World Traveller 73 
Review: Air Canada Express Business Class CRJ-900, Vancouver – Regina
This particular flight was designed in part, to avoid an Air Canada labour disruption. On my travels from Vancouver to Toronto, I ended up taking a connecting flight through Regina. The connection was to lower the cost of the airfare for my employer but also to potentially avoid strike action notice. The flight was similar to other Air Canada express flights that I taken. The medium haul route offered a full meal along with comfortable service.
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Review: Air Canada Express Business Class CRJ-900, Vancouver International Airport – Regina International Airport
I had a week long work trip departing from Vancouver to Toronto. Consistent with my corporate travel policy on getting things at the lowest cost, the cheapest available ticket in business class was on a connecting flight on Air Canada Express through Regina International Airport.
This trip happened to coincide with Air Canadas’ potential pilot strike notice. As the pilots and employer were in the middle of collective bargaining, the strike notice indicated that Air Canada may issue a seventy two hour slight notice. The publicly released statements suggested that Air Canada Express would continue to operate while mainline Air Canada might suffer a labour disruption. As it turned out, the parties were able to come to tentative agreement, which avoided any potential labor disruption.
This trip was purchased and paid for through my employer’s corporate preferred traveler program. I credited these flights to Air Canada Aeroplan frequent flyer program.
Pre Ordering Business Class Meal:
This flight provided the opportunity to pre-order a business class meal. Air Canada has introduced pre-ordering on flights from select Air Canada hub cities. Pre-ordering is available 30 days in advance up to 72 hours before your flight.
I was given an invitation and email link to pre-order from the email that was on the reservation account. I signed in and in a very straightforward method, I was able to pick one of two entrées.
While the system is still new hopefully Air Canada will expand this to offer more than just two entrées to choose from.
Checking into Air Canada Business Class:
I self drove to the airport and parked at the valet of Park and Fly – Vancouver. It was a pleasant September morning as I arrived to the Air Canada Priority Check in area in the domestic zone of the Vancouver International Airport.
I wandered through the recently updated and upgraded security screening check point at Vancouver International Airport “C” Gates. The Canadian Air Security Transport Authority had recently upgraded this security screening check point with was recently upgraded with computed tomography (CT) technology, allowing all liquids and computers to remain within bags. There was minimal wait for screening and I was through to the secure in minutes.
My co-workers had booked away from Air Canada for this trip and weren’t prepared (as I was) to play strike roulette. As a result, they travelled on the non stop Porter Airlines Vancouver – Toronto, which departed earlier than my connecting flight. Since they’ already left, I didn’t have any “professional courtesy” meet up responsibilities.
Instead, I headed directly to the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge – Vancouver Domestic. Since I’ve visited before, please feel free to see the other post in the event you’d like to see more of this lounge.
After a short lounge visit, it was off to Gate C40 which was located in a far away portion of the Vancouver International Airport. It has a very small holding area with a space that is mostly used for Canadair Regional flights.
The boarding call was announced at thirty minutes prior to flight departure. I boarded with Boarding Group One, which was consistent with a business class ticket.
Air Canada Express
AC 8190 – Business Class (Z)
YVR – YQR (Vancouver International Airport – Regina International Airport)
Sept 16, 2024
8:03 AM – 11:19 AM
Booked: Canadair 900
Flown: Canadair 900
On Board Air Canada Business Class:
I been fortunate to have reviewed the Air Canada Express CRJ-900 several times previously. Please see the following posts if you’d like a little more description of the cabin and the experience.
- Air Canada Express Business Class: Vancouver – Regina
- Air Canada Express Business Class: Regina – Vancouver
- Air Canada Express Business Class: Winnipeg – Vancouver
- Air Canada Express Business Class: Ottawa – Halifax
- Air Canada Express Business Class: Halifax – Ottawa
Getting back to today’s flight, I was among the first to board today’s flight to Regina. The Air Canada Express Business Class cabin is set up in a slightly compact 1 – 2 configuration. If you happen to be travelling in the back in economy class, the set up is a compact 2 – 2 configuration.
