Boeing 737 MAX 8 Experience on Air Canada (AC 556 YVR to LAX)

I recently embarked on a quick trip to Los Angeles from YVR. As a big airplane nerd, I was looking forward to flying on the Boeing 737 Max 8. I was secretly hoping for a plane that can fly through turbulence with avionics that's so futuristic that passengers can't feel a thing. I also hoped for an airplane that is so spacious you would forget t
hat you are in an airplane. I have to say.. I was slightly disappointed because everything about the plane and flight felt the opposite. This post will be about my thoughts about the flight experience more than anything.

Not all that spacious and turbulence
Comparing to the older generation of 737's like the 737-800, I feel like the B737-max as the ceiling is higher. The mood lighting does make the airplane feel a bit more modern. However, compared to the Airbus 320, the seats are definitely quite small. For someone who is over 6 feet, you wouldn't have too much space in front of your knee. The cabin itself also felt a bit small.

Throughout the flight, there were a few patches that felt turbulent. Especially if the airplane was flying over mountainous terrain or near the coast or over thick clouds. Prior to landing in LA, the plane was also shaky. I thought there would be more dampening designed into this aircraft, but it doesn't feel like it could be as smooth as it could be (or perhaps global warming is making all of our weather patterns go more wild so there's wilder plane rides).

In-flight entertainment system
This was definitely great. The touchscreen and the amount of selection was great. Everyone gets a tv regardless of class. Compared to the airbus 320, where the screen required more pressure and sometime to load content, the system on the 737Max is great! There is little to almost no lag, the selection was great... and... there were games! I was surprised to see Angry Birds be one of the games that you can play. The only downside is that I would recommend you bring your own headphones. The headphones handed out by the cabin crew was not the best.

There's also a USB charger so be sure to bring your own wires.

Cabin Service
There isn't honestly too much to write about for cabin service. The crew were nice and friendly. They offered a small selection of drinks to the guests, but that was it. Because the flight was bumpy (yes.. I was disappointed at the absence of the make the turbulence go away avionics I was looking forward to), there were not hot drinks served.

Overall...I would say that this plane feels more 21st century. It doesn't feel all that more advanced from a passenger's perspective (but it might be more from a technological perspective). Honestly, if you are flying from point A to B in North America or flying to destinations served by a small handful of airlines, you might not have many options in-terms of aircraft type to look for, but the 737 Max does feel decent.