Originally Posted by
canadiancow
Well, I walked up to YVR domestic/international check-in, and asked to get a boarding pass for AC 568 YVR-SFO, and mentioned that I had no checked bags. It was still about 90 minutes to departure.
"WE CAN'T GIVE YOU A TRANSBORDER BOARDING PASS HERE. YOU CAN'T JUST BE ROAMING AROUND THE AIRPORT WITH A BOARDING PASS. YOU HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY GO THROUGH PRECLEARANCE."
"No, I've done this many times before."
"NO YOU CANNOT DO IT. YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY GO THROUGH PRECLEARANCE."
"I'm going to the domestic lounge to meet a friend. I've done this many times before."
"YOU CAN'T CLEAR DOMESTIC SECURITY WITH A TRANSBORDER BOARDING PASS."
"You can--- oh whatever."
I walked into the concierge office. Of course, it was empty, so I walked back out, muttering something like "of course there are no concierges around".
Then I suppose it clicked that I wasn't some idiot in the wrong part of the airport.
"Are you checked in already?"
"Yes."
"So you just need a boarding pass?"
"Yes."
"Oh well I didn't know that."
"I literally told you I just needed a boarding pass..."
And I got my boarding pass.
It was a couple of years ago, but I had a very, very similar situation at YOW transborder. When I collected my BP from the check-in desk and turned around to meet a friend at a coffee shop, I was told that I could not do that as once I was processed at the desk, I had to go through to security. After a brief discussion, I believe the solution was to leave my BP at the desk, and to collect it after I had finished my coffee.
So there must be some element of procedure or (out-dated) policy behind the confused messages emanating from AC. In other worlds, there is some consistency in their inconsistency.
--
13F