Advise on Taiwan Flight Options for Elderly Traveler
Mar 2, 2017, 9:40 am
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 4
Advise on Taiwan Flight Options for Elderly Traveler
booking flight from Newark to Taipei for elderly friend who speaks Chinese and limited English. Normally fly EVA but have to leave from Newark this time and no flights out of there.
Option 1 on United - EWR --> SFO --> TPE - layover is 2 hr 12 min (other options have long 10+ hour layovers). Will they go through customs in EWR or SFO? If yes, is 2 hours enough time?
Option 2 on Cathay- EWR --> HKG --> TPE - layover is 2 hr. I think they will stay in the international transit area but will they need to retrieve and re-scan their bags? The whole flight is operated by Cathay (HKG to TPE is on Cathay Dragon, their regional plane)
Appreciate any insights
Option 1 on United - EWR --> SFO --> TPE - layover is 2 hr 12 min (other options have long 10+ hour layovers). Will they go through customs in EWR or SFO? If yes, is 2 hours enough time?
Option 2 on Cathay- EWR --> HKG --> TPE - layover is 2 hr. I think they will stay in the international transit area but will they need to retrieve and re-scan their bags? The whole flight is operated by Cathay (HKG to TPE is on Cathay Dragon, their regional plane)
Appreciate any insights
Mar 2, 2017, 9:53 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2016
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I can only comment for the CX option.
There's no need for rescan/retrieve bag at HKG. Yet, you do have to pass through security again like in TPE.
CX/KA crew definitely speaks Chinese, both Cantonese and Mandarin (and likely 閩南 given CX hires a lot of Taiwanese crew)
There's no need for rescan/retrieve bag at HKG. Yet, you do have to pass through security again like in TPE.
CX/KA crew definitely speaks Chinese, both Cantonese and Mandarin (and likely 閩南 given CX hires a lot of Taiwanese crew)
Mar 2, 2017, 11:35 am
#3
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
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booking flight from Newark to Taipei for elderly friend who speaks Chinese and limited English. Normally fly EVA but have to leave from Newark this time and no flights out of there.
Option 1 on United - EWR --> SFO --> TPE - layover is 2 hr 12 min (other options have long 10+ hour layovers). Will they go through customs in EWR or SFO? If yes, is 2 hours enough time?
Appreciate any insights
Option 1 on United - EWR --> SFO --> TPE - layover is 2 hr 12 min (other options have long 10+ hour layovers). Will they go through customs in EWR or SFO? If yes, is 2 hours enough time?
Appreciate any insights
Of course you may also wish to consider cost and mileage accumulation in your decision.
Mar 2, 2017, 12:20 pm
#4
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Is JFK with nonstops on EVA or China Airlines completely out of the question? I'd rather send someone elderly on a non-stop versus risking a misconnect in unfamiliar territory.
That said, the HKG option is probably better for Chinese speaking capabilities the whole way. You'll have ground crew and cabin crew who all speak Chinese. Additionally, even if they misconnect due to delays at HKG, there are multiple flight options to TPE. A misconnect at SFO would be more problematic and I thought United had a spotty on-time history with the SFO-TPE flight.
That said, the HKG option is probably better for Chinese speaking capabilities the whole way. You'll have ground crew and cabin crew who all speak Chinese. Additionally, even if they misconnect due to delays at HKG, there are multiple flight options to TPE. A misconnect at SFO would be more problematic and I thought United had a spotty on-time history with the SFO-TPE flight.
Mar 2, 2017, 4:37 pm
#7
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Pardon my ignorance, but why would one not be able to get from EWR to JFK, but yet they can do a transit?
Mar 2, 2017, 9:58 pm
#8
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Mar 2, 2017, 10:02 pm
#9
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NY-SF is close to 6 hours. SFO-TPE isn't a whole lot shorter than EWR-HKG. United isn't especially good at serving non-native English speakers. I'd be shocked if more than one in ten people would choose UA via SFO in this case.
