Travel

Flight from YVR -> Hong Kong, why does Cathay take longer than Air Canada?

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  • Dec 20th, 2016 6:05 pm
Newbie
Nov 3, 2016
13 posts

Flight from YVR -> Hong Kong, why does Cathay take longer than Air Canada?

Comparing flights right now and I see 1:15pm flight from YVR > HKG , Cathay, takes 13:55h to go one way....

return flight says Air canada go for 11 hours? Why does one airline that is praised for the service take longer for the fight? Or is there something with returns flight that I am not understanding....?
14 replies
Deal Fanatic
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Aug 3, 2006
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You're not comparing apples to apples.

YVR-HKG is flying west against the wind and jet stream and thus slower.
HKG-YVR is flying east with the wing and jet stream and thus faster.

Cathay Pacific and Air Canada would be the same.
Deal Guru
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Apr 26, 2004
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verdasco123 wrote: Comparing flights right now and I see 1:15pm flight from YVR > HKG , Cathay, takes 13:55h to go one way....

return flight says Air canada go for 11 hours? Why does one airline that is praised for the service take longer for the fight? Or is there something with returns flight that I am not understanding....?
And now you realize just how powerful winds can be.
Sr. Member
Apr 12, 2012
798 posts
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Toronto
Note that often they will take a slightly different route. For the YYZ (Toronto) - HKG route, they fly through Beijing, whereas the return flight goes through Taipei and Tokyo. I guess they do this so to avoid mid-air collisions.
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Sep 9, 2007
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lemieux035 wrote: Note that often they will take a slightly different route. For the YYZ (Toronto) - HKG route, they fly through Beijing, whereas the return flight goes through Taipei and Tokyo. I guess they do this so to avoid mid-air collisions.
i believe that yyz-hkg, they go over the north pole.....they don't cross the pacific anymore
Newbie
Nov 3, 2016
13 posts
interesting! thanks :D

canada gets cucked again, long flights :/
Deal Expert
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Jul 5, 2004
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verdasco123 wrote: interesting! thanks :D

canada gets cucked again, long flights :/
Perhaps we should request that Canada be moved closer to Asia so that the flights are shorter...
Newbie
Nov 3, 2016
13 posts
Shaner wrote: Perhaps we should request that Canada be moved closer to Asia so that the flights are shorter...
or the American way of thinking... tell them to pay and move closer to us!


cause.... CHINAAA...... :D
Sr. Member
Apr 12, 2012
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Toronto
c_snapper wrote: i believe that yyz-hkg, they go over the north pole.....they don't cross the pacific anymore
You're right. It goes through the Arctic and then it goes through Beijing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/ACA15

The return flight goes through Japan, then Alaska.
The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.
- Mahatma Gandhi
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Feb 11, 2009
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c_snapper wrote: i believe that yyz-hkg, they go over the north pole.....they don't cross the pacific anymore
It depends. My parents and I have taken the same flight on different days. I went over the north pole. They took the jet stream and went passed Japan.
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Oct 2, 2006
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I recently watched a documentary about WWII and there was a segment on how jet streams were discovered. The Japanese have discovered the phenomena just before WWII and kept it a secret. Apparently, they used it to carry weather balloons containing bombs to the US undetected. There was one incident somewhere in Oregon where one of the balloons landed with the bomb intact. A local family thought it was a good place to have a picnic and were curious about the balloon. Well, the bomb exploded killing the entire family except the husband/father who was in the car several meters away grabbing things for the picnic. For years, the US military couldn't understand how a balloon from Japan can travel so far and land in the US killing an entire family. Anyway, merry Christmas.
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May 10, 2005
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4seasonscentre wrote: It depends. My parents and I have taken the same flight on different days. I went over the north pole. They took the jet stream and went passed Japan.
A flight plan is dependent on many things, wind, weather, time of day, conflicting routes, traffic etc. Not all flights use the same route, it is not a two lane highway :)
“Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.”
Member
Nov 24, 2008
316 posts
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Dartmouth NS
heymikey wrote: I recently watched a documentary about WWII and there was a segment on how jet streams were discovered. The Japanese have discovered the phenomena just before WWII and kept it a secret. Apparently, they used it to carry weather balloons containing bombs to the US undetected. There was one incident somewhere in Oregon where one of the balloons landed with the bomb intact. A local family thought it was a good place to have a picnic and were curious about the balloon. Well, the bomb exploded killing the entire family except the husband/father who was in the car several meters away grabbing things for the picnic. For years, the US military couldn't understand how a balloon from Japan can travel so far and land in the US killing an entire family. Anyway, merry Christmas.
I had to google this, it sounded like a lot of hooey, but...wow.

http://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history ... loon-bombs
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Dec 27, 2009
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heymikey wrote: I recently watched a documentary about WWII and there was a segment on how jet streams were discovered. The Japanese have discovered the phenomena just before WWII and kept it a secret. Apparently, they used it to carry weather balloons containing bombs to the US undetected. There was one incident somewhere in Oregon where one of the balloons landed with the bomb intact. A local family thought it was a good place to have a picnic and were curious about the balloon. Well, the bomb exploded killing the entire family except the husband/father who was in the car several meters away grabbing things for the picnic. For years, the US military couldn't understand how a balloon from Japan can travel so far and land in the US killing an entire family. Anyway, merry Christmas.
They also landed on Vancouver Island (I'm from there originally).

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