Air Canada - view flight seat status?

[yanpa]

Long shot - does anyone know if it's possible to view the seat status for a particular Air Canada flight? I have a long trip coming up and want to get an idea of what's in store...

(No, I will *not* be hanging around tall buildings with a camera looking for corpses which have made a gravity-assisted downwards transition)

[wagyl]

Seat status? You mean like how full the flight is? If it is close to fully booked you can get a rough idea by looking up the same flight date on sites like http://www.kayak.com/flights which will tell you if there are only 9 seats or four seats etc. available for that class. Or are you looking for something to tell you if you are close to the toilet or the galley or seat pitch like http://www.seatguru.com/ ?

[yanpa]

Seat status? You mean like how full the flight is?

Yes, this.

Anyway, I'm not sure if it's what I used before, but my Google fu has perked up and it seems ExpertFlyer.com has the requisite info for a variety of airlines.

[Wibble]

Seat status? You mean like how full the flight is? If it is close to fully booked you can get a rough idea by looking up the same flight date on sites like http://www.kayak.com/flights which will tell you if there are only 9 seats or four seats etc. available for that class. Or are you looking for something to tell you if you are close to the toilet or the galley or seat pitch like http://www.seatguru.com/ ?

Be careful; since seat guru was bought by trip advisor, the maps are not updated so much and for a lot of non-US airlines are out of date or incorrect.

Seat status? You mean like how full the flight is?

Yes, this.

Anyway, I'm not sure if it's what I used before, but my Google fu has perked up and it seems ExpertFlyer.com has the requisite info for a variety of airlines.

Expertflyer is good for Star Alliance members and you can search for open/blocked seats via the seat alert with a free membership. However, not all airlines allocate seats immediately on ticketing so free seats, doesn't necessarily mean an empty flight. An alternative to EF is http://www.kvstool.com

[kurogane]

I would be more concerned about your choice of airline.

Is it really necessary to fly the Bovine Skies???? No joke, by far and away the worst airline I have ever flown, any American airline excluded for obvious reasons.

[kagemusha]

I would be more concerned about your choice of airline.

Is it really necessary to fly the Bovine Skies???? No joke, by far and away the worst airline I have ever flown, any American airline excluded for obvious reasons.

Agree. I laughed my ass off when the sour face middle aged stewardess hovered over the frightened Japanese man in the seat in front of me. "Speak up! I can't hear you!" she told him in a washed up teacher voice "fish or chicken?"
Well Toto, we are not in Japan anymore...

[kurogane]

I would be more concerned about your choice of airline.

Is it really necessary to fly the Bovine Skies???? No joke, by far and away the worst airline I have ever flown, any American airline excluded for obvious reasons.

Agree. I laughed my ass off when the sour face middle aged stewardess hovered over the frightened Japanese man in the seat in front of me. "Speak up! I can't hear you!" she told him in a washed up teacher voice "fish or chicken?"
Well Toto, we are not in Japan anymore...

I don't believe in collective guilt of any kind but the German kind, but flying Air Canada from Japan is the only thing I can think of that makes me almost ashamed to be Canadian, and white, for that matter. I have had my fair share of that ilk, and have been told not to 'interfere' when offering linguistic help to my neighbour, but I also find the general level of service, aircraft and professionalism to be so much lower than any Japanese airline I will always choose the latter, and even they are often no great shakes lately. I really, really miss CP Air.

BTW, those 'washed up teachers' specifically choose the Japan run because they Love Tokyo! (gush!!!!!!!!). It's probably one of the last places they can shout at people without being Moo'ed back at.

I say BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides, ANA has a new Haneda-Vancouver run for only $2700 CAD for busyness.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I would be more concerned about your choice of airline.

Is it really necessary to fly the Bovine Skies???? No joke, by far and away the worst airline I have ever flown, any American airline excluded for obvious reasons.

Agree. I laughed my ass off when the sour face middle aged stewardess hovered over the frightened Japanese man in the seat in front of me. "Speak up! I can't hear you!" she told him in a washed up teacher voice "fish or chicken?"
Well Toto, we are not in Japan anymore...

I don't believe in collective guilt of any kind but the German kind, but flying Air Canada from Japan is the only thing I can think of that makes me almost ashamed to be Canadian, and white, for that matter. I have had my fair share of that ilk, and have been told not to 'interfere' when offering linguistic help to my neighbour, but I also find the general level of service, aircraft and professionalism to be so much lower than any Japanese airline I will always choose the latter, and even they are often no great shakes lately. I really, really miss CP Air.

