A Boeing 777-200LR takes off from Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation
Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, who works for the site NYCAviation.com, had the opportunity to fly on an Ethiopian Airlines business class flight on a Boeing 777 and 767. I thought the story was great and am able to share it with my readers. Here is his story in his own words:
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA: This is the second of a three part series on the airline, with this segment focusing on their business class service named Cloud Nine. NYCAviation (NYCA) had the opportunity to review this service on two international flights: Washington Dulles to Addis Ababa and Addis Ababa to Johannesburg. Ethiopian provided the flights to NYCA at no charge, flying on both legs in September 2011.
Part I Addis to DC
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 501 Service to Addis Ababa from Washington Dulles
Boeing 777’200LR ET’ANR
Dep: 1201/EDT Arr: 0738/EAT
Seat 03H / Cloud Nine Business Class
Stepping onto the curb in a rainy Washington DC, I made my way to the Ethiopian Airlines (ETH) counter, which is tucked in the back off to one side. Check’in was short and sweetabout 15 minutes start to finish. I took advantage of ETH’s two’checked’bags policy and left one bag in their care. At the ticket counter I had been assigned seat 20B, but at the gate I was upgraded to seat 03H in Cloud Nine.
Boarding was a breeze. Cloud Nine passengers, members of ShebaMiles and other preferred’status folks boarded first. I was the third person to walk onto the large, new Boeing 777’200LR (ET’ANR). Ethiopian’s business class on the B772 (the airline has no first class) is configured as 2’3’2, with 03H in the middle section on the aisle. As the passengers settled in before we departed on this 12+’hour flight, drinks ranging from juice to liquor and copies of Le Monde and The Washington Post were offered.
Cloud Nine Seat on the 777. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
Dulles was unusually slow that day, which allowed a nearly on’time departure (about 10 minutes late) from Runway 33. A Saudi Arabian Airbus A340’300 and the ever’elusive Boeing 747SP on the remote ramp enhanced the view as the 777’s wonderfully massive GE’90 engines spooled up. We climbed out over the Washington Metro area and headed northeast.
Following an hour long power nap just after departure, I awoke to the sounds of drinks being served. A selection of juice, soda and top’shelf liquor was offered along with salted airplane shaped crackers. Lunch service followed shortly thereafter.
The hors d’oeuvres were sweet chili bay scallops, citrus’cured smoked salmon and sliced bresaola (air’dried beef) served with salad and warm bread and butter. The beef was spicy and good. I don’t eat fish or seafood and so passed up the other choices, but they looked excellent. A salad, also provided, was OK.
Little airplane crackers! Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
We were asked to choose an entre: beef, chicken, fish or vegetarian. I opted for the seasoned chicken breast with vegetables in teriyaki sauce and rice with asparagus. The meal was good and satisfyingthe chicken was tender and moist, the vegetables crisp and warm. It came with more bread and butter. After the meal, dessert ’ a slice of coconut cheesecake for me. Service was quick and friendly (perhaps too quick: While no one rushed me through a course, I couldn’t help but feel a bit hurried), and capped off by the traditional coffee service.
Four hours in the sun was already setting. While much of the cabin settled in for the night, I went for the entertainment system. A wide selection of TV and movies in multiple languages are available along with games, flight tracking maps and other options. The touch screen is large; 15.4 inches wide. With the screen nestled into the seat back in front of you it requires a stretch to reach, but the tethered remote takes care of that. The remote itself is a bit less intuitive than I would’ve liked, and at times it was easier to use the touch screen than fiddle with it. The airline provided a bagged set of their own headphones, which got the job done. During the flight I watched a few movies, some TV, and played BlackJack (a shame that it wasn’t with real money).
Tasty lunch service on the Ethiopian flight. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
Sleep came shortly thereafter and I found myself able to manage about five hours of solid rest. Utilizing a shell based design the Cloud Nine seats are considered angled lie’flat and have a respectable 65 inches of pitch: they even has a massage function to help loosen up the muscles. The other details are pretty standard: a large, fold’out tray tucked into the side of the armrest, adjustable reading light, foot rest and a pillow & blanket set. The only downsides were lack of power outlets and the seat not being terribly private: an adjustable divider between the seats would have been welcome. Ethiopian’s one carry’on policy kept overhead space easily available.
While sleep was welcome and need, unfortunately I slept through the second meal service. According to my menu I missed out on a selection of culinary delights ranging from mini beef meatballs and chicken satay to mini pizza and jalapeno poppers. I trust that they matched the positive experience of the first meal service.
