From: aclark@53iss5.Waterloo.NCR.COM (Allen Clark)
Newsgroups: rec.travel,rec.travel.air
Subject: Hong kong Responses
Date: 16 Nov 92 21:09:06 GMT
Organization: Imaging Systems Division, NCR Corp, Waterloo, Ont., CANADA

The following is the promised response from my Hong Kong query.
Thanks to all of the people who replied, the information was
appreciated.

------------------------
You should definitely consider YYZ-YVR-HKG or YYZ-SFO-HKG.
These routes have the best fares available.  You should
also talk to those who know where to get cheap tickets from
any one of the Chinatowns in Toronto.  

C$1300 seems a reasonable price to me in high season (summer,
and during Christmas time) but otherwise you might be able
to get r/t ticket for around C$1,100.
-------------------------
Buffalo-NY-{Korea,Taiwan}-HK

I am paying $780 US for a ticket thru a consolodator for my
mother who is going in January; includes frre stop in Taipei.

Plus if you take it December you can yse vacation from this
year and next to make it longer if you want.
---------------------------- 
Well I'm going Vancouver-Bangkok for C$990 (that includes taxes) on
Korean, so I think you should be able to get Toronto-HK for a comparable
price as it's about the same distance. Have you checked out Korean ? They do
fly out of Toronto.

Not on a direct flight. Reason is you get too many rich people flying
Vancouver-HK so neither CP nor Cathay offer the best fares. However, if you
don't mind changing planes in Seoul try Korean.

>Tor-LA(or SF)-HK
>Buffalo-LA(or SF)-HK
>Detroit-LA(or SF)-HK

You'll probably do better with these routes. Try Northwest out of a US
location, they have good fares. Also China Airlines (that's the Taiwan one)
has good fares, I'm told.  Maybe you can get a good deal with Thai out of
Toronto (via Seattle-Seoul/Taipei).

Are you going to spend three weeks in HK? Sounds a bit cramped to me.
-------------------------------
Because of your taxes, The all-USA routes will be cheaper.  SF and LA
are all common rated on trans-pacific flights, but SF-HongKong is 
shorter (great-circles and all) and SF is a pleasanter airport.  
My guess is that Buffalo is a cheaper starting point than Detroit,
because Buffalo isn't a hub, and Detroit is--but you might be able
to book a Buffalo (or even, say, NY or Bos)-Detroit-SF flight and 
throw away a coupon.  You should definitely talk to Asia specialists;
Your local travel agent might not be much help.  I believe Toronto 
has a large immigrant community.  Look for an ex-pat HongKonger
serving the Cantonese community-- You will almost certainly get a better
deal than anyone else could give you.  Ask them these questions to 
get better answers.
----------------------------------
Just got back last night from HK/Japan trip of 3.5 weeks. Paid 708 USD on
United out of Portland Oregon(Portland/SFO/HK/TOKYO/OSAKA/SF/PORTLAND)

I think three weeks in Honk Kong is way too long 4-5 days should be OK. This
gives you an opportunity to visit other countries in the area since the airfare
doesn't change much.
----------------------------------
		I am going to HongKong next week. 
		There was a good response about the climate over there.
		For airplane ticket, I suggest a direct flight.
		There are travel agency that provides few day hotel with
		$1300+ tickets. Canadian Airline from Toronto will be the best.
		If you stay in HongKong, make all hotel reservation from here.
		Because, more expensive over there.
		Forgive my bad English !
		Hope to heir from you too
----------------------------  
Sooooo.......you're going to Hong Kong, huh?  Been there a couple of times.
Pick a reliable, cheap airline.  Possibly Northwest Airline?  I fly them
a lot.  Yes...season does affect TransPacific flights, now.  Didn't used to
until about a year-or-so ago, DARN IT ALL! :-)  Expect to pay about $1,100
U.S. dollars round trip.  You may be able to do better through a discount
broker.  Get you hands on a Sunday edition of a MAJOR newspaper, like the
San Francisco Chronicle or L.A. Times.  Call a few brokers for prices.

