I have a question for frequent flyers but I figured I'd make a general Airline thread for discussion, reviews etc.

I fly every year or so and am fine (more or less).  But Im flying in 10 days with a friend (no really this is for my friend) who is very large (wide, not tall).  She sort of freaked me out to day by saying "hopefully I fit and they let me fly).  Now, she has flown twice before.  The first time was in the first class designation on Air Transat and the second was Air Canada.  She flew WPG to TO in a regular seat she described as "tight" and then the premium from there which she said was roomy.  She required a seat belt extender in all cases.

We are flying Westjet and are currently booked into Economy.  Im a sucker for a Window seat so I did pay for seat selection and the Westjet person originally booked us into a Window and an Aisle with the idea most flights are not full and someone wont take the middle. But Westjet changed our outbound flight from direct to connecting in TO and on the TO to Mexico leg we have Window and Middle.  Im considering upgrading to Plus if its available at check in but on Westjet 737, that eliminates the third passenger but does nothing for the width.

Thoughts?

Also, anyone flight West Jet plus?

11 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Fly from Calgary to Winnipeg it's $700 so who cares?? I'd rather domestic flights be cheaper than flights to sun destinations. 

People who like to go south in the winter care. Besides - it's a sale price, to one specific location, not all sun destinations.  We've got a trip booked in March and our flight prices are way higher than normal ($1400 to Cancun) - on the same dates I can fly round trip to Calgary for $213 so yeah it can be way cheaper to fly domestically.

What is the reason for the high prices this season?  My inlaws have said that everything is ridiculously pricey and I assume it cannot be from people avoiding Jamaica and going elsewhere? 

39 minutes ago, Brandon said:

What is the reason for the high prices this season?  My inlaws have said that everything is ridiculously pricey and I assume it cannot be from people avoiding Jamaica and going elsewhere? 

Have yet to see a good explanation.

Jamaica getting hit by the hurricane has definitely increased prices but it's still been much higher than normal even prior to that.

We book well in advance and have price match guarantees so we're always watching prices.  There were some deals to be had a couple months ago but very few these days unless you are happy with going to Cuba.

 

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

What is the reason for the high prices this season?  My inlaws have said that everything is ridiculously pricey and I assume it cannot be from people avoiding Jamaica and going elsewhere? 

Avoiding the US and going elsewhere maybe? Or are US prices bad too?

1 hour ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

Avoiding the US and going elsewhere maybe? Or are US prices bad too?

Inflation has hit the States big time over the last few years.  It was really expensive for us travelling in Spring where food and lodging was pricier then in Canada.     

 

10 hours ago, bigg jay said:

People who like to go south in the winter care. Besides - it's a sale price, to one specific location, not all sun destinations.  We've got a trip booked in March and our flight prices are way higher than normal ($1400 to Cancun) - on the same dates I can fly round trip to Calgary for $213 so yeah it can be way cheaper to fly domestically.

I think if anyone can afford to go on a holiday to a sunny resort anywhere then they should pay for the privelidge. We, the poor Canadians who stay home in the winter, if we want to fly in order to see family in Canada, we pay for it big time. I've never travelled anywhere in the winter. We travel in the summer. Prefer to drive over flying. In 2 years when my wife retires, we're planning a road trip to Halifax. We have family & friends in New Brunswick & Ontario. I've never beem east of Toronto.  

11 hours ago, Mark H. said:

You're in my seat! 😅

You're late!! It's mine. 

1 minute ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I think if anyone can afford to go on a holiday to a sunny resort anywhere then they should pay for the privelidge. We, the poor Canadians who stay home in the winter, if we want to fly in order to see family in Canada, we pay for it big time. I've never travelled anywhere in the winter. We travel in the summer. Prefer to drive over flying. In 2 years when my wife retires, we're planning a road trip to Halifax. We have family & friends in New Brunswick & Ontario. I've never beem east of Toronto.  

You can find deals though - like I said, you can fly to/from Calgary and Winnipeg for very cheap at certain times.  If you are looking to go at peak times, you pay peak prices.  Google Flights is a good way to look for affordable flights and you can set alerts to notify you when prices change.

Halifax is beautiful but like most cities, the homeless situation makes it unappealing to explore, at least it was a couple years ago when I was there.  Only other place east of Ontario, I've been was Montreal - also beautiful but was way more expensive than Halifax.

4 minutes ago, bigg jay said:

You can find deals though - like I said, you can fly to/from Calgary and Winnipeg for very cheap at certain times.  If you are looking to go at peak times, you pay peak prices.  Google Flights is a good way to look for affordable flights and you can set alerts to notify you when prices change.