With two’and’a’half hours remaining the final meal service began: breakfast. Again the food was enjoyable and plentiful. There were a few options; I chose the cheese omelet with hash browns, chicken sausage and sauted mushroom with a grilled tomato ’ complimented by a fresh fruit salad and yogurt.
Deboarding in Addis Ababa. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
As the flight neared arrival a stop to the lavatory to freshen up was in order. A packet of amenities, located in the seat, contained toothpaste and brush, comb, mouthwash, sleeping mask, and a handful of other items. Nothing to write home about, but after a long flight the ability to brush your teeth and comb your hair in the lav is welcome.
We landed early into Bole International Airport at 0738 local time. Taxi was fast and we quickly pulled up to a remote gate complete with air’stairs. Deboarding was quick and efficient as Cloud Nine was let out first, with a minibus exclusively for business class greeting us at the bottom of the steps. Once on the mini’bus we were whisked away to the terminal, which is a bit of a challenge to navigate the first time. Having a very short connection I was directed by staff up an empty boarding gate to get to the arrivals level. The terminal was very busy, but staff were helpful in directing me to my already boarding connection, where another adventure was about to begin.
Part II Addis to Jo’Burg
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 809
Service to Johannesburg from Addis Ababa
Boeing 767’300ER ET’AMQ Dep: 0910/EAT Arr: 1315/SAST
Seat 01D / Cloud Nine
[This flight picks up where the previous flight, Ethiopian 501 from Washington Dulles, leaves off.]
Having arrived safely at Addis’ Bole International, I quickly made my way toward my next flight. By the time I stepped into Terminal Two my connecting flight was already boarding. Lacking a jet bridge, a Cloud Nine dedicated mini’bus drove us out to the remote gates and we met up with our Boeing 767’300ER (ET’AMQ). A quick jaunt up the airstairs (these big jets always sit higher off the ground than I think they do), and I find myself seated in 01D.
Boarding onto the Boeing 767-300ER to Jo'Burg. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
Much like on the prior flight, the forward cabin staff were up and about serving drinks as passengers settled in for the five or so hour flight. We departed about 20 minutes late with a powerful and aggressive climb out from Bole (the airplane was probably only two’thirds full). The flight path had us tracking over a number of exotic locations through the African interior that, thanks to an aisle seat were largely unseen. About forty minutes into the flight a full drink service was offered along with little airplane shaped crackers, which I complemented with a delightful glass of Irish Cream.
Lunch began very quickly thereafter, and like the prior flight, the food matched expectations for business class. The hors d’oeuvre consisted of smoked salmon garnished with asparagus tips and sun dried tomato, turkey slices with red pepperoni and corn on the cob, and lamb terrine garnished with cherry tomato and dried prune. These were supplemented with a seasonal salad with fresh greens and an olive oil based vinaigrette along with bread and butter.
Ethiopian National Dish: Injera with Wot. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
We were next served a course featuring the Ethiopian National Dishes. Each course came with a staple of Ethiopian meals known as injera. It is akin to flat bread though with a spongy texture and unusual taste. Atop the roll of injera one had the option of mixing and matching sampler sized portions of various stews (Wot) (though I would liken the consistency more to curry than stew). I chose to go with Doro Wot (spicy stew), Ataklet Wot (mixed vege), and Miser Wot (lentil’based). They were all quite enjoyable and doled out in such large portions that I actually thought this course was the main entree. It was not though, and the actual entree was a choice between beef, chicken, fish, and vegetable. I went with the beef in cumin sauce with basmati rice and sauted carrots along with an Ethiopian beer called St. George. The meal was enjoyable enough but I was already quite full from the previous two courses, and consequently I ended up not finishing it.
A nap was in order after the very filling meal service. Despite its age and appearance, the seat was quite comfortable. It reclines to a respectable 59 inches of pitch, which was enough to lend me a solid one hour nap. I didn’t have anyone seated next to me in the 2’2’2 configured cabin, so privacy wasn’t really an issue’“but had there been someone next to me I can’t say I would’ve been entirely comfortable taking a nap. The seat also features the standard tray in the armrest, audio jack, and is provided with a pillow and blanket. There was ample leg room. It may not be fancy, but it gets the job done. With an hour and a half remaining I caught some of the programming on the projector screen in front of me. The audio, provided by Ethiopian headphones, functioned just fine. The very large screen being only a few feet in front of me became a bit overwhelming to watch, but that was more a matter of location of my seat’“one row back would’ve made a big difference.
Cloud Nine Seat on ET-AMQ 767. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
A care kit containing basic items like comb, toothpaste & brush was provided toward the end of the flight. It was nice to clean up a bit before landing and feel slightly more refreshed and ready for the day ’“ especially after you’ve been travelling for nearly 35 hours.
