THE FLIGHT: AC865 from London Heathrow to Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport operated by an Airbus A330-300 with a scheduled departure time of 14.25.
THE CHECK-IN: Around 90 minutes before departure the check-in zone was completely free of queues and there were around half a dozen staff waiting for passengers. A friendly and efficient woman dealt with the process.
THE LOUNGE: London Lounge B which is shared with SAS and seven other airlines. The spacious two-level lounge offers copious seating options from sofas and easy chairs to bar stools and computer chairs, plus lots of computer terminals, free wireless internet and a sizeable food and drink stations. There are enough newspaper and magazine choices to open a WHSmith, plus a TV room, children’s play room and some table top games. Overall a very pleasant and uncrowded space.
THE BOARDING PROCESS: There were no announcements made in the lounge so it’s important to keep an eye on the screens, especially as the gate was about as far away as it was possible to be but, once there, boarding was swift and efficient. My coat was taken and a drink offered as I settled in.
THE SEAT: Flatbed seats were in a 1x1x1 configuration, all with the advantage of direct aisle access. In lie-flat mode, the seat is 6ft 3in long. Seat features include an oversized one-piece tray table for dining and working, pillow and duvet, lumbar support, 12-inch touch-screen TV with noise-cancelling Sennheiser headphones, access to hundreds of hours of entertainment, personal reading light, in-seat power for laptops and ambient mood lighting.
THE SERVICE: Calmly efficient and friendly with a five-course lunch served at a leisurely pace. The wine selection included some agreeable Canadian options and the presentation and quality of the food was high.
THE VERDICT: A good quality business travel product, evidenced by the fact that all seats were occupied. The crew were clearly used to working in this cabin and gave the impression of enjoying their tasks.
THE DETAILS: Air Canada operates a daily service between London Heathrow and Montréal departing at 14.25. Flight time is seven hours 20 minutes, arriving 16.45 local time. Executive First prices are from around £2,628 and Economy is from £514 (both prices include taxes). www.aircanada.com Alan Orbell
