Altaflyer

Since FlyerAl and others in Southern ON like to go to Vegas a fair bit I thought I'd post this. Its on NWA, CO or DL for now but the award winning US and UA may join in the fray. $258 CAD all taxes and fees included!!

I miss CDN

If UA joins the fray, maybe BUF will become my favourite airport too cause afterall I am hooked on AP and need a regular fix of points now and again.

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I miss Canadian Airlines

megamiles

available on UA

exAC

I guess if you lose, you don't have to pay the casino either:

http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/story.asp?id={A0437E16-76B1-4 1A9-915C-673F80EA0D78}

[This message has been edited by exAC (edited 08-08-2002).]

Altaflyer

Down to $244CAD on DL, CO seems to have bailed and NW still at the 258CAD level. UA is somewhat more expensive.

ProudEdmontonian

While what you say may be true in Ontario, it certainly isn't in Alberta where casinos have been able to obtain judgments and collect 'markers' for several years.

An Alberta decision a few years ago said, and I really paraphrase, that for all intents and purposes gambling was legal in Alberta so the old 'illegality' argument non longer prohibited enforcement.

skofarrell

That's amazing! If it was 30, or even 20 years ago I wonder if "Vinnie" and a couple of other thick necked dudes would be paying Marsden and Ringo a visit?

ProudEdmontonian

BTW, for those who like Dim Sum, the restaurant referred to in the above article, Dynasty is one of the best and most popular in YEG!

B1

FYI - here's a related trip report - I just returned from a BUF-LAX trip that was not quite as cheap ($400 CAD rt, all inc.)on NW. But - with NW you get 1 mile for each mile traveled, even if the ticket is cheap. Air Canada, gave me 0 AP miles for YYZ-YVR that cost almost twice as much because my TA booked it in Z class. Note that if you book on NWA.COM for the first time you get a 2000 WP's + another 500 and if you can figure out how to check in at nwa.com you get another 1000. I missed out. The trip was via MSP in both directions. MSP is very bad for close connections because gates are miles apart (from C to G!) and there is no shuttle (they've built one but it crashed this week). I've found no bargain parking in Buffalo (the terminal long term lot is a good deal) but if you use Expedia and print the Thrifty coupon, Thrifty Valet gives you two days free and they have excellent service (but with an "airport entry fee" added to your tab). The NW DC-9 (BUF-MSP) is very noisy. NW has no movies on any flight that is not overseas. The food is limited and pretty bad. The crews don't do any beteer - the fast food outlets in MSP are busy with flight crews filling up on fries and burgers (but a senior pilot was at the good barbecue place at concourse G). Checking in at Buffalo is a breeze and luggage delivery is almost immediate. BTW, we were late leaving MSP for BUF because a few passengers were late in the their connection so we waited 20 minutes at the gate - the pilot said "This is the last flight to Buffalo so we are helping these folks out - we'd do the same for you." No one had a connection in Buffalo - there are no outbounds after about 9 pm, so we all relaxed and then the plane got into position #10 for takeoff on a runway that is used for landing and takeoff alternately (pilot said 'it's the policy at this airport to use all runways for both landing and takeoff' - it seemed that this may give more throughput). NW has created its own traffic mess. I left for Toronto from BUF at 11 pm and there was no traffic, even at the border.

[This message has been edited by B1 (edited 08-09-2002).]

FlyerAl

The award-winning US Airways has a fare of USD$120 plus tax on their website. 14-day advance purchase requirement. Wow, I've never seen it *that* low before!

As for gambling debt, the casino can go after you in Canada, but the process is lengthy. I know this because my love interest is a casino collections manager

MoreMiles

The rules probably changed a lot since that news was published. Most provincial governements (eg, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta) own MANY casinos these days... they will obviously make laws to allow them collecting this debt. This new gambling law then will apply to gambling debt acquired elsewhere so Quebec and Ontario governments get mutual protection from bad debt.

There are more and more casinos in Ontario. Most people only know about the Niagara Falls, Windsor, Toronto/Orillia, Hull/Ottawa ones. However, there are also 6 "Charity Casinos" that are about half the size of these "commercial casinos"... This makes a total of 10 casinos right now in Ontario. By the way, this total count does not include racetrack/slot machine centres. One just opened in Thousand Island / Kingston region about a few weeks ago. More will be opened shortly. If you watch PRIME (owned by Global TV), there is a casino show teaching you how to play various table games EVERY night at 11pm. It's made with a Canadian government grant for filming, etc.

http://www.olgc.ca/corp_charity.jsp

There is no need to go to Vegas any more, is there?

parnel

How much have you lost at the award winning Casino Niagara that is uncollectable?

skofarrell

I'd say there are still many reasons.

Foremost is that the video poker and slots at Ontario casinos are simply not competitive (i.e. "tight"). Just like with AC, there isn't enough competition.

The few times I've been to Niagara and Rama, I couldn't get a seat at a table. Crowds and not having enough tables open were the biggest factor, weekends and weekdays, always the same. When was the last time you couldn't find a seat at a table in Vegas? Food in Vegas is better, and so is the entertainment.

Canada has an advantage in the tax code.

On the whole, Vegas is much better, and only a short 4.5 hour trip away.

FlyerAl

Not to mention the Vegas casinos serve you free booze, while the Canadian ones do not!