The highs and lows of cheap airfare

If you are looking for cheap Air Canada flights and cheap Air Canada airfare tickets it’s good to understand that there are rusty spots on that pot of gold savings.  I remember going on a cheap flight on a commuter airbus going from Toronto, Canada to Vancouver where they had food but it was a self-serve approach.  This was a while before the ever increasing air fuel costs and therefore the ever-increasing price of tickets.  Back in the day, passengers used to be served food by happy cheery flight attendants, and believe it or not with real silverware.  This time I had to grab a bag lunch at the end of that tunnel they put you into.  My indignation was so high that I decided that if this is what self-serve is I’ll serve myself more than one lunch, lol.

It’s definitely gotten worse for these cheaper flights or cheaper airlines.  You want food, you pay extra for it.  You want a headset to listen to the movie you play extra for it.  I’m waiting for them to soon ask to pay more for clean oxygen! 

Here are some simple and cheap ways to get around not paying exorbitant prices for extras: 

Bring your own headphones.  Some of the old airplanes still have the two-hole female connections instead of one like you would normally find on your I-pod/walkman/discman. You can get a converter at your local electronic store (Radio-Shack, Bestbuy, etc..)  Also if they give you have to break down and buy one on the flight, you can use it regularly after that on other flights for the rest of your happy life vacations.  Personally I would recommend the earphones that go right in your ears, not only do they have great quality, but they help shut out some of that horrible jet sound that drives you to drink.

Bring a lunch with you.  As far as it the airport security is right now, you might not get away with any liquids on your flight, water included in that ‘security threat’.  A bag lunch should be ok though, just remember not to pack a yogurt with it.  Natural easy to digest foods are always your best bet. 

Bring your neck pillow, or blanket.  Interesting enough, they don’t charge for these yet, but the airlines are supplying less and less of them for flights.  So if you don’t bring a blanket or pillow, ask for one as soon as you get on the flight.  Nothing worse than being cold for more than twelve hours on flight because you don’t have a blanket.  Sorry there is worse, being cold and also getting a kink in your neck because you don’t have a pillow.