Review of Air Canada flight from Montreal to Toronto in Business

Routing

Check-in/Security

Arriving to YUL at 05:15, the airport was very busy with AC's check-in area occupying the bulk of the airport's land side.

Having checked in online and no bags to check, it was straight to the security check point.

The lines were very long, but there is a priority lane available off to the side.

Exiting security, my gate was right in front of me. As can be seen in the photo, all of the crowds turned left towards the International and trans-border part of the airport.

With 45 minutes to boarding, I went off to find the Maple Leaf Lounge walking through a very empty domestic terminal.

The Maple Leaf Lounge is currently closed for renovation, with instructions to use the Cafe next door.

Air Canada Cafe

AC, like UA, has introduced these grab-and-go style lounges that are very minimal.

Scanning my boarding pass, this is the entire lounge in a single shot. With seating along the windows, a single long bench, and a couple of small tables the space is designed to encourage people not to linger and to just grab items and leave.

The food offering consists of a Japanese inspired convenience store display of pre-packaged items.

There was a station preparing a limited number of hot items as well.

I took a couple of items and grabbed a seat by the window.

The lounge is fairly new and features USB-C ports throughout.

Boarding

At ~06:00, I left the lounge with my coffee and started walking back towards the gate stopping to check out the FIDS. Toronto and warm locales clearly dominate the board. AC and TS have pretty impressive route networks into the Central/South America.

This flight was booked onto an Airbus A220-300 and at still showed a 3 row cabin at OLCI the night before, but looks like we will be swapped onto a Boeing 737 MAX 8. This will be C-FSDQ, a 7 year-old aircraft with AC's standard C16 and Y153 configuration.

Boarding was called on time and down we go. There were several pilots shuttling down to YYZ filling Row 4 of the cabin, which likely explains the aircraft swap.

It will be the same cabin as the flight from SFO-YUL so not much to comment on other than they still look modern and fresh after 7 years of service.

Settling in, we get our nice large 13" screen with literature compartment.

Seat pitch is good at 38"

In between seats is a little space for water bottles. The A220s don't get this due to the narrower cabins.

A fold down foot rest is available.

Pre-placed on the center console are water bottles and earbuds.

The center console features a storage compartment that also houses the audio jack, 110V universal outlet, and USB-A port. Additional audio jacks and USB-A ports are located under the screen, but these are less practical to use.

The right arm rest houses the tray table.

PSU with individual air vents.

View from my window.

View of the cabin as we prepare for push back. The cabin would go out 14/16.

Push Back and Taxi

The front door closed at 06:47 and the captain came onto announce that we would need to have our wings de-iced since it was -4C the night before, but we would still be into YYZ on-time.

The safety video played as we pushed back.

AC A333 to YVR.

3H B737-800, very nice tail livery.

3H B737-200, can't remember the last time I saw a Classic B737, this particular one C-GMAI is 47 years old first delivered to Air Gabon back in 1978.

TS A330-300.

Reaching the well equipped de-icing station at YUL.

We pull in next to the DL CRJ-900 to MSP.

We were quickly sprayed down.

On our way to the runway, we pass another TS A330-300.

TS A321neo.

PB Dash8-Q400.

CM B737 leaving for PTY.

We take queue behind the DL A319 to ATL.

Aligning onto runway 24L.

Bombardier plant as we barrel down the runway.

Great aerials over YUL.

Look back at the airport as we turn over the Saint-Laurent.

The last remnants of the fall foliage before the first snow fall.

Service started up as we started our trek towards Ontario.

Hot towels were distributed.

The bifold tray.

There is no option for breakfast and everyone is offered a tray with their standard paisley omelette accompanied by a fruit bowl and bread. Drinks were offered with full bar, but I just took a coffee.

The main consisting of an omelette, sausage, potatoes.

Fruit bowl and condiments.

No choice of breads and everyone was offered a grain roll.

Since no printed menus are offered for environmental reasons, the full menu and drinks list can be found on the IFE.

Mid-Flight

The trays were collected just 15 minutes after service started as we started our descent into Toronto.

Refills were still offered despite starting our initial descent.

AC offers fast, free Wi-Fi to Aeroplan members (I think you must have the FFP attached to the ticket) and Business Class passengers and is available gate-to-gate. For others, the cost is CAD 8 (~$6).

Arrival into Toronto-Pearson

Dropping into the greater Toronto area.

Aerial of YKZ.

Those in the A seats would have had nice sunrise views over the city center.

I will settle for suburbia.

Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124, which has been impounded at YYZ since early 2022.

We landed on runway 24L at 08:35 for an on-time arrival.

AC dominates operations with a few *A friends sprinkled in.

EY A380.

RV A321.

We pull in at our gate as the rain clouds approach.

Signage to connecting flights is clear

Boarding passes are check and passengers are either sent right towards the Canadian exit immigration or left towards the US Pre-clearance area.

I'll leave off this series here as I start my layover in Toronto, thanks for stopping by!

Flight Information

Air Canada, AC401
Equipment: Boeing 737 MAX 8 [C-FSDQ, delivered February 2018]
Departure: 07:00 (ATD: 07:34)
Arrival: 08:39 (ATA: 08:35)
Flight time: 1:01