Three weeks is a loooonggggg time to spend in Hong Kong.  I think you'll
go stir crazy.  I suggest you consider arranging an excursion into China.
Hong Kong is a great jump-off point for arranging tours into China.  A good
14 day tour would show you ALL of China's major attractions and still leave
you a week for Hong Kong (plenty).  Two weeks in China, all inclusive, won't
cost you as much from Hong Kong as from America (or Canada).  A travel agent
in Hong Kong can get your Visa for China in 2-3 days.  If you're interested,
I suggest you invest in a book entitled, "China: A Survival Kit" published
by The Lonely Planet (you're probably familiar with them...)  They'll tell
you how to make all the arrangements and give you an estimate on the cost
depending on where you go, etc.
--------------------------------
A consolodator is basicly a marketer for an airline; the consolodator
buys 'blocks' of tickets at aa discount and sells them.
Airlines use consolodators so they can sell more tickets, typically
to increase market share or seel otherwise unused tickets.

Unfortunately consolodator typically are not available until
a couple of months before the flight  (we got our tickets in
September for a Decemeber flight) and are sometimes sold out.
We are buying ours thru Fortune Travel (I do not have the number
handy but they have an 800 number).  Your best bet to find one
which flies to HK is thru a local Chinese paper; I have seen some
in Toronto before.
--------------------------------
My wife and I visited Hong Kong for 10 days last year.  Had
the time of our lives.  If you want more specific
information, I can send you a long listing of
our experiences.
--------------------------------
I don't know about the seasons for travel to Hong Kong, but I think the
routing through Vancouver is usually better.  In fact, coming from San
Francisco, we took Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong--I got a price of around
$600 for that ticket.

You might try calling AVIA travel--they are a consolidator which
specializes in fares to Asia.  Bridgette is the one who books all of my
flights.  Their number is 1-800-950-AVIA.  (Note:  they're the ones who
got me the Cathay Pacific fare a few years back).
---------------------------------
      My wife runs a travel agency called Nirmal Travels, 14215 NW Thompson Road,
      Portland, OR 97229, USA. Phone (503) 645 3722. She can get you a real
      low fare from any major city in the US that you choose. In addition,
      if you are interested she will be able to provide you a tour package
      to Hong Kong at a reasonable price.

      Email me if you are interested and I will collect and forward the 
      information to you.
------------------------------------
 Look in the Sunday paper travel section. There should be a slew of low
 fared advertising. Choose one that has been in business awhile. The ticket
 that you get has the united fare of >$1K, but you pay several hundred lower.

 Mine was more expensive because of flying out of Osaka to come home (>$100).
 There are other cheaper carriers (Korean Air) which was in the ~$650 range
 but, I have never used them. There may be a higher hassle factor.
 
  I did not go onto China. However, there are tours that you can take from
  HK for a day or two. I still think that more than a week in HK would be too
  much. There are only so many things to see and the shopping gets old fast 
  for me. Food is very good most everywhere. 

  This was my second trip there. In HK area alone, you get a large disparity
  of living styles due to being totally capitalist(no min. wage) and one can
  see how others live. Interesting place. I think seeing mainland china would 
  be interesting. For a little more, you can stop at another country to look
  around. Thailand and Bali was my alternative stops. My main trip was into
  Japan. The vacation went very well.

  Pardon the ramblings, but, suffering from major jet lag.
--------------------------------  
You can get a good deal if you go to a travel agent in Chinatown (because
they give you a under-the-counter rebate.

Different airlines have different high/low seasons.  Cathay Pacific is
20-30 dollars more expensive than Canadian.  At low seasons, 1300 for
Canadian or CX is a good price.  At peak seasons, you can expect to pay
1400-1700.

There is a cheaper way to fly if you book your United Airlines flight
through a consolidator ``Eupo-Air'' (alias Jade Tours) in Toronto or
Vancouver.  UA flies from Toronto/SFO/HKG.  On your way back, you
don't have to clear customs at SFO but wait in the transit lounge.
At low seasons, the price is as low as 1000 CAD.

Have a good time in Hongkong.
---------------------------------

Thanks again!
Allen.Clark@Waterloo.NCR.COM
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