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This is my first Trip Report so be nice. It is long. We take a trip to Orlando every year at this time usually with Delta through ATL but due to my Fathers AC status this year we did it with them. Feel free to comment with suggestions for future reports.
Dec. 25
AC 421 YUL-YYZ
A319
Dep Gate:8 Arr Gate:?
Dep Time: 5:35pm Arr Time: 6:50pm
Seat: 17A
My family and I were supposed to leave for vacation on the 28th. A couple of weeks before depature we decided to leave earlier. After a little bit of a hassle with AC we where able to change to the above mentioned inteniary. When the 5 of us travel we use atleast 8 bags inclusing 3 golf bags. So moving around can be quiet difficult. After a short ride to the airport we unloaded the cars and placed everything on baggage carts. Since my father had been consulting for a comapny in YYZ he traveled back and forth at least once a week. Therefore these two flights would be his 103 and 104 flights of the year. With his elite status we where infront of an agent within 5 min. and checked in 10 mins. later. My father attempted to upgrade with rapidair certificates for the first segment but was denied and with other certificates for the second segment but was also denied. That was only the beginning of his dissapointment with AC and its parteners on this trip. After dropping the golf bags at special baggage operations we quickly went through security. With 45 minutes to go till boarding the plane was not in from YYZ yet. After asking an agent we found out that they where still back logged from the mid week snow storm and the snow that had begun to fall that afternoon. she said we would begin boarding around 5 and depart the gate around 5:15 good thing we have over a 2 hour connection. So we headed to the Maple Leaf lounge to relax. Problem, the door was locked. Again my father speaks to an agent who says they so not have enough staff working and therfore had to close it. So we went to Moe's ordered some food and waited to board. Once we boarded we stowed are carry on's and took are seats. I had the window seat and since the exit row was infront there was no seat infront giving me ample leg room. The flight itself was very ordinary and we managed to make up some time in the air pulling into the last rapidair gate shortly before 7 only 10 mins. late. After a huge rush to deplane by some who needed to make connections we entered a quite T1.
YYZ:
Once off the plane we made are trek down to the suttle that would take us to T2. T1 was empty except for a couple of late flights. I did see the new colors 340. We rode the shuttle with 3 other peopel to T2. Everything was moving slower on the ground tonight due the the snow accumilation. We waited a good 10 to 15 minutes for bags to arrive and then made are way the US pre clearence area. We where put in a moderate line. But it was moving quickly until the crews for the evenning US departures showed up. There were only five agents working at the time and none dedicated to crew. So one took care of the crew so only 4 where left to del with passengers. After a reasonanble wait we where through and on are way to give are bags. We where then forced to put are bags through the X-Ray machine one by one without any help from the agents standing around. One of the agents also decided that 1 of the 8 bags needed to be swabed so we had to take that one to a seprate station. After what seemed like forever at baggage we where on are way through security. After a short stop at the open Maple Leaf lounge we made are way to the H check in area.
Dec. 25
AC 922 YYZ-MCO
A320
Dep. Gate: H Arr. Gate 48
Dep. Time 9:50pm Arr. Time 12:40am (Dec. 26)
Seat 17B
When we arrived at the gate boarding had already begun. My father tried to see if it was possible to upgrade as first was still empty. He was somewhat rudly told where to go by a AC employee who was trying to get on the plane with is daughter. He tried to direct him away from the gate agent but my father explained himself and moved on. Later on the employee would board taking a first class seat. After we boraded I sat in the middle seat my parents who had seats in row 17 tried to see if the could switch but a young family had the other side of the row so they moved to there assigned seats no problem. I am 18 my brother is 15 and my sister is 13 and we are all seasoned flyers. Helen the flight attendant made a joke that she would watch us and had 4 kids so she would now how to deal with us. After a 1/2 hour delay from the scheduled 8:40pm departure due to loading of baggage at a reduced spead due to weather we taxied to de-ice which took another 30 min and we where on are way. Once in the air beverage and BOB service started. At first we only took drinks since no one ever told us what the BOB was. Later Helen returned and told us are parents told us to get what ever we wanted but still never told us what was for sale. Only afer my sisiter went to visit my parents did we find out it was a chicken ceaser with a roll, and brownie. She then went to Helen and said we wanted three and they promptly derlivered. My parents later bought some brownies that the three of us shared. The rest of the flight ws ordinary with the news then that''s 70's show played on the T.V. We made are approach to MCO in the rain but before we landed it stopped. We landed in MCO kicking up a lot of spray. It was at this time we where asked not to move once we reached the gate as we had a sick passenger who needed medical assistance immediatly and needed assistance to deplane. After an exceptionally slow taxi especially since there was a sick passenger we arrived at the gate. The paramedics boraded and the sick passenger walked of on her own power looking extremly pale and weak. We met are towncar driver and with the help of a friendly porter collected are bags. We split them between the town car and rental car and after a long wait to check out at National we made are way to the Hyatt Recengy Grand Cypress.
