Last week (in 2014), I flew on Air Canada rouge for the first time. They began operating on July 1, 2013 with a start-up fleet of two Airbus A319 aircraft and two Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. By the end of this month, they’ll operate a total of 27 aircraft including 19 Airbus A319s and 8 Boeing 767-300ERs.
At launch, their planes serviced a network of 14 routes flying from Toronto and Montreal to Europe and the Caribbean but they’re now up to a total of 52 routes from Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver—including 11 to Europe.
I recently flew them roundtrip from Los Angeles to Calgary in both classes. Here are 10 things you need to know about flying Air Canada rouge:
1. Same check-in as Air Canada
Although Air Canada rouge is a separate airline from Air Canada, you still check-in for your flight as if you’re flying Air Canada.
2. Cool flight attendant uniforms
All the Air Canada rouge flight attendants that I came across were young and attractive, and sporting funky uniforms that included a gray pin-striped trilby hat. The look was created by Maybelline and Redken and their burgundy Fluevog shoes were designed and manufactured by Canada’s own Fluevog Shoes. Rob Lowe famously made fun of their uniforms but I like them—especially the hat.
3. The planes aren’t brand-spanking-new
I was expecting Air Canada rouge’s planes to be brand-spanking-new since the airline is only a year old, but they’re actually just converted Air Canada planes. According to Renee Smith-Valade, Vice President of Customer Experience, “the aircrafts Air Canada rouge operate (the Airbus A319 and the Boeing 767-300ER) have been transferred from Air Canada’s fleet. Air Canada rouge aircraft are restyled inside and out. They have modern charcoal and burgundy cabin interiors, featuring new Slimline seats with a streamlined profile, and branding accents throughout the cabin (e.g. bulkheads, curtains) and onboard service elements (e.g. tray liners in Premium rouge). Both aircraft types sport a sleek white, red and burgundy livery that clearly establishes Air Canada rouge as part of the Air Canada family.”
4. There are no built-in entertainment systems
Although Air Canada rouge’s planes don’t have Air Canada’s seatback entertainment systems, they do have a very cool app that you need to download BEFORE getting on the plane. Air Canada rouge aircraft are all equipped with Player, a next generation in-flight entertainment system that streams unlimited live entertainment to customers’ personal electronic devices. Customers should bring their own fully-charged laptop or iPad, iPod, or iPhone and download the latest Air Canada app (from the Apple App Store). For those with a laptop, make sure you have Adobe Flash Player installed. Availability on other platforms like Android is coming this fall.
5. You can rent an iPad
If you don’t own a tablet, you can rent an iPad on-board for $10 (free for Premium rouge passengers). They hand them out after takeoff.
6. There are no electrical outlets
Rouge planes don’t have electrical or USB outlets to charge your devices so be sure to have everything fully charged before getting onboard.
7. Coach seats are TIGHT
I flew on rouge’s A319 and the seats are really tight in coach. The A319s are configured with 3×3 seating and they only have 29 inches of pitch (distance between the back of your seat and the back of the seat in front). In comparison: American Airlines has 30 inches, United has 31, Virgin America has 32 and regular Air Canada has between 31-35. The good news is rouge does have 18-inch wide seats, which are wider than American’s and Virgin America’s. FYI: On rouge’s other style of aircraft, the 767, which flies longer distances, they offer 30 inches of pitch in economy.
8. You can buy food
Just like on Air Canada, you can buy food—including pizza—on rouge on flights in coach. But on their flights to Europe, they do offer complimentary meals and non-alcoholic beverages. FYI: Food pic is from Premium rouge.
9. Premium rouge (UPDATED on May 19, 2016)
Air Canada rouge let me know that after I took my original flight that they improved their premium product on their Airbus 319 aircraft. The premium cabin in Air Canada rouge’s fleet of 20 Airbus 319 aircraft has been converted from 3×3 seating configuration with a blocked middle seat to two side-by-side larger seats in a 2×2 configuration. This seating offers the same or more space than equivalent seating on Air Canada rouge’s Boeing 767 aircraft. They also increased carry-on space throughout its Airbus A319 fleet by 30 per cent with the installation of new overhead bin doors – dubbed “pillow doors” because of their curved shape – which allow carry-on items to be stowed more efficiently. In addition, they also have full power charging capacity with a 110-volt power plug and a high-powered USB port at every seat.
10. They write the flight number on landing cards
This was a first for me…When the flight attendants handed out the landing cards for Canadian immigration, the airline and flight number were already filled out. When I asked the flight attendant if they always do this they said they try to on all rouge flights. That’s a nice touch.
Because Air Canada decided to pack in way too many seats on this plane I would only take Rouge again on a short flight or if I was upfront in Premium Rouge. How about you? Have you flown Rouge?
I’m very careful, when doing any research that I know if it’s a Rouge flight. Rouge is acting like a low cost carrier with the same pricing as Air Canada Regular or a minor difference in fares.
They must think we’re all stupid out here. I bet the CEO who approved this Rouge business, will never fly in Rouge and most likely got a big raise to boot !
As a Canuck, it’s embarrassing that something with the word Canada is so poorly thought of for the entire world to see and use.
Greed at it’s core.
Lastly, Air Canada 777-200, known as 77L, has now 10 seats across. A configuration of 3-4-3, where most airlines use common sense and have only 9 seats per row at 3-3-3. Good luck flying to Australia in a 10 seat configuration. Unbelievable. There should be a Flyers Rights Bill in Canada. Thank you for allowing me to rant.