Halifax is beautiful but like most cities, the homeless situation makes it unappealing to explore, at least it was a couple years ago when I was there.  Only other place east of Ontario, I've been was Montreal - also beautiful but was way more expensive than Halifax.

My great nephew goes to university... Rhodes College in Halifax. 

20 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I think if anyone can afford to go on a holiday to a sunny resort anywhere then they should pay for the privelidge. We, the poor Canadians who stay home in the winter, if we want to fly in order to see family in Canada, we pay for it big time. I've never travelled anywhere in the winter. We travel in the summer. Prefer to drive over flying. In 2 years when my wife retires, we're planning a road trip to Halifax. We have family & friends in New Brunswick & Ontario. I've never beem east of Toronto.  

You're late!! It's mine. 

I don't understand the "hate" for people going South for winter and how it is related to domestic flights being expensive.  I don't believe airlines are subsidizing flights to Mexico by charging more to folks wanting to travel back and forth from Calgary?   The only hate should be Air Canada taking billions from our Gov't and yet still outsourcing most of the jobs and charging customers top dollar for mediocre services.  

Me thinks you are in a time warp and think that it is the 80's where a family could travel via car for an affordable rate while only the rich and upper class can fly to Mexico.    These days it's the opposite,  our family road trips that we take are extremely expensive in comparison for the value that we have when we fly to Mexico.     I've encountered several people in my life who didn't understand going South for winter.... until they went one time and then realized how great it is and after going once couldn't wait until they could go back again.  Many of them regretted waiting so many years until going.   

Leaving Winnipeg in -30 weather and arriving somewhere tropical and getting that blast of hot +25 humid air as you leave the plane is sublime.  

 

31 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I don't understand the "hate" for people going South for winter and how it is related to domestic flights being expensive.  I don't believe airlines are subsidizing flights to Mexico by charging more to folks wanting to travel back and forth from Calgary?   The only hate should be Air Canada taking billions from our Gov't and yet still outsourcing most of the jobs and charging customers top dollar for mediocre services.  

Me thinks you are in a time warp and think that it is the 80's where a family could travel via car for an affordable rate while only the rich and upper class can fly to Mexico.    These days it's the opposite,  our family road trips that we take are extremely expensive in comparison for the value that we have when we fly to Mexico.     I've encountered several people in my life who didn't understand going South for winter.... until they went one time and then realized how great it is and after going once couldn't wait until they could go back again.  Many of them regretted waiting so many years until going.   

Leaving Winnipeg in -30 weather and arriving somewhere tropical and getting that blast of hot +25 humid air as you leave the plane is sublime.  

 

I was an independent insurance adjuster living i& working in Thompson with my wife & 3 year old son (at the time). It was right around this time of the year. Maybe late November or early December of 1989.

I was watching TV & switched to a weather channel similar to the one we used to have on local cable in Winnipeg. It said the ambient air temp outside was -52 Celsius. Even being from Winnipeg,I never experienced temperatures like that. So, I bundled up. went out & checked my truck. I wanted to experience what it's like at minus 50 for the first & only time in my life.

Once outside, I made sure that my truck was properly plugged into my stall at our apartment block. No wind. Just silence. Felt like I was in some sort of vacuum. The sky was clear & full of stars. Silence except for the cracking of the trees around me that sounded like gunshots going off & the steam comimg out of every chimney & vent in town. As well as the squeaky crunch of the snow when I walked.

My experience wasn't sublime but surreal. Felt like I was another planet. I HATE cold weather but that was a heckuva beautiful experience!

Edited November 26, 2025Nov 26 by SpeedFlex27

On 2025-11-24 at 8:34 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

Fly from Calgary to Winnipeg it's $700 so who cares?? I'd rather domestic flights be cheaper than flights to sun destinations. 

https://ywgdeals.com/s/winnipeg-to-halifax-nova-scotia-412-roundtrip

 

I fly Westjet to Seattle next month Econo. We'll see how my legroom is. 

https://ywgdeals.com/s/winnipeg-to-copenhagen-denmark-720-roundtrip

https://ywgdeals.com/winnipeg-to-halifax-nova-scotia-412-roundtrip

https://ywgdeals.com/winnipeg-to-kelowna-bc-342-roundtrip

https://ywgdeals.com/winnipeg-to-paris-france-666-roundtrip

 

Edited January 27Jan 27 by FrostyWinnipeg

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