Trip Reports - Toronto to DCA: a FlyerTalker dares run the gauntlet

If you live in the USA perhaps you can relate to my story...

I had a great meeting today, then I headed back to the airport in a great rush to get an earlier flight, an Air Canada non-stop to DCA rather than the UA flight through ORD I had originally planned.

The "priority line" at Air Canada was very s-l-o-w and it was 3:30. My flight was leaving at 4:45. No prob. Plenty of time.

But immigration was jammed. I finally got to near the head of the line and they let me advance to the front as my flight was leaving shortly.

Then there was customs. Then there was security. Everything had a line, although not as big as immigration.

They made me take out my laptop and turn it on, looked at my ID and boarding pass etc.

Then I had to walk (literally) 1/4 mile to the gate. They asked for my ID and boarding pass again.

Then before they let us in, they searched each of us again in a room in front of the gate.

Here is what it is like:

We are each treated like a criminal. Assume the position. If you do not, you are an idiot -- by this time, you should know the drill, right?

A police officer hovers nearby. Every detail is gone over. My laptop must be taken out and turned on. They paw through every single item in my case and in my suitcase. They leaf through the book I am reading, looking I suppose for hidden compartments.

They paw through my wallet, my hidden money belt, everything in every pocket, every item in my luggage. Everyone gets this treatment.

Then in the gate area they ask for ID again before boarding.

Of course, the flight was delayed one hour so I didn't need to rush as much as I did although I didn't know that of course.


I am very tired of this gross infringement on my so-called civil liberties. This country is going through hell, imprisoning people without letting them access a lawyer, searching people with law enforcement powers just because they dare to fly. It is hideous.

It is also stupid. If an occasional incident happens, it happens. Everything has a risk. You can increase "security" and lose everything -- civil rights, liberty, the ability to travel efficiently. That is what has happened.

The cop eyed me the rest of the time at the gate, and actually came up to me.

"You need to just take a deep breath," he said. "They are just doing their jobs. And it is your government that is responsible for a lot of this. It is not going to ever be the same." And so on.

I think he was sorry and also gauging my reaction to see if I was going to make trouble.

We finally boarded and although I was traveling on an expensive refundable ticket AC put me in the next to last row, middle seat.

The flight was delayed an hour while we all sat or stood in the plane at the gate.

I took the time and couldn't help reflect...

Of course, I am not going to make trouble in a foreign country, or even in the USA. That would be stupid, like arguing with the rain.

I am not going to change anything so my best course is to quietly accept it and move on. But tonight that is hard.

Thanks for reading!

I was searched by a security person returning from Montreal. He dumped my briefcase, made me turn on the Palm Pilot and the flashlight. The flashlight battery was dead and he insisted that he must see the bulb light up. I told him that the battery was dead and he could have it as a souvenir. He insisted on inserting his battery in it and turning it on. Satisfied, he let me keep the battery.

His statement to me upon up-ending my briefcase was, "Why do you carry all this junk?" After my irritated comments about his methodology, he stated that he enjoyed his job. $10 cdn and a little bit of power for the sake of security are probably the answers to your ponderings about security at Toronto.

The Toronto police officer is undoubtedly right when he says it is OUR government that is responsible for most of this ridiculous attempt at "security".

However...

The treatment described in both preceeding posts has happened to me as well, and long before the recent security crackdown. Its happened at several Canadian airports as well as surface border crossings. I once had my car thoroughly torn apart crossing into Canada at Windsor because "...you're an American, you have to have guns in here." No kidding. And I've never owned a gun in my life. Didn't matter.

Needless to say, I avoid Canada like the plague.

It's the US government that insists that all flights to DCA have law enforcement officials present at the gate. You will not find RCMP for any other transborder flights.

You will also find that crossing the border into the US as a Canadian citizen yields equally "ridiculous attempts at security" by US Immigration officials.

As a US citizen, I am thankful to our government for at least attempting to enhance the level of security at the airports.

I know it's a hassle and I often find myself getting upset over the whole thing. But then I remember that none of this is self-imposed. We are reacting to the terrible events of last year that are all too clear in our minds.

I bet that if all of this wasn't being done, we would be complaining about it. So let's just accept it, plan accordingly and move on. Life has changed and we need to change as well.

Sorry if this sounds a bit too harsh but IMHO it's the only way to deal with it. Or we can all choose to drive....

