YVR Airport & Sea Island Developments Discussion

[MistyMountainHop]

Originally Posted by northwest2k

You want to see us lose our only national airline?? Where is your Canadian pride?

I think WestJet is better-suited for that position.

I wish that Air Canada hadn't bought out Canadian Airlines back in the day. They were way better.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by northwest2k

You want to see us lose our only national airline?? Where is your Canadian pride?

That is one of the most asinine things I have seen said on here.

[SpongeG]

i looked into the seat sale and its not that cheap

its $99 each way to Edmonton from YVR and when all taxes, surcharges fees etc are added in it worked out to $350 return

not that great

[phesto]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i looked into the seat sale and its not that cheap

its $99 each way to Edmonton from YVR and when all taxes, surcharges fees etc are added in it worked out to $350 return

not that great

You must have been a bit late. Up until a couple of days ago, both AC and WS were offering YVR-YEG return for $59 each way (about $260 all included).

[en2]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

I haven't been on Air Canada for a very long time to a point i can't even remember what it was like....describe your experience, how is the food like?

I usually fly Japan Airlines on my way to Asia, all except one time during spring break when i flew Cathay. I've gotta say that JAL is awesome - great food, great service, and abundant washrooms. I hated Cathay - the food wasn't great and the washrooms were absolutely disgusting (long lineups too because there were like 2 washrooms for 100 people).

I flew in May from Seoul to Vancouver. Originally departed from Singapore to Seoul via Singapore Airlines.

Compared to Singapore Airlines, its like night and day.

During the flight I pressed the attendant button, no one came, initially I thought that maybe the lamp was broken, so I pressed it a couple more times, again, no one came....

After the flight I talked to my mom who was sitting in a different seat and she also pressed the attendant button and no FA came. Seems on Air Canada, they don't respond to passenger requests.

Once their work "was done" (i.e. meal service), they would sit on the seats reading their own magazines and I saw one of them sleeping on the last row. One has to physically walk to the back to ask for water etc.

Regarding the meals, they try to nickel and dime you as much as possible. Small portions, bad food and *everything* is served in disposable plastic bowls, cups including the utensils. If anyone usually flies with JAL or any other Asian carrier, this is usually pretty shocking and unusual...

Also the service of the food and recovery of the trays was so slow that most of the passengers got really annoyed and just starting bringing their own trays back into the kitchen.....

The flight was about 90% Korean and I think they were quite annoyed and pissed at the service.

Also at the beginning of the flight, there is no drink service with peanuts or anything. You had to wait until meal service to even get a drink.

I was on the retrofitted 767s with the touch screen IFE, and they didn't turn it on until after meal service. On Singapore Airlines, the IFE is usable from the time you board the aircraft and usable during takeoff!

IFE was not bad, but its touch screen based, so that means you had to stick out your arm a lot if you like "surfing" the system. Also there was a menu for games but it seems that it isn't implemented.

I notice that for a majority of routes that AC flies to Asian destinations, most of the aircraft (e.g. A340) that they use do NOT have the IFE.

Also the FA's attitude towards the passengers once was of indifference, they didn't seem happy to do their jobs and just wanted to "get it over with".

I forgot to mention the washrooms. When the washrooms were running out of paper, the FAs just got some paper towels and just stacked it on the counter of the washroom. They didn't even bother putting it into the paper holder.

With such an in-flight experience, one has to wonder how Air Canada can attract new customers...(Other than their monopoly routes)

[deasine]

I got word from Cathay that they will be cutting many flights after September from Vancouver to Hong Kong, possibly even replacing the large airplanes with something smaller and older.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by en2

I flew in May from Seoul to Vancouver. Originally departed from Singapore to Seoul via Singapore Airlines.

Compared to Singapore Airlines, its like night and day.

During the flight I pressed the attendant button, no one came, initially I thought that maybe the lamp was broken, so I pressed it a couple more times, again, no one came....

After the flight I talked to my mom who was sitting in a different seat and she also pressed the attendant button and no FA came. Seems on Air Canada, they don't respond to passenger requests.

Once their work "was done" (i.e. meal service), they would sit on the seats reading their own magazines and I saw one of them sleeping on the last row. One has to physically walk to the back to ask for water etc.

Regarding the meals, they try to nickel and dime you as much as possible. Small portions, bad food and *everything* is served in disposable plastic bowls, cups including the utensils. If anyone usually flies with JAL or any other Asian carrier, this is usually pretty shocking and unusual...

Also the service of the food and recovery of the trays was so slow that most of the passengers got really annoyed and just starting bringing their own trays back into the kitchen.....

The flight was about 90% Korean and I think they were quite annoyed and pissed at the service.

Also at the beginning of the flight, there is no drink service with peanuts or anything. You had to wait until meal service to even get a drink.

I was on the retrofitted 767s with the touch screen IFE, and they didn't turn it on until after meal service. On Singapore Airlines, the IFE is usable from the time you board the aircraft and usable during takeoff!

IFE was not bad, but its touch screen based, so that means you had to stick out your arm a lot if you like "surfing" the system. Also there was a menu for games but it seems that it isn't implemented.

