Having recently come back from a trip to Dubai- I think that I have just had the experience of two airlines at the opposite end of the spectrum of airline experiences. One of them was one of the best experiences I have had and one was one of the worst. The airlines in question are Air Canada and Emirates.
Lets do a head-to-head comparison
Pre-flight
Check-in
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Air Canada has a very efficient self check-in process and bag drop off at Dorval airport.
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Emirates: self check-in did not work so had to wait in line
Advantage: Air Canada
Gate
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Air Canada does not make you enter the gate area prior to boarding (which is quite small).
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Emirates does make you enter the gate area, however, it is a huge area with enough capacity for double the number of passengers.
Advantage: Neither
Aircraft
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Air Canada: Aging Boeing 767
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Emirates: New Boeing 777
In-flight
Entertainment
Movies
- Air Canada transatlantic flights have one choice- you can watch the movie on the screens the middle. Or not.
- Emirates- Selection of several hundred movies on your own personal entertainment screen.
Advantage: Emirates
Music
- Air Canada- 8 channels to choose from.
- Emirates- Selection of several hundred music and video channels from your own personal entertainment screen.
Games
- Air Canada- none
- Emirates- Selection of 20 games from the personal entertainment screen.
Advantage: Emirates
Internet Access onboard
- Air Canada- none
- Emirates- available for a fee
Advantage: Emirates
Food
- Air Canada- 2 choices- beef or chicken
- Emirates- also 2 choices, but the quality of the food is significantly better
Advantage: Emirates
The Emirates experience contrasted so much with the Air Canada experience that it mades me ashamed that Air Canada is my national carrier. I was discussing this recently with a good friend of mine who said that he will only fly British Airways to and from Europe, because he is equally disgusted with Air Canada.
Air Canada really needs to update their long haul aircraft. If I have a long flight to take, they will not be on my list of chosen airlines.
Tags: Air Canada, Air Travel
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March 30, 2008 at 9:37 am
Anonymous
Thanks for the info but in as much as Air Canada is rapidly replacing its Airbus aircraft with new Boeing 777s and updating the interiors of all of its Boeing 767s, I’d say you were unfortunate in not flying on one of the few planes left that doesn’t have the new in-seat video equipment. As for your friend’s preference for British Airways, all I have to say is look at the current debacle at Heathrow — BA seems to have a complete system breakdown at least once a year. And BA pilots have voted to strike later in the spring. So more chaos is likely.
Caveat emptor, which may also mean the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
I do agree about Air Canada’s food. Needs to be upgraded.