Choosing to avoid AC on TPAC again...
 

Just about to book YOW-TPE flights for myself and 5 colleagues.

AC prices via HKG then connection on CX:

• $2048 for Tango, 50% status miles, not upgradeable, 32" seat pitch
• $3465 for Flex, 100% status miles, upgradeable if lucky, 32" seat pitch otherwise

Eva Air prices (with YOW-YYZ connections on AC):

• $1650 for Economy, 80% AC status miles, 33" seat pitch, not upgradeable
• $2263 for Elite/Evergreen Deluxe class, 100% AC status, miles, 38" seat pitch

Both the Eva options are more attractive. We're booking six tickets on Eva, Elite Evergreen. That's at least $12K AC won't get. And no we didn't need AC's premium economy. We would have booked AC if it was 100% status and upgradeable. Oh well.

You should talk to a travel agent specializing in Asia and/or consolidator fares.

How far in advance did you book?

Will that help us get Flex AC fares for considerably less? Or just cheaper Tango? (Or cheaper Eva...)

Our corporate travel is all done via Carlson. Thanks for the comment...

Booking is for mid September, so a bit over a month in advance.

My TA that has agreements with 22 airlines always has a lower fare, for the same fare class.

I just booked YVR PVG YYZ YOW YVR, travel completed over 7 days. She got me in Z for $350 less than any Z I could find.

Ok, that makes sense. The fare comparisons I was listing were from Carlson.

Return as PVG-YYZ-YOW-YVR? Ouch. Painful.


If load is high, AC probably doesn't care if you're not paying the Flex surcharge. Bums will still fill the seat.

I am likely going to choose BR as well for similar reasons (though I am having some problems booking at the moment), but that is a nice MR if it is really that much cheaper :).

How does one find these discount Asia consolidators? Does one still get the same EQM? I decided on PE on BR (on AC.com, booking YYJ-SIN, PE doesn't even come up. If I booked it to HKG I would be in Y for the HKG-SIN segment and it would still be several hundred more than BR), but even with $350 off, Z is going to be too expensive for me, I think :(.

Dr. PITUK

Based on his earlier posts in this forum, I'm sure Dorian would not fly any such convoluted routing if he is not going to do some business en route in YYZ or YOW. I know I wouldn't.

Have a gov't meeting in YOW....no choice.

Ha! Exactly.

Always same equipment or choice thereof...plus booked seats. Doesn't matter what fare you are on. They can also hold multiple itins for a while.

She will never let me get stuck anywhere and has literally worked some bizarro stuff:

I had the last Y seat on KGLBRU on SN (overnight about 8 hour flight). Was the only way out of Rwanda for me. She noted in my file that I'm SE on AC and that I wanted J. After boarding the GA came and got me and moved me up to J. Still no idea how that happened on a $600 one way Y fare.

Give her a call/email if ya want, she is happy to help no matter what, irrelevant of where you are based:

Maria at Omega Travel
[email protected]
604 738-7161

I choose to avoid AC TPAC almost always. There are more pleasant options on airlines whose staff at least pretend to appreciate your business.

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Flex bums?