Questions about booking flight from Canada to Japan on ANA vs. on Air Canada
May 22, 2016, 5:04 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 747
Thanks for all the replies.
Today I tried to book YPR-HND return on the ANA website (using YPR-YVR as a codeshare on Air Canada). Due to a glitch on the ANA website they don't recognize YPR as an airport. I can book from any other small town in Canada to HND on the ANA site, and I can book YPR-HND flights on ANA using 3rd party websites. So the question is, which 3rd party site (Expedia, Travelocity, FlightHub, etc) will be the best to use from a point of view of support, fixing a glitch or problem if is shows up, etc? I am not interested in saving 50 bucks. Or is it best to try and book directly with ANA on the phone?
Today I tried to book YPR-HND return on the ANA website (using YPR-YVR as a codeshare on Air Canada). Due to a glitch on the ANA website they don't recognize YPR as an airport. I can book from any other small town in Canada to HND on the ANA site, and I can book YPR-HND flights on ANA using 3rd party websites. So the question is, which 3rd party site (Expedia, Travelocity, FlightHub, etc) will be the best to use from a point of view of support, fixing a glitch or problem if is shows up, etc? I am not interested in saving 50 bucks. Or is it best to try and book directly with ANA on the phone?
May 22, 2016, 5:50 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Beantown! (BOS)
Programs: AA PtPro (2 MM); Hilton Diamond; Hertz President Cr; DL SkyMiles; UA MileagePlus
Posts: 3,437
My opinion is that it is not worth saving 50 bucks by making reservation on third party sites. There have been cases posted on ANA Forum when calling ANA reservation mention about not able to make a reservation on website and ask about waving reservation fee via phone agent, and some got $50 waived.
May 22, 2016, 6:31 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Thanks for all the replies.
Today I tried to book YPR-HND return on the ANA website (using YPR-YVR as a codeshare on Air Canada). Due to a glitch on the ANA website they don't recognize YPR as an airport. I can book from any other small town in Canada to HND on the ANA site, and I can book YPR-HND flights on ANA using 3rd party websites. So the question is, which 3rd party site (Expedia, Travelocity, FlightHub, etc) will be the best to use from a point of view of support, fixing a glitch or problem if is shows up, etc? I am not interested in saving 50 bucks. Or is it best to try and book directly with ANA on the phone?
Today I tried to book YPR-HND return on the ANA website (using YPR-YVR as a codeshare on Air Canada). Due to a glitch on the ANA website they don't recognize YPR as an airport. I can book from any other small town in Canada to HND on the ANA site, and I can book YPR-HND flights on ANA using 3rd party websites. So the question is, which 3rd party site (Expedia, Travelocity, FlightHub, etc) will be the best to use from a point of view of support, fixing a glitch or problem if is shows up, etc? I am not interested in saving 50 bucks. Or is it best to try and book directly with ANA on the phone?
When you do, it's possible that your itinerary that involves AC Express and ANA will end up being offered through AC or even UA. If so, then you can go with them.
I agree with what AlwaysAisle says. In my experience, NH phone agents are usually good about waiving this type of fee especially if there's any kind of justifiable reason. I stay away from all 3rd party sites, except for a few such as Orbitz and Expedia. But even with Orbitz and Expedia, $50 difference is definitely not enough for me to choose them over directly booking through the airline.
May 22, 2016, 6:55 pm
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 747
Did you do the search on kayak.com?
When you do, it's possible that your itinerary that involves AC Express and ANA will end up being offered through AC or even UA. If so, then you can go with them.
I agree with what AlwaysAisle says. In my experience, NH phone agents are usually good about waiving this type of fee especially if there's any kind of justifiable reason. I stay away from all 3rd party sites, except for a few such as Orbitz and Expedia. But even with Orbitz and Expedia, $50 difference is definitely not enough for me to choose them over directly booking through the airline.
When you do, it's possible that your itinerary that involves AC Express and ANA will end up being offered through AC or even UA. If so, then you can go with them.
I agree with what AlwaysAisle says. In my experience, NH phone agents are usually good about waiving this type of fee especially if there's any kind of justifiable reason. I stay away from all 3rd party sites, except for a few such as Orbitz and Expedia. But even with Orbitz and Expedia, $50 difference is definitely not enough for me to choose them over directly booking through the airline.
