In this trip report, I review the new Air Canada Business Class Executive Pod from Frankfurt (FRA) to Montreal (YUL) on Boeing 777-300ER. The Executive Pod is available onboard the newest Air Canada Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and on selected Boeing 777 aircraft. On other international flights, you will probably experience the Classic Pod, which is inferior to the Executive Pod.
Air Canada Business Class Cabin & Seat
The Air Canada Boeing 777 offers executive pods as their Business Class seats. On this flight these were split across two cabins with 1-2-1 configuration, see seat plan.
The best seats are in the front cabin. I like a window, so I would choose rows 1-6 as row 7 is too close to the toilets and may suffer from passing traffic. In the back cabin, you are closer to the small Premium Economy cabin and the Premium Economy bassinet seats, which sit directly behind row 11. These are probably the worst seats in this business class cabin.
Air Canada Executive Pod Review
These seats are and look brand new, which is always nice. When you arrive, they are set up with a pillow and blanket. The seat is comfortable with a 203.2 cm lie-flat bed, which is 53cm wide, and it is pretty comfortable for sleeping on. The seat also has a head and neck massage button if you like that kind of thing. There is also plenty of storage and enough power sockets to keep your tech alive.
Air Canada Business Class Menu
Straight after boarding, passengers are offered the usual welcome drink, which on Air Canada includes Drappier champagne with nuts.
Air Canada’s International Business Class cabin offers “inspired dishes” by celebrated Canadian Chef David Hawksworth. The menus feature dishes sourced from other traditions such as chicken biryani, Thai green curry, and Moroccan tagine. On Asian flights, dishes are Asian-inspired, and when traveling to Tokyo, expect Japanese-inspired meals like noodle soups, dim sum, and traditional Chinese and Korean dishes.
On my Business Class flight, the starter was a salad followed by smoked salmon and couscous with creme fraiche. My main choice was a tasty Alberta beef tenderloin (you can rarely go wrong with the Air Canada beef option), then you can have a cheese plate followed by a dessert.
If you would like wine to go with your meal, Air Canada currently offers Champagne Drappier, Carte d’Or Brut (Reims, France); Vineland Estates Select, Niagara Peninsula (Canada); Jurtschitsch Grüner Veltliner Terrassen, Kamptal (Austria); Vini Be Good Les Athlètes du Vin Pinot Noir, Touraine (France); Volpaia Citto Toscana (Italy); Masroig Rojalet Selecció, Montsant (Spain); Dow’s Port (Portugal).
Amenity Kit
The Air Canada amenity kit is not noteworthy and currently offers Escents lip balm and hand lotion, plus the usual dental kit, earplugs, eye mask, and socks. If the amenity kit is of interest, We have written about the best airline amenity kits and pajamas .
Conclusion
The Air Canada Executive Pod is greatly improved from their previous Business Class offering but is not up to the level that the Middle East Airlines; Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar have carved out, particularly in their food offering. As the Middle East Airlines don’t cover transatlantic routes, Air Canada becomes a decent contender for best transatlantic airline. British Airways offers direct flights from Europe to Canada. I would say that the Air Canada Business Class product, if you experience the Executive Pod, has the edge over British Airways Club World.
You may be interested in other airline comparisons, including Business Class on United Vs Delta Vs. American Airlines, top 10 Best Business Class airlines for long-haul travel and the best airlines to travel to Europe in Business Class.
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