Eva Air is the national carrier of Taiwan. They fly throughout Asia and to the west coast of North America. I had the pleasure of flying Eva Air a few times while I was living in Taiwan , and I highly recommend 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 Airways , Air Canada , Ryanair , or American Airlines. On my six-hour flight from London to Boston with American, 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.
Because of service like that, I try to fly non-western carriers whenever I can. I’m a member of the Oneworld alliance , because my American Airlines 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 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 nice Taiwanese beer. Overall, it was one of the most delicious airline meals I’ve ever had. I usually don’t finish them, because by about halfway through, I get ill from the taste (I’m looking at you, Air Canada !), but I devoured all of it.
Moreover, you get a wide range of selections on their entertainment system. There were about five movies, a few games, a handful of Taiwanese, Australian, and American TV shows, and plenty of movie channels. The staff was friendly, and they smiled. 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.
I really enjoyed flying Eva. It’s an airline that I would fly again and recommend to anyone. If you’re 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, though you often have to connect via Taipei . Consider flying them the next time you fly in Asia.
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