I don't usually even browse international, but this serendipitously came to my attention. A really low Porter fare, with an AC match. Porter, I think, is clearly the best airline in North America, possibly the world.
On Saturdays it has only one flight, though, and it's ex-Dulles. A schlep, and no lounge. The AC was valid from DCA into both Toronto airports, though. No lounge at DCA either, and YYZ would mean the long schlep into town, and no lounge, though a nice 175 with IFE. But YUL-YTZ meant lounge access in YUL.
5 APR 14
DCA-YUL AC7653 A 1F CRJ.200LR C-GKEU “185” (7376) [QK/Jazz]
The
outbound was the same flight I'd taken for my BKK MR in December. The big new security area had since opened,
in the former NW lounge
but strangely
didn't have the irradiators. Nor,
apparently, did it require liquids to be taken out since I forgot. BDIFS.
A very smart Falcon 900EX on the ramp, along with a GA-type aircraft I couldn't I'd, and I saw one of the Coast Guard Eurocopters actually depart.
Plane was a green jazz, inbound from YOW. Load was light, so even though we boarded only ten before we left on time.
While the cabin's not great, I still enjoy the CRJ's performance. We cut in front of a USE/Republic E-Jet, N128HQ, waiting to depart for PHL and took off to the north, with a great view of DC and crews in the river below. It turned cloudy soon afterwards.
The very friendly F/A brought coffee; the enRoute magazine amazingly had a page on San Sebastian, where I'd been just a couple of weeks earlier. Also a couple of bits on the 787 ("Taking off soon!"). Unlike UA's, it will have state of the art direct access J seats. Betting it will be a nice ride.
As we landed in YUL I saw a green Global Express and a 5000 at the Bombardier facility.
YUL-YTZ AC7513 A 1A DHC-8-402 C-FSRW “947” (4172) [ZX/Sky Reg.]
Montreal airport isn't small of course, but there wasn't a single pax when I got to immigration and I was quickly on my way. Destination, of course – the Maple Leaf Lounge. Which was surprisingly small but very nice, with newspapers and magazines and a nice buffet, from which I enjoyed a sandwich with pasta and quinoa salads and some hummous, along with a pastry from the breakfast service. United it’s not.
The only real downside – CNN blaring endlessly about MH370. So desperate to fill airtime despite having no news, they literally had someone explaining that the FDRs save data as ones and zeroes, and that it has to be decoded to real data. Ya think?
And I headed out to the gate where my birdie awaited. The flight was on Sky Regional (really, was that the most imaginative name you could come up with?), the little carrier that shuttles this route only. YUL is AC's only destination from YTZ, designed obviously to bash Porter, and Sky Regional exists to operate it. It also has an upgraded product, including lower-density seating that matches Porter’s, though there was some discussion on FT as to what I'd actually get catering-wise.
Another very light load, a friendly Canadian greeting and we were off. One strange touch – an interior door opposite the main one, not sure what it accesses. Just closet maybe?
On the way out, two birds of notice – an AF 744, not long for this world and Syphax’s lone A330, soon to start its first long-haul service on YUL-Tunis. Lucky YUL gets the 744 and the KLM MD-11. As well as Syphax.
Instead of the bob menu there was a special extra magazine in the seat pocket; service was full bevs (I had a Molson Canadian) plus a decent-quality snack basket from which I grabbed some good chips and a decent-sized Lindt bar – though the SR (not Swissair) website seems to promise lunch. Was fine though, since I’d just eaten.
Overcast all the way, till we were skimming over the Lake Ontario. Except for AC's one route/one gate, YTZ is Porter country, though I saw three possibly derelict DHC-7s, one in UN colours and two in basic Arkia. Amazingly, I’d flown one of the Arkias.
YTZ has the world's best ground connection, the two-minute ferry ride (sadly soon to be replaced by a pedestrian tunnel). There was a strong and biting wind and the crossing was actually fairly choppy.
On the other side I walked along the waterfront, checking out the Power Plant, a contemporary art museum. I checked out a little show at the art school, now OCAD University, but also their really breathtaking new building, by the British architect Will Alsop. It’s a box, beautifully finished – and standing high above their bland old building on several metal struts. Really awesome, and I came back after dark to see it illuminated. Really awesome.
And I strolled around, checking out a fun market area, seeing Daniel Libeskind's addition to the Royal Ontario Museum (just like all his other stuff, yawn), then strolling through the university to my hotel. The evening was topped off with a delicious curried goat roti at a tiny Caribbean place.
6 APR 14
The following morning I checked out an antiques market (bleh), then headed to the Ontario Gallery of Art. It was massively redone a few years ago by Frank Gehry – though you'd never guess it from the clean straight (or smoothly curving) lines, lovely materials (wood and blue glass, plain white walls) and two elegant curving staircases, which pop out of the building. I'm not sure how to explain the difference in style, but he apparently cared deeply about this project, having grown up a few blocks away. I really liked it.
Some very nice pieces too, including Rubens’ Massacre of the Innocents and a Bernini bust. Lots of Canadian stuff too, of course – one was William Kurelek’s Ukrainian Canadian Prairie Tragedy, showing the ashes that remained after a church (presumably) had burned to the ground. Bizarrely, that day’s paper had a story about a nearby Ukrainian one that had done just that.
I interrupted my museum-going to stop at a nearby pub to watch a very important sporting event, which fizzled a bit when it turned out they didn't subscribe to the necessary channel. But it was enjoyably social. Someone eventually managed to screen it to a TV from a laptop, but by then almost everyone in the room already knew the outcome. Eh, well.
And I hopped onto the shuttle back to YTZ. Actually took quite a long time, the traffic choked by a baseball game getting out. Hellllooooo peeeeople, we have a lounge to visit…
They of course have a strange issue with security, with people arriving in batches every time the ferry docks. Security is divided into two – one supposedly tighter for U.S. destinations (plus Sudbury and Thunder Bay due to gate issues), the other for free Canada. Happily, they opened a lane as I got there, so I was through in seconds with no issues, beyond the customary name joke.
YTZ-IAD PD727 11A DHC-8-402 C-GLQR “816” (4278)
And I headed to the lounge – Porter, the only airline with access for everyone. It was pretty crowded but I found a nice space; they had papers, non-alcoholic drinks, and nuts and cookies. With nice "Porter" glasses.
Fairly soon boarding was announced and I was comfortably on board, the nice grey leather seats. When it comes to aesthetics, image and branding Porter has no peer.
A slight departure delay due to paperwork and we were off, with great view of the skyline and waterfront, though not much to see after that..
At altitude they delivered the snacks – a chicken wrap, cucumber and tomato salad and tiny Lindt chocolate, with full choice of bevs. Really nice, and made better by our very nice crew.
The light faded as we arrived, unusually landing from the north. Some summer schedule changes were already apparent – VS and Etihad both had 340s, and the lufty to MUC and late Air France were there. Also two that come in after I'm usually gone – FI and SN.
boiseboiseboise
