I'll be travelling to Montreal for an exchange semester this fall and have (of course) already started scouting my travel options. So far i've gathered that schedule and fare wise i'll probably end up on either of these options:
KLM via AMS on the A330
AF via CDG on A340/A330/B772
BA via LHR on B788
AC via any major EU partner hub, varying aircraft
UA via any major EU partner hub, varying aircraft
LH via any of their hubs, most likely on B748 or A330
I'm flying out of my local airport GOT.
Do any of these airlines stand out in terms of comfort level and service on their transatlantic offerings (in economy)? I've crossed the pond only once before, on DL, which i thought was an ok experience.
Thankful for any input!
[Edited 2015-04-03 22:56:42]
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
Maybe a bit of a detour for you, but I would go TK hands-down - great service, ameneties (even in Y) and catering !
Usually they've great fares too...
Usually they've great fares too...
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
You could also do :
Crosair via ORY(I know that its a big detour)
LH would be the one with thebest comfort service that is in your list and UA is the worst one and wouldnt recommend it.
Crosair via ORY(I know that its a big detour)
| Quoting mika (Thread starter): LH via any of their hubs, most likely on B748 or A330 |
LH would be the one with thebest comfort service that is in your list and UA is the worst one and wouldnt recommend it.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
The service would likely be comparable on all those carriers (except UA), so I would go solely off aircraft type. The B748i and B787 are far more interesting planes than the A330/340, IMO. I'd fly on that.
I usually like flying BA, but I can't comment on the service of the other carriers.
I usually like flying BA, but I can't comment on the service of the other carriers.
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- Viscount724
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RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
For a relatively short transatlantic route like YUL I would choose whichever airline has the best combination of convenient schedule and the lowest fare.
I would certainly avoid connecting via the US to avoid the additional customs/immigration hassles.
My first choice would probably be KLM due to their very convenient AMS hub and frequent service GOT-AMS should mean fairly short connecting times. And 8-abreast on the A330 is among the best widebody configurations. Only the 2-3-2 767 is better.
I would avoid AF or AC via CDG if it involves a 777 since all AF 777s are 10-abreast in Y and AC uses their high-density 10-abreast 77Ws on CDG-YUL. On the other hand, any route operated by AC using the 763 or A333, or other 777 routes where their 777s are still 9-abreast, would be good.
I would certainly avoid connecting via the US to avoid the additional customs/immigration hassles.
My first choice would probably be KLM due to their very convenient AMS hub and frequent service GOT-AMS should mean fairly short connecting times. And 8-abreast on the A330 is among the best widebody configurations. Only the 2-3-2 767 is better.
I would avoid AF or AC via CDG if it involves a 777 since all AF 777s are 10-abreast in Y and AC uses their high-density 10-abreast 77Ws on CDG-YUL. On the other hand, any route operated by AC using the 763 or A333, or other 777 routes where their 777s are still 9-abreast, would be good.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
| Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 4): My first choice would probably be KLM due to their very convenient AMS hub and frequent service GOT-AMS should mean fairly short connecting times. And 8-abreast on the A330 is among the best widebody configurations. Only the 2-3-2 767 is better. |
This option i also feel very comfortable with, i read some trip reports yesterday and the KL A330 seems more than ok across the Atlantic. The other thing, which i forgot to mention in the original post, is that i will need to check two bags in both directions. KLM allows me to buy this service right on their website, which would be an added perk.
Booking with KLM i'm also able to select flights with AF via CDG, flying on the A340 would be a bit nice as well since i've never been on one...would the AF A340 differ negatively in any remarkable way from flying KL on the A330?
Thanks everyone for the valuable input!
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
Why don't you look at going from CPH to YYZ? That way you get to try out their Dreamliner! Backtracking to Montreal isn't really that far.
Scooter01
Scooter01
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
I agree that the products are more or less the same hard product wise. I would avoid UA however as some of their planes are pretty old and you would need to connect in the US.
I would also probably prefer the European carriers, as I think that the catering is slightly better on European carriers, alcool is usually free (if that is important to you) and you are protected by EU-Regulation for compensations on the flight back to Europe in case of irregularities.
I would probably go for LH or KLM depending on schedule/price/preferred alliance (mileage etc).
TK could be an option. If an overnight is requried in IST as there is no better schedule, TK will organize and pay for it.
I would also probably prefer the European carriers, as I think that the catering is slightly better on European carriers, alcool is usually free (if that is important to you) and you are protected by EU-Regulation for compensations on the flight back to Europe in case of irregularities.
I would probably go for LH or KLM depending on schedule/price/preferred alliance (mileage etc).
TK could be an option. If an overnight is requried in IST as there is no better schedule, TK will organize and pay for it.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
| Quoting mika (Reply 6): This one is very interesting for sure...i'm trying to look up fares on the TK website but it's giving me troubles right now. |
Please keep trying - TK will have a 2 piece allowance on all their TA flights as well !!! (incl. in the fare - no extra payments needed)
[Edited 2015-04-09 12:16:11]
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
I'm kind of in the same boat here. This thread has been helpful, thanks! How about SWISS? How are they lately?
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
| Quoting MH017 (Reply 9): Please keep trying - TK will have a 2 piece allowance on all their TA flights as well !!! (incl. in the fare - no extra payments needed) |
There's some odd problem for me with their site. I can find flights from ARN-IST-YUL but not GOT-IST-YUL which is my home airport, the search engine just returns to the date selection page. I know that they fly twice daily from here to IST though (mid-day and evening). Odd.
