Plaza Premium Lounge
All travellers with an eligible credit card, Plaza Premium Lounge network pass, or $59 to pay are welcome, regardless of airline. There was a bit of a queue because an elderly man wanted to pay cash after his credit card got declined. Otherwise, getting in is a pretty quick affair.
Inside, there’s a bar, four hot dishes, and a salad area. There’s a good variety of cubicle, dining table, and armchair sitting for different uses. You do have to request alcoholic drinks from the bar, and they’re usually limited to two drinks per patron per visit. It’s bright, modern, and comfortable, although it is a bit noisy with their assortment of passengers on spring break, families with children, and drunk tourists. That’s what you get with a paid access lounge.
There isn’t too much choice by way of food. There was teriyaki chicken, fried chicken, fried noodles and steamed basmati rice with two choices of soup. Soda was dispensed from a fountain and there were a selection of cheap pastries. I wouldn’t come here for the food, but the panoramic view of the terminal down below is a seeing point. It’s the airport version of sitting at a café and people watching on the Champs-Élysées.
Air Canada Café
This is the only lounge on departure level. It’s a small, cozy, quiet working area mostly used by business travellers to catch up on work for a short while before rushing to their gate. It’s close to where the planes are and so it hardly has a view at all. Only those traveling on business or premium, with 50K plus status or a black Aeroplan credit card. Passengers walk in through a wooden cocoon making an excellent transition from the noisy terminal to the serene lounge.
The bar is staffed at all times with quick Lavazza coffee and alcohol service, but it serves mostly cold food. The only hot food options they had were Swiss cheese and beef sliders and bean quesadillas, which made me fart the whole way to Regina. It’s main selling point is its grab-and-go selection, which acts like a free premium convenience store for status travellers. Although the website advertises Lindt chocolate truffles, I only found an assortment of wraps, sandwiches, canned pop, bottled juices, and salad bowls—no dessert. The takeaway feature of this mini-lounge increases the value of being a valued passenger, I got to eat on the plane even though I was booked on economy.
Maple Leaf Lounge
Air Canada’s flagship lounge at its hub airport was a slight disappointment. While it wasn’t as stunning as I had expected it to be, it was a comfortable environment with access only granted to those traveling on business or premium, with 50K plus status or a black Aeroplan credit card. The eating area is a bit noisy, but the cubicles in the business area are nice and quiet with softwood tables, noise absorbing materials, and plenty of charge points.
Unlike the other two lounges, there isn’t a designated bar. Instead, all the alcohol is free-flow and self-serve. There are magazine racks with dozens of hardcopy periodicals, access to Pressreader via its wifi network to over 7,000 publications and hockey is playing on two large 65-inc televisions at the back of the lounge. There’s lots to do, lots to eat, and too much to drink—try the beer on tap.
It’s too bad the food is only mediocre. The good stuff isn’t stocked frequently enough, there’s never enough cutlery, and the salad’s too warm while the dishes are too cold. Shudder. While the quality is acceptable for complimentary access, it’s hardly fitting for business class passengers who paid at least double the ticket price.
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