. They will assist you to and from the gate and also offer wheelchairs if you need them. I'm not sure what kind of seat you require (fully reclining?) but their offerings are standard.
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- Ramon Ramon Nov 16, 2007 @ 1:52 pm
- I'm disable with chronic pain symdrome and i took air canada from toronto to Lax bacause of the cheap fare. But to my horror the airbus don't have any seat for disable person. Air Canada don't care people with disable, its the profit first before disable person or comfort to the passenger.
CutewithChris
The video below has nothing whatsoever to do with Air Canada. He's flying on (I believe) American Airlines (not even part of the Star Alliance). It's just something for you after you spent the time scrolling down this far. Click on the video to watch.
by JoannaBee
I fly on Air Canada mostly when it's cheaper. Most of my flights are long-haul and within Canada.
I read the fine print so you don't have to.&nbs...
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