Originally Posted By schnebs SuperDry: The UAL fares are published fares on their website. The Air Canada fares are from one of the travel websites (don't ask me which one at the moment), but I don't think it's a consolidator fare; Air Canada's own website has the fare for the same itinerary at $1003 including taxes and surcharges.
Originally Posted By schnebs A380kevin: Thanks for the tip. They didn't have any specials for April yet, but I'll keep checking. JTB's LA office has an LAX-NRT nonstop on UA for April at approx. $852 (the fuel surcharge and tax fees on the JTB website are estimates). Based on what everyone's told me so far, this sounds like my best bet for a non-consolidator fare.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara It's worth it to spend the extra hundred bucks if you get the miles.
Originally Posted By barboy "Avoid the airport in San Francisco at all costs (unless it's your home base): it is one of the worst in the country behind those in New York and O'Hare in Chicago. Constant delays due to volume and weather." Very interesting Mara, SFO apparently has been touted as the finest airport in the US based on customer service and its continuous improvement.... it has some an accolade too winning the "prestigious" international Eagle award when the IATA met in Singapore--- only the 3rd time a US airport has earned the award..... which means nothing to me.
Originally Posted By barboy 3 hours ago I just booked: San Fran. to Tokyo(8 nights) Tokyo to Philippines(17 nights) Philippines back to San Fran. for $1,000 flat. travel dates..... Jan.31 through Feb.24 I used a local outfit called "Mango Tours"(as in the Philippines' national fruit). Mabuhay!!
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara Here's something you'll find interesting. This link will take you to a real-time (automatically refreshes) FAA map of the US that gives up-to-the-minute information on every airport in the United States. <a href="http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp" target="_blank">http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/ usmap.jsp</a> Take a look at SFO (San Francisco) over the course of a few weeks and you'll see that it, along with the three New York Airports and Chicago O'Hare, are by far the worst in the country: red dots indicating trouble all the time. Pass your cursor over the airport's dot and it will pop open a window giving the exact problem and how long the delays are.
Originally Posted By barboy Oh I believe you Mara about the problems at SFO; it's just that I seem to remember SFO as being quite proud of their award..... but I could not care less about which airport is great and which is regarded as the pits as long as I back home in one piece.
Originally Posted By barboy The only two realistic players for that specific route(SFO to NRT to MNL to SFO)are Northwest Airlines and Japan Airlines. (Others like China, Cathay, Philippine Airlines and Korean will play but at some high prices). I'm not sure which of those two Mango set me up on. But I have a strong bet that it is Japan Airlines. Since I have no care or preference for any specific carrier I didn't ask...... I will know tomorrow though.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Regarding the differing opinions of SFO mentioned above, I think a distinction needs to be drawn between on-time performance, terminal facilities, and access. Different surveys and rankings will measure different aspects of an airport.
Originally Posted By Mr X I think those "best airports" reviews have to do mostly with terminal facilities. At least, that seems to be all they write about when reviewing them. I probably shouldn't say this, but I've had great luck flying in and out of New York (Newark specifically, and JFK a couple of times too) and have never experienced a delay.
Originally Posted By barboy I will be on JAL. I just don't understand why people have such strong disdain or preferences for that matter for one airline over another. I can't discern one from the other except for their company colors/logos and that China Air, Philippine Air and Cathay employ very youthful beautiful attendants. I have flown a lot(never business/work related)and I have been on several different carriers: Cebu Pacific X2 Philippine Air X3 China Air Cathay Areo Mexico X3 Mexicana X3 Hawaiian Alaskan United many times American many times Delta many times TWA Spirit Continental many times Northwest many times Bahaman Air Jet blue Iceland Air Jamaica Air Frontier Airlines (I know that I left out 4 or 5??) Just like coke/pepsi, Tweedle Dee/Tweedle Dumm, or FedEx/UPS their all pretty much the same to me.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara JAL is great. Did take it to Japan and then on to Hong Kong once. Need to get those United miles, though. Unfortunately, when you fly their partner ANA, you don't get 100% of the miles.
Originally Posted By barboy But what makes JAL so good and hypothetically Delta(or any) so bad? They all pretty much use the same passenger planes by Boeing/ Mcdonnell Douglas, same seats, same trained personnel, fly miles or perks(if your into those things) and if landing in the US or having US ties subject to FAA regs.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara The difference is in the company itself, not the equipment. How clean the planes are kept. How the flight attendants are trained. How the food is prepared, what kind of food, etc.
Originally Posted By Roger55 What makes all the Disneylands/MK around the world different? They all pretty much use the same layouts designed by WDI, lots of the same attractions, Disney trained CMs, same or similar merchandise, etc.
Originally Posted By Mr X Well, I don't really think there are HUGE differences, but subtle niceties can add up to a better experience I think. For example, Northwest and ANA both had okay food, but ANA offered a Japanese selection (they all do in business class I think) that was far nicer looking and I would assume tastier (didn't eat it lol). But yeah...there really isn't any huge differences of course. I prefer to fly on newer jets though..so I appreciate that on Continental I'll always be on a nicely appointed, relatively new 777 as compared to say the NWA fleet of aging 747's with limited entertainment and all that. Here's an airline that seems awfully different...and the price actually seems CHEAPER than a normal business class fare somehow! <a href="http://tinyurl.com/3c3mqy" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/3c3mqy</a> Escorted through security and customs? How cool! <a href="http://tinyurl.com/34n6b6" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/34n6b6</a> Now THIS looks like some exclusive service! Anyone heard of this airline? I guess it's brand new, and has a limited schedule. I wonder what the other downsides (if any) are.
Originally Posted By Mr X I wonder how they'll end up doing though. Looks like another, similar upstart Maxjet has just hit the skids! <a href="http://www.maxjet.com" target="_blank">http://www.maxjet.com</a> Too bad. I like the idea of having as many options as possible (both cheap and luxurious)...keeps the good old boys from getting too complacent I think.
Originally Posted By barboy Oh I'm sure there are subtle differences but I would never, ever pick one airline over another just because hypothetically Bahaman Air offers unlimited soft drinks or that United had a 96.5% on time rating. Those things are just way too trivial. All I need is for some company to take me safely to another place and back without yelling at me or losing my luggage. When I travel I care about my destination and the splendors that await and not how I get there(as long as I am delivered safely and with reasonable respect). What I am saying is I will pick NWA over JAL if it saves me $100 but not because, again hypothetically, NWA's staff smiles more or they offer head sets.
