And for what feels like the millionth time since 2002, I flew across the Atlantic Ocean.

“Tell yourself you’re just visiting,” a good friend of mine recommended. She was right, it did make things easier. I like my friends—they get it.

Last Friday, I packed under the watchful eye of my mum who was both eating her endives au jambon on a chair in the middle of the kitchen and providing helpful advice on where to fit glass jam jars into my backpack.

Yes, jam. And shampoo, conditioner, cream, deo, sea salt, cookies, chocolate, medicine and more because Canada has gotten stupidly expensive and I’m committed to spending as little as possible on overpriced everything. I used to bring back products I missed or stuff I can only find in France. These days, I bring everyday products that are cheaper in France (or elsewhere) than in Canada.

Said jam was €1.85, so $2.72. I saw it on sale for $6.99 today in Ottawa. That’s what I mean—living in Canada is no longer affordable.

Everything fit nicely into my backpack but it weighed 22.3 kilos.

I guess jam and shampoo are heavy.

I check in for my flight, set up my alarm clock and started working on an assignment because work is the best way to focus on something when everything else feels too complicated.

The next morning, I left without looking back and without crying. “I’m just visiting Canada…”

The entire journey was remarkably straightforward. I can’t believe that just two years ago, we had to get tested for COVID before departure, then again upon arrival, plus quarantine in Canada… No one was wearing a mask at the airport or during the flight, including my seatmate who must have been around 115 years old. And I finally deleted the stupid ArriveCAN app because no one asked for it.

This was Air Transat’s first flight of the season between Nantes and Montreal, and everybody was quite cheery. We even landed almost an hour ahead of schedule, I was already outside the airport when Feng was parking the car. Normally it takes forever to go through immigration but passengers with a Canadian passport were just waved through after completing the custom declaration on the self-service kiosk.

Now, as an experienced Air Transat passenger, let me offer these few tips if you’re travelling anytime soon.

Prepay for your checked luggage

Each passenger is allowed to carry on one bag and one personal item such as a (laptop bag, handbag, or briefcase). This is free.

Without Option Plus, a piece of checked luggage is $75 if you pay for it online, but $90 if you pay for it at the airport. Do the math, sometimes it’s cheaper to buy an Option Plus ticket, sometimes it’s not worth it.

Check out the seat map during the online check-in

Unless you splurged for Option Plus, you don’t get to select your seat. It will be assigned to you.

However, during online check-in, you can change your assigned seat for free. I was able to trade a shitty middle row, middle seat for a window seat. Find your seat map to decide what option is best for you. I ended up at the back of the plane but it was a two-seat row with plenty of room.

Reviewing Air Transat’s seat map during online check-in is also a good way to see whether the flight is full (in which case, consider arriving earlier to avoid long lineups at luggage drop-off).

Bring your own food

I started bringing my own snacks when I got sick having to choose between overpriced airport food and Air Canada’s traditional “chicken or pasta?” meal. At first, I was bringing a granola bar and a banana. Now I pack a proper lunch/dinner, a sandwich and something sweet and tasty I can eat anytime I want during the flight.

Many people assume you can’t take your own food on board for some reason but it’s really not a problem. Just remember you can’t consume your own alcohol on a plane (save your duty-free purchase for home). I would also avoid anything kind of watery or liquids—back when Mark was a toddler, his pureed fruit pouches were occasionally flagged at security.

And maybe avoid anything too fancy or complicated. Feng and I are still joking about our seatmates, two posh women, sharing a bowl of chicken feet on the flight from Shanghai to Shenyang.

Forgot your food? Air Transat still feeds you for free on flights between Canada and Europe. Yes, it’s chicken or pasta (and it’s… not really good).

Pack a light blanket or a sweater

It’s either very hot or very cold on board. Option Plus passengers get a free “comfort kit” with a blanket—otherwise, don’t expect anything but the option to buy Air Transat’s blue blanket. I still have the one I bought years ago when I was freezing on the way to France…

Bring your own earphones as well to enjoy the entertainment system because again, unless you bought an upgrade, you won’t get them for free.

Don’t worry if you’re travelling with kids

Travelling with a newborn, a toddler or older kids who are going to spend the entire flight watching movies? Don’t worry, Air Transat is the perfect airline for young first-time flyers.

A typical Canada-Europe flight is packed with families and tourists who are usually more patient than businessmen. I’ve always found Air Transat staff pretty nice and flexible with parents as well.

Happy travels if you’re flying soon—meanwhile, I’m in Canada as a “visitor”…