Table of Contents
Points Miles and Bling (blog) contains referral or affiliate links. The blog receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your continued support. Credit Card issuers are not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details, current product information, and Terms and Conditions, click the link included.
Booking: Air Canada Economy Boeing 787-9
Earlier this week, I flew to Brazil for the first time. My route included two legs: Vancouver to Toronto, then Toronto to São Paulo. Both flights were on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
The trip was for work, which meant Economy Flex was non-negotiable per my company’s travel policy. It also meant I couldn’t book with my personal credit card, so sadly, my Aeroplan point earnings were limited. If I had the choice, I would’ve booked using my TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card.
I booked directly through Air Canada just under three weeks in advance, and the round-trip total came to $2,400 CAD.
Airport & Boarding: Air Canada Economy Boeing 787-9
I arrived at YYZ via an earlier AC flight from YVR with a 2.5-hour layover. I was travelling with a colleague who has Aeroplan Super Elite status, and while we’d just flown in together, I wasn’t eligible to join him in the Maple Leaf lounge because we needed to be connecting onto the same next flight, which we weren’t. I was bummed because YYZ was packed, and a quiet seat before a 10-hour flight would have been very nice. Instead, we found a table in the terminal and ordered some food and drinks from Vinifera, one of the little dining spots by Gate E76.
Gate E73 at YYZ
Gate E73 at YYZ
By boarding time, the gate (Gate E73) was a full crowd, with no shortage of gate lice – my favourite…
Boarding Flight AC90 at YYZ
I made the deliberate choice to be the last person on board, as I always do.
Boarding Flight AC90 at YYZ
Boarding Flight AC90 at YYZ
Cabin & Seat: Air Canada Economy
Unfortunately, I lost my 35K Aeroplan status at the end of January, which meant no eUpgrade credits for me. On past work trips, those credits were my saving grace for getting into Premium Economy (sometimes). This time around, I had no status buffer and wasn’t willing to pay $500+ out of pocket for an upgrade. So Economy it was.
Economy Cabin on Air Canada YYZ – GRU
The cabin runs a 3-3-3 configuration across 30 rows. I chose 21A, a window seat, as always. I find it more comfortable to have the wall to lean against, and I’m not someone who makes frequent bathroom runs (I’m still in my 20’s 😉 ), so the window trade-off works for me.
In-Flight Entertainment System on Boeing 787-9
The aircraft was only a year old, and it was one of the more comfortable Air Canada Economy cabins/seats I’ve experienced, though there isn’t much variation between long-haul AC cabins. Even though it was slightly more comfortable than some of my past flights, it still wasn’t great. Legroom was tight, storage was minimal, and the seat pocket in front of me was so small my things were constantly spilling out. The tray table was also disappointingly small.
Minimal Legroom in Air Canada Economy YYZ – GRU
On some Air Canada flights, I’ve found that the tray table and area are just big enough to rest my arms and head on, which makes for an unglamorous but effective sleeping position. This one wasn’t. It was too cramped. Trust me, I tried many times.
Meals & Service
The food was the biggest letdown on this flight. I generally don’t mind Air Canada’s Economy meals, but this was the exception.
Meal #1 on Air Canada Economy YYZ – GRU
The first meal was bad enough that I couldn’t finish it, in fact, I barely touched it. I chose the chicken option, which came with potatoes. The chicken tasted rubbery, and the potatoes were mushy. There were no snacks served between meals, which felt like a long gap on a 10-hour flight. For breakfast, I switched things up because I’ve always chosen the egg option on Air Canada and never loved them, so I tried the pancakes. They were equally disappointing.
Meal #2 on Air Canada Economy YYZ – GRU
This was, without question, the worst food I’ve had on an Air Canada flight. On the service side, nothing usually stands out in Air Canada Economy, but a few of the crew on this flight were noticeably warm.
Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi on this flight, which annoyed me since I’d planned to use the time to work. Due to a last minute aircraft change, it happened to be the exact plane that brought me to YYZ on my first leg, so I was without Wi-Fi for the entire journey (outside of the layover).
Takeaway
The flight itself was smooth with no delays or hiccups. But the food was the worst I’ve had on Air Canada, and the Wi-Fi gap was a bit disappointing. However, it was the best option for getting to Brazil without having to connect outside of Canada.
