Air Canada 787-8 Business Class Review - A New COVID Era Business Class
Leaving Toronto on a Wednesday evening, I needed to spend as much time as possible working in the Maple Leaf Lounge on my day job (and continuing that work on the plane). With that being said, I left the lounge only 30 minutes until departure, knowing that I could board the plane last.
Flight: AC 123
Departing: Toronto (YYZ)
Arriving: Vancouver (YVR)
Operated by: Boeing 787-8
Cabin: Business Class (Air Canada Signature Suite)
Booking
Note: I booked this flight using Aeroplan miles, and not the new Aeroplan points Air Canada announced on August 11th. I will be covering this in more detail, but check out Ricky’s (literal) wall-to-wall coverage at the Prince of Travel.
I booked this flight during Air Canada’s 50% off flight promotion (Covered here by Ricky at the Prince of Travel). I originally booked this flight over the weekend with a stop in Calgary, but I managed to change my trip for free and keep the 50% discount. The total cost after taxes as a 25K Elite was $105 and 25K Aeroplan, a fantastic deal!
Boarding
Walking to board the plane, numerous businesses were closed, including CIBC and David's Tea but Starbucks, Tims, The Body Shop, A&W, Twist and Relay.
Last to board, the business cabin was full by the time I boarded and there were only a few other stragglers boarding after me. In comparison to Alex’s flight almost two month earlier, my flight was almost completely full, including business class.
The tiny cabin of the 787-8
It was good to see the familiar Rockwell Collins Super Diamond seat of the Air Canada Dreamliner. The 787-8 is the smallest of the Dreamliners at 57m, with only 255 seats (including 20 in Business) vs the 787-9, at 63m, which Air Canada fits 298 seats.
As part of my Return to Travel framework, I decided it’s the least risky to sit at the back of the cabin, so I sat in the back seat (5K) without a window. (Next time, I think I’ll sit in the second last row)
What was I thinking when I bought my bright red laptop case?
The seat contained Air Canada bedding which has a mattress sheet, a blanket and a pillow, much needed for the cross country journey.
Also at my seat was the Air Canada Care package. It contained a mask, antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizer, gloves, water bottle, headset and snack.
The area around the seat looked clean. The little cubby at the seat, which contains the remote and outlets looked like it had been thoroughly cleaned.
Unlike some airlines, the Air Canada Dreamliner I was on had two nozzles which provided HEPA filtered airflow.
I checked out the bathrooms, which were clean at the start of the trip. That being said, unlike some airlines, the bathroom didn’t appear to be cleaned after each use.
The spray was in the sink when I arrived
Wearing a Mask
One thing to note, I thought wearing a mask on the plane would be more annoying than it actually was. I tried the temporary mask and the masks that I bought for day-to-day use, and the day-to-day mask was much better than the one wear mask that Air Canada gives you in the Air Canada Care package. I recommend bringing your own comfy mask for the journey instead of using disposable masks.
Flight
We had a smooth takeoff roll from Toronto Pearson Airport and we quickly climbed to cruise altitude. The seatbelt sign was off within 10 minutes of taking off.
Our crew was much more attentive than my return flight later the next week, as the new meal service started at 6:45 and was collected as soon as I finished my meal. As of July 27th, 2020, the following meal service was offered on Air Canada Signature class:
“To serve you better during these challenging times, we’ve made a few adjustments to our food and beverage service.
Flights will feature a cold meal option in a carefully packaged, all-inclusive meal box, curated by Air Canada’s award- winning chef, Antonio Park.
To satisfy your thirst on flights longer than two hours, bar service will include bottled water and Perrier, a full selection of soft drinks, individual sized bottles of sparkling, white, and red wine, with your choice of coffee or black tea. For flights under two hours, our complimentary water bottle service will continue to be available for you to enjoy.”
In reality the meal was as follows.
Sounds good
While it appears like a decent meal considering the circumstances, reality was a bit different.
The packaging is slick
Those grill marks make it look better, right?
The chicken wrap consisted of lots of wrap and not a lot of chicken.
I’m really not sure what the dessert was, and the salmon salad left a lot on the table, literally. To be honest, I’d rather just have the balsamic salad and called it a day!
At least the beer was alcoholic? The flight crew also delivered snacks on demand (although on my return flight, the FA would only serve the snacks around 1 hour until landing).
The snack bag had a Lindt Dark Chocolate bar and a can of Pringles
I didn’t watch TV, but there are plenty of movies and TV shows on offer. The screen is responsive and crisp. The headphones that are given are earbuds, so I would bring your own if you’re looking to take advantage of the in-flight entertainment.
After doing work for 3 hours (on Air Canada wifi, review to come), I decided to test out the bed for a bit. As Alex mentioned, the seat is a little bit less responsive than others I have been on, and so you’ll need to wait a bit before it adjusts. As always in Air Canada’s Signature Suite, at 6’2” and 210lbs, I feel a little bit tight at the feet and the shoulders. That being said, this product sets the standard on North American transcontinental departures from Canada.
Regardless, still manage to catch a bit of a nap before landing in Vancouver.
Service
The crew were efficient in their service and thought to minimize contact. That being said, I agree with Alex, as a premium class passenger, I did feel like the airline could have done a better job with the offerings on board, as I don’t believe the Chef Park meal is a step up compared to what was offered before.
The Point
It was great to be back travelling again after more than 6 long months at home. Flying around the world is a privilege, and not a necessity, and therefore it’s important to only do so after considering the risks to yourself, your family, and your community. That being said. Air Canada generally provides a great hard product on their Dreamliner service, I just wish the soft product would show the Canadian spirit, in a socially responsible manner.
