Believe it or not, this was my first trans-Atlantic trip in economy class in at least four years. Through the magic of Aeroplan points and frequent flier upgrade certificates, my last 3 or 4 trips across the pond have been in Executive First Class with a nice meal, free wine, and a lie down bed. At the risk of sounding like a totally spoiled brat, I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle this flight in coach!
Thankfully the Tango Plus/Economy ticket got me more than I expected. There was a halfway decent meal, a complimentary mini-bottle of wine, and I had enough room to stretch my legs under the seat in front of me, and also thankfully didn’t have to elbow war with anyone beside me.
While not as ritzy as First Class, Economy was more than adequate. The perks of being able to lie flat, have a glass of champagne before takeoff, and eat an airline’s take on filet mignon are not likely worth the extra $2000-4000 (one way) for a First Class ticket…unless of course you have excess disposable income, or somebody else is paying for it.
While that seat may be somewhat envious, rest assured that when you lie down in a first class seat it’s about the equivalent of taking a nap in the front seat of your car vs. napping upright in the backseat. As nice as it may seem, it’s still not a bed! While everyone else is bashing on Air Canada, I find them to be a great airline with good service that is at least in-line with that on other airlines. I mean, who else has USB and regular 120v power outlets in economy class even on domestic flights. I have flown many airlines and very few have that option in economy class.
In any case, let’s just say that I have been humbled, but also pleasantly surprised at how comfortable the flight was in coach. The layout of the long haul planes definitely leave a bit more room than their smaller domestic counterparts.
