We may have been on the same flights.
For the money I don't think the Transat experience in economy was unreasonable.
It was cheap for a transatlantic return, plus a domestic leg between Toronto and Montreal.
Working out at about £315 each for 3 flights, including pre-selected seats.
So we were open minded as to what we'd get for our money.
Outbound was quite acceptable for the price paid, even with the minimal cabin service, food, drink and tight seat space.
The overnight return was not pleasant though.
The domestic B737-800 leg was the equivalent of any LoCo service. Packed full, fairly cramped seating, but just about OK and easily bearable for just over an hour.
........seat pitch was as expected.
Seat pitch is about average for Economy(checked with Seat Guru), but seat width at 17" is amongst the narrowest.
As with most airline economy seats, they've cut the depth of the seat base, so there's less support under one's legs and it gives the superficial impression of more leg room and a better seat pitch than there really is.
The whole industry, manufacturers and airlines, are guilty of this.
......In flight entertainment was ok, a tablet in the seat back with a good cross section of entertainment,
We found the inflight entertainment selection to be quite limited compared with the average offerings elsewhere and way behind the best systems in use.
No latest or recent headline movie releases either.
....remember to take your own phone headphones as you do have to buy a set if you have none with you for about a fiver.
We always carry our own noise cancelling headphones. Couldn't do without them on long-haul flights.
Unfortunately, there are a few airlines (e.g. Etihad) who use proprietary headphone sockets/connectors, where you are forced to use their headphones.
We booked both legs for four less than a month from departure and got a pretty good price, the aircraft was close to capacity both legs.
Prices are certainly cheap at the moment.
Outbound flight was nearly full apart from the front cabin section, where most outside rows only had 2 passengers for 3 seats, like us.
Domestic leg and the return to Gatwick were both completely full.
.......cabin crew were excellent both legs.....Can't really complain for the product vs price on our flights, it was budget and comfortable enough for the duration.
Cabin crew were courteous, but not one of them made any special attempt, genuine of falsely, to be friendly, smile or put themselves out in any way.
They did the bare minimum and disappeared for most of the flight.
On most other airline's long-haul flights, they'll bring around complementary water and/or juice at least once or twice, if not at regular periods during the flight.
On the overnight return, we both got up for a loo break and to stretch our legs.
The first toilet my wife tried was dirty (remains of excrement on the top and down the front outside of the toilet pan).
We tried the next one and that was dirty too.
We looked around for a member of the cabin crew (no one in or near the mid point galley right next to the loos ).
Eventually a cabin crew member appeared from the back of the plane and my wife politely reported the state of the loos to her.
She acknowledged the report, but made no apology or attempt at good customer relations over the matter.
However at least one of the loos appeared to have been cleaned later on in the flight.
....A few years ago we used the Transat 'business class' and it was very good indeed, certainly an airline I'd use again either class.
I've no idea about "a few years ago", but Air Transat have couple of rows of what they call "Club" seats.
Those are much better recliner seats, with a generous seat width,but it's only theequivalent of other airline'sPremium Economy.
We wanted those, but Club was only available on the daytime outbound flight and was fully booked on our overnight return leg (for a few days either side of our return date too), so not worth the extra if we couldn't get it on the overnight flight home.
.....One option we may also choose is Westjet from Dublin, with the obvious task of getting to Dublin first, Westjet having a good reputation among friends whom have used them.
I've read some mixed reviews on their trans-Atlantic flights.
I think from Dublin it's a 737-800 with a refuelling stop.
The 737's are only fitted with standard seats, just 17" wide, even in their so called "Plus" class.
Check if personal reports refer to the 767-300 flights (e.g. from Gatwick), where "Plus" has similar recliner seats to Air Transat, but with better seat pitch.
Mrs. Ron begrudges travelling cattle class on long-haul.
She's got too used to Premium Economy as a minimum, much prefers Business class and recently has flown First Class to the Gulf and back.
There's no going back, she declares.....(gulp!)
Attempts to suggest a cheap economy long-haul trip are usually met with..... "a look" !
Funny; if I turn up with a couple of £20 wagons, or god forbid another loco..........
.....Mmmmm? but it's alright to p*ss away hundreds of £££'s extra for free champagne and a few hours in a comfy chair?????
Oh yeh!
Where were we.....
Ryanair
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