Final approach into OR Tambo was a bit rough, but that just made it fun. We touched down on time at 1315. Taxi was fairly quick and we pulled up to a gate flanked by a handful of Boeing 777s. Cloud Nine passengers deplaned first, allowing a quick and easy beeline to customs. With no competition in the customs line the entry process lasted a grand total of ten minutes. Bags, including mine, arrived about fifteen minutes later.
Part III The Bottom Line
We will take up Flight 809, service to Johannesburg, first. This one is a bit hard to judge. Looking at the schedules, the flight is operated by a mixture of aircraft; chiefly the Boeing 767-300ER (B767) and Boeing 757-200 (B757), though the carrier’s 737-700s are capable of performing the route as well. Like many airlines, cabin layouts and features vary within an individual type and Ethiopian is no exception. Consequently, experiences can differ from day to day depending on the plane. As a result, it seems worthwhile to distinguish and judge product and service separately.
In terms of product, flight 809 left a bit to be desired. This is almost entirely a result of the antiquated entertainment system. Most travelers on Ethiopian B767s will have a personal TV with a well stocked range of on-demand entertainment, but a handful will receive the retro-treatment. Charmingly nostalgic though it is for an aviation fan, most customers would likely feel it falls short of a competitive business class product on the international scene. On a five hour flight this is not really the end of the world, but many are used to having personalized entertainment options on these trans’continental flights. The seat appeared to be a bit dated as far as competing products go but was ultimately very comfortable with generous seat pitch.
Equally as important as product is service. In this respect, Ethiopian excelled on the flight. The food was good and plentiful, and those not familiar with Ethiopian fare will have an opportunity to sample something new and exciting. The cabin crew was professional and attentive.
Ethiopian 777-200LR ET-ANN taken at Boeing Field in Seattle. Photo by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren / NYCAviation.
Taking up Flight 501, Ethiopian Airlines service to Washington Dulles is not new, but it certainly feels as though it is. The introduction of the new B777’200LRs to replace the previously utilized B767’300ERs is a serious upgrade to the route on many levels, the least of which is the inbound leg becoming a true non’stop. Boeing 777’based Cloud Nine class represents a big step up for Ethiopian and a presents a true competitive product on the international market, particularly for an African based carrier. The fresh cabin and modern product does not disappoint. Customers flying this route (or the outbound Flight 500) will find friendly and fast on board service, enjoyable food, a good seat, and quality on-demand entertainment options.
Overall in terms of service, the verdict on Cloud Nine is pretty easy: good. Cabin crews on both flights were attentive, friendly, and professional. Food was plentiful, warm, and good quality. The only inconsistency was not having served the Ethiopian National dishes on flight 501, though the airline points out that serving the meals require traditional preparation, cooking, and serving procedures which require time and care.
It is reasonable to say, however, that business class can be a bit varied in terms of product. On the one hand the B767 cabin on Flight 809 appeared to represent a business class of days gone by. On the other, the B777 cabin on Flight 501 represented a modernized, competitive product of today. The airline has told NYCA that they intend to upgrade seven Cloud Nine cabins aboard the B767, a welcome step toward ironing out the inconsistent product in their B767 fleet. Looking to the very near future, the airline is anticipating delivery of their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the summer of 2012. No doubt the new cabin aboard their Dreamliners will continue to build upon the successful choices made on their B777-type business cabins.
When the upgrades and fresh aircraft meet up with the already solid in-flight service, the future is even brighter for Cloud Nine. If a trip to Addis or elsewhere in Africa is in your future, flying aboard Ethiopian Airline Cloud Nine is a choice that will serve you well, both now and into the future.
JETSUITE REVIEW BASICS:
Airline: Not an airline… try JetSuite private jet.
Aircraft: Embraer Phenom 100
Departed: Boeing Field (BFI)
Arrived: San Fransisco International Airport (SFO)
Stops: Non-stop flight
Class: Uber private jet class
Seat: Yes. Window and Aisle
Length: About 2.0 hours
Cheers: You are riding in a private jet and get all the bonuses that go along with that.
Jeers: You can only bring three of your friends.
Overall: JetSuite is a cost effective option that makes it difficult to go back to flying commercial.
I did not have to fake that smile. On the tarmac at SFO after our JetSuite flight. This is the 100th Phenom made by Embraer, reg number N581JS.
THE FULL JETSUITE REVIEW
When I was recently asked if I might want to hitch a ride from Seattle (BFI) to San Francisco (SFO) on a JetSuite private jet, how could I refuse? I have always wanted to try flying on a private jet and before this, I have never had the opportunity, so I was game.