The snuggle seats on the right hand side of the aircraft offered a snug space for two travellers. I’d pick these seats if I were travelling together with a partner.
Instead, I ended up on the single side of the aircraft on the left hand side in the row of single seats. While some may find single seats exposed to aisle traffic, and offer less privacy, I didn’t mind the seating at all.
Today’s cabin was only 5 out of 12 occupied, meaning that there was ample space to stretch out. It’s worth mentioning that the CRJ-900 offers really limited cabin space for rolling suitcases with overhead bins on the right hand side of the cabin being large enough to hold suitcases. The bins on the left hand side of the cabin are small and only hold a jacket or small personal article.
Given that there was only five others on board today, the design of the cabin didn’t develop into a storage issue on today’s flight.
Pre Departure Services:
There wasn’t much in the way of pre-departure services on today’ Air Canada Express flight. Other than a pleasant welcome, there was a cold bottle of Naya Mini (330ml) water waiting at the seat. I was surprised to see that the bottle was well chilled and actually cold.
Air Canada has recently eliminated the printed menu and instead offers a menu within the Air Canada app. This has mixed results because if you’re operating without data on your phone and some international location, you won’t always have access to the printed menu. Given that I was in Canada, I didn’t have any issues accessing the menu for today’s flight.
Given we were during breakfast hour, there isn’t too much to choose from when it comes to the regular Air Canada catering for business class.
Departing Vancouver International Airport:
We departed Vancouver international Airport on runway 26L. We had an immediate left turn headed away from our westerly track, headed eastward towards Central Canada.
We had a brief in flight announcement of our cruising altitude and anticipated good weather all the way over to Regina.
The Meal: Breakfast
After a smooth climb up to cruising altitude, the in flight service started.
The first part of service involved a towel service. The Air Canada Express towels aren’t too fancy, and they seem to be pretty worn in comparison to what you might expect in a hotel or spa.
The first service item was a wonderful coffee. While in flight coffee is never super hot, today’s flight was about as good as it gets; freshly served unbranded coffee from a stainless steel coffee pot.
After coffee was poured, the main breakfast course was presented all at once. Since the non egg menu option usually comes without meat, I usually go with the tried and tested parsley omelette.
The parsley omelette was presented with pan fried chicken sausage with parmesan cheese and spinach, roasted potatoes, tomato cumin chutney. It was also presented with fruit salad, yoghurt, along with warmed bread, butter, and jam
While it’s a pretty straightforward an uninventive option, it generally meets the goal of filling you up.
After breakfast was fully completed, the flight attendants came around for a second beverage service. I stuck with water. This was presented with Krispy Kernels Salted Almonds.
Overall, aside from not having all that much in the way of variety in the form of taste, the food offering was more than expected for a short regional flight of two hours in length.
Landing at Regina International Airport:
It’s always a stark contrast landing in the Canadian Prairies after coming from the mountains of the Pacific Northwest from my home town of Vancouver, Canada. As the flight descended towards landing, i got my first view of the flats of Saskatchewan came into view.
I stuck to the window as we glided down towards the ground. The views of downtown Regina seemed pretty simple and straight forward.
I arrived to Regina International Airport. We pulled up next to the gate next to a Westjet 737-800 that was in the middle of a boarding process and destined for Toronto.
I disembarked and entered the Regina International Airport. It’s a small place with only a few departure gates.
Surprisingly, there is also Air Canada’ smallest business lounge; the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge – Regina located within the secure side of the airport. Unfortunately, I ended up chatting with a co-worker who happened to be on the same flight headed to Regina. As a result, I didn’t get the opportunity to visit the air Canada Maple leaf lounge in Regina, during this quick 40 minute connection.
I ended up connecting onwards on the same aircraft on Air Canada Express Business Class: Regina – Toronto. As a result, I got ready to re-board the same flight that I arrived on.
The Bottom Line: Air Canada Express Business Class
While I don’t come to expect too much on a two hour business class flight, Air Canada express offers more than United Airlines offers on its short haul services. The cabin was clean and mostly comfortable, the food and beverage was more than expected and I got to my destinations on time. Overall I couldn’t ask for much more.
World Traveller 73 
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