Flight Centre consultants (and Karryon) went behind the scenes at Brisbane Airport yesterday to follow the Air Canada passenger boarding process from go to (almost) take-off, including a sneak peek at a fully kitted-out Dreamliner and how the inflight meal ends up on your tray table.
Nine hand-picked Flight Centre future team leaders along with their Area Leaders and ProHub team members joined Air Canada General Manager Vic Naughton, Sales Account Manager Janis McDonald and Airport Operations Manager Gavin Schofield for the Air Canada Aircraft Inspection & Catering Famil.
It showcased the seamless integration between Brisbane Airport (BNE), Air Canada and Vancouver Airport (YVR) to facilitate flights to Canada and beyond – from new check-in kiosks and security upgrades to the inflight experience and easy US transit.
Now the world’s sixth-largest airline, Air Canada shared its plans for 50 per cent growth by 2030 with more than 70 new aircraft on order and a future-forward vision for a free-flow airport journey for passengers.
Also in attendance were Brisbane Airport Corporation’s SVP & Head of Aviation Business Development Anthony Cicuttini and Aviation Marketing Manager Julie Leung with SVP Aviation Marketing & Partnerships Kirsty Lucas sharing an update on the $5 billion Future BNE project and 89 per cent recovery on pre-pandemic international visitor levels.
All aboard AC36!
Fuelled with coffee and breakfast with a view at The Botanist, the consultants went airside to board the Air Canada Boeing 787-9 aircraft before bump-in for the YVR-bound flight – one of six weekly flights that will increase to daily services from November 2024.
It was a rare opportunity for the Flighties to snoop around an empty wide-body aircraft just before the passengers boarded and experience all three cabin classes firsthand.
Onboard highlights included checking out the lie-flat seats in Business Class, measuring the additional legroom for Premium Economy and Preferred Seating and even taking a look at the crew area – think Tokyo capsule hotel bunks sleeping six!
Flighties were also wowed by the opportunity to hear about the inner workings of an international airline, including insights into cargo transport and selfies on the tarmac with AC36 later breezing past us in the sky (on time!).
Inflight foodies
Consultants also received an in-depth tour of the Dnata Catering facilities at BNE for an unrivalled opportunity to see how airline food is created, plated and stored for flights.
The guided, firsthand tour (complete with hygiene hair masks and gowns) highlighted how airline food is prepped, cooked and cooled for each flight on a 24-hour schedule, including cleaning and quality control, with the retail consultants coming away with a new appreciation for the work that goes into providing 83,000 meals per week.
Dnata Catering services 22 domestic and international airlines at BNE, including Air Canada, and Flighties were able to sample a selection of the full menu from hot breakfast meals to snacks and Business Class to Economy options.
They also had the opportunity to pepper Dnata staff with questions, such as: “What’s the real cut-off time to order special meals?” (Trust us, it’s 24 hours but they’ll try to accommodate if they can.)
“What happens if there’s a power outage?” (There’s a solid contingency plan in place.)
“And what about food waste?” (Never fear, Dnata is starting a program with OzHarvest.)
And to whet your appetite for your next Air Canada flight, items sampled included carrot cake, roast vegetable and feta salad, kung pao chicken with jasmine rice, goulash with roast potatoes and beans, French toast (with Canadian maple syrup, of course!) and a delish-looking kaarage chicken burger.
For more info, head to aircanada.com