Aren’t private jets just for the uber rich and was an exclusivity meant for a rare few? I now see that it depends on who you are flying and how flexible your schedule might be. JetSuite is a luxury that even the common man can afford and the better off can still appreciate (note: JetSuite flew me and a photographer down to SFO at no charge and Singapore Airlines paid for our commercial flights home).
Mount Rainier and Adams popping above the clouds shortly after take off.
My JetSuite flight was scheduled to leave Seattle at around 6:45 am, which meant it was an early morning. It is amazing how knowing you are going to fly can help to wake you up. I was hoping to get photos of the Embraer Phenom 100 aircraft before we departed, but it was dark and (take a wild guess) rainy.
One of the benefits of flying on a private jet is not having to deal with the airport hassle. Most private jet flights leave from an FBO (Fixed Base Operator), which is really a small office for private aircraft. It took me about 3 minutes to get from my car to the aircraft and that was with a stop to get coffee. No security, no lines, no hassles. An extra bonus is I was greeted by our two pilots and we had the opportunity to get to know them a little bit before taking off.
The Phenom 100's interior was designed by BMW and is actually pretty roomy. I took the seat on the right facing backwards.
It was time to go. After a quick run from the FBO to the plane to avoid the rain, I was ready to start our journey. Currently, JetSuite only operates the small Embraer Phenom 100 aircraft that can hold four passengers. You cannot miss them with their red racing stripe going down the center, providing a unique look. It seems that some folks are not a fan of the aggressive livery, but I love it. It gives their aircraft that race car look and isn’t the swirly grays or tans that you normally see on a private jet.
I was not sure what to expect since the Phenom 100 is such a small plane, but looks can be deceiving. I was impressed with how much room was in the cabin and how easy it was to work, take photos and chat with the others on board. The interior was designed by BMW and because of this, the colors, lighting and tones felt high-end. Each set of seats has a table that folds out and provides ample space for both people to work. I chose to sit in a rear facing seat to experience the flight backwards, which is not much different than enjoying it facing forwards.
JetSuite opted to install Synthetic Vision on their Phenom 100's which give a realistic view of the terrain on the large screens.
Being able to work and collaborate with others is a huge benefit of taking an aircraft like this. Along for the ride was a photographer for AirlineReporter.com (thanks Amy), another journalist and Keith Rabin, the President of JetSuite. Although the engines were not that far away from us, there was not any trouble hearing and it was no problem getting work done. Four business people would not be able to hold a confidential meeting like this flying commercial, nor could four friends have such a grand time socializing.
Another benefit of riding your own private jet is that you can go check out the cockpit and take photos. When going up front, you are welcomed by three large screens. Each pilot can customize the look of his/her display. The photo above demonstrates the new Synthetic Vision which shows real time terrain behind everything else a pilot needs to know about their aircraft. Even though the Phenom 100 can be operated by just one pilot, JetSuite has chosen to use two.
There is a small lavatory in the rear of the plane that requires a curtain. You might want to go before take off.
Even though the plane is small, there are quite a few amenities tucked in for the passengers. You have the ability to pull out some Bose headphones to either deaden the noise or listen to XFM Satellite radio. There was also hot coffee, cold drinks and a selection of snacks located in a bin right behind the seat. If one feels like having a few “adult beverages” there are plenty of choices (here is just one basket). Since my flight was early morning, I chose coffee and water.
There is a small lavatory in the back of the plane, which you need to put up a curtain to use. It is much better than having no restroom option, but I would suggest going before you take off or drink enough alcohol where you just won’t care anymore. You also are allowed to use your electronic devices whenever you want and if you are flying and get a cell signal, you are allowed to use it! Do not get too excited; I only had two short windows of cell reception to get Tweets out, but not being yelled at to put away my electronic devices was wonderful.
My seat had access to an outlet, Bose headphones to listen to XFM radio and a little storage area.
During the flight, I was able to learn about JetSuite and what they are are hoping to do in the future. The company was started in 2007 by JetBlue founder Alex Wilcox who knows airplanes. JetSuite currently operates a fleet of 13 Embraer Phenom 100s. They chose the aircraft because it provides some of the best economics for a private jet and is capable of providing quick short hop trips for their customers.
However, only being able to do short hops is detrimental for a company looking to expand. JetSuite wants to grow their operations, especially on the east coast and to reach Florida from the New York non-stop will require a larger aircraft. The obvious fit would be the Phenom 300 or if things are going well, maybe even the larger Embraer Legacy 500.
I was pretty upset that this photo did not turn out, but it was the best one I ended up with. I still want to share it since the experience was quite epic. We were on final approach into SFO and it is great to be able to turn around and watch out the cockpit window as we landed.