Jan. 9
AC 945 MCO-YUL
A320
Dep. Gate: 48 Arr. Gate 73
Dep. Time: 11:20am Arr Time 2:00pm
Seat: 14F (moved to 12F)
We arived at MCO at around 9:30. Again with the help of a extremly friendly porter we emptied the cars and made are way to AC check in which is done by Star Alliance partner United. We waited for my father to return since he was returning the car and enterd the very short Elite line. Once infront of an agent we checked in and tagged are bags. My father again asked for an upgrade but did not have the right certificates. Same as in YYZ. The airline was only following policy even though my father was still unhappy. Are bags where dropped with the TSA and off we wnt to the TSA security checkpoint. We all went through with out a problem except my mother who had to go through a second time with out her shoes. They did look inside my mothers carry on as she had a video camera and batteries that they wanted to look at. Once we made it through we rode the train to the gate and made are way to the Red Carpet Lounge which is supposed to give privilages to AC elite members who are allowed access with immediate family at no charge according to http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...ges/index.html however the United Agent in the lounge said you are only allowed one guest and asked us to leave. At this pont my father was realy angry. We waited in th gate area until boarding. Once on board we settled into row 14 def with my parents in 13 ef. However the family in the bulkhead row 12 was traveling with young kids and due to the seatbelts they where forced to move and the three of us voluntered and where moved to row 12 which had a lot more leg room. Once in the air we excpected more BOB as the United agent told us it would be. Again United was wrong and there was full service with a choice of chicken or beef I had the chicken which wsa extremly good. The rest of the flight was enevntful. Even thought he flight did not exceed 3 hours they played the movie taxi since the news they had was 2 days old. Due to airline requirments the palyed it later. We landed and taxied to gate 73 deplaned and headed to the new customs facility. It is very nice and airy and realy makes things easier. After collecting are bags that all came quickly due to priority tags we found the cars and headed home.
Overall AC did an excellent job. The dealays where not there fault, all the crews where exceptional. My only complaint would be the agents with United in Orlando and the fact that the Maple Leaf lounge in Montreal was closed besides that they did an excellent job.
Dec. 25
AC 421 YUL-YYZ
A319
Dep Gate:8 Arr Gate:?
Dep Time: 5:35pm Arr Time: 6:50pm
Seat: 17A
My family and I were supposed to leave for vacation on the 28th. A couple of weeks before depature we decided to leave earlier. After a little bit of a hassle with AC we where able to change to the above mentioned inteniary. When the 5 of us travel we use atleast 8 bags inclusing 3 golf bags. So moving around can be quiet difficult. After a short ride to the airport we unloaded the cars and placed everything on baggage carts. Since my father had been consulting for a comapny in YYZ he traveled back and forth at least once a week. Therefore these two flights would be his 103 and 104 flights of the year. With his elite status we where infront of an agent within 5 min. and checked in 10 mins. later. My father attempted to upgrade with rapidair certificates for the first segment but was denied and with other certificates for the second segment but was also denied. That was only the beginning of his dissapointment with AC and its parteners on this trip. After dropping the golf bags at special baggage operations we quickly went through security. With 45 minutes to go till boarding the plane was not in from YYZ yet. After asking an agent we found out that they where still back logged from the mid week snow storm and the snow that had begun to fall that afternoon. she said we would begin boarding around 5 and depart the gate around 5:15 good thing we have over a 2 hour connection. So we headed to the Maple Leaf lounge to relax. Problem, the door was locked. Again my father speaks to an agent who says they so not have enough staff working and therfore had to close it. So we went to Moe's ordered some food and waited to board. Once we boarded we stowed are carry on's and took are seats. I had the window seat and since the exit row was infront there was no seat infront giving me ample leg room. The flight itself was very ordinary and we managed to make up some time in the air pulling into the last rapidair gate shortly before 7 only 10 mins. late. After a huge rush to deplane by some who needed to make connections we entered a quite T1.
