Air Canada the cheap

Be prepared to bring your own lunch when flying with Air Canada on anything other than flights lasting over 5 hours. On traveling from Taipei to Toronto I changed from EVA, who are excellent despite aging aircraft on this route, to their partner Air Canada for the 4 hour flight from Vancouver. I've been accustomed in the past to Air Canada's perfunctory in-flight crew, high prices, and aging aircraft. Now in addition all service items onboard cost money. Meals were some sort of over-priced sandwich and fatty snacks. They even charge you for a blanket and pillow while seemingly turning up the air conditioning. All of which was met with chuckles from the international passengers and ire from everyone else.

Is this common with all North American carriers?

For comparison, even the cheapest flight from Taipei to Hong Kong, a 1 1/2 hr flight, is full service.

The Toronto to Halifax flight was entirely different - you still pay for fatty snacks and uninspiring sandwiches but the staff were friendly, the aircraft new(ish), and they had great in-flight entertainment systems.

Photo via bribriTO.