How does one go about getting a ride on JetSuite? Well, it depends on who you are and what you are looking for. On the crazy cheap end of things, you and three of your friends can take a flight one way for only $499 — about $125.00 per person. To get one of these deals, called “SuiteDeals”, you need to be very flexible and catch it on their Facebook page. When JetSuite has an empty leg, they will offer it and if a person has the ability to take them up on the offer, you have yourself one heck of a great deal.
If you are looking for something a bit more flexible, they also offer SuiteSavers from $1499 to $1999 each way. Of course they also offer getting a jet when and where you want it, but that will cost you a bit more — from $2500 to $4000 per hour depending on if you have a membership and your needs.
With some private jet companies, you have to invest for the long-term. Either buying a fraction of the plane or purchasing a costly hour card. But with JetSuite, there are no long term commitments or contracts. You want to fly once, you get to fly once — although a membership and multiple flights will bring down your costs per hour.
The wings on the Phenom 100 are tiny, but they get you where you need to go. Here we are landing at SFO.
JetSuite has recently started a business relationship with Singapore Airlines to allow passengers to maintain a high level of service that they have come to expect. Singapore Airlines is well known for their level of service (especially on their Airbus A380s) and although there might be a few US domestic airlines that provide a decent product, none are able to compete with Singapore’s first class suite.
The new relationship allows passengers to easily transfer from their Singapore Airlines flight to their JetSuite private aircraft. Once arriving, a car will pick you up and take you to JetSuite — really a suite-to-suite service.
Anyone who flies Singapore Airlines is able to get a discount, which depends on the type of class you are flying. If you are on a first class ticket, you will save up to $1400/hr and on a business class ticket up to $900/hr on your JetSuite flight.
It was hard to leave the JetSuite Phenom 100. Especially knowing I had to fly back home commercial.
After spending a few hours in San Francisco touring Singapore Airline’s food facility (that story coming soon), it was to the “real” airport and time to board a Virgin America flight back to Seattle. Even though Virgin America might provide one heck of a domestic product, it just did not even come close to comparing to JetSuite. The problem with flying private jet, is it is hard to travel any other way in the future. I guess that is a problem I am willing to have.
I have been fortunate enough to experience many cool adventures with this blog, but almost none of them I could afford on my own. $8000.00 for a one way business class ticket? Ha! But this was an experience that I could actually afford, if I was able to get one of the last minute deals. Of course those of you with a bit more means at your disposal, even paying a full fare can be worth the time and hassle saved.
VIEW ALL 26 OF MY JETSUITE REVIEW PHOTOS
AIR CANADA REVIEW BASICS:
Airline: Air Canada
Aircraft: Embraer 190
Departed: Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Arrived: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Stops: Non-stop flight
Class: Executive Class
Seat: 3F (window)
Length: 5.5 hours
Cheers: Cookies made fresh on the plane served with ice cream — double cool.
Jeers: Wish there were more options with the in-flight entertainment and OMG that lavatory is unreal.
Overall: I was impressed with my first Air Canada and E-190 flight.
Oh here is my Air Canada E-190 leaving Toronto. You true airline geeks will know that is a lie. This is actually an Air Canada E-190 I caught while in Montreal -- there were no good shots of mine at Toronto, so I am kind of cheating here.
THE FULL AIR CANADA REVIEW:
Anytime I have an opportunity to fly on an new airline or new aircraft type, I get excited. So, the fact I was flying on a new airline AND new aircraft type made me a bit giddy. I was able to fly from Toronto (YYZ) to Seattle (SEA) non-stop on an Air Canada Embraer E-190 in Executive Class and of course I wanted to write up a review. (disclaimer: The cost of the flight was covered by a TV production studio, for work not related to Air Canada or Embraer).
Since I had a premium ticket, I decided to head to the airport early to try out the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. The lounge was very spacious, had the amenities that one would expect (including showers) and offered a comfortable atmosphere. The choices of food was a bit skimpy, but holy smokes I have never had such delicious broccoli soup.
Where the food might have been a bit lacking, it was made up for in drink choices. The Maple Leaf lounge had a nice array of hard liquor, beer and coffee choices. It was probably the most impressive drink set up I have seen in a lounge without actually having a full bar.
Air Canada's E-190 has a 2:1 layout in Executive Class. As an extra bonus, I had no one sitting next to me.
When it came time to board, the process went very smoothly, mostly because the flight was not very full. I was a little worried how small the E-190 overhead bins might be and since I was able to check a bag for free with my Executive ticket, I just decided to check my bag. I found it wasn’t really needed and would have had no problem putting it in the bin — oh well.