BTW, those 'washed up teachers' specifically choose the Japan run because they Love Tokyo! (gush!!!!!!!!). It's probably one of the last places they can shout at people without being Moo'ed back at.

I say BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides, ANA has a new Haneda-Vancouver run for only $2700 CAD for busyness.

I haven't flow AC in a long time but I always got good service. Has it gotten worse in recent years? Of course I've otherwise mainly flown on US carriers so I think it's all relative. I'd say they're the worst but I've flow East China Air.

[Wibble]

...
I say BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides, ANA has a new Haneda-Vancouver run for only $2700 CAD for busyness.

It may be cheap, but it's in an old 767 usually only used for regional flights, no flat seats.
ANA have been going seriously downhill recently (especially in economy), probably just trying to match the standards of their revenue share partner, United.

[yanpa]

I haven't flow AC in a long time but I always got good service. Has it gotten worse in recent years? Of course I've otherwise mainly flown on US carriers so I think it's all relative. I'd say they're the worst but I've flow East China Air.

I'm flying to Ottawa, and AC seems to be the only viable option which avoids transit in the US. Did the same trip last year and found it to be a reasonably acceptable experience.

[IparryU]

~snip~I have had my fair share of that ilk, and have been told not to 'interfere' when offering linguistic help to my neighbour ~snip~

for real??? that is fucked up... wont be riding AC for damn sure

[yanpa]

Seat status? You mean like how full the flight is? If it is close to fully booked you can get a rough idea by looking up the same flight date on sites like http://www.kayak.com/flights which will tell you if there are only 9 seats or four seats etc. available for that class. Or are you looking for something to tell you if you are close to the toilet or the galley or seat pitch like http://www.seatguru.com/ ?

Be careful; since seat guru was bought by trip advisor, the maps are not updated so much and for a lot of non-US airlines are out of date or incorrect.

Interesting, thanks.

Seat status? You mean like how full the flight is?

Yes, this.

Anyway, I'm not sure if it's what I used before, but my Google fu has perked up and it seems ExpertFlyer.com has the requisite info for a variety of airlines.

Expertflyer is good for Star Alliance members and you can search for open/blocked seats via the seat alert with a free membership. However, not all airlines allocate seats immediately on ticketing so free seats, doesn't necessarily mean an empty flight. An alternative to EF is http://www.kvstool.com

I wanted to see how many seats were not yet allocated. Anyway, the KVS tool looks interesting, especially as they have a Linux version.

[wagyl]

Quick and dirty: go on their website and try to book 30 seats for that flight, or 40 seats (if such is indeed possible), and see how the system responds. Another method is to telephone their booking centre, but there is no guarantee they will give you that information. I'm assuming this is no more than idle curiosity on your part, and will not make any difference about whether you take the flight.

And, ahem, the Linux version requires WINE or similar, and asks you to install IE http://www.kvstool.com/FAQ.php?Source=HOME#Mac

[yanpa]

Quick and dirty: go on their website and try to book 30 seats for that flight, or 40 seats (if such is indeed possible), and see how the system responds. Another method is to telephone their booking centre, but there is no guarantee they will give you that information. I'm assuming this is no more than idle curiosity on your part, and will not make any difference about whether you take the flight.

Flight is booked, seat not...

And, ahem, the Linux version requires WINE or similar, and asks you to install IE http://www.kvstool.com/FAQ.php?Source=HOME#Mac

Meh. Will bung it on the Mac then.

[yanpa]

And, ahem, the Linux version requires WINE or similar, and asks you to install IE http://www.kvstool.com/FAQ.php?Source=HOME#Mac

Meh. Will bung it on the Mac then.

Oh I see, it's a Windows app which will run on other platforms with some jiggery-pokery

[kurogane]

I haven't flow AC in a long time but I always got good service. Has it gotten worse in recent years? Of course I've otherwise mainly flown on US carriers so I think it's all relative. I'd say they're the worst but I've flow East China Air.

Well, I haven't flown AC in probably 6 or more years, but I would certainly say that their general levels of service have declined, as has their reputation. Back in the early noughties there were still a number of bilingual staff (not all Japanese, btw) that came from the CP Air merger but they have been laid off or shunted off the routes by union seniority and the popularity of Tokyo amongst That Ilk.

BTW, I think they bridle at my attempts to interpret out of ego; quite a few of them seem to have an almost JET level delusion of their knowledge and familiarity of Japan. It's the old ranking schtick, I think. Combine that with that weird idea that all Japanese really do speak English if shouted at loud enough and you have aggravation I don't need and won't pay for.