YYZ:
Once off the plane we made are trek down to the suttle that would take us to T2. T1 was empty except for a couple of late flights. I did see the new colors 340. We rode the shuttle with 3 other peopel to T2. Everything was moving slower on the ground tonight due the the snow accumilation. We waited a good 10 to 15 minutes for bags to arrive and then made are way the US pre clearence area. We where put in a moderate line. But it was moving quickly until the crews for the evenning US departures showed up. There were only five agents working at the time and none dedicated to crew. So one took care of the crew so only 4 where left to del with passengers. After a reasonanble wait we where through and on are way to give are bags. We where then forced to put are bags through the X-Ray machine one by one without any help from the agents standing around. One of the agents also decided that 1 of the 8 bags needed to be swabed so we had to take that one to a seprate station. After what seemed like forever at baggage we where on are way through security. After a short stop at the open Maple Leaf lounge we made are way to the H check in area.
Dec. 25
AC 922 YYZ-MCO
A320
Dep. Gate: H Arr. Gate 48
Dep. Time 9:50pm Arr. Time 12:40am (Dec. 26)
Seat 17B
When we arrived at the gate boarding had already begun. My father tried to see if it was possible to upgrade as first was still empty. He was somewhat rudly told where to go by a AC employee who was trying to get on the plane with is daughter. He tried to direct him away from the gate agent but my father explained himself and moved on. Later on the employee would board taking a first class seat. After we boraded I sat in the middle seat my parents who had seats in row 17 tried to see if the could switch but a young family had the other side of the row so they moved to there assigned seats no problem. I am 18 my brother is 15 and my sister is 13 and we are all seasoned flyers. Helen the flight attendant made a joke that she would watch us and had 4 kids so she would now how to deal with us. After a 1/2 hour delay from the scheduled 8:40pm departure due to loading of baggage at a reduced spead due to weather we taxied to de-ice which took another 30 min and we where on are way. Once in the air beverage and BOB service started. At first we only took drinks since no one ever told us what the BOB was. Later Helen returned and told us are parents told us to get what ever we wanted but still never told us what was for sale. Only afer my sisiter went to visit my parents did we find out it was a chicken ceaser with a roll, and brownie. She then went to Helen and said we wanted three and they promptly derlivered. My parents later bought some brownies that the three of us shared. The rest of the flight ws ordinary with the news then that''s 70's show played on the T.V. We made are approach to MCO in the rain but before we landed it stopped. We landed in MCO kicking up a lot of spray. It was at this time we where asked not to move once we reached the gate as we had a sick passenger who needed medical assistance immediatly and needed assistance to deplane. After an exceptionally slow taxi especially since there was a sick passenger we arrived at the gate. The paramedics boraded and the sick passenger walked of on her own power looking extremly pale and weak. We met are towncar driver and with the help of a friendly porter collected are bags. We split them between the town car and rental car and after a long wait to check out at National we made are way to the Hyatt Recengy Grand Cypress.
Jan. 9
AC 945 MCO-YUL
A320
Dep. Gate: 48 Arr. Gate 73
Dep. Time: 11:20am Arr Time 2:00pm
Seat: 14F (moved to 12F)
We arived at MCO at around 9:30. Again with the help of a extremly friendly porter we emptied the cars and made are way to AC check in which is done by Star Alliance partner United. We waited for my father to return since he was returning the car and enterd the very short Elite line. Once infront of an agent we checked in and tagged are bags. My father again asked for an upgrade but did not have the right certificates. Same as in YYZ. The airline was only following policy even though my father was still unhappy. Are bags where dropped with the TSA and off we wnt to the TSA security checkpoint. We all went through with out a problem except my mother who had to go through a second time with out her shoes. They did look inside my mothers carry on as she had a video camera and batteries that they wanted to look at. Once we made it through we rode the train to the gate and made are way to the Red Carpet Lounge which is supposed to give privilages to AC elite members who are allowed access with immediate family at no charge according to http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...ges/index.html however the United Agent in the lounge said you are only allowed one guest and asked us to leave. At this pont my father was realy angry. We waited in th gate area until boarding. Once on board we settled into row 14 def with my parents in 13 ef. However the family in the bulkhead row 12 was traveling with young kids and due to the seatbelts they where forced to move and the three of us voluntered and where moved to row 12 which had a lot more leg room. Once in the air we excpected more BOB as the United agent told us it would be. Again United was wrong and there was full service with a choice of chicken or beef I had the chicken which wsa extremly good. The rest of the flight was enevntful. Even thought he flight did not exceed 3 hours they played the movie taxi since the news they had was 2 days old. Due to airline requirments the palyed it later. We landed and taxied to gate 73 deplaned and headed to the new customs facility. It is very nice and airy and realy makes things easier. After collecting are bags that all came quickly due to priority tags we found the cars and headed home.
Overall AC did an excellent job. The dealays where not there fault, all the crews where exceptional. My only complaint would be the agents with United in Orlando and the fact that the Maple Leaf lounge in Montreal was closed besides that they did an excellent job.
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