In 2023, I took a higher latitude route to get to Asia. I usually take direct or a transfer in California, which is around 40 degrees latitude. My route this year took me over Canada and Alaska for roughly 65 degrees latitude.
After booking, I read about how one is exposed to more radiation when flying at higher latitudes. In fact, some flight attendants were convinced that they had developed cancer from these routes. I was not entirely thrilled to learn the potential radiation detail but I was not bothered enough to cancel my current ticket and buy a different ticket on another route.
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was about as I remembered it: very busy. The screening this time included a segment of having to walk forward at the same time as another traveler while two dogs acted like they wanted to follow us. As though to make up for the extra time the dogs took, I did not have to take off my shoes.
Having found my last long trip to Asia very annoying, I was pleasantly surprised that the seat seemed a bit more comfortable and spacious. Granted, it was not spacious enough for the tall man next to me to comfortably put his feet anywhere, but it was good enough for 5′ 2″ me. There were no media screens on the backs of the seats, but it is difficult to finish a movie with a flight this short anyway. The boarding pass may claim the flight is 1 hour and 48 minutes, but the actual time from flight to exit was only ~1:20.
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) was clean. Workers guided me to where I had to go and were all pleasant. I have experienced the discrimination commonly faced by those who do not speak Québécois French, but there was none of that at the airport!
I visited the Montreal National Bank World Mastercard Lounge and noted its kids’ play room. Although small, it is a nice thing for children! This lounge requires a boarding pass with a gate number higher than 50, which I had. (I think, but am not sure, that pretty much all international flights are gate 50+ at this airport.) My first chosen seat had a dead charging port, but the seat across had a working one; I moved my seat.
The hot breakfast buffet was modest: peppered egg, tater tots, and sausages. For some variety, there was also a small salad bar, bagels, danishes, mixed fruit, a juice dispenser, a hot water/coffee/tea machine, and a small alcohol bar. A lot of young and middle-aged adults partook of the last.
A half hour before boarding, the lounge swapped things out for the lunch buffet. Lunch was quite good and made up for the underwhelming breakfast/brunch! I would pay the cash entry fee for the lunch but not the breakfast. Happily, I got my access with my Priority Pass.
I think the lounge visit (especially after lunch was available) was a very good addition to the trip. It made me feel a lot better to have a nice hot meal. When I was younger, I think my body was just in better condition. Lounge visits were “interesting” or “amusing”. Now, with my more advanced age and the resulting creeping physical ailments (probably because I am not terribly active), the lounge visit was “refreshing”. I also enjoy having nicer bathrooms: these had a sink in each stall and floor to ceiling doors for privacy.
The second and final leg of my trip was the long one. I had never flown with Air Canada before, so I was curious how the plane and service would be.
There was a bit of a delay when it came to boarding. Then, they made the announcement: The plane was oversold, so ten people had the chance to fly tonight or tomorrow for 1800 CAD! Ten people must have volunteered very quickly, because boarding started shortly after the announcement was made. Then, the flight did not get to take-off on time because “3 other planes are trying to taxi”.
The seats on this long leg were actually smaller than the seats on the short leg. For example, my shoulders were past the edges of the seat’s back. (While there is probably some weight savings to be had and therefore fuel savings, it seemed to result in more bumping into seated passengers’ shoulders than I remember seeing on any other flight I have taken.)
I had thought I would try to rest during the long leg, but, hilariously, a Shanghai entrepreneur and a Canadian first-time traveller in my row talked for hours without end. They both wanted to practice their English and found plenty to talk about and unfortunately kept me awake.
The flight attendants did not know what was in the food. I usually ask what does not have onions, and they give me one less likely to have any. The Air Canada flight attendants insisted they simply did not know.
I thought I might have to write about how my row of 3 had no second hot meal. The way it happened was the hot meals were behind, so the food cart flight attendant decided to hand out trays minus the hot part. It did mean we had some fruit and a roll to nibble on while waiting. However, they then forgot about my row.
I had to talk to three flight attendants to get food for me, the Canadian first-time traveler, and the Chinese entrepeneur. Fortunately, the last flight attendant I flagged down gave us food. He misunderstood me as wanting cutlery when I said we had no food, but the Canadian used the power of shared language (Québécois French) and explained more quickly.
When we finally arrived at the Narita International Airport (NRT), I did not see any cookie shops before leaving customs and immigration. I did not find any original Langue de Chat in the upper levels, either, though they sold a Godiva version (very delicious!) and a pudding version. I guess they really are Hokkaido-only now.
Edit: I found the Langue de Chat cookies on my way out of the Narita Airport!
