I wrote to you by email on November 20 and since I have not heard back from you (not really a surprise) I feel compelled to voice my thoughts here about a recent flight.

With competition for passengers at an all-time high, wouldn’t you think that Air Canada would be trying extra hard to WOW! its passengers?  Apparently not.

On a recent flight from Vancouver to London, I found the cabin crew to be warm, friendly and efficient.  Great!  But everything else was disappointing.

Is it too much to ask for hand lotion in the washrooms?  I don’t know about you, but even though I drink lots of water when I fly, my skin still dries and the hand lotion that used to be available provided relief.  Gone!

Is it acceptable for washrooms to be grubby around the floor area and to lack a feeling of cleanliness?  Not for me!

And my FoodSafe qualification leads me to question the safety of meals that are served lukewarm, except for the bread rolls, which were ice-cold.   Lukewarm meals are definitely not FoodSafe when they contain animal protein, e.g. meat!  When I asked for a new meal, I was advised that some of the ovens don’t heat well.  So, I question, if that is a known fact, why have they not been fixed?

Oh, and before I move on, how can a company like Air Canada serve long-haul clients a breakfast that comprises one small yogurt and a small, dry muffin!  On an international flight!  (yes, Air Canada these people are your CLIENTS – they CHOSE to fly with you.)

The Aeroplan program seems to be ramping up, with more hotels, stores, restaurants offering aeroplan points with purchases.  I don’t understand exactly how the program works behind the scenes but there has to be a business benefit (e.g. asset value) to Air Canada or they wouldn’t participate.  So, this leads me to question whether an increase in seemingly “free” tickets will lead to even more service discrepancies?  Are you thinking that those who accumulate points-reward tickets deserve poor quality?

I wish to reiterate that your cabin crew was both friendly and efficient and during discussion they seemed genuinely embarrassed about the quality of the food they are compelled to serve.  I, too, am embarrassed that on an international flight our national airline is so below par.

How come other airlines that I travel with, especially Turkish Airlines, do so much better on all counts?  Please tell me things will improve soon.

Yours sincerely,

Brenda

I left Vancouver at 7am yesterday morning, after a delightfully refreshing stay at the Fairmont Hotel at YVR.  As I waited for my WestJet from Vancouver-to-Toronto connector flight (thanks for the IDE conference sponsorship, Westjet!) I was bombarded with noise:  jazz music from Starbucks and tv news at top volume from a monitor close by.  My poor ears.  My poor brain.  At 6.30 am.

I was thrilled when a loud announcement stated that the tv had ceased to function and settled in to enjoy the music.

The flight was uneventful and once again, WestJet impressed me with its offerings for purchase:  Bread Garden croissants etc., bottled water and juices.  The beverage service featured good coffee, juices and bottled water.  I loved that Westjet did not bombard me with announcements or “funnyisms” as I just wanted to rest.  Landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, baggage arrived promptly and I made my way to meet my son-in-law and grandson.

Last night, I checked in online for my first long-haul Turkish Airlines flight … will let you know how that goes.  But one thing’s for sure, it’s nice to be able to stop off in Toronto for a day before flying on to Istanbul and adds another option for travellers with friends or family in this city.

Bye for now!

Whenever I fly to or within Turkey, my first choice tends to be  Turkish Airlines.  I have also had very positive experiences with British Airways.  However, my cultural experience begins the minute I check in with Turkish Airlines and I find this appealing.  Without exception, I have been delighted with the total experience and particularly their in-flight service.  On the return trip from my last visit, I made some notes about my experiences …

Istanbul Airport Security Screening
Airport security screening has been beefed up around the world since these notes were written.  However, even in mid-2009, the thoroughness of the procedure at Ataturk Airport was impressive with double-screening of all passengers.

Finding my Gate
Before heading to the gate noted on my boarding pass, I did some last-minute duty free shopping.  After meeting and chatting with Cindy, a creative type from London travelling with her husband, I made my way to the far-away gate … only to find it had been changed at the last minute and was back in an area close to where I had been shopping.