It may be cheap, but it's in an old 767 usually only used for regional flights, no flat seats.
ANA have been going seriously downhill recently (especially in economy), probably just trying to match the standards of their revenue share partner, United.

Aaaahhhhhhhh, Narooheso. I thought something smelled TGTBT. I am actually not a seat Nazi, so as long as Busyness has proper Business level leg room I should be fine. I really like the Haneda thing, and otherwise that requires a transfer in San Francisco. JAL from Van to Narita probably has the funky Austin Power shell seats, but I hate Narita. What I really miss is the old Van-Osaka run. That was an old plane, too, but the business class was the old first class with those huge leather lounge seats, and fruit cups on demand.

I'll give it a go and report back next month. Thanks for the info.

[yanpa]

The Haneda-vs-Narita debate continues here

[yanpa]

Well, off to a 20 minute delayed start... Oh, and no duty free on this flight. Not that I give a damn about that, but presumably someone does.

[Coligny]

Sux, I heard their SkyMall selection was pretty awesome...

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Kinky cosplay friday will nevar be the same...

[Russell]

And to imagine that Yanpa is now enjoying his beer high in the sky and cheered upon by some Canukistan stewardesses...

[yanpa]

Well, that wasn't too bad. The cabin crew hardly ever used the cattle prods, and for food every tenth passenger had an opportunity to lick the plates after business class had finished eating.

No, what am I saying! That's an extract from Ryanair's business plan for transcontinental service.

Seriously, it was perfectly OK. It's not, say, Singapore Airlines, but nothing to complain about.

[kurogane]

Well, off to a 20 minute delayed start... Oh, and no duty free on this flight. Not that I give a damn about that, but presumably someone does.

Assuming you were on the plane when you posted that, how did you post that? Are people allowed their umbilical teats whilst inflight now?

I might need a sensory deprivation rig to keep me from going Russell Crowe on all the A'holes interfering with the navigational equipment.

Anyways, glad you had a good flight. How was the geenral demeanour of the cabin crew? FTR, I don't mean their physical appearance. Fun as it it can be it really is shockingly sexist to expect bunnies in wiggle skirts.

[Coligny]

Singapour Airlines:

Don't taxi on the grass...

image.jpg

SMOKE IT !!!

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[Coligny]

Anyways, glad you had a good flight. How was the geenral demeanour of the cabin crew? FTR, I don't mean their physical appearance. Fun as it it can be it really is shockingly sexist to expect bunnies in wiggle skirts.

Well there goes my sunday...

image.jpg

Fap fap fap fap...

[yanpa]

Well, off to a 20 minute delayed start... Oh, and no duty free on this flight. Not that I give a damn about that, but presumably someone does.

Assuming you were on the plane when you posted that, how did you post that? Are people allowed their umbilical teats whilst inflight now?

It's amazing what you can do with 10,000km of armoured ethernet cable. But no, I was merely reporting the gate announcements.

I might need a sensory deprivation rig to keep me from going Russell Crowe on all the A'holes interfering with the navigational equipment.

Anyways, glad you had a good flight. How was the geenral demeanour of the cabin crew? FTR, I don't mean their physical appearance. Fun as it it can be it really is shockingly sexist to expect bunnies in wiggle skirts.

Perfectly civil, no complaints.

Can't say the same for the lackeys directing queues at immigration/security. But that's not AC's fault.

[kurogane]

Were they security or those annoying elderly zombie drone volunteers in the green smocks?

The Narita volunteers could certainly lead a seminar or 2 on how to do a good job of that.

[kurogane]

Well there goes my sunday...

image.jpg

Fap fap fap fap...

Buwahahaha. Now that is a serious bunny.

[yanpa]

Were they security or those annoying elderly zombie drone volunteers in the green smocks?

The Narita volunteers could certainly lead a seminar or 2 on how to do a good job of that.

I'm talking about Toronto.

Mind you at least they didn't push/poke me this time, unlike last time when I annoyed the wannabe prison guardess because I came to a halt because she was switching the guide rope thingies about which confused the elderly Chinese gentleman in front of me and I didn't want to trample over him.

[kurogane]

No, no, I knew you meant in Canada, and I know them all too well. Hence my point about the rather nice and efficient Narita volunteers at immigration. They even make the Chinese and Koreans stand in line like humans, which is a herculean task.

[yanpa]

What, they have volunteers at the airport here?! That sounds more like the kind of scheme someone in Japan would dream up, to keep the elderly members of the local chonaiikai occupied.