Air Canada Business Class in Airbus A330-300 to Toronto

Thanks to an error fare, we flew Air Canada Business Class on an Airbus A330-300 from Munich to Toronto. Despite boarding complications and a somewhat outdated Business Class seat, Air Canada still managed to impress with its service and food quality. You can read about our overall experience in this trip report.

Boarding AC847 to Toronto

According to our Arrival from Oslo After a quick stop at the Lufthansa Senator Lounge, we headed to the gate. Upon arrival, however, a 20-minute delay was announced. We decided it wasn't worth going back to the lounge and joined the other waiting passengers.

As priority boarding began, we joined the line for business class passengers. However, a shrill beeping stopped us as our tickets were being scanned. An employee asked my wife and me to step aside and demanded our tickets and passports. While the employee frantically searched the computer, I wondered what the problem was. Was the flight overbooked? Were there visa issues? An upgrade wasn't an option, as Air Canada only operates in a three-class configuration (Business, Premium Economy, and Economy), and my ticket already showed seats in row 1.

It turned out that the colleague at check-in at Oslo airport had mixed up our passports. This caused problems with the allocation of the different visas (eTA for Canada and ESTA for the USA). Once everything was sorted out, the competent employee ushered us back into the queue, allowing us to proceed with boarding immediately. A big thank you again to the fantastic team at the gate!

Due to the delays, we were unfortunately the last passengers in Business Class and were already expected at door 1L of the aircraft. After stowing our hand luggage, we were personally greeted by the purser and asked for our first drink order.

What is the cabin and seat like in Air Canada Business Class on the Airbus A330?

Air Canada's Airbus A330-300 international business class cabin has 27 seats arranged in nine rows. It is located entirely in the front section of the aircraft between the first and second doors. Previously, there was also a second, smaller business class cabin with only three rows, but this has since been replaced by a premium economy cabin.

In Air Canada's Airbus A330 Business Class, the seats are arranged at an angle in a herringbone configuration. This 1-1-1 (A, G, and K) cabin configuration gives every Business Class passenger direct aisle access, which is a clear advantage. However, the angled seating position makes both the window view and communication between passengers more difficult.

For solo travelers, a seat on the left side of the aircraft is recommended. The back wall of the middle seat provides increased privacy. However, for couples, seats G and K are a better choice. While you still won't be sitting next to each other, you'll have eye contact and can even have a conversation to some extent. When choosing a seat, keep in mind that passengers on the right aisle have to share the overhead compartment with twice as many people. In my opinion, the best seats in Air Canada Business Class on the Airbus A330 are on the left side of the aircraft, in rows two through seven.

Air Canada has installed the "Classic Pod" seat type in the Business Class of its Airbus A330-300. The technical specifications of this older model are quickly summarized: adjustable head and leg rests, a horizontally adjustable seat surface with a length of 191 cm, a seat width of 53 cm, a personal reading light, a 110V and a USB port, lumbar support, and a massage function.

During online check-in, I had chosen seat 1A. As it turned out, this wasn't such a good choice, as I could barely contort myself to look out the window. Upon arriving at my seat, a thin blanket and a white pillow were already waiting for me. Otherwise, the Classic Pod seat looked rather worn. The controls on Christin's seat weren't working properly. For example, the footrest wouldn't raise. However, the flight attendant was able to fix the problem by resetting the seat controls.

The signs of wear and tear were clearly visible on the various corners of the Air Canada business class seat. The poor impression continued with the few storage compartments, which were also heavily soiled. Clearly, the cleaning in Munich hadn't been very thorough. A shame! To mention something positive, I'd like to point out the numerous adjustment options of the seat. Together with the massage function, every business class passenger should be able to find a comfortable position.

What food and drinks are available in Air Canada Business Class on the Airbus A330?

Even before boarding, a bottle of water, noise-canceling headphones, and the Air Canada business class amenity kit were already waiting for me at my seat. After we had stowed our carry-on luggage and sorted everything else, we were greeted warmly by the purser. She also handed us the menu and asked for our first drink order for after takeoff. Unfortunately, there was no glass of champagne or other welcome drink.

To pass the time before takeoff, I took a closer look at the contents of my amenity kit. Every business class passenger receives a small gray fabric bag from Air Canada. Combined with the Air Canada red lining, the bag makes a really good impression. I especially liked the magnetic closure. The contents are fairly standard. The Air Canada amenity kit includes a toothbrush with toothpaste, lip balm, hand cream, an eye mask, earplugs, and a mint.

Once we were airborne and the seatbelt signs were switched off, the ordered "welcome drink" was served. I had opted for a twelve-year-old Johnnie Walker Black Label. It was accompanied by a small bowl of mixed nuts.

Even before takeoff, the purser asked what meal I would like. I had the choice between a full three-course meal after takeoff, a quick light meal, or a full meal at a later time of my choosing. Since the flight was departing around noon, I opted for the first option.

appetizer

The service began about an hour after takeoff with the appetizer. There was no choice at this point, so every business class passenger received smoked salmon with fregola salad and lime crème fraîche. A mixed green salad was served alongside. Both were exceptionally delicious. The fregola salad, in particular, which was new to me, was very good.

Main course

For the main course, there was a choice between beef fillet, chicken, barramundi (giant bass), and vegetarian pasta. I opted for the pan-fried beef fillet with mustard sauce, sweet potato puree, sautéed potatoes, and zucchini. The piece of beef fillet was rather small and, unfortunately, cooked far beyond the desired doneness. A shame, but that's not so easy to do on an airplane.

dessert

I politely declined the offered cheese selections, such as Emmental or Alpine cheese. After all, I wanted to leave some room for the ice cream. The three scoops of ice cream were still very cold and solid due to being stored in dry ice. However, the delicious taste more than made up for the wait until they thawed.

After dinner, I watched a movie and several TV series. A snack basket containing items like Twix, KitKat, and chips was available in the first row for the remainder of the flight. I was also asked my drink preference at regular intervals.

Light meal before arriving in Toronto

About 90 minutes before arriving in Toronto, a light meal was served. The cold platter with lemon-thyme chicken, cherry tomato salad, and arugula was a delicious snack. It was accompanied by fresh orange segments and two chocolate pralines. As with all meals, a basket of warm pastries was also provided.

What is the entertainment like in Air Canada Business Class on the Airbus A330?

Unfortunately, Air Canada's inflight entertainment in Business Class no longer meets current standards. The 12-inch touchscreen folds out from the left side of the seat and is just about large enough at that distance. However, the screen's response time was very slow. The selection of movies and TV series, on the other hand, was quite extensive. Some were even available in German. Only the commercials before the movies were annoying. The noise-canceling headphones were already on the seats at boarding. However, due to a loose connection at the headphone jack, the sound was unfortunately marred by a loud metallic clanging.

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