Welcome Guest!
In order to take advantage of all the great features that Waterloo Region Connected has to offer, including participating in the lively discussions below, you're going to have to register. The good news is that it'll take less than a minute and you can get started enjoying Waterloo Region's best online community right away.
or Create an Account




Thread Rating:
  • 2 Vote(s) - 4.5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Region of Waterloo International Airport - YKF
Taking the 8 is better for those further south or west in the Region. It's true that the 6 to Hamilton is probably about the same amount of time as the 401 to Mississauga, though it's geographically a lot less distant. I think if taking one's own vehicle, the advantage of Munro over Pearson is the ease of parking, and maybe the fact that the drive time is less variable.

Anyway, you're right: everyone can choose based on his own arithmetic, so having choice is good.
Reply


Is Air Canada that bad on international flights? I've only been happy on my transatlantic flights with them. Lufthansa, on the other hand, was terrible.
Reply
A little off-topic regarding YHM, but has anyone heard what YKF's passenger count for 2015 was? I'm surprised we haven't heard anything on this.
Reply
(02-04-2016, 05:33 PM)jamincan Wrote: Is Air Canada that bad on international flights? I've only been happy on my transatlantic flights with them. Lufthansa, on the other hand, was terrible.

My experience is just the opposite. What did you find objectionable on LH?

My experience with AC staff is highly variable. Sometimes they're fine but at other times they seem to be working hard to deliver on the motto, "We're not happy until you're not happy."

In the past few years the "food" in cattle class would result in criminal prosecution for abuse of livestock if it was fed to cattle. I appreciate everyone wants to cut costs, but in LH/OS/LX at least the food is edible.
Reply
I generally find Air Canada one of the better North American airlines in terms of service. But North American airlines are terrible compared to most of the rest of the world.
Reply
(02-04-2016, 05:52 PM)SammyOES Wrote: I generally find Air Canada one of the better North American airlines in terms of service.  But North American airlines are terrible compared to most of the rest of the world.

That's really it, in a nutshell.  I'd much rather fly Air Canada than United for international (better seats, personal video screens, newer aircraft and better cabin crews, in my experience).  Lufthansa is maybe slightly better, some Asian airlines are quite a lot better.  (But Lufthansa's intra-European flights are no fun, old planes, tight seat spacing, less than comfortable seats etc.  The free sandwiches are the only saving grace.)

On top of all that, I spend enough time on planes that I really value direct flights these days.  Not only shorter travel time, but fewer connection hassles, and much less chance of lost luggage (if checking luggage).
Reply
I think people like to rag on Air Canada because it makes for a convenient target. As tomh009 and SammyOES write, it is way better than US airlines, which are terrible. LH has felt like it's had tighter seat pitch than AC but they are both in the 31"-32" range. LH may be more consistent at 31" than AC. It really isn't that bad.
Reply


Does anyone know if Air Canada will be flying to PET (Dorval) or Mirabel?
Reply
(02-04-2016, 09:17 PM)jgsz Wrote: Does anyone know if Air Canada will be flying to PET (Dorval) or Mirabel?

Mirabel is out of commission, so it has to be PET.
Reply
(02-04-2016, 09:36 PM)BuildingScout Wrote:
(02-04-2016, 09:17 PM)jgsz Wrote: Does anyone know if Air Canada will be flying to PET (Dorval) or Mirabel?

Mirabel is out of commission, so it has to be PET.

Mirabel… Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time.

Closed to passenger traffic since 2004 October 31, according to Wikipedia.
Reply
Mirabel Sad

Such a beautifully futuristic airport. One of only 3 to use the mobile lounge concept (CDG and Dulles are the others).
Reply
(02-04-2016, 05:52 PM)SammyOES Wrote: I generally find Air Canada one of the better North American airlines in terms of service.  But North American airlines are terrible compared to most of the rest of the world.
No argument there. I was referring to international flights.

