 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello there!
Planning to fly off to Vancouver in FEB 2007 for a couple of weeks skiinh in Whistler.
Anyone know when the best deals on flights are to be had (i.e when should we book)?
Being the fussy beggers that we are, the budget airlines (FlyZoom) are not our favoured choice, so hopefully B.A will come up with the goods!
Ta muchly!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You might get lucky with BA when they do a pre Christmas seat sale around November but otherwise the cheaper tickets are usually indirect transiting through the US with a US airline/European partner e.g. KLM/Nothwest often seem to have deals.
Otherwise you're into the semi charters
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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worth looking at BA to Seattle - often a bit cheaper and only adds a couple of hours to the transfer time
if you look at the spec of Zoom, I'm not sure they would be much worse than BA and probably better than Air Canada. The premium seats in Zoom cost about the same as BA economy but it sounds like the all round experience is a bit like BA premium economy. Never used Zoom, although my wife will be on them this week so I can report on that soon
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Used Zoom a couple of years ago (flight to Vancouver). Was rather impressed. Service was good. Planes comfortable. The ability to pre-book specific seats was a plus on BA. Times of flights reasonable. The only advantage that BA has was the tv screen/computer consoley things built into the seats which did a wonderful job of keeping the kids quiet. Even so - I`d fly Zoom any day.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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And they were better than Air Canada (not that there was anything wrong with Air Canada).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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weirdonorskie, we went with BA-cramped an uncomfortable, I would prefer to fly with Air Canada if i had a choice, loads more legroom, ant the food was better. As we have to get a connecting flight from here anyway, KLM are usually the cheapest option via Amsterdam. We didn't use Zoom as it was a new operation then, and didn't want to risk not getting there at all.
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weirdonorskie, flown with air canada and air transat (the latter a few years ago)
Air canada are ok though not great, when out there spoke to a number of people who said Zoom were good and cheap
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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hmm...thanks for the tips.
Is it fair to say then, that Flyzoom is of a better standard than the likes of Easyjet? 10 hours is a fairly long flight, so just concerned about the comfort/food/entertainment etc. (Obviously appreciating that you do get what you pay for...)
The only obstacle in my path is that my partner is petrified of flying so will pretty much only go for (in her words) "safer airlines" such as B.A.
Might check out how prices compare to Seattle instead.
Arno - would appreciate a report on your wifes' travel experience with Zoom 
Any other suggestions welcomed!
Thanks guys.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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DMS&S magazine sent one of their writers on a flight with them. He was most impressed - there's more legroom than BA.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Being 6'2", legroom is always good!! 
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my partner is petrified of flying
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I sympathise; my daughter in law is petrified too, and has worked very hard to try to control it. How about a nice, comfortable, drive to the Alps? Or a super-safe train? I hope your partner is a very keen skier, weirdonorskie, so she can get up the mountain to make up for all those hours of terror, not sit in Whistler in the rain....
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You know it makes sense.
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Did the snow train last year (very impressed actually) and have done the Alps for the last 3 years running, so time for a change of scenery
Funny you should mention the Whistler rain. I worked there for a season in 01/02 and she braved the flight on her own then. It rained 5 of the 10days she was there...
She has spent the last 5 years psyching her self up for it again. The things people do for fun these days...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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weirdonorskie, weirdonorskie, although I did enjoy the skiing in whistler, I found the cloudy/foggy conditions quite depressing at times.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I do agree with you, it can be quite depressing. However, it's worth the risk!
If the weather is good - the skiing is fantastic! So much variety!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Flown Zoom, Glasgow to Vancouver four times, never been delayed either way, excellent customer service at both ends. Plenty of leg room, (I'm 6'2", but have never flown in posh seats so don't know what I'm missing) Food OK, entertainment limited to whats on the main screen.
In my opinion, excellent value for money and one of the main reasons I can afford to do Canada.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Have flown three times Zoom and always good. Woudl recommend the front end more room better food and free drink. More check in allowance as well. Book early as the prices start to increase significantly closer you get to travel dates. Posh seat are same size but significant more leg room
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My wife's assessment was that Zoom was definitely better than Air Canada.
Her flight was 30mins early
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I have done this trip each year for the last 5 years and have tried to see if there is any way of timing the purchase of flights to get the best deal......the answer is no !
Flying from Edinburgh you have to connect somewhere. The options are Heathrow, Amsterdam and Frankfurt. The consistently cheapest option is Amsterdam. Heathrow, which is BA and Air Canada, is consistently the most expensive. Lufthansa via Frankfurt was cheap one year but now seems about on a par with BA. There is no bargain basement sale that I have seen, though the period just after New Year can see some cheaper prices, but possibility limited availability. You could be lucky or you could miss out on the dates you want
If you are going to Whistler you have to factor in the time to clear Customs (actually pretty quick in Vancouver as it is not too bad) and get to Whistler (say 2.5 hours on the bus from the airport) so timing of flights can be important.
For me KLM via Amsterdam won easily being the cheapest flight and the best time, arriving at Vancouver at midday........then they changed the flight times so it is a late afternoon arrival now. Not a total problem, but not as good as it was.
Enter Zoom into the equation. They fly direct from Glasgow, at decent times and at decent prices. I have to get myself to/from Glasgow (45 miles as opposed to 2 miles to Edinburgh airport) but you fly direct, no stops etc. Prices are better (now at least) than any other option. Only downside is there is just one flight a week so you are stuck with 7 or 14 days....the others fly every day.
They may do 2 a week from Gatwick so you get a chance of say 10/11 days.
Friends did the Glasgow- Vancouver with Zoom in April with 2 kids and the dad being over 6 ft tall and had no hassles.
I might be on Zoom myself this year !
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