Trip Report - EVA - Taipei to Paris

[Michael Cleary]

I spend about half my time in Taiwan these days, and I am now visiting Europe for a month.

Yesterday - 28 March - I travelled on flight BR87 from TPE to CDG. What was notable about this flight was the routing, as EVA cannot overfly China (negotiations are pending). I was wondering what way they might go, given that the advertised time is 13:55 for the non-stop flight.

My thinking was a loop down over Thailand then the usual route to Europe, but no, we went the other way!! A friend of mine had joked about a loop around North Korea, and he wasn't far wrong, for we departed TPE just after Midnight in a NNE direction, passing over Busan (South Korea), then east of Vladivostok, then over Khabarovsk, where the big turn left was made, taking the Great Circle routing from there, right up to the Arctic Sea, where the sea ice was visible, crossing the coast again east of Murmansk, thence down over Finland, Sweden etc.

The other odd thing (no doubt due to the latitudes) was that the sun rose about the time that we passed over Khabarovsk, and we stayed just ahead of it all the way to Paris, landing at 08:00 Paris time (elapsed time in the air was 13:50).

I travelled in Elite Class (aka Premium Economy), which was very comfortable, and far cheaper than others charge for their similar products (I paid in TWD, which worked out at AUD1890). The (B773ER) flight was full.

Will be interesting to see what route is taken on the return. I had looked on FlightRadar a few times a couple of weeks back and had seen BR88 (the return flight) over the Black Sea.

[Ryan N]

I was hesitant on flyer BR when I went to Taiwan last month. I have always had the impression that they, along with CI, didn't have a good safety and maintenance record. Their fares were certainly cheaper than CX, but I chose CX.

What's your impression of these 2 airlines given you spend so much time in Taiwan?

[Michael Cleary]

I have flown on both CI and BR, though the current trip was the first with BR.

BR have a clean safety record, whilst CI have now been fatality free for 10 years. Given the focus by the EU on safety, I work on the criteria that if the EU lets an Airline in, then it should be OK. I have no issue flying on either and my next trip back to AU in May will be on CI. The trip to/from the Airport is a far greater risk these days. Bear in mind that EATC (The Maintenance arm of EVA) were the ones who modified the four 744's that emerged as the 747 Dreamlifter. CI have recently joined Skyteam, whilst BR are apparently to join Star. Both have large Cargo fleets.

BR seem to be a little higher in price than CI, though over the last 3 years, on average, CX have come out cheaper to/from AU. That said, my last trip to/from AU was on SQ, who just happened to be cheaper when I purchased the ticket (just after Chinese new Year too). I guess if you are in a hurry, then its BR or CI (the only 2 who fly direct, BR just from BNE), but if not, then for a few hours extra (and less spend), use CX. SQ have made it hard to do a trip from SYD-TPE without spending at least 8 hours in SIN on the way to TPE - their Booking site (which still seems to have its problems) has all sorts of nasty tricks (in my view) to prevent you making the connection.

My tickets these days mostly originate in Taiwan. I get one with a year validity from AU, then all trips inside that year start and end in Taiwan. Service wise, both are on par with CX, though all 3 are short of SQ.


Just as an aside, somewhere in the last year, the runways at Taoyuan have been renumbered to 05L/23R and 05R/23L.

[Ryan N]

Thanks for that Michael. Hopefully if I get a chance to go to HK again in October, I will make a side trip to Taiwan (in particular Sun Moon Lake again). I might fly BR from HKG, just to try out their Hello Kitty planes!!!

[Michael Cleary]

And the return trip from CDG to TPE (BR88) on April 30 was by the "usual" route over the Black Sea, India, etc, but then crossed Southern China from Burma to Hong Kong. So much for no overflights!! Some good tailwinds around India too - ground speed was showing 704 MPH at one point. Flight time on the return was 12:20 (scheduled 13:10) with distance shown as 7200 miles.