Trip Reports - Holiday Weekend to Canada...

As I'd posted elsewhere, I got a holiday weekend trip using HP miles. Their low-miles option (20K on HP or CO to US/Canada) ended 6/1, so I was just on time. I had wanted to use these miles to go to Halifax (nvr been there), but with only ERJs flying there there aren't many seats on CO. Calgary was also full, but Ottawa was available, kind of. So for $6 I book the ticket (whatever happened to the Customs Users' Fees?). HP insists I need paper tkts, and they were received on Wednesday.

The Sat schedule from ATL-EWR is spotty on CO--an 830 flight and then nothing til the afternoon. Likewise, EWR-YOW is spotty--only a 2pm flight early in the day, so I end up with a long layover in EWR (nice in that I was able to have a wonderful lunch with Catman), and get in to YOW in the afternoon.

ATL-EWR 830a Saturday the 27th on Continental

At the tkt counter (again, an international connection necessitates checkin there) there was a short line, with a separate area for international checkin (i.e. one for first class/freq fliers, a general, and a 3d for international). I ask to carry on my bag and the agt gives me a fishy eye, but tags my 2d bag saying "only one carry-on for international". Please..this is Canada.

Anyway, flight is totally full, but had lots of employees filling it up. I snagged the exit row on the 737, so I had a middle seat w/no seat to my right.

Take off promptly, a little circling at EWR, right on time arrival. B'fast served was Total cereal, 4 ozs of 2% milk, and a banana. Served in a styrofoam tray.

Arrived into Terminal A (the penalty box for service to ATL, DFW and ORD/MDW--if you use EWR, beware).

Catman met me and we had a nice lunch in downtown Newark. I took a cab back to T3 for CoEx to YOW.

CoEx is a bit of a mess with construction going on, and dual-use gates for the int'l flights, and drat--they announce a delay to YOW. Turned out to be 1 1/2 hours (crew issues coming in from Greenville Spartanburg, although onboard they mentioned that they were subs).

One hour flight, only about 1/3 full. Free drinks b/c of the delay (those margaritas are good).

Get into YOW about 1 hr late, (I've never been there) to see a medium sized airport. Walked inside to the customs/immigration area. I was dressed casually (shorts, tennis shoes) and although I had reservations at the Crowne Plaza, I wasn't meeting/visiting anyone. The screener didn't like that and referred me on to the secondary interviewer. She seemed really skeptical (even after I mentioned the museums I wanted to see), until I said the magic words "It's a 3-day weekend in the US". She was immediately sheepish and apologized profusely, and turned into quite a good tour guide.

All's well that ends well. Avis Mid Sized car--ended up with a Focus (well, I guess)...

Stayed at Crowne Plaza--nice business hotel. Good front desk service and nice room, restaurant was terrible service (I ended up leaving both Sun and Mon AM).

Excellent museums (Civilization, Canadian War, Aviation and Science/Technology), great doughnuts (I happen to really like Tim Horton's), fascinating multi-lingual area, good weather. Fun place.

Back to airport--interesting that First Air (the Canadian Aboriginal airline) handles CO in YOW. Flight arrived a bit late and turned around promptly. Flight about 2/3 full. Transborder area pretty sterile and uninteresting at YOW (as I recall it didn't exist until about 3 years ago). Question to all--how do they handle charters/big planes/flights to LHR out of that airport?

Prompt flight, arrived early at EWR. As this was Monday, all flights were full to ATL, they booked me with a voluntary o'nite in EWR (oddly, the checkin for the EWR-ATL flight popped out in YOW), so I rented a car (free coupon from Nat'l, got a Bonneville off the Emerald Aisle) and wandered around the evening, and stayed at the Hampton Inn in Elizabeth (right across 1-9) for $103

EWR-ATL

Got up early for the 0745 flight, dropped off car in a flash, and back to T1. No plane, but they were just pulling in the MD80 to the gate as we watched. Started boarding about 725, flight jammed full, but closed the door w/in 5 mins of schedule. We then stayed on a taxiway for 45 mins waiting for a slot (...) and arrived on time. B'fast was Total Raisin Bran plus a banana.

Rather amazed I was able to get a free seat on this flight...

Anyway, not bad flights, and fun time in Ottawa.

JL

Very nice and concise and FOUR PAWS UP report Jamiel... and it was good to see you last weekend. (thanks to you and QUiet Lion, you saved my weekend from being a total virtually lonely experience: with apartment being painted and cats with Agnes.. not enough room at her place for myself AND them!)

I will have to try Tim Hortons when I get to the FAQ in July (Flyme2, I leave you in charge of that... whatever the praise is for eating a Tim Hortons for the first time!)

Hope to see you soon and glad you enjoyed Ottawa.

Oh, pooh, Jamiel, you were in Ottawa and I didn't know! I was there last weekend, too (I guess I should get around to posting my trip report soon).

So, how does Tim Horton's compare with Krispy Kreme? KK is planning to expand to Canada, and I need to know...

Yes, the trans-border waiting area in Ottawa is awful; the airport really does need to expand. However, international flights are handled in the regular, non-sterile portion of the airport; trans-border is segregated because of the US INS/Customs preclearance.

Another note about pre-clearing in Canada: except for liquor and cigarettes, don't bother shopping in the duty-free. In fact, depending on the prices you find in town, even liquor and tobacco may not be worth it. For non liquor/tobacco, I've found that you can get things cheaper at the stores in the waiting area past customs.

I was curious--the LCBO seemed to have a fairly nice wine store in the common part of the airport. Is there a price break there if going international versus domestic? The "duty free" had a single Icewine--I wanted to try several.

JL

The wine store in the airport is operated by one of the wineries (actually a conglomeration of several wineries now owned by one company). The prices there are generally a couple of dollars less than in an LCBO (government store, for those of you not familiar with arcane Canadian legislation and the results thereof).

As far as I know, they are not empowered to reduce the price for international visitors, but you might be able to get a refund on the Goods and Services Tax portion of the price. This requires you to send in receipts along with a completed form to the appropriate federal government bureaucracy (Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, if I recall correctly).

Depends on the kind of donut you're after. If you like glazed-type ones, go with Krispy Kreme. If you prefer cake donuts, Tim Hortons (or Robin's, another Canadian chain) is superior.

Actually, also, Tim Hortons has been purchased by Wendy's--it was going to be their big growth vehicle about 4 years ago, but they really have just kept it around Canada (i.e. Detroit, upstate NY) as well as throughout Canada.

I liked your report, J.

Thanks for the report. These trip reports are my favorite area. I don't even have to travel anymore since I can experience so many different places just by reading these great reports.