The Air Canada E-190 has a 1-2 layout in Executive class and 2-2 in economy. I was wondering how a premium seat would feel in such a small aircraft and I was actually pretty surprised. I was hoping to try sitting on the side with only one seat, but I ended up in 3F, which was a window on the 2 side. It worked out since I had no one sitting next to me.
I had plenty of leg room and seat width — even if there would had been someone next to me. I was quite impressed with the size and shape of the windows of the E-190. Height-wise they are perfectly located for my 6’1″ frame and their width makes it easy to look out.
The salad. I probably should have waited for my bread (which did come shortly), but I was too hungry so I took the photo and ate.
Upon boarding I was greeted by my last name — before they even noticed I was in Executive Class. Prior to the door being closed, we were given menus to choose between chicken, salmon and veggies — I decided to go for the chicken. We left a bit late, due to the flight arriving late, but we had a short taxi and took off quickly due to having a light load. Shortly after take off, it was time to dine.
After my salad I was served pan-seared chicken in Parmesan cream sauce with seasoned mixed rice, carrots and edamame (yea I kept the menu as a souvenir). The food was decent and filling, but the best part was desert. There was a choice of oatmeal raisin or dark chocolate chip cookies that were made on board the aircraft and served with vanilla ice cream. Fresh baked cookies and ice cream while cruising at 35,000 feet is always a nice treat.
Another nice touch were the swizzle sticks served with the drinks (see last photo). It is more than just serving the sticks, but the fact that they have the maple leaf up top. This is really a lost art that one does not see much anymore. Sure, it is not a huge deal, but little details like this makes you think that the airline cares about the little details.
I wish there were a few more options with the entertainment system.
I test the room of a seat by being able to have a drink, a snack, writing on my laptop and being able to watch a movie. Of course having an empty seat next to me really helps, but even with a seatmate I would have been able to do everything successfully.
If you do not fly much and are only taking one long flight, the in-flight entertainment would probably work out alright. However, if you are looking for plenty of options, this one will most likely disappoint you. There were some nice selections that kept me entertained, but if I would be flying back to Toronto, I would have probably run out of things that would interest me.
I was also not too fond of the front lavatory. Well, that is probably putting it too lightly — that lavatory was the worst one I have ever been in. It had nothing to do with the upkeep, but the size. Not to go into too much detail, but for me to use the restroom I had to bend my head down and contort to make things work. If it were turbulent, I think I might have had some real issues.
Swizzle sticks totally rock. So do cookies and ice cream.
I kept wanting to think of the flight as a domestic one, even though it was technically international. Looking at the E-190 as a shorter route domestic aircraft, it does pretty well. However, it did seem a bit out of place for such a long flight and really Toronto to Seattle is about the limit that the E-190 can operate.
For a shorter, domestic flight, this was a nice product and high-end experience. As an international experience, it comes up a little short. But in all honesty, this route and product should be seen as domestic. My Air Canada experience back to Seattle was leaps and bounds better than the economy red eye I took to Toronto where I had to change planes in Chicago.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS OF MY AIR CANADA E-190 FLIGHT
PORTER AIRLINES REVIEW BASICS:
Airline: Porter Airlines
Aircraft: Bombardier Q400
Route: Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) to Montreal’“Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
Class: Economy
Seats: 13B (aisle) and 15D (window)
Length: About 70 minutes (each way)
Cheers: Everyone gets treated like they are flying first class — including free wine and beer.
Jeers: Some people might not like riding on a turbo-prop.
Overall: This is the way flying should be — and a rarity to find it on a regional carrier.
Porter Airlines Bombardier Q400 sits at Toronto.
THE FULL PORTER AIRLINES REVIEW:
During a recent trip to Toronto, I had the opportunity to fly to Montreal and back using Porter airlines (disclosure: the trip was paid for by Bombardier to check out their Cseries in Montreal). Being based in Seattle and flying Horizon/Alaska quite a bit, I am no stranger to the Q400 aircraft. There have been quite a few times that when I talk to people about the Q400, I am asked if I have tried Porter Airlines. Luckily, I can now say that I have — and that is a good thing.
When flying Porter Airlines, getting to the airport was half the fun. I walked about a mile (could have easily taken a cab, bus or subway, but it was a nice morning), hopped on a shuttle bus, then took the world’s shortest ferry ride. For those that love anything that involves transportation, the experience is pretty cool. So why a ferry? Well, that is kind of a long story.
