It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed the Air Canada Express Canadair Regional Jet – 900 series aircraft in business class. There are a few of these floating around in the Air Canada Express system. With a quick two day work trip to Regina, I would end up testing out this particular aircraft type on a brief two hour flight from Vancouver to Regina.

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Review: Air Canada Express Business Class Canadair Regional Jet – 900, Regina International Airport – Vancouver International Airport

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I had a quick two day business trip to Regina, Saskatchewan. After heading out on Air Canada Express CRJ-900 Vancouver – Regina, I was due to fly back on the exact same flight.

The very next day, I was headed off to Alaska for a week’s worth of skiing, dogsledding and adventures. As a result, I was really keen to get home to start a week’s worth of vacations. Fortunately, I had already packed for my leisure trip. It was a matter of getting home, dropping one bag, and collecting another one.

Checkin In at Regina International Airport:

I was departing on the middle flight of the day of three possible flights. I didn’t want to take the last flight of the day and risk getting stranded as a result of mechanical issues. I ended up on the mid day flight.

I ended up getting breakfast at the (newly discovered to me) Cora’s Breakfast Restaurant in the strip malls south of the Regina International Airport. I returned the rental car and found myself in the usual Regina International Airport Departures Hall.

I was travelling with a checked work bag for this particular trip. There was no wait at all at the Air Canada Priority Check in line. My bag was tagged and accepted as baggage after a short bag scale check. Air Canada offers a 2 bag limit at 70 lbs per bag on a business class ticket. As a result, I had room, weight and allowance to spare.

I headed down the hall and headed up the escalators to the departure concourse. I had security screening without any wait and headed over to the secure side.

I stopped briefly at the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge – Regina. This isn’t a very exciting lounge, but it happens to be among the smallest sized lounges in the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge system.

I’ve reviewed this lounge several times before so I won’t be doing so again. This lounge was accessible as a result of the business class of service of my ticket, and there were no additional fees to visit.

When it came time to board, I boarded with Group #1. We had short line of people waiting to get on board, in a compact boarding area.

Air Canada Express
Business Class
YQR – YVR (Regina International Airport – Vancouver International Airport)
AC 8191 – Business Class (P)

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
March 22, 2024
Booked: Canadair Regional Jet – 900 Series
Flown: Canadair Regional Jet – 900 Series

On Board Air Canada Business Class:

As I described on the way out, Air Canada Express offers a small twelve seat business class cabin on it’s Canadair Regional Jet – 900 series aircraft. The cabin is set up in a 1 – 2 configuration in business class across four rows of business class, versus a 2 – 2 configuration in economy class in the back. You’ll get a little more leg and shoulder room, but its not a whole lot extra.

If you are a solo traveller, the single row of seats on the left hand side of the aircraft will be your area. I don’t mind these seats, but they are not a first choice for me since they are quite exposed and without much privacy. I would end up seated in this single aisle for this particular journey.

I found my seat, which was on the single aisle in 2A. Since I recalled that the seats do not have monitors, I was well prepared to have some entertainment on hand for the two and half hour flight home.

It is worth mentioning that if you’re seated in the single row of seats, that the overhead bins on this side of the plane are not large enough to stow a rolling suitcase. You’ll have to fight your seat mates across the aisle for space on the right hand side of the aircraft. Accordingly, make sure you board early enough to get bin space.

There isn’t a lot of more seating space in business class, despite the seat offering some extra space. I was lucky enough to fit my carry-on bag into the overhead compartment. My feet could now fit beneath my seat.

Pre Departure Services:

Air Canada serves a simple pre-departure beverage, a tiny bottle of Naya Water that was waiting on the seat, unlike most US carriers that offer an open bar. There was no further offer of an extra drink. I balanced my drink on the small cupholder table on the left hand side of the plane.

While waiting for the plane to complete boarding, I reviewed the menu offered for todays flight. While Air Canada used to offer a printed menu service, today they have shifted to menus presented in the Air Canada app.

Since our plane was leaving at noon, we were up for a lunch service today. The lunch menu featured a choice of two hot entrees, a chicken parmigiana or a vegetarian truffle risotto.

The second page of the breakfast menu offered the drink list. It offered a list of beers, unspecified wines, spirits. The spirits were pretty mainstream; although there was an effort at upscale Tanquery Gin, there wasn’t all too much “wow” on the spirit menu.

For a two and a half hour flight, the menu service was pretty reasonable overall. There’s not a meal plan as extensive on most of my First Class flights within the US. As a result, having a full meal available was a definite advantage.

We got underway and were up an over the Canadian Prairies before we knew it. I doubt that I would ever be able to get used to living under these flat lands, since the big mountains of Whistler have always had a special place in my heart.

The Meal: Lunch

The flight time today was scheduled at two hours and thirty minutes gate to gate. The meal service started at about forty five minutes after take off from Regina International Airport.

The in flight service started off with a warm towel service. This isn’t typically expected on domestic flights. However, it is still appreciated.

We had a usual Salted Almonds nut presentation, although they were a little slower today on the Ginger Ale beverage presentation.

The meal arrived and was presented all at once. Today’s lunch consisted of chicken parmigiana topped with mozerella cheese, marinara sauce and pesto rotini pasta. I think my marinara sauce got left behind today as the whole dish was quite bland. It reminded me of a television dinner I might heat in the microwave on a night I didn’t feel like cooking.

The fact that Air Canada provides a complete dinner on a quick two and a half hour journey is fantastic. Compared to our American colleagues, who typically offer a snack basket instead, this is a long cry from the norm. The cuisine might use a little more flavour and appeal, in my opinion. This is particularly noticeable at breakfast and lunch, where I believe Air Canada’s cuisine could use a little more imagination.

Landing at Vancouver International Airport:

We were back over the Rocky Mountains before we knew it. The weather had turned a little bit since I had left Vancouver a few days ago. It was looking a little greyer than after I had left.

We approached Vancouver International Airport on Runway 16R. We didn’t have any wait coming in, and we were on the ground before we knew it.

After we landed, it was a quick taxi over to the “C” gates. I was able to get off quickly and was in the terminal before I knew it.

I picked up my car at Park and Fly and headed home for the evening. I was set to get away to Alaska the very next morning and needless to say, I was pretty excited for my next trip.

The Bottom Line: Air Canada Express Business Class

The Air Canada Express Business Class on the Canadair Regional Jet – 900 Series offers a little more room, but not a whole lot of excitement.

On this trip, I tried out the single aisle seats on the left hand side of the aircraft. While you won’t have anyone bothering you in these single aisle seats, I still do find them a little exposed with less access to overhead bin space. Perhaps, it is a trade off. . .

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When flying a Canadair Regional Jet (or Embraer), do you prefer the single row of seats on the left hand side, if travelling on your own ?

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