Traveller Tip: After you have checked in, always check the departure  boards before proceeding to the gate noted on your boarding pass!

In-flight Meal Service
The 3 hour flight on Turkish Airlines between Istanbul and London’s Heathrow includes a full meal service consisting of pasta with olive oil and eggplant, mushrooms or chicken, shrimp salad, warm bread roll, hazelnut and chocolate torte and a package of Turkish hazelnuts, as well as bottled water. Whole wheat crackers were also served, with butter and cream cheese. It was a delicious combination, beautifully presented and … equally impressive was the airline’s commitment to showcasing Turkey through this meal.  Everything was proudly stamped Made in Turkey.

Similarly, when I have flown Turkish Airlines on domestic flights within Turkey, economy passengers have received a simple but tasty fresh bread roll with cheese, plus a piece of fruit or other healthy food item, as well as bottled water and beverage service.  These flights were just one hour in length and the meal-service was efficient, friendly and delivered with smiles.  As well, the airline clearly recycles, as papers were collected separately from the few plastics supplied.  Again, everything was Made in Turkey.

Along with several other awards, Turkish Airlines recently received the ‘Top Airline In-flight  Catering’ award at the World Travel Awards 2009 Media Awards Ceremony held in Shanghai December 3 2009.   Turkish  Airlines was chosen for selection, preparation, taste,  and quality of its Business Class food service.

However, from my experience, the airline shines equally well with its Economy Class food service.

It never fails to surprise me just how indifferent are the meals on US and Canadian airlines in general, and especially on the US airlines.  That is, of course, when there is meal service.  And even when there is, unless travelling in Business Class, there appears to be little consideration given to the taste or presentation, resulting in small plates of unattractive blobs of bland, tasteless excuses-for-food.

Traveller Tip:  My experience suggests if you order a special meal, you may do better.   It will come ahead of others and will generally be more tasty and better-presented.  Perhaps if enough passengers did this, the airlines would improve the quality of their standard economy meals.

Flight Attendants
Male and female Flight Attendants on Turkish Airlines have proven enthusiastic (i.e. they clearly love their job), professional, well-groomed, friendly and helpful.  For example, as passengers moved into the aisle of the A321, the flight attendants smiled and moved to facilitate easy passage for passengers who did not have to wait behind a slow meal-service cart until it reached the kitchen.  In other words, passengers were treated with respect.  Nobody was made to feel a nuisance.

Aircraft Seats
The seats on Turkish Airlines’ flights are comfortable and often upholstered with soft leather, tinted turquoise to suggest, perhaps, the beauty of Turkey’s Turquoise Coast.  They also seem to be larger than those in the economy class of other airlines.

In sum, as Turkish Airlines continues to expand its fleet, we can expect even more from this world-class airline, also awarded the title of Best Airline in Southern Europe in 2009.

Turkish Airlines is a member of Star Alliance and flies directly from Toronto to Istanbul, offering Canadian passengers easy access to the services of this world-class airline.

Click here to read Turkish Airlines’ excellent magazine, Skylife TK (a copy of which I always take home for future reference.)

Most people who visit Istanbul from North America spend at least three days and want to take in as much of the local history, scenery and cuisine as possible.   However, visitors from Europe, who might drop in for a weekend, may be more intent on the entertainment scene.  If this is you, here are some ideas for your weekend from an article published by the New York Times. If you would like me to suggest hotels and restaurants, reserve Guides or drivers, just drop me a line.

I’ve said before how much I enjoy travelling with Turkish Airlines … now voted one of the top airlines in the world. The seats are comfortable, and sometimes soft leather even in economy, snacks and meals are consistently good and then there is the famous Turkish hospitality demonstrated by the young and personable flight attendants. They also have more planes than their domestic competitors.

If you choose to fly within Turkey, I suggest you check out Turkish Airlines first.

I’m glad that they are now offering direct service to Istanbul from Toronto … I can visit the kids and then be seated for a flight that takes me straight to where I want to be. No stops.