Air Transat vs Air Canada

[Nquartz]

Hi all,

DH, DD and I want to go to Toronto next year and both of these airlines fly there from Manchester but we can't decide between them.

Does anyone have any views either way? I've read some reviews online of Air Transat which talk about rubbish food, limited legroom and luggage going missing but that could be any airline surely!

Thanks

Skytraxx for reviews.

Flew both a fair few years ago, neither are exactly Emirates standard. One has the record for a jet gliding...

Air transat was fine but very basic. It was very cheap compared to the other options. We preferred to have more spending money when we got there.

Book with AC instead; although not fab either on occasion they have far more contingency in place if things go wrong. Cheaper as well is not always cheerful.

Would also use airline quality/skytrax for reviews.

We flew to Vancouver with Air Transat and we were very impressed. Basic but clean and modern. Good selection of in flight entertainment. Nice food. Friendly staff.

We flew to Calgary and Vancouver with Air Transat. They were absolutely fine. Good choice of films, food was not brilliant but ok (take snacks). On time, friendly staff.

I flew from Glasgow to Montreal via Toronto and while I thought it was ok, it was also the tiniest seat I have ever sat in on any flight. I'm half an inch short of 6 foot and I couldn't move at all.

had an awful experience with air Canada this year and feel that from when we flew with them 5/6 years ago they have really gone downhill. do not book with them if anyone in your party has a first name that ends in an "m". so if you have someone in your party called Adam, Miriam, Sam etc they have a computer error that means that that person cannot check in when you get to the airport and you have to queue for the manual check in. we wasted over an hour at both ends doing this and found that staff were in the "no shits are given here" camp. we had other issues with our seats and during the flight and they were truly unhelpful. will never fly with them again.

We've had return flights on Air Transat twice in the last couple of years - to Toronto and Vancouver. As others have said it's pretty basic. In particular:

1. Seats are very narrow (legroom was OKish). If you're in an aisle you're bashed by anybody walking up or down it. If you're in the middle or window seat you're squeezed up between the other passengers or the bulkhead.
2. Food is dire. Seriously, you need to take you're own.
3. Punctuality is poor. Our of the 4 flights we took one was delayed by 4 hours and one by 2.

On the other hand the dates we were flying Air Transat worked out several hundred pounds cheaper than Air Canada between the 3 of us despite booking several months in advance. Our travel agent said that outside peak period the price differential is far less.

DH also complained about the seats being narrow but I can’t say they were any different to any other flight. We had plenty of legroom in standard seats.

Air r Transaat lost my daughter’s luggage and were quite unhelpful sorting it out. Finally found it and then did compensate. We did fly with them again and it was fine. Had enough legroom, food was a bit grim so I’d suggest taking your own.