US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Tight Intl connection in PIT - Advice please

Friday May 2nd flying from YUL to PIT on an EMB regional jet - arrive 7:44 pm. Have an 8:40 flite to SFO pn a 321. Last flite of the evening obviously.

For some reason I could not book this myself online using our company's ITN-based booking tool - had to call Rosenbluth the travel agency who "over-rode" the "illegal connection". Note: US's web site shows this as a legal option when you go to "Timetables" and enter YUL as Origin and SFO as Destination.

It just occurred to me that the YUL-PIT flite is "international" and I may have to claim checked luggage and go thru immigration/customs/ag inspection and recheck my bags - if this is anywhere near the abortion that it is at PHL where it often is 30 minutes before bags hit the belt I am no better than 50:50 to make my connection.

Anyone with any insight into situation at PIT, pls advise. I have no experience on arriving there from a non-US origin. PS I am in YUL for 2 nights and then in Napa/SFO for 6 nights and so do not have a "carry ons only" option.

TIA for your advice.

No experience, but I've read here that PIT is not the international mess that PHL is.

PS: My wife and I have done two 2-week trips to Europe with carry-ons only. You can do it if you try... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

You'll make this easily. Arriving at concourse A, departing from concourse B... no more than a 15 minute walk from end to end. I don't understand why an hour between flights was an illegal connection.

As far as customs, you'll clear US customs in Montreal. When you arrive in PIT, your bags will automatically be transfered to your SFO flight.

Bon Voyage!

It's Canada. It's like connecting from Wisconsin....

Thanks for the info, folks. I knew the folks on this board would have the answer.

I go to Europe once or twice a year but it's probably been 10 yrs since I flew to Canada and I had no idea you could clear customs/immigration in Montreal. That is way kewl.

You might spend a bit of time in line in customs in Canada. Plan to get to the airport at least an hour to an hour and a hald before your flight. Lines for bags, lines for customs, walk to your gate, shuttle bus from your terminal gate to the little gate in the outhouse... in Canada, it goes on and on. At least you are not flying Air Canada.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by irabk:
You might spend a bit of time in line in customs in Canada. </font>

Has this been others experience as well? I'm headed to Toronto in early May. I'll be catching a mid-afternoon US Express flight out on a Friday (3 pm or so) - how much time should I allow?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1005:
Has this been others experience as well? I'm headed to Toronto in early May. I'll be catching a mid-afternoon US Express flight out on a Friday (3 pm or so) - how much time should I allow?</font>

geo,
On a Sunday afternoon, I spent more time in Duty-Free at Pearson than I spent in line at Customs and Immigration! I think 90 min. is plenty of time to arrive before your flight.

In Montreal, there is no shuttle bus. The customs line moves very quickly. Remember that this is for DEPARTING FLIGHTS, not arriving flights. It's not like two 747's arriving at the same time.

An hour and a half is plenty of time to get it done.

[Elvis voice]

Thank you.... thank you very much..."

[/Elvis voice]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Only 1 time in the past year did I have trouble making a connection. I fly every week to either SEA, RSW, TPA, LGA and others occasionally. I've discovered that normally when your originating flight is delayed due to weather then your connection is too. I've rarely been delayed in ORF that didnt effect PHL or CLT too, so maybe I'm lucky. The only other risk you have is a mechanical. Just call a couple of times or visit the website for status and they will reroute you if that happens. The only thing you're going to be unlucky on is a thunderstorm at the end of the day; it's a little early for that but possible.

Also keep in mind that you are clearing 'US customs' leaving Canada - i.e. the employees are doing their best to get you on your way since they 'work for you'.

i.e. not like trying to get through the mess at Paris, etc., where they seem to take pride in being slow.

BTW - I was talking to a friend a while back about this. When did the US start the 'clearing US customs in Canada' practice? Its of course smarter than employing many more employees here in the US just to deal with the marginal number of passengers coming on planes from Canada.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hscottm:
BTW - I was talking to a friend a while back about this. When did the US start the 'clearing US customs in Canada' practice? Its of course smarter than employing many more employees here in the US just to deal with the marginal number of passengers coming on planes from Canada. </font>

I think it has been at least 20 years (or as long as I've been flying).

I precleared in Vancouver in the mid-80s. That was the first time I can recall having it happen.

In someplace like PIT, I'd rather clear on this end. Takes less time than preclearing in someplace like YYZ or YUL. Of course, I think the FIS facility at PIT is probably shuttered for a few months while US attempts to extort cost savings from the airport....


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Saving the world, one clue at a time.