The increased security is definitely there in Toronto for US-bound flights, but the DCA flight is much more intense than other flights to the US. Afterall, I believe Air Canada is the only foreign airline that flies into DCA.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by richard:


Of course, I am not going to make trouble in a foreign country, or even in the USA. That would be stupid, like arguing with the rain.

</font>

Technically speaking, once you've cleared immigration, you are in the United States.

I travel quite a lot between Canada and the United States, and it seems that the most rigorous security is for DCA flights. Most others aren't nearly that bad. Although the lines you speak of at YYZ (especially Terminal 2) most certainly are. Hopefully when the new terminal opens in the next few years, this will be a nightmare of the past.

If you don't like the security, why don't you just drive? It is about an 8 hour drive or so, so there are other options.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by 2DCALGA:
If you don't like the security, why don't you just drive?</font>

I agree. Stupid or not, the security is what it is. Those who travel a lot, plan for it and adjust to the new world (or at least they should!). Smile a lot and you might notice a difference in frequency and duration of searches.

I carry a pair of blunt-nosed scissors in my carry-on. And a couple of other items that have raised questions on x-ray. In recent months I have started carrying those items in a clear plastic bag. I now remove the plastic bag and its contents from my carry-on, place it in a separate open container, and send it on its way through the x-ray machine, pointing it out to the attendant if there is one. The attendant often makes a comment to the x-ray viewing person such as "Rounded scissors coming through." It makes their job easier and has dramatically decreased the frequency of my personal and carry-on one-on-one searches.

Gate searches are another matter. At most airports you can easily avoid searches with a little planning. At others, it's a roulette game.

You are right -- I need to accept this and move on.

But the security I have encountered has been nothing like this. I will not go into DCA from Canada again.

I have found Toronto to have the most painful immigration and security procedures of all airports I've ever been in my life.

First of all, they do not distinguish between US citizens and residents and visitors (except for the INSpass, for which US citizens and residents are not eligible), which makes for some very inefficient processing. Every other US point of entry airport I've been in (SFO,LAX,BOS,EWR,MIA,MCO,ORD,JFK,LGA,SAN,LAS,ETC, and I believe the only two countries that have US immigration processing before boarding are Canada and Ireland) has separate lines for US citizens and residents and visitors. When the US line clears up (which moves pretty quickly), they usually open it to the visitors.

Second, YYZ is the only airport I've been in where they have asked me to turn on my laptop. US airports ask you take it out of the case (a pain, but fair enough). non-US airports (except Canada) usually don't ask for that.

I have not experienced this full body search process in YYZ yet, but then again I didn't fly out of there to DCA. Maybe that's why?

I'm a U.S. citizen with an INSPASS. You must have a misunderstanding of the eligibility requirements.

Bruce

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bdschobel:
I'm a U.S. citizen with an INSPASS. You must have a misunderstanding of the eligibility requirements.

Bruce</font>

I'll be danged! You are right, and this is great news. I thought the INSPASS is only for VWPP countries, but it appears its good for citizens and residents. I'll definitely sign up next time...

Bruce: You are always a good source of info.

You helped this guy with his INSPAAS issue.

I learned about the Marriott 20% food discount for AARP members from you.

Now, I have another question...for you or anyone else.

I'm from California, and out here, we have something called a FasTrack, a transponder that you put on your car window, so that you don't have to stop and pay a toll...you can just zip through a special lane, and the toll is deducted from a prepaid account.

I don't use this feature very often -- I sent them $50 a year ago and I still have $25 in it -- but it saves lots of time when I go into San Francisco.

I travel often on the Cherokee Turnpike in Oklahoma, the Mass Pike, the Maine Turnpike, The New Hampshire Turnpike. I checked, and in order to get a transponder for each of these places, you need to give your car license plate, and the transponder is supposed to be for your one vehicle only.

So does anyone have multiple transponders that they take with them on the road and use in rental cars?

This may not be the right place to post this...if so, I am sorry.

There's some risk with this. I use FastTrak all the time, as I have two bridges within a few miles of home. Last year my transponder died, so I was not being billed immediately. They take a photo of your license plate every time you come through, so they were able to match my plate to my account, and eventually caught up with me (I could tell it stopped working as it didn't beep). They sent me a new transponder at no cost.

If you had a bad transponder, or for some reason it did not register, you'd probably get a bill in the mail with a penalty for running the toll lanes, as they would not have anyway to match up your car to your account. Having to potentially unravel this just one time is enough for me not to do it with other cars.