I notice that for a majority of routes that AC flies to Asian destinations, most of the aircraft (e.g. A340) that they use do NOT have the IFE.

Also the FA's attitude towards the passengers once was of indifference, they didn't seem happy to do their jobs and just wanted to "get it over with".

I forgot to mention the washrooms. When the washrooms were running out of paper, the FAs just got some paper towels and just stacked it on the counter of the washroom. They didn't even bother putting it into the paper holder.

With such an in-flight experience, one has to wonder how Air Canada can attract new customers...(Other than their monopoly routes)

We should let JAL take over the worldwide airline industry.



wtf with Cathay and its Vancouver-HK routes?

[ravman]

Cathay has how many daily flights to HK... it make sense to reduce...

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by ravman

Cathay has how many daily flights to HK... it make sense to reduce...

i think it's 21 a week.

[Hourglass]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

i think it's 21 a week.

Cathay Pacific has already announced a reduction to 17 flights a week in October.

Not sure what "older" and "smaller" planes they could use. They have an all-wide body fleet and they already use the A340s on one of the daily flights. I believe they were planning to switch to 777s and phase out their 747-400s.

[mr.x]

For such long and high demand flights, you'd think they'd stick with the bigger planes for the Vancouver-HK route. I honestly would not feel safe on anything smaller than a 747 on a Trans-Pacific flight.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by phesto

You must have been a bit late. Up until a couple of days ago, both AC and WS were offering YVR-YEG return for $59 each way (about $260 all included).

i must have been

i logged on as soon as global news broadcasted the sale

not that i need to go anywhere

but i hate when the media hypes it up and there is no great deal

[SpongeG]

saw some weird german airline - i assume it was german as it was going to frankfurt - i think it was called CONDOR

must be a summer charter service from germany

the airport was really busy when i got there - that totem pole room is really nice - the trickling water makes it a nice place to chill

whats opening in 2009 in the domestic terminal?

they have it all blocked off with big signs saying opening in 2009 - but i couldn't figure out what it was

[ravman]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

whats opening in 2009 in the domestic terminal?

they have it all blocked off with big signs saying opening in 2009 - but i couldn't figure out what it was

CANADA LINE!

[SpongeG]

no not that

behind the area where all the food is

you used to be able to sit in there and look out to the runways and watch the planes somewhat

now its all boarded up and dark and no more airplane viewing

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by The_Henry_Man

My dad works at Cathay Pacific, and he gets free air tickets once a year, and it's never unionized. I don't think cutting this type of benefit would save that much money. There's tons of conditions with getting free air tickets. First, as I just said, he only gets it once a year, and also, those tickets are on standby, meaning that only once all full-fare ticket holders have boarded the plane, are the people on standby tickets be allowed to board (but usually my dad is allowed to board few days in advance once he knows that there's guarantee of extra seats). I used to get free air tickets too but since I'm past my age (max age is I think 19 for Cathay for free air tickets for children of staff working there), but I have to get tickets 90% off now.

A/C get as many flights per year free (on stand-by) as they want. They also have friend passes (4 per year) which they can give away to anyone to fly stand-by.

[excel]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

saw some weird german airline - i assume it was german as it was going to frankfurt - i think it was called CONDOR

must be a summer charter service from germany

Condor is Thomas Cook which runs sched service to london gatwick during the summer months.

[ravman]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

no not that

behind the area where all the food is

you used to be able to sit in there and look out to the runways and watch the planes somewhat

now its all boarded up and dark and no more airplane viewing

ohh that... i havent been out there in the restricted area and therefore cant comment on exactly whats been happening ( i have been by on the public side but not "airside" but last time i was there which was just over a year ago, they were planning on redoing the inbound and outbound baggage area... the lower level where pple pick up their luggage one side its WJ and the other side its AC they were going to expand it or something and also build out that way... but i am scheduled on going out there in about a month or so... i will let you guys know whats been happening in the hidden areas of the airport... the areas where the public never sees....

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by tintinium

A/C get as many flights per year free (on stand-by) as they want. They also have friend passes (4 per year) which they can give away to anyone to fly stand-by.

my friend's friend works for Delta in Atlanta and they used to get and from what i hear they still get 10 passes a year at 90% off air travel wherever they fly and you get the best seat in the plane available if available at the time ie first class but its on standby but priority standby

so i got a first class ticket from seattle - london and back to vancouver for $333 USD (2002)

is that a change at A/C? my friend went with someone who worked for A/C to beijing one weekend and she said the employee has to fly with the friend they can't just give the ticket to anyone to fly on their own

if so thats a pretty good benefit right there for A/C

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by ravman

ohh that... i havent been out there in the restricted area and therefore cant comment on exactly whats been happening ( i have been by on the public side but not "airside" but last time i was there which was just over a year ago, they were planning on redoing the inbound and outbound baggage area... the lower level where pple pick up their luggage one side its WJ and the other side its AC they were going to expand it or something and also build out that way... but i am scheduled on going out there in about a month or so... i will let you guys know whats been happening in the hidden areas of the airport... the areas where the public never sees....

ah

its so dark now down where harveys is - kinda neat though to see stuff down there