Air Canada Business Class on the Boeing 777-300ER to London

Thanks to an error fare, we flew with Air Canada Business Class on a Boeing 777-300ER from Toronto to London in January 2017. Unlike the Business Class on the Airbus A330, the cabin in the Boeing 777-300ER is significantly more comfortable and meets current standards. Find out whether the new Executive Pod seats were impressive in our trip report.

Air Canada Business Class on the Boeing 777-300ER – Boarding AC848

Boarding for flight AC848 to London began promptly at 7 p.m. As business class passengers, we were among the first to board. Apparently, the crew wasn't quite prepared for us at that point. A bit of chaos erupted in the first 10 minutes on board the Boeing 777-300ER. A repair was also being made to the table in my seat, 1A. This gave me time to take a few photos for the review.

Air Canada Business Class in the Boeing 777-300ER cabin

Air Canada Business Class on the Boeing 777-300ER consisted of two cabins with a total of 40 seats. The front cabin was the larger, with seven rows. The smaller rear cabin had only three rows of Business Class seats. Behind them were three rows of Premium Economy seats, followed by Economy Class.

The Air Canada Executive Pod seats in the Business Class cabin are installed in a 1-2-1 configuration. This guarantees direct aisle access for every passenger. Unlike the old Classic Pod seating, the seats are installed at an angle in a reverse herringbone configuration, facing away from the aisle. Together with a privacy screen, Air Canada creates a pleasant level of privacy.

Where is the best seat in Air Canada Business Class?

As mentioned, we were seated in seats 1A and 2A. Unfortunately, due to the close proximity to the galley and the front lavatory, we never really had any peace and quiet. On a night flight, a seat in the smaller Business Class cabin, such as row 11, is certainly more comfortable and quiet. On the other hand, we were served dinner first, which isn't a bad thing on a 6-hour red-eye flight.

Air Canada Business Class in the Boeing 777-300ER – Seat

Compared to the previous Classic Pod concept (Trip Report: Air Canada Airbus A330) in 2008, the new Executive Pod seating in Air Canada's international business class was a true quantum leap for us as customers. The new seats, based on the Rockwell Collins Diamond Seat, were introduced to Air Canada along with the Boeing 787.

After the repairs to my seat's table were completed, I was allowed to stow my things. The practical folding compartment under the window, which contained the power outlet, USB port, headphone jack, and the entertainment system controls, was open. I really liked this, as on other airlines, I've often spent ages searching for the power outlet, for example.

The seat was very easy to control via a touchscreen display on the side. In addition to the various adjustment options, the seat offered a massage function and pneumatic adjustment of the firmness in seven levels. To the right of the simple display were also quick-select buttons for the seating position (e.g., sleep).

There was a reasonably large table for working and eating. It could be moved freely along the x- and y-axis. There was also a personal LED reading lamp mounted to the left of my head, which was easy to position.

After dinner, I adjusted the seat to the sleeping position and put on the pajamas I'd brought with me from Lufthansa First Class. The seat, which had been converted into a 2.03 m long and 53 cm wide bed, offered plenty of room to lie down. The legroom was also generous. A mattress or other bedding, aside from the padded blanket and pillow that were already on my seat during boarding, were not provided.

Air Canada Business Class on the Boeing 777-300ER – Entertainment

Air Canada advertises that the screen, with a diagonal of 45.7 cm, is the largest of any North American airline. It was controlled both via touchscreen and the hand controller in the overhead compartment. I was able to use this, just like with Singapore Airlines in the A350 (Trip Report), as a second screen. The selection of films and series was extensive. A variety of on-demand content with German audio was also available. The interactive flight map offered some nice features, such as a display of the cockpit instruments.

The sound quality of the distributed noise-canceling headphones was decent. However, they weren't distributed until after takeoff. This could also have been due to the chaos during boarding.

My only criticism regarding in-flight entertainment is that Air Canada unfortunately does not offer Wi-Fi on the transatlantic route. Other airlines, such as SAS in Premium Economy (Trip Report), already one step ahead.

Air Canada Business Class on the Boeing 777-300ER – Service

After the initial difficulties, the crew began serving the welcome drink. The choice was between champagne, orange juice, and water. Naturally, I treated myself to a glass of the excellent Drappier Champagne. Slowly, the situation calmed down again, and the crew wore a relaxed and friendly face.

Along with the menu, a small bottle of water, an amenity kit, and a fast-track voucher for entry into London Heathrow Airport were distributed before takeoff. The flight attendant quickly asked us our dinner and breakfast preferences before we took off. The rest of the service during the flight was very courteous and friendly. Drinks were actively offered at regular intervals, and any further requests were asked. Textbook business class service!

Air Canada Business Class on the Boeing 777-300ER – Food and Drinks

Service began shortly after takeoff with a warm nut mix and a Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch Whisky.

Dinner

For starters, I had smoked duck breast with a Waldorf salad. The apple and mustard purée paired perfectly with the meat. A mixed salad with vinaigrette was also on the tray. For my starter, I chose a barrel-aged Chardonnay from the Niagara region of Canada.

For the main course, I opted for the grilled beef fillet with peppercorn sauce, mashed potatoes, and green asparagus. The meat was of decent quality and cooked to just the right degree.

Before dessert, I had some cheese, crackers, and grapes served, before finishing with a dark chocolate fondant with hazelnut nougat and cranberry-raspberry compote.

Breakfast

Breakfast was served shortly before reaching Ireland, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes before landing. Even before takeoff, I had opted for an American breakfast and a warm blueberry muffin. In summary: tasty, but nothing special! The tranquility of breakfast was unfortunately somewhat disturbed by turbulence, which made it difficult to enjoy caffeinated hot beverages. ;)

Despite the delayed departure from Toronto, we arrived at London Heathrow Airport almost on time and, thanks to the Fast Track Voucher we received, we were able to enter England quickly.

Did you like this post? Then share it on social media. This way you support our work. Have you already had experiences with Air Canada Business Class? Then I'd love to hear your opinion in the Comments.