(02-04-2016, 08:46 PM)plam Wrote: I think people like to rag on Air Canada because it makes for a convenient target. As tomh009 and SammyOES write, it is way better than US airlines, which are terrible. LH has felt like it's had tighter seat pitch than AC but they are both in the 31"-32" range. LH may be more consistent at 31" than AC. It really isn't that bad.
LH/OS/LX mitigate tight seat pitch using thinner seat backs. I think they also limit the maximum seat back incline angle. Perhaps that's now also true of newer AC planes. Don't know because I try to avoid them.

Also at one time only AC charged atrocious ~$600 surcharges on reward travel. You could book the same flight on a LH ticket and get charged ~$100 instead. That was true even if the LH ticket was for code-shared flights operated by AC. Then AC applied pressure on LH and now both airlines impose the same ~$600 surcharge regardless. I won't forgive AC for that. 

And of course even with oil at $30 a barrel the only change is that the term "fuel surcharge" has now changed to "carrier surcharge." But that's not unique to AC.
Reply
(02-04-2016, 10:02 PM)Canard Wrote: Mirabel Sad

Such a beautifully futuristic airport. One of only 3 to use the mobile lounge concept (CDG and Dulles are the others).

Mobile lounges (AT-ATs!) are not terribly convenient. The ones at Dulles were made in Quebec though. Also, Mirabel was pretty far out of the way and there weren't a lot of good ways to get there.

(02-04-2016, 11:29 PM)ookpik Wrote:
(02-04-2016, 08:46 PM)plam Wrote: I think people like to rag on Air Canada because it makes for a convenient target. As tomh009 and SammyOES write, it is way better than US airlines, which are terrible. LH has felt like it's had tighter seat pitch than AC but they are both in the 31"-32" range. LH may be more consistent at 31" than AC. It really isn't that bad.
LH/OS/LX mitigate tight seat pitch using thinner seat backs. I think they also limit the maximum seat back incline angle. Perhaps that's now also true of newer AC planes. Don't know because I try to avoid them.

Also at one time only AC charged atrocious ~$600 surcharges on reward travel. You could book the same flight on a LH ticket and get charged ~$100 instead. That was true even if the LH ticket was for code-shared flights operated by AC. Then AC applied pressure on LH and now both airlines impose the same ~$600 surcharge regardless. I won't forgive AC for that. 

And of course even with oil at $30 a barrel the only change is that the term "fuel surcharge" has now changed to "carrier surcharge." But that's not unique to AC.

Yes, you don't actually want to redeem points for international economy on AC etc. It just doesn't make sense. Business practices aside, the in-flight experience on AC is, I find, comparable to other carriers in the space and better than US carriers.
Reply


I paid $300 ($150 each way) for my ticket YYZ-HND redeemed in Economy with aeroplan... Which I already thought was too much. $600 is criminal!

US Carriers: I love Southwest; can't say a bad thing about them.

Mirabel: Yeah, out of town, but it's all black glass and steel and concrete and yellow-signs with Helvetica future!! I would live there if I could. Mobile Lounges are so cool looking, even if a bit seemingly inconvienent. The idea was to minimize walking distances and not having huge concourses, so you have to factor that in as well.
Reply
(02-05-2016, 05:28 AM)plam Wrote:
(02-04-2016, 10:02 PM)Canard Wrote: Mirabel Sad

Such a beautifully futuristic airport. One of only 3 to use the mobile lounge concept (CDG and Dulles are the others).

Mobile lounges (AT-ATs!) are not terribly convenient. The ones at Dulles were made in Quebec though. Also, Mirabel was pretty far out of the way and there weren't a lot of good ways to get there.

Mexico City also had them, never liked them.
Reply
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »



Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 5 Guest(s)

About Waterloo Region Connected

Launched in August 2014, Waterloo Region Connected is an online community that brings together all the things that make Waterloo Region great. Waterloo Region Connected provides user-driven content fueled by a lively discussion forum covering topics like urban development, transportation projects, heritage issues, businesses and other issues of interest to those in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and the four Townships - North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich.

              User Links