Mar 2, 2017, 10:13 pm
#10
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Sure it will take you more than 45mins at peak times, but don't most of BR's flights leave late at night?
Really doesn't make sense to me. It's like someone saying to me they live in Brighton, so they'd rather fly from LGW and connect as opposed to fly from LHR direct, sounds ridiculous to me and London's traffic is way worse than New York's...
Mar 2, 2017, 11:25 pm
#11
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45 mins with average traffic to drive between EWR and JFK, and from other points even less of a difference. The flight AFAIK is 1.5 hrs. Add to that the connection time, you don't get off one plane and your connection is already ready to go, and more so the hassle of transiting, having to get off the plane, missed connections etc etc. I don't see how it's worth it.
Sure it will take you more than 45mins at peak times, but don't most of BR's flights leave late at night?
Really doesn't make sense to me. It's like someone saying to me they live in Brighton, so they'd rather fly from LGW and connect as opposed to fly from LHR direct, sounds ridiculous to me and London's traffic is way worse than New York's...
Sure it will take you more than 45mins at peak times, but don't most of BR's flights leave late at night?
Really doesn't make sense to me. It's like someone saying to me they live in Brighton, so they'd rather fly from LGW and connect as opposed to fly from LHR direct, sounds ridiculous to me and London's traffic is way worse than New York's...
2. Many people who use Newark are further away (e.g. going from Princeton to JFK is a real drag)
3. Public transit options between northern NJ and JFK aren't good, and taxis are very expensive
Mar 3, 2017, 7:27 am
#12
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Thats the absolute minimum time it would take to realistically get from HKG to TPE, including deplaning, security re-check, minimum transfer time, reboarding and the hassle of a connection.
Anyway it's obviously up to you what you find better but in terms of convenience I can't say this makes sense to me.
Last edited by akalra1187; Mar 3, 2017 at 2:11 pm
Mar 3, 2017, 1:58 pm
#13
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Short of flying the non-stop, I would rather go with the CX option. Navigating through HKG for a non-English Chinese speaker is much easier than SFO. Also, like the others have commented in the event of a irrop there are many options on HKG-TPE.
Mar 3, 2017, 8:22 pm
#14
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When I lived in the Tri-State area, I was willing to take an extra domestic hop rather than going to JFK or even EWR to NRT. Going through all the bridges and tunnels into NYC is stressful. So, it is totally understandable.
However....if this is for the elderly, the nonstop is worth the pain. With Uber or the Chinese taxi companies, the cost is manageable.
SFO on UA is definitely the last resort.
BR should really re-start EWR service.
However....if this is for the elderly, the nonstop is worth the pain. With Uber or the Chinese taxi companies, the cost is manageable.
SFO on UA is definitely the last resort.
BR should really re-start EWR service.
Mar 5, 2017, 3:05 pm
#15
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I would go for the CX option too:
* Although the flight to HKG is longer, service is better and there are Chinese speaking crew (Cantonese and Mandarin).
* If there is any irrop, it is much easier for a Chinese-speaking person to get help in HKG (compared to SFO).
* If he is flying UA, he can walk airside to Concourse G (departing concourse for UA international) in SFO. However, If he follows the crowd and exits airside (likely), then he will have to go through security to return airside.
* If he is flying round trip, he may not want to go through customs in SFO before getting back through security to board his SFO-EWR flight.
* Although the flight to HKG is longer, service is better and there are Chinese speaking crew (Cantonese and Mandarin).
* If there is any irrop, it is much easier for a Chinese-speaking person to get help in HKG (compared to SFO).
* If he is flying UA, he can walk airside to Concourse G (departing concourse for UA international) in SFO. However, If he follows the crowd and exits airside (likely), then he will have to go through security to return airside.
* If he is flying round trip, he may not want to go through customs in SFO before getting back through security to board his SFO-EWR flight.