NEW YORK

The next day I headed out to the airport early - fearing immigration would take some time. Unfortunately I made the mistake of getting dropped off at domestic terminal not realising US departures are at the far other end of international terminal, so I had a small hike to check in.

The Air Canada agent on premium check in was totally disinterested in serving me, and I had the distinct feeling that if it weren't for a reasonable queue in this line quickly forming behind me she would have left the counter unmanned. This is my first visit to US since the new rule requiring address to be given at check-in (which can be matched to address given on visa waiver form). She doesnt seem to type much in so I wonder if there's some abbreviations used? Since the visa waiver form is actually collected at US immigration in Canada, I'm not sure how having the address info a short while earlier helps with security - but what do I know?

Check in completed and I join a loooong queue for immigration. For some reason at the entrance to duty free the line is split into 2 by an agent, only for it to reform into 1 line on the other side. I cant see what that achieves.

The queue is incredibly slow and I am glad to have checked in so early as it took 90 minutes to reach immigration. The reason for the long queue? (A) lots of pax (yes its holiday season) and (B) only half the immigration booths are manned. Its not hard to do the maths and realise there's far too few officers to process 1000+ pax an hour. I'm sure many folk missed there flights that day.

Having arrived at the airport so early I did have enough time for a brief visit to the US departure Maple Leaf Lounge. It had soup and some biscuits on offer but little other food. A modest selection of drinks and 2 computer terminals.

Soon enough it is time to board - and yes its the A319 again but fortunately I avoided row 4 successfully. The service was minimal - apart from handing out food/drink and collecting later the FAs were nowhere to be seen. Again there was no views to be had - both due to the extensive west coast cloud cover and also the encroaching night as we headed east. The approach into JFK airport was mostly clear however so good views of Manhattan, Statue of Liberty, etc.

With the late arrival, and another early start tomorrow I stayed at an airport hotel. It was fairly basic but clean and had all you needed, perhaps a little expensive for what it was though.