RockoHorse

^

yule_boy

I'd like to hear some opinions about this too. I'm going to LAS next week out of YUL on AA so I'll clear customs before the first flight.

But my brother who will meet me there is flying YXU-YYZ-LAS with about a 2 hour connection time. (Arrive YYZ 6:43, Depart YYZ 8:40)

It's been a long time since either one of us has gone through customs/security in YYZ so we're not sure what to expect. Does anyone think this will be enough time?

Thanks!

tracon

My story from YVR last weekend.

AC check-in agent was great. I was told the laptop would be no problem. Luggage checked to final destination although it was a non AC city and on a different PNR.
Next, into the line to drop off my suitcase. At the front of the line I meet my first CATSA employee. This employee held the title of Airtravel Security Screener Having Only Limited Experience.
Shall we play find the acronym or can I continue with my story?

I'm dragging my luggage and laptop case. He tells my I can't take my laptop. I pointed out the rules said I could.
A.hole says the rules have changed.
�Since I printed them out 11 hours ago?�
�You can�t take it.�
�Can I see a supervisor?�
�Wait here when I get through this line(30 people long and growing) I will look for one.�
As things got more heated I asked again for a supervisor.
During our exchange I called him incompetent.
Eventually I made my way by him, without seeing a supervisor.
I get to baggage drop. A.hole comes over and tells the YVR employees not to let us by. He asks one of his coworkers to get a supervisor. I stood there for a few minutes making small chat with the YVR employees. They had the same documents and pictures I had. It was pointed out to me I couldn�t have any papers/magazines in my case. I take them out and drop my bags on the belt.
Next stop the boarding pass scan. Again the A.hole catches up to us and tells his coworker not to let us by as we are waiting for a supervisor. He leaves, his coworker says my laptop bag is fine. Since my bag is fine I don�t need to see a supervisor and off to security I go.
45 minutes in line and I make it through security. I pick up my shoes after the Xray. Apparently I wasn�t to do that as they wanted to swab them. Since my shoes were already on, I got to stick my hands in my pockets and then have my hands swabbed.

No line up at US preclearance. No secondary screening at the gate. Secondary is now random.

Passengers on Philippine airlines to LAS were going through a secondary search.

yyzgigi

The answer on this one is no. It cannot see through flesh. If you have big enough rolls of fat you can hide an arsenal of weapons.

acysb87

Imagine what it could be like if many FTers decided to fly to US at a very random time ,say Monday morning 7am.
Say there were 50pax that could organize this.Say they all asked for supervisors at or near same time.
Imagine the chaos that would be created by the pax


Imagine

InTheAirGuy

So the baddies are going to be looking to recruit a bunch of fat Yemenis? Isn't this going to be kind of difficult?

Academic

If he's got carry-on the best would probably be to skycheck to YYZ and then check the bag at YYZ. If the bag is checked at YXU then he'll need to go to the connections belt to pick it up before US Immigration. Even if he does the bag check at YYZ he should go through the cnx area to get to immigration; the lines are never too long there. I think a 2 hr cnx time should be sufficient.

mom_rules

So my question is-if we have to check in early to get through this extra security-say your flight leaves at 6:30am are they going to start staffing the check in desks at 3 or 3:30 am?
My guess is not-so what happens if you are they when they open (probably 4ish) and you still don't make your flight on time?

Oscar Goldman

Very busy this morning at YYZ. Arrived at 5:00 am for a 6:25 am (CLT) flight on U.S. Airways. The line-up to U.S. Customs (which begins at "H") wound all the way down to the "K" area. Many people in line doing this for the first time had limited information and weren't sure what to expect. Airline reps moved around asking for passengers for upcoming flights and you were moved to the front of the group. Once we made it to the first security phase it was rather light/normal.

InTheAirGuy

I travel on a Nexus.

My immigration status is such that I carry a I-797B, and on the rare occasion when secondaried, even more rarely, CBP has asked to see it. I've been told I must always have it with me.

I have it in a plastic sleeve; it's an 8x11.5 certificate.

So will CATSA have a bird over this in my laptop bag?

RockoHorse

This is a perfect example of what is wrong with the security system.

They should probably just fire all the CATSA/TSA employees and let pax police themselves - which they essentially are doing anyway.
Think of all the money and hassle they could save.
Maybe they could use the money to actually find terrorists before they make it to the airport....though that might be expecting a bit much.

wendystation

I'm rather new here, and fascinated with the amount of information gleaned from your postings... thank you!

We are travelling on a Sunday morning in March, departing YIVR 7:30am to Toronto, 80 minute layover in Toronