Air Canada estimates a CASM reduction of 29% compared to the 767-300ER aircraft when the 787s – with 9-abreast seating in coach – enter service, said Rousseau. “Let’s hope it doesn’t have 9-across seating and thin butt-breaking seats like the British Airways 787 I took back and forth from Toronto to London recently……PLEASE Air Canada, 8 across….and don’t reduce the SEAT PITCH like they did….I had bruised knees after those flights,” begged a traveler.īut such pleas will likely fall on deaf ears, as they have done by other carriers operating high-density aircraft. “You seemed so squeezed in economy class in this video,” said another. “It’s very beautiful for the first class but economy is packed in like cattle,” said one. When the carrier recently released a video detailing the 787’s interiors, many travelers didn’t exactly jump for joy. Starting this spring, Air Canada will begin taking delivery of the first of 37 Boeing 787s to replace less efficient Boeing 767s and to pursue international growth opportunities. By contrast, the two-class 777-300ERs carry 42 seats in business and 307 economy class seats pitched at 32 inches. The new 777-300ERs, which are flying between Montreal and Paris, Toronto and Vancouver, and Vancouver and Hong Kong, offer 36 seats in International Business Class, 24 seats in Air Canada’s new Premium Economy class and a whopping 398 seats in economy, pitched at 31 inches.

Air Canada has taken a fair amount of heat on social media for configuring its long-haul aircraft in what the carrier acknowledges is “high-density” seating layouts, but management is making no apologies for the state of affairs in steerage.ĭuring Alcorp Capital and ATB Corporate Financial Services’ 2nd annual institutional investor conference this morning, Air Canada executive VP and CFO Michael Rousseau noted that high-density Boeing 777s and 787s provide significant cost advantages to the carrier.įour of five new three-class, 458-seat Boeing 777-300ERs have been delivered to Air Canada and are in service, said Rousseau, and these have provided an estimated reduction in cost per available seat mile (CASM) of 21% compared to older two-class 777-300ERs in its fleet.

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