May 25, 2016, 4:03 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,657
In terms of service and food, ANA hands-down.
In terms of seats, it depends. If NH is operating 787 on YVR-TYO (it will be when I fly out of YVR later in the year), it'll likely be 3-3-3 config and pretty terrible. Check to see the seat config on your AC option. If it's 77W with 3-3-3, that'll definitely be better than NH's 787. If it's 77W with 10-abreast, it's a wash or maybe 777 still gets a slight edge.
In terms of seats, it depends. If NH is operating 787 on YVR-TYO (it will be when I fly out of YVR later in the year), it'll likely be 3-3-3 config and pretty terrible. Check to see the seat config on your AC option. If it's 77W with 3-3-3, that'll definitely be better than NH's 787. If it's 77W with 10-abreast, it's a wash or maybe 777 still gets a slight edge.
. Really tight 10 across, fewer lavs, and 400 or 450 seat sardine cans. The meals are quite low in quality, and the cabin cleanliness is hit and miss. AC 788 251 Seats
NH 788 169-240 Seats
NH 789 215 Seats
AC 789 298 Seats
NH 77W from 212-264 Seats
AC 77W from 400-450 Seats
May 25, 2016, 9:01 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Never fear, AC has helped the OP out and reconfigured it's 777 fleet to the standard of the 787 . Really tight 10 across, fewer lavs, and 400 or 450 seat sardine cans. The meals are quite low in quality, and the cabin cleanliness is hit and miss.
AC 788 251 Seats
NH 788 169-240 Seats
NH 789 215 Seats
AC 789 298 Seats
NH 77W from 212-264 Seats
AC 77W from 400-450 Seats
. Really tight 10 across, fewer lavs, and 400 or 450 seat sardine cans. The meals are quite low in quality, and the cabin cleanliness is hit and miss. AC 788 251 Seats
NH 788 169-240 Seats
NH 789 215 Seats
AC 789 298 Seats
NH 77W from 212-264 Seats
AC 77W from 400-450 Seats
Looking at AC's 787 config on Seatguru, it seems the difference between AC and NH is that AC's cabin is 2/3 sardine can and NH is 1/3 sardine, hence the difference in #seats. On NH's 3-class 788, 60% of seats are crammed in 30% of cabin.
May 25, 2016, 11:26 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,657
) and extremely happy with the cleanliness of the cabin and lavs. On the return, they ate well before going to the airport and had also bought snacks that they wanted. They said it was night and day compared to AC !
May 26, 2016, 1:04 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,378
Of course ANA is heads and shoulders above AC in terms of food and service, and their 788 J is a whole different story than its Y cabin. But I have a love-hate thing going with ANA on their SEA-NRT route. Loved their 2-4-3 seating (77W) to go with great service including snack baskets in the galley. Then they rolled out the 8-abreast 788 with hardshell seats that killed my back but otherwise I liked. Then they turned those into 3-3-3 monsters. I think the first time, I flew J outbound, Y return. The lie-flat in J was pure-heaven with Ippudo ramen available on-demand. In contrast, the Y was a cruel joke, like going from Beverly Hills to Tijuana. Then they changed the plane back to the 9-abreast 77W last year and I was happy again. Last fall, back to 3-3-3 788 with also small but noticeable decline in service.
May 26, 2016, 7:55 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,657
Of course ANA is heads and shoulders above AC in terms of food and service, and their 788 J is a whole different story than its Y cabin. But I have a love-hate thing going with ANA on their SEA-NRT route. Loved their 2-4-3 seating (77W) to go with great service including snack baskets in the galley. Then they rolled out the 8-abreast 788 with hardshell seats that killed my back but otherwise I liked. Then they turned those into 3-3-3 monsters. I think the first time, I flew J outbound, Y return. The lie-flat in J was pure-heaven with Ippudo ramen available on-demand. In contrast, the Y was a cruel joke, like going from Beverly Hills to Tijuana. Then they changed the plane back to the 9-abreast 77W last year and I was happy again. Last fall, back to 3-3-3 788 with also small but noticeable decline in service.
! But the flight was full ! I also flew JAL recently and tried the PY cabin , it was okay but when the cabin is full it loses its glamour quickly. But as you said, the service/cabin comfort and cleanliness on both is head and tails above AC.