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- visualapproach
- Posts: 214
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RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
IST is a long way in the wrong direction for an east coast destination. Air France, KLM, SWISS, Lufthansa etc are going to be much of a muchness. I'd probably go for the one with a unique aircraft type you haven't flown yet.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
| Quoting visualapproach (Reply 13): IST is a long way in the wrong direction for an east coast destination. Air France, KLM, SWISS, Lufthansa etc are going to be much of a muchness. I'd probably go for the one with a unique aircraft type you haven't flown ye |
That's looking increasingly likely. A343 on AF outbound and A330 on KLM coming back home feels like a good enough fit. Never been on the A340 and KL's A330 seem like a good product, so it should be good.
| Quoting klm672 (Reply 11): I'm kind of in the same boat here. This thread has been helpful, thanks! How about SWISS? How are they lately? |
This is a good question...i've heard very little about Swiss in general. What i do know is that they often times seem to be more expensive than the usual Euro carriers across the atlantic.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
British Airways. Their seats have great comfort in the new planes.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
If you going France, AH or AT could be an alternative 
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
Hi! I am a Montrealer and I have been living in Finland for 4 years now and traveled back and forth multiple time. I tried almost every routing possible.. TMP-ARN-EWR-YUL, HEL-IST-YUL, HEL-MUC/FRA-YUL, TMP-ARN-ZRH-YUL, TMP-HEL-LHR-YUL, TMP-HEL-CDG/AMS-YUL and even through some connections in ORD and YYZ too.
The differences between airlines are minimal (especially on newer/refurbished aircrafts). The best food is on AF. For the rest, go with the type you miss or the best connection. I personally like to arrive in YUL quite late and leave YUL the latest possible (BA flight is good for that). Because leaving the East coast too early (say before 18:00) I just do not get any sleep. Final advice, TK and IST is a long way in the wrong direction. I did it last summer because of the price, you can get very very cheap flights. I would not do it again unless necessary.
Have fun in YUL and if you need traveling info, PM me!
The differences between airlines are minimal (especially on newer/refurbished aircrafts). The best food is on AF. For the rest, go with the type you miss or the best connection. I personally like to arrive in YUL quite late and leave YUL the latest possible (BA flight is good for that). Because leaving the East coast too early (say before 18:00) I just do not get any sleep. Final advice, TK and IST is a long way in the wrong direction. I did it last summer because of the price, you can get very very cheap flights. I would not do it again unless necessary.
Have fun in YUL and if you need traveling info, PM me!
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- ushermittwoch
- Posts: 2617
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RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
I'd stay away from flying back via CDG. Outbound is no problem.
The AF/KL combo is probably what I would go with as well, although I am very intrigued by trying out TK.
The AF/KL combo is probably what I would go with as well, although I am very intrigued by trying out TK.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
i use klm for that route, works best for me.
CDG is not great to xfer, i've arrived, parked, bused to terminal, security, down the finger to a bus then busted to ac more times than i can remember.
Check out the AF planes, they have lots of business seats and i've been upgraded more often on AF then KLM
A couple of years ago air Moroc had the cheapest flights from mad anyway, good luck
CDG is not great to xfer, i've arrived, parked, bused to terminal, security, down the finger to a bus then busted to ac more times than i can remember.
Check out the AF planes, they have lots of business seats and i've been upgraded more often on AF then KLM
A couple of years ago air Moroc had the cheapest flights from mad anyway, good luck
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- gabrielchew
- Posts: 3827
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RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
| Quoting frostyj (Reply 15): British Airways. Their seats have great comfort in the new planes. |
I've not flown the BA 787 in Y, but all reports i've heard about that cabin is that it has the tighest seats of any in the fleet, and has been subject to many complaints, as well as unoffical acknowledgement from BA that the cabin is unft for purpose. Whilst the serivce on BA is normally very good, unless you are a fairly small person, i'd advise againist the BA 787 in Y.
I flew to YUL on KL.....the experience was ok, not special (other than being on a MD11!).
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
| Quoting mad99 (Reply 19): CDG is not great to xfer, i've arrived, parked, bused to terminal, security, down the finger to a bus then busted to ac more times than i can remember. |
While I am not a CDG fan, I can't agree. Recently things have changed a lot to the better. You will arrive either at 2F or 2G from a Schengen flight. At 2F most airplanes get jetbridges (I never had a bus gate at 2F but I might just have been lucky) and at 2G planes park directly in front of the terminal and you can walk.
Then you either walk from 2F to 2E where there international flights depart, or you take a few minutes airside bus from 2G to 2E. There is no security check to pass in this direction, only a exit passport control, which even has priority lanes for short connections.
On the other way it's the same, but you will need to pass a security check as well (as usual when landing from a non schengen country and connecting).
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
Have you considered RAM? Could be 747-400 or 787-8, very exotic. Fare might also be very competitive. Also if you can get to Paris-Orly, Corsair, 747-400 and again a very cheap price (crosses fingers). They would be my first choices.
RE: Best Airline Europe To YUL
Stay away from BA 787 in Y....
Truly supercramped....
Unless you are a dwarf.
Truly supercramped....
Unless you are a dwarf.
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- ushermittwoch
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