# Air Transat To Canada



## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

Looking to book flights to Toronto in July, some expected names turned up BA ( who won't be getting the business due to ampending strikes all the time) Air France,Air Canada, Thomas Cook but also Air Transat who I had never heard of before.

They seem to get mixed reviews but are on the cheaper end of things and do have a small premium cabin with a few bells included.

Was wondering if anyone had any experience or any alternatives? Manchester dep. preferred.

I do appreciate that "you get what you pay for" etc. although recently I've found some BA flights to be be a bit rubbish and was very disappointed with Cathay Pacific.


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## Sailor99 (Aug 6, 2010)

I don't have experience of Air Transat I am afraid, but I UNDERSTAND they are at the bucket end of things. I would not expect AVOD entertainment for example. If you can live with this, fine, but if you're doing the west coast it can be a long, long way. But you are bound to find someone much more knowledgable here:

Flyer Talk

I've always found them a friendly lot and very helpful.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Never heard of Air Tansat but a quick look on their website and it doesn't look to bad. Old Airbus's though, I'm thinking random left turns into mountains and things like that :lol: :lol: The other minor problem that would maybe put me off is they don't have a lot of planes so if there is a problem you might be stuck for a while.

The others I've flown with. I'd still have a punt with BA regardless plenty of planes and you will get there one way or another. Air Chance, the biggest problem is you will probably end up in Charles De Gaulle to catch the main flight, possibly the worst airport I have ever passed through, it's huge, almost impossible to find your way around, everybody speaks French and on board the flight no great shakes and pretty cramped. Personally I would avoid at all costs. I only had a couple of short flights with Air Canada but they weren't to bad. Used Thomas Cook a couple of times as well for holiday flights and again not bad for short haul but not sure about longer flights.

The main ones that seem to come up as the cheapest when I had a quick look were Delta, KLM and then Lufthansa but all from Heathrow ???? I was never impressed with any American airlines that I used, KLM is ok and although I've never been with Lufthansa they have a reasonable reputation. I assume Manchester is closest but it's another airport that I would never fly from through choice, absolutely terrible 

Pity none of the Middle Eastern airlines fly that way, in recent years they have been head and shoulders above most others I have used.

BTW I'm not a travel agent I just used to travel a lot


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## Sailor99 (Aug 6, 2010)

BondandBigM said:


> Air Chance, the biggest problem is you will probably end up in Charles De Gaulle to catch the main flight, possibly the worst airport I have ever passed through, it's huge, almost impossible to find your way around, everybody speaks French and on board the flight no great shakes and pretty cramped. Personally I would avoid at all costs. I only had a couple of short flights with Air Canada but they weren't to bad. Used Thomas Cook a couple of times as well for holiday flights and again not bad for short haul but not sure about longer flights.


Agree whole heartedly about CDG. And I would add do not, repeat NOT go via chicago if you are flying to the west coast. Because of weather it has an appauling cancelation record. I can assure you the floors are very cold to try and sleep on 

(May I have my gold watch now please :clown: )


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

Sailor99 said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > Air Chance, the biggest problem is you will probably end up in Charles De Gaulle to catch the main flight, possibly the worst airport I have ever passed through, it's huge, almost impossible to find your way around, everybody speaks French and on board the flight no great shakes and pretty cramped. Personally I would avoid at all costs. I only had a couple of short flights with Air Canada but they weren't to bad. Used Thomas Cook a couple of times as well for holiday flights and again not bad for short haul but not sure about longer flights.
> ...


I think it would have to be one hell of a saving to persuade me to go indirect. Air Canada looks favourite at the moment. I don't mind Manchester but would probably pay for a lounge anyway.

As for your presentation watch Sailor, I'll send you exactly what I got for my 50th post :tongue2:


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## Sailor99 (Aug 6, 2010)

Not sure which cabin you are planning to use, but if you turn left air Canada have a good flat bed suits lay out much like Virgin's product. I used AC to nova scotia a couple of months ago and they were fine.


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

handlehall said:


> Was wondering if anyone had any experience or any alternatives? Manchester dep. preferred.


My cousin lives over there and had used most airlines to visit back to the UK. She's quite happy with Air Transat for the price.

I intend to go soon - canadianaffair.com use Air Transat and Thomas Cook flights.


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## James (Jul 17, 2006)

I use them for North America flights. Bit cramped but I imagine their longer flight have more comfort don't know. But locally I can't take them for more than a few hours which takes me to the bottom of the US or Vegas anyway. The last Air Canada flight I took back from Vegas I managed to over the course of three hours pry the inner window off into my lap I was bored and it was loose anyway. Gave me something to do other roll fruit down the aisle


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## Markybirch (Apr 24, 2009)

Went to Toronto last year with Thomas Cook's. Paid for extra legroom seats. Was well worth it. Bear in mind that Air Transat and Thomas Cook's code share, so you won't know who you are flying with until you actually board the plane. On our way home, we were delayed by 12 hours because the plane taking us home had to return back to Manchester because of a fault. So it would appear they don't have many planes they can call upon. Also, the lady sitting next to the 710 had paid extra for the club class on the Air Transat flight but wasnt told it would be a Thomas Cook flight, so ended up in cattle cart like the rest of us and no refund.

Hope that helps


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## Sailor99 (Aug 6, 2010)

Markybirch said:


> Bear in mind that Air Transat and Thomas Cook's code share, so you won't know who you are flying with until you actually board the plane.


You can check the actual carrier, whos 'metal' you will be on, using expertflyer.com availability tool. It would need a subscription though. Alternatively people on the previous site I mentioned who already subscribe (or me ) can check it for you for free if you ask.


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## James (Jul 17, 2006)

You come to Toronto and don't say hi


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

James said:


> You come to Toronto and don't say hi


Never been before James, my aunt's only lived there for 60 years







I don't come from a particularly close-knit family - my sister lives in Florida and I've never been there either!


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## grant1967 (Aug 30, 2008)

Have you tried booking through Candian Affair we booked a Thomas Cook flight through them to Toronto great price and excellent service.


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## handlehall (Aug 7, 2009)

grant1967 said:


> Have you tried booking through Candian Affair we booked a Thomas Cook flight through them to Toronto great price and excellent service.


Yep,that's where I saw Transat. I was attracted by the fact that they have an upgraded cabin section for not much money but it seems due to the size/age of their fleet you can easily end up in standard seats with no refund.

I can easily just about put up with a standard seat for 8 hours but not Mrs.P. however she has assured me that BA will not strike on the day in question so it'll probably end up being World Traveler Plus.


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## grant1967 (Aug 30, 2008)

handlehall said:


> grant1967 said:
> 
> 
> > Have you tried booking through Candian Affair we booked a Thomas Cook flight through them to Toronto great price and excellent service.
> ...


We travelled last year with British Airways to Los Angeles flights were okay(return flight delayed 8 hours).

I sweated buckets for months hoping BA wouldn't strike has put me of using BA at the moment to be honest.


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## Deco (Feb 15, 2011)

I flew AT into Toronto last September. Their standard seats are just that - standard. They have a facility to book specific seats in the standard cabin ie: a 2 seat row or an emergency exit row for not too much extra squids.

I am planning on going again next September & will not hesitate to use them again. The bigest drawback for me is that they fly a Toronto-Dublin-Shannon-Toronto route, so I always have to travel via Shannon (which is only 20mins flying time from Dublin). And they make you disembark!!


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