Flew YUL to LAS by AC Rouge May 22nd. Treated myself to an extra legroom exit row seat which set me back an extra $66. On the way back, had just an ordinary economy seat.
Was ticked off twice on the way down. When I went online to check in, the extra legroom seats were down to $60?? Why did I pay more when I booked it way ahead? And the girl and her boyfriend sitting next to me were assigned the seats on check in free of charge. Their lucky day, I guess.
On the way back May 29th, had a regular economy window seat. The lady in front of me decided to recline her seat to the max and I wasn’t even able to put my tray completely down after that. When it came time to fill out my Customs form, couldn’t even reach down to get my bag from under the seat to get a pen. Asked the lady politely if she could raise up her seat so I could get to my bag and her response was a grunt and a “Tabernac”.
The guy beside me in the middle seat was at least 6’2″ and he lasted about half the flight before he disappeared never to be seen again. Must have upgraded to first class… his knees in that seat were up around his chin.
First and last time flying AC Rouge!!!! I learned my lesson.
Shit! Listening to all these negatives comments….Rouge must be this bad! I’m off to celebrate my 40th from YVR to LAS with 12 others….wish I knew this earlier. We fly Friday early morning. Let’s see how this plays out. I’ll comment when I get back but hopefully they’ve improved. Does anyone know if the serve alcohol for the 8 am flights? Thx in advance!
Super Elite for over 10 years
I was a loyal AC customer and had a travel budget well over 50K per year. Never thought of using any other airline until I was underhandedly Rouged by AC. I have since never flown AC again (since the start of Rouge) and have given all my business to Westjet, who surprisingly gave me great service the first time I used them. Seats are comfortable and spacious. Never deceive a loyal customer, because once they’re gone…you’ve lost them forever.
I wish I would of found this site before I booked with Air Canada. I’m 6’4 and husky. I didn’t get the extra leg room but bought an extra seat between my wife and myself. The people infront of me are going to hate me. We’re flying out of Calgary and heading to Las Vegas
I had a trip from Osaka to Vancouver last October (2015). I wish I had done my homework. Tight seats and my seat would not recline. I’ve never been on an international flight in recent decades that did not have an infotainment system. No charge points on an 11 hour flight with at tight and non reclining seat. The app I installed on my iPad would not work. I rented one of their iPads for $10. Crew was fine.
Unfortunately, it was my first time travelling on this airline and I was totally disgusted especially with the way Air Canada Rouge’s flight attendant handled my situation on 5/15/16 departing at 8:45am from Toronto to Nassau on flight AC 1816 seated at 12A. About 20 minutes into the flight I was awaken by a child directly behind me repeatedly kicking the back of my seat I tolerated this for about 30 minutes more hoping the parents of this child would get him to stop but it didn’t I sounded the bell for a flight attendant….politely I asked her “if she can ask the parent behind me to have the child stop kicking the back of my chair please?” She then replied “no I can not tell them that the only thing I can do is offer them a headset” I was like “pardon me” and she then repeated the same and walked away not even so much as acknowledging the scenery to the back of me. After the passenger next to me realized the flight attendant didn’t do anything she asked me “would you like me to speak to the family behind us” but I refused her offer.
After having to sit up straight without leaning to the back rest for the duration of the 3 hour flight into Nassau, Bahamas was the most miserable and frustrating flight I have ever encountered so aweful by the time I got home and took my pressure reading it was 160/98….I hate when I am put in a position to jeopardize my health and not being comfortable (frustrated) especially when I am paying my money.
I am a customer service representative and from experience I know this situation was not handle correctly therefore, for this I refuse to fly on Air Canada Rouge again.
Why didn’t you just turn around and tell the kid yourself to stop kicking your chair? Tell the parents (politely) that they need to get their child to stop kicking your chair. Don’t be so passive-aggressive about it.
Frequent flyer from Montreal-Cancun here (for work). This flight is late 3 hours at least one per week. Record was 7 hours delay. Just looking at flight aware history you can see how terrible they are with schedules. Good thing I’ve no connections..
im goin on my trip to my Disney cruise in 2 weeks I will tell you how it goes. I had alredy gone premium and im doing it aigain cause its so fun
I flew on one A319 back in 2014. In fact i bought my ticket for a regular Air Canada flight Toronto to Phenix. At the last minute AC changed planes without even advertising it to passengers. The flight was full and sitting in a very tight space for 4,5 hours wasnt really fantastic. If you have a choice to chose from i wouldnt recommend flying on Rouge A319. If you save on a ticket say 300 or 400- thats a different story
Oh no! I had no idea. I am screwed. Already booked on PRG to YYZ on this Ruse, er I mean Rogue, no, damn auto-correct,…Rouge of an airline…Well. I’ll be sure to let you guys know what it was like… shudder.
Flew to Las vegas in the fall on rouge, and found the new seats that have solid sides very confining, also was in the middle seat of three and when persons beside me put their elbow on the arm rest, there was absolutely no room on the arm rest for my elbows which made the tight feeling worse. This was in the extra legroom seats near the front. I will completely avoid booking Air Canada from now on, and thankfully there is Westjet to choose . I hope Westjet doesn’t install those horrible ‘buckets’ they call ‘ seats’ .