After arriving at Billy Bishop airport, be sure to turn around and catch the view of the ferry with Toronto in the background.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is located on an island in Toronto and is restricted to prop aircraft and helicopters. When Porter first began looking at starting operations there, they were under the assumption that a bridge would be built to allow easy access. There was some fun political stuff that went down and no bridge has been built. Instead, the airport runs a small ferry that can hold cars and passengers from the “mainland” over to the island. Don’t blink, because you might miss the ride — it is the shortest ferry ride in the world.
The Toronto Port Authority is in the process of creating a pedestrian tunnel that will allow easier access and reduce the onslaught of passengers that come with each arriving ferry. The ferry will still operate once the tunnel is completed (which they are expecting to be done in 2014), to handle car traffic and presumably passengers who want to get the full experience.
I was staying in downtown Toronto and decided to make the one mile walk to the Royal York Hotel, where Porter Airlines operates a free shuttle to the ferry . Even with the walk, shuttle and ferry, it was less than an hour from my hotel room to my gate, which was quite impressive.
Porter Airlines waiting area is nicer than some airline first class lounges I have been in -- and everyone gets access.
Since all I had was a camera, it was quick and easy for me to get through security. Every time I go through airport security any place that is not in the US, I am reminded how much better it can be. I was greeted with a big smile and asked how I was doing (what… is this a trick?). I asked if I needed to take off my shoes and I was told no. He looked at my belt and said, “that might make the alarm go off,” and I explained it never had before and he let me through (very different from the barking orders that the TSA gives).
This is when things really get different. Instead of having a bunch of uncomfortable seats with bad lighting, the Porter Airlines waiting area is like a first class lounge — and a good one at that. I have been in a few first class lounges of other airlines that have been worse than Porter’s waiting area. There are free drinks and snacks, nothing major, but still impressive. There is free wifi and plenty of comfortable seating.This all comes at no extra charge and is just part of the Porter experience.
Before my flight I had an opportunity to sit down with Brad Cicero and Amanda Ashford, with Porter communications, to learn a bit more about the airline. They explained to me that Porter is looking to add some paid options in their lounge, including ready-to-go food and alcohol.
Porter Airlines offers a comfortable cabin that feels high-end, especially for a regional prop airliner.
Each flight is clearly announced and people line up at one of three doors before heading to one of ten gates. With most regional prop aircraft, you have to (well “get to” for airline fans) go on the tarmac to board. This can be okay some times of the year, but winter in Toronto has a way of getting a bit cold. So, the airline helped to design a customized boot to allow an inside hallway to connect to the aircraft, keeping passengers out of the elements.
The Q400 is not known for having spacious overhead bins (although the Q400nextgen does do a pretty good job) If you have a larger carry-on, you can give it to the Porter employee at the gate and they will return it to you once you land. This is a similar service that Alaska and Frontier Airlines also offer on their Q400s.
Porter has arranged their Q400s with a 34″ seat pitch with 70 seats vs the typical 78 seat set up. All the seats are leather and the interior uses lighter color tones. It felt more like someone’s personal aircraft than an airliner. On both my flights I had a seat mate, which didn’t give me too much room side-to-side — although I am a bit bigger of a guy. I was sitting in the aisle going to Montreal and I would really have to bring my shoulder in from being hit by people passing in the aisle.
Yea, this might have been a 11:30am flight (8:30am Seattle time), but I had to test out the free wine for my story.
Just because the flight was only an hour doesn’t mean that passengers don’t get full service. A bit after take off the flight attendants started down the aisle giving out meal boxes and drinks. On the way to Montreal I had a chicken sandwich with pasta and on the way back was a chicken wrap with veggies. Now, these are not full meal portions, but way more than you would expect in economy on almost any other domestic airline. Not to mention you also get free beer or wine — in a real glass.
The flight attendants have classic uniforms that look professional and the four I was able to interact with seemed to actually enjoy their job and positively interacted with passengers, even though they had a short time line to complete their service.
The weather in Montreal was foggy and a bit snowy, so we did not see the ground until we almost touched down. Even sitting near the rear of the plane, it is always a quick de-boarding process on the Q400.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) seen from the Porter Airlines Q400.
After a few hours in Montreal, I was back at the airport ready to take another ride on Porter. The ride back was equally enjoyable. This is an airline that seems to be in at the right place at the right time, offering the right service.
They are working towards getting US Customers Pre-Clearance in Toronto, so that they can expand routes into the US that do not have customs. Porter is also planning to bring lounges to additional airports that they serve like Montreal and Newark, sometime in the future.
Previously the airline has not turned a profit and has been around 50% passenger load. Once completing the numbers for 2011, they are hoping to show a profit and occupancy loads to be around 60%, helping to fuel future growth for this unique airline.
