Review of Air Canada flight from Cancún to Ottawa in Economy

Routing

Check-in and security

After a week-long vacation in Cancun, it was time to head back to Ottawa. Our flight today departs from Terminal 3 at Cancun Airport. The terminal was decorated in holiday decorations, which was a nice touch.

The Air Canada check-in desks were situated close to the entrance, with many desks for the 2 departures tonight to Toronto and Ottawa (our flight). Here, I learned that my flight was delayed to depart at 00:35 (later 1:15)

I quickly received my boarding pass, plus a MX$300 food voucher for the delay, and headed up the escalator to security.

Airside

After security, I passed through the large duty-free section of Terminal 3.

A French Bee A350 operating for Air Caraibes leaves for Paris Orly.

The departure board for Terminal 3 tonight, just our flight plus the Air Caraibes and another AC flight to Toronto.

Cancun Terminal 3 is mostly empty at this time…

Two United 737s at gates C6 and C7. Both will depart tomorrow morning with the one on the right going to LAX and the one on the left going to IAH

The Cancun Airport Terminal 3 sign.

A United 737 MAX 9 parked at gate C5. This plane will fly to Chicago in the morning.

Bought myself a milkshake at Johnny Rockets with the meal voucher, it was pretty decent.

A Delta A321neo just arrived from JFK operated as DL 488

An AA 737-800 parked at gate C16

An Air Transat A330-200 departs for Toronto

AC1812 arriving into gate C21 from YYZ

UA1677 arrives into gate C12 from IAD

C-GKFB at gate C20 after a 3 hour 47 minute flight from Montreal

3… 2… 1… Happy 2026!

I made my way to gate C22, and after a while, our aircraft, C-FFIP, arrived. This airframe was originally going to defunct low cost carrier Lynx Air, but after their bankruptcy, this plane went to Air Canada. It is configured in Y189. According to planespotters.net, this aircraft had been involved in a ground collision with an AC A321 in October, and lost part of its winglet. However, it was fixed and returned to service in October 2025.

Flight info

Air Canada AC1409 CUN-YOW
Equipment: Boeing 737 MAX 8 (C-FFIP, delivered March 2025)
Configuration: Y189
Seat: 20A
Scheduled Departure: 22:15 (ATD: 1:26)
Scheduled Arrival: 2:15 (ATA: 5:16)
Flight time: 3:50

Boarding

Queueing up to board

Heading down the jet bridge to our aircraft.

Making my way down to my seat, 20A.

My seat for the next 4 hours.

The view from my window, with a Viva A320-200 parked a few spots down

The flight

Pushback at 1:15

Taxiing towards runway 30L

Takeoff into the night sky.

A look at the safety card and the Air Canada Bistro

The lights and A/C above the seat

I took a nap, and after 2 hours, I woke up somewhere in the Carolinas.

They did a bistro service, and handed out the complimentary cookies and pretzels, plus a soft drink. I opted for the ginger ale. They were pretty average for airplane standards, but considering AC still gives complimentary snacks and beverages (unlike other legacy carriers), it's pretty decent.

The view outside my window, probably a city in the Carolinas.

Bathroom tour…. (small and cramped like the average MAX washroom)

I went back to sleep for another hour or so, and woke up just as we started our descend.

Approach and landing into Ottawa on runway 32

Taxiing to gate 5.

Routing of the flight