It seems “Canada, here I go again”. Going back to the ol country using Air Canada is 35 to 42k, nearly half the price of any US airline to my destination. Taipei-Vancouver-Toronto-Caribbean paradise. Like 31 hours but who cares! 35k man!
Pity I need a visa, but for 35k, I’ll do it!
I hope you like snarly 50-year-old aunties and snippy Siegfried and Roy wannabes yelling at you like drunken angry babysitters when you need a blanket or a drink of water.
Hey, if I had stayed over that side of the ocean, I’d be one of those 50 year old aunties waitressing the skies.
I don’t believe it, you’re far too gentle a soul for that.
“Chicken or beef?!? Come on, CHICKEN OR BEEF, let’s go, chop chop!!!”"
Yep, that si why they sent me over to baggage Claims. Nope, no sign of your luggage sir, can we settle for a 500 USD check, OK? No? How about a beachside hotel stay, 4 days? Nope? It was your lucky backpack with your lucky undewear in it? So sorry, sir. Oh, you have no money to pay exit taxes? Here, we’ll take your surfboard instead. Og, you guys Supertramp? No need to pay overweight charges, just give us autographed CDs and we’re good.
What? You mean there’s a choice? Gotta try that Air Canada next time.
The carry-on baggage allowance is also something.
Last time I went, I ended up going on 3 different airlines, and AC had HALF the check-in allowance of any of the others.
I hate them fuckers.
Unfortunately, they are frugal on the liquor (compared with most Asian airlines or Emirates) and the stewardesses are so old they smell like a combination of Ben-Gay and Depends. I only fly them as a last resort.
Yes there are poor people in Canada. Yes some of them live in Vancouver. I am sorry this is disturbing to you. It is disturbing to me, but not for the reasons mentioned above.
Back on topic: yes it’s good that Air Canada now flies to Taipei–though the frightening nine-across 787 configuration in economy has not exactly made me line up to get tickets. Have any forumosans actually flown this route? Do report back to us if you can. I’d be curious to hear about the experience.
Guy
Eh I come from the fourth world, I know poor. We have the poorest. And we also have drunks and drug addicts strewn all over the sidewalks in their waste liquids and solids for blocks on end in the cities. It is just more of a contrast next to the pretty tourist areas.
And I agree back on topic: if anyone has actually flown the route, hopefully the Vancouver to Toronto or Montreal connection, their feedback would be mostly appreciated.
Here’s my assessment: if your destination is in eastern Canada, it’s MUCH BETTER to try to get the international leg all the way to Toronto (both EVA and Cathay go there), and then take the short hop to Montreal if desired. If you change planes in Vancouver, you’ll be dealing with an interminably long domestic flight in which you will receive almost nothing in terms of service.
That’s my pro tip for today. Hope this helps.
Guy
Ah I would love that. But the Air Canada offer is TPE to YVR and then on to Toronto or Montreal for Central America.
It is that or taking British Airways to Heathrow and then on to the Caribbean.
Same fare, 35k to 45morek more or less. And likewise 31 to 35 hours. Yipee!
EVA is like almost 50k…And that leaves a separate fare for Central America, probably stopping in the US, which I am trying for all means to avoid.
Notice:
Deleted the parts that are not related to Air Canada.
I flew YVR to TPE in early September on Air Canada. I was in Premium Economy or whatever that’s called, so I can’t speak to the seats in Economy. But boy the arrival and departure times were nice - leaving Vancouver around midday, and arrive here in the afternoon. Far far better than the Eva and China Airlines flights, which leave Vancouver around 2am and arrive here around 5am. (Some people can handle those times, but they destroy me.)
I haven’t flown the other way yet. That’s the return part of the ticket, and it’ll be next July.
I don’t know how the economics works these days, but for a while there I was buying return Eva tickets starting in Vancouver, flying back to Vancouver 11 months later: the tickets were FAR cheaper that way than starting in Taipei. But of course that only works if you know you’re going there every year.
My wife and kids always take the direct flight to Toronto and then onward to the east coast, far preferable to any other route. In the past we would take the TPE > YVR > YYZ and onward and it’s a real drag. Partially because we were always stuck in Vancouver airport for too long or had to race from one end to the other.
To save money I generally take a flight from HK to TO now, it’s still not as great as direct but an improvement over Vancouver. The flights can be pretty cheap too.
Yeah, it is a pity I cannot take a Vancouver direct flight to the ol country.
Yep, there is a 7+ hour stopover in Toronto. 4+hours in Vancouver. But it is the cheapest…
I will look into the HK connection though. Thanks for the tip. I like Cathay.
I am super chuffed about the new flight. I have a very dear old friend that is a flight attendant and she will be visiting our fair town on a regular basis. I also have a cousin that is a pilot for AC and he also plans on grabbing some flights here.
I just wish AC still did the friends and family $200 tickets. Would love to go home for a cheap visit.
My dad has been here visiting the past few weeks. I found him his flight via Kayak on Air Canada. 17,900 NT!! Round trip from Colorado (Colorado -> Vancouver -> Taiwan). Only had like an hour layover in Vancouver too!
He said he met a guy waiting for the same flight who said he got his for US$420!
Previously when i flew to canada via air canada they were just selling eva or china airlines tickets. Not sure about going east but the aircanada tickets i bought direct yvr between tpe were always either eva or china airlines. Does air canada run their own planes here now?
Last few years its been easy to get direct flights to vancouver for 20k. 12 k if you want to go through china and deal with their headache or visa scam. Tickets are quite cheap now. Its nice. But wont personally be willing to sit on an air canada plane. Just slighlty above a chinese planes standards.