Original Message: ----------------- From: Jean-Michel_Gammon@albint.com Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2002 12:16:51 -0500 To: AIRLINE@LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU Subject: Trip Report YUL-YYZ-YQT-YYZ-YUL Just a brief report with a few aircraft impressions as I've added two more types to my personal log (YUL=3D Montreal/Dorval, YYZ=3D Toronto/Pearson, YQT=3D Thunder Bay). All in Y class. YUL-YYZ This was a new type for me, AC's new A321. Aircraft was 451/C-GITU, the first A321 in AC's fleet. Ugly green seats. I mean GREEN. BRIGHT green. And interestingly the seat pitch was tighter (confirmed by a F/A) than I recall on the A319/320. Video system was not working, crew not yet trained on the new video system. Seats were grossly uncomfortable for my bad back, pushing in all the wrong places. Glad it was as short hop. Push was on-time as was arrival. F/A said that this aircraft was from a cancelled Aer Lingus order (can anyone confirm?). That might explain the very GREEN seats :-) YYZ-YQT The normally allocated 737 was replaced by an A319, 262/C-FYKW. Love the 319, almost worthy successor to the Nine, climbs like a homesick angel. And I can confirm, much more comfy seats than on the A321 not to mention more leg room due to more generous pitch (an inch or so makes a hell of a difference). Push/arrival on-time. This was a nearly 2 hour mealtime flight and the only service was drinks and pretzels. On a full-fare ticket costing a whopping $1700 with taxes. Not acceptable YQT-YYZ A 737-217 519/C-GCPY. Too bad they kept these and retired the Nines. What more can I say? Another pretzel flight but it wasn't mealtime. Overhead bins full, and I couldn't fully get my laptop breifcase under the seat in front due to a ventilation/heating outlet robbing room. Take-off much less sprightly than an A319 even though the A319 no doubt did a FLEX takeoff from YYZ given the generous runway (the 321 out of YUL was also very sprightly having used RWY 28 which is only 7000 ft). Some light icing on descent into YYZ. Push/arrival was on-time. YYZ-YUL Another new type (for me), an A330-300, 934/C-GFUR. I was in 43C. Way back, but in a good spot to see something cool, the ailerons droop with the flap setting. Those big RRs are NOISY on takeoff and at climb power but eerily quiet in cruise. Very smooth ride. Seats not great for my back though. Odd little cushions in the seat in front filling a blank space that looks like it should be for a personal video screen. Sort of like my basic Honda where switch blanks are in places where options like fog lights, etc, normally appear. This was the only flight not on-time: pushed 10 min. late, then had to hold at the runway end awaiting final load figures. Given our light weight (short 1 hr hop) performance was great. Climbed to FL370 for a flight that was only 51 min. in the air! Basically up, then down. Overall we were about 20 min. late into YUL. Aircraft was headed onwards to Paris CDG afterwards. Everything ran efficiently: baggage arrived with me, mostly on-time flights (and the one that was delayed wasn't too serious). Reasonably friendly staff. Load factors very high. Dinky baggage carousels at YUL simply overwhelmed when a large widebody arrives with lots of pax. Clearly the baggage handling system at YUL is not up to par. AC seem to be getting the merger kinks out except for on-board service, down to pretzels on a flight that used to have at least a light meal. At $1700 that's not very good. I guess that's what expense accounts are for, bought lunch at the airport and had a nice prime rib at the hotel after arrival (at 19h15). Security checks were relatively efficient. Bottom line, if I had to spend more than an hour in Y class in any of the above aircraft, my favourite mount would be the A319. All in all though, I prefer flying in my Cherokee :-) The airport is a lot friendlier too... Mike Gammon -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .