Darin

My wife and I are flying Air Canada to Australia in the fall and I'm wondering if anyone has done this flight and could tell me what to expect? We are flying from LAX to Vancouver to Sydney (I think there's also a stop over in Honolulu for 30 minutes...) - It's going to be a killer flight, time length wise -but we got a great deal on Priceline and feel it's worth it what with the money we're saving (aproximately 800 dollars off the lowest published fare). Anyway, we're flying coach (unfortunately) on an Airbus A320-200 (320) from Lax to Vancouver and back and our plane from Vancouver to Sydney and back is a 767-300 (763). We have never flown Air Canada and are just wondering what it might be like (in comparison to an US airline or just any airline in general)?!? Has anyone had any good (o.k., or bad) experiences with Air Canada before?!?! Thanks for your help!<BR>

John

I have done this flight several times.A couple of times ex Van and a few times ex Toronto.<BR>On one absolute killer occasion...i bussed Sherbrooke to Montreal,then bussed Montreal to Toronto,caught the Toronto to Honolulu flight and then Honolulu to Sydney.<BR><BR>the Air Canada flights ex Van and Toronto link up with Qantus flights in the middle of the night in Honolulu.<BR><BR>Thus you will find urself on a qantus flight from honolulu to sydney.In my experience a delay in the incoming qantus flight can blow out ur time in Honolulu.Take a few us$ so you can at least enjoy some comforts in the middle of the night if you get stuck.<BR><BR>I hope you get to sydney in a state to enjoy ur first couple of days and you feel the saving was worth it.<BR><BR>Air canada and qantus are quite good airlines at least the equal of united etc imho.<BR><BR>

Jane

Hi Darin,<BR><BR>We used Air Canada to travel from Vancouver to Sydney last August. We stopped over in Honolulu on the way there which made the journey more bearable. We flew Air Canada there and back on a 767 (it was not a Quantas flight). I felt it was okay, but bear in mind we are Canadian and usually flew with Canadian Airlines before Air Canada took them over. I feel the service on Air Canada is not as good as it was on Canadian but there again I have not been overly impressed by any American airlines I have flown. The 767 is a little crowded. Bring a neck pillow. I could not get comfortable and was basically unable to sleep on the 18 hour flight. A number of people had the neck pillows and that seemed to make things better. Australia was wonderful, it's definitely worth the long flight. You will have a great time!

Darin

John & Jane,<BR><BR>Thanks for your help! It sounds like we'll live through the experience...do you guys (or anyone else who's travelled on Air Canada) remember anything about amenities provided on international flight (if any), movies/entertinament or food service? I'm pretty sure we're flying Air Canada the entire way though although we do have that short 45 minute stop in Honolulu...Also, does anyone know what the approximate flying time is from LA to Vancouver....and what the approx flying time is from Vancouver to Sydney? Just wondering....<BR><BR>Thanks Again! Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Suzanne

If you have time, why don't you space out your flights so you can spend time at the stop over places, also might help with jet lag.

John

Darin;<BR>As has been suggested my trips were on Canadian..they had a share with Qantus.I guess air canada does go all the way.Thus you will not be held up in the middle of the night in hawai.<BR>Sorry to lead u astray.<BR><BR>It is quite touristy and not high cuisine but Doyles at Watsons Bay at Sunset is hard to beat restaurant wise.<BR>Catch a ferry..walk around south head..have a pre dinner drink at the Watsons bay hotel..get a table on the beach....

Nikki

You'll forget all about that LOOOONG flight after arriving in Australia. Our experience was "love at first sight" the people are warm and genuine. Don't forget to do the Bridge climb and please, please go to the Sydney Opera House for any performance - it's quite memorable and not very expensive. The ferries take you all over Sydney - food is great - don't know where you're headed but you'll love Ayers Rock, Melbourne, Great Barrier Reef - most all of the country and its people. We tried to sleep going over and once we got to Sydney - we were ready to start being tourists!! The trip back was a bit harder - they say that flying from west to east is rougher but maybe it's cause we didn't really want to leave. Enjoy and tell us about it when you return.