Eva Air is the national carrier of Taiwan. They fly all over Asia and to points on the west coast of North America. I had the pleasure of flying them a few times from while I was living in Taiwan and I highly recommend flying them!
One of the things I like most about flying Asian airlines is the level of service they offer. Their western counterparts keep slashing services and raising fees while the Asian carriers keep making your experience more enjoyable. Even the budget airlines like Air Asia offer better service than carriers like US Air, Air Canada, Ryanair, or American. On my six hour return flight to Boston from London with AA, I had a crappy meal, a surly attendant, and no personal viewing screen. On my three hour flight to Taipei from Bangkok, I got a delicious meal, a free beer, two ultra friendly attendants, and my own viewing screen. It’s not hard to decide which airline I like better.
It’s because of service like that that I always try to fly non-western carriers whenever I can. I’m part of the Oneworld alliance because my AA frequent flier miles work with Eva Air, Cathay, and Japan Airlines. These are my favorite airlines to fly. Eva Air was simply exceptional. For starters, the seats, even in coach, were plenty big and very comfortable. I had more room than I knew what to do with. While I’m not a big guy and usually have plenty of room, I found I had slightly more than normal in these seats.
The food on the flight was delicious. You get a choice between two meals. I took the chicken and rice, topped off with a a nice Taiwanese beer. Overall, it was one of the most delicious airline meals I’ve ever had. Usually, I never finish my meal because, by about halfway, I tend to get ill from the taste (I’m looking at you Air Canada!) but I devoured all of this.
Moreover, you get a wide range selections on the viewing screen. There were about five movies, a few games, a handful of Taiwanese, Australian, and American T.V. shows, and plenty of movie channels. The staff is very friendly and they smile. That may not seem like a big deal but I can’t remember the last time I actually saw an attendant smile. The Eva Air crew really seemed to care about my comfort.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time flying with Eva. It is an airline that I would fly again and recommend to anyone. If you are in the Oneworld network, Eva is a code share partner with most of the alliance members. Additionally, Eva Air is usually a cheaper option to fly too, though you often have to connect via Taipei. I would definitely consider flying them the next time you fly in Asia.
Thank you for the review which I totally agree with. I’ve flown Eva Air long-haul to Taiwan and have to admit it was initially due to the low price. However, the level of service and the food was superb and I hope to get to fly with them again in future.
Never flown Eva, but you’re right – the Asian airlines have great service and perks like free food and drinks. The seats are usually wider too. It amazes me that the US airlines can’t figure out while they’re all losing business. Ryanair is also on it’s way to bankruptcy at this rate of charging for basically everything without much in return.
I totally agree with your comment about asian airlines offering much better service than any of our domestic carriers. I recently flew JAL from tokyo-hawaii and we got cute little bags with slippers to wear around the cabin (in bright cheerful colors) even in economy class, and the food was great. I flew ANA between China and Japan and had a GREAT meal as well, and I’ve had good experiences on Thai Airways as well.
Haven’t had the pleasure of Eva but even Air Asia (a budget operator) is nicer than some American flights I’ve taken in the past – and I get the impression that US carriers haven’t improved any. Not that I am against the Americans I don’t fly Australian or NZ airlines either if I have the choice of an Asian operator – its always a better deal!
That is one helluva airline review. You should do more of these. I always love to hear and read about airlines that I have yet to flown. I love to see pictures of what they look like inside and more importantly what the food looks like. Good stuff!
I have visited Taiwan several times with EVA. However, I am pretty disappointed regarding EVA’s ticket price. I have recently found EVA often reduce their ticket price after one promotion finishes and another promotion starts. Therefore, if you book your flight tickets earlier with EVA, you lost out for sure. Because those people who book after you will pay lower price than you do. EVA pricing policy is unfair to customers. In the future, I am seeking to fly with other airlines. Also, EVA website is still in the Stone Age, no contact email and who is responsible.
I just cancelled my filght from edmonton to bangkok because of a dispute about a seat,and what a pleasant surprise to learn that from a 1,370.00 ticket i have to pay a $ 450.00 penalty.So becarefull with eva air ,i learned a expensive lesson.
I haven’t flown EVA but I have flown China Airlines, which is EVA’s sister airline (the Taiwanese airline) and fly a lot of the same routes. I was very much impressed with the service which, like you suggest, is so far above any US domestic carrier it’s a wonder we do any business at all.
China Airlines gets a bit of a bad rap for safety due to a couple incidents over the last decade, but I found the experience to be quite relaxing, and the chicken satay they served for dinner was nothing short of memorable. They allow stopovers in Taipei as well. I encourage everyone to check out Taiwan. It’s a wonderful country! http://news.airtreks.com/post/2010/02/destination-wednesday-taiwan/
If you’re ever flying within Canada (or from Canada to some points in the US) again Matt, consider WestJet … the flight attendants are friendly and funny, leather seats, seatback TV with 22+ channels … I have had great experiences every time I’ve flown with them (although the sample size is limited, people here in Canada swear by them over Scare Canada!)
I’ve heard a lot of good things about WestJet!
Got screwed for a $ 450.00 cancellation penalty.Watch your money when dealing with eva air