Anyone arriving or departing internationally at YUL tonight? It's pretty abysmal. I considered making a new thread for YUL delays in the Canada forum but it doesn't seem like it's a widespread issue...all the absence of the essential crew needed to deplane us could be explained by the plane being late, not necessarily staffing issues plaguing the other hubs

Am flying EWR-YUL-DEL, it's my first ITI+OSS ever thru Canada

My 15h30 EWR-YUL flight got delayed by two hours due to late inbound to 17h26. The 17h50 flight (also AC) at the adjacent gate left on time, so two human masses practically flew together on the same route. We landed on time but both flights had a tarmac delay of approximately 2.0 hours. At about 1.0 hours into the delay, we moved, but only to park for another hour. At about 1.75 hours into the delay (time reads 21h15), we taxied to a jet bridge, the door was finally open but there was no agent to receive us, so we had to awkwardly stand before the jet bridge.

Thankfully, AC 50 to Delhi was delayed one hour to 22h45, meaning I didn't miss my flight unlike others seated around me who had onwards to LHR, CMN, YWG and other flights from the 9pm bank. Customer service is going to be overwhelmed today

...except ITI connections was a zoo

Ran into the ITI facility, I guess at this time there's usually a lull in international connections at this time, because CBSA was unmanned. Actually we were admonished by some security guard freaking out because he thought we were arriving from YOW and shouldn't be in the international customs controlled area. His yelling left the fastest sprinters (me) stunned in silence before someone caught up and piped up angrily and said "WE'RE FROM NEW YORK"

Behind us, a crowd of people were growing, lots of yelling, people angry and barging through what should be a cursory passport check.

Got the international transit receipt and...CBSA was a red box. Not sure if typical, but I didn't expect this post to be unmanned when reading up on how ITI connections should usually go





Ran to MLL and thankfully am the only passenger here (Delhi was one of the last flights of the 9PM bank to depart anyway and it's too early for the Bogota and Iceland departures) but I'll only have 15 minutes here to scarf down pasta and a rewarding beer. They had to scoop out the food from a non-buffet area but it's on plates!!

And to think I thought that a 4h connection at YUL was enough...


edit: bag was lost