VIEW ALL 20 PHOTOS FROM MY PORTER AIRLINES FLIGHT
Frontier Bombarider Q400 (N502LX) sits at Denver, waiting to take me to Aspen.
Being based in Seattle, I have had plenty of opportunities flying on Bombardier Q400s via Horizon Air Alaska Airlines. When I had the opportunity to recently fly from Seattle to Aspen, for a ride on a Beechcraft Starship, I did not have too many choices on what to fly from Denver (DEN) to Aspen (ASE). I could either fly on a United Airlines CRJ 700 (operated by Skywest) or a Frontier Airlines Q400 (operated by Lynx Aviation). Being the aviation fan that I am, I chose my airline based on the aircraft type and wanted to experience the Q400 flying into Denver — lucky for me, it was the cheaper of the two tickets as well.
When landing at DEN from Seattle (SEA), I had about an hour and a half layover. This was a good thing, since the Q400s are located pretty much at the end of the airport, down some stairs and at the end of a very long and narrow hallway. I kind of wish I would have spent more time in the main terminal, since the waiting area for regional flight do not have too much to offer.
The Q400 is not known for being very roomy, but this flight was almost empty, so I had plenty of room.
Our flight was pretty empty, with about 20 people flying on the 70 passenger aircraft. Boarding was easy with one announcement made for people to start boarding and it only took a few minutes. One of the attractive parts about flying on a regional carrier is the increased chance of boarding on the tarmac. Although most air travelers probably hate boarding this way, for an airline fan, nothing can beat it.
When boarding there was a cart that passengers could put their carry-ons to be placed in the cargo-hold and not in the cabin. All I had was a back-pack, so I opted to bring that on board… bad call. Even though it was small (in carry-on standards) it still wouldn’t fit in the overhead bin. Lucky for me, I had no problems storing under an empty seat, but if the plane was full, stuffing a back-pack under my seat would have really taken a lot of my space.
For weight distribution, everyone sat near the back of the plane. I was in row 7 and I was the farthest to the front and there was no one even around me.
Many passengers might not enjoy this view when looking outside, but I love it.
Unlike Alaska’s Q400s, Frontier’s have sun screens and the seats are able to recline. Sure, nice touches, but this flight was only about 45 minutes, so these features meant little to me.
Engine start up on a turboprop is always my favorite part of the flight and those sweet Pratt & Whitney PW150A engines did not disappoint. Being in row 7, I had a favorable view watching them slowly start up and hearing the growl of the engines. Again, maybe not something the majority of passengers would enjoy, but it is one of the reasons I choose to fly on a Q400 when I have other options.
The views flying from Denver to Aspen were prettying amazing. Flying low in the Q400 sure helped.
As I normally do, I had my camera at the ready to take photos as we took off. Yes, you can yell at me for keeping an electronic on while taking off, but there is no way that a camera is going to affect an airplane. It is very rare for a flight attendant to say something, but this was one of those flights. I was told that I had to turn off my camera and had to wait until we reached 10,000 feet before turning it on… sigh — okay fine. I may not agree with the rules, but I am not going to argue with the person just trying to do their job.
We were also told that we would not be able to turn on our cell phones during the entire flight. Not just airplane mode, but it couldn’t be on at all. My guess is that since we never flew very high, we would still be able to get reception during the flight and possibly cause interference. Either way, I listened and kept my phone off and enjoyed the view out the window.
This wolf pup's name is Wolfgang and he looks pretty much at home in Aspen.
The short flight was pretty bumpy, especially near the end. Again, most people probably wouldn’t like the idea of flying on a turboprop in turbulence, but I actually kind of enjoy it . It was obvious that this plane had been in turbulence before. Even when the bumps were not that bad, but the overhead bins were shaking like it was a huge storm and competed with the engines on making the most noise.
The weather got worse as we got closer to ASE and with the rapid descent, the flight attendants did not even get up to do their final safety check, but asked us to make sure our seats were up and belts buckled for landing. Okay, I can understand that, but they never got up during the entire flight anyhow. Not that I need a drink during a 45 minute flight, but at least getting up once to check on the passengers would probably be a good idea, instead of sitting in your jump seat chit-chatting with each other.
Flying into Aspen was quite beautiful and a bit aggressive. We bounced around as heading down at a steep angle to make it into the airport. As an aviation lover, this flight was great, but I could see how most people would not think the same way. But, if you are looking to fly into Aspen, you do not have much of a choice, other than flying on a CRJ700 or a private plane. Good thing I love flying and most people are willing to do it to experience Aspen.
A few more photos of my Frontier Q400 flight…
