Canadian professor who flies to work declares "I hate airplanes" a year later
Nima Nassirian made headlines last year for flying to work in Vancouver because it was cheaper than owning a home in Canada’s most expensive city.
But nearly two years into his unconventional arrangement, the marketing professor at University Canada West (UCW) told Daily Hive he’s tired of the long-haul commute.
“I hate airplanes,” he said during a phone interview. “I never want to sit on an airplane for the rest of my life.”
Nima Nassirian is an MBA professor with a passion for motorcycling who commutes to work in Vancouver from his home in Edmonton. (Submitted | Ross Howey Photo/Shutterstock)
Nassirian flies weekly to work in Vancouver while his wife and children stay in Edmonton. At first, he was happy with the strategy because the family prefers living in a detached house where the children can play outside.
But commuting through the sky has worn him down. He’s realized living in one city and working in another isn’t a feasible long-term solution.
“Eventually, no matter how you feel, you are going to get tired of it. A one-hour plane ride is not the same as a one-hour drive,” he said. “And the other thing is, doesn’t matter what airline or what time, flights between Edmonton and Vancouver are always jam-packed. You’re in there, like, fighting for armrest space.”
What’s more, Nassirian isn’t making as much as he did last year. The federal government enacted stricter caps on international student enrolment in 2024 — and international students make up a large portion of the student body at UCW. Nassirian has fewer MBA sections to teach, meaning less money is made.
Flying between provinces made sense when he was earning between $220,000 and $240,000 from the university job. The sacrifice is harder now that his teaching earnings are closer to $90,000.
Nima Nassirian/Submitted
Plus, being away from his family as his children grow up is hard.
“I really like my kids. As they’ve gotten older, now, me and my eldest, we go skiing and snowboarding. And my daughter is just a daddy’s girl,” he said. “But because I was going [to Vancouver] so much, I have limited time with them. It started taking a toll. Every time I go now, it’s more difficult.”
His UCW contract wraps up at the end of the year, and he’s beginning to look for his next opportunity. He’s set on living and working in the same city.
“If I got a job in Vancouver, I’d definitely relocate to Vancouver,” he said. “And if we have to live in an apartment, then we [do]. Is it ideal? No. But if you don’t have a job to pay the bills, you also don’t have a home.”
His family loves living in Edmonton, but sadly Nassirian says the city is not a hub for marketing jobs the same way Toronto and Vancouver are. He’s found the Edmonton job market has also become saturated in recent years with people from BC and Ontario flocking to Alberta looking for cheaper housing.
Statistics Canada noted Alberta gained nearly 44,000 new residents in 2024 thanks to interprovincial migration. About 14,000 of those landed in Edmonton, which recorded its highest net population gain in more than 20 years.
The housing market in Edmonton was off to an unseasonably fast start in January too, with demand for homes in the city growing.
Nassirian’s flying commute was made easier after Flair Airlines offered him a year’s worth of free flights upon Daily Hive sharing his story. But with those now used up, and check-in difficulties at the airport sometimes adding even more time, Nassirian thinks it’s time to arrange his home and office to be closer together.
“It was a good experience. I’ve been enjoying my role for the past two years,” he said. “It made me value spending more time at home after being away from my family. Even if the pay was the same [as last year], I’d still want to move to Vancouver permanently. It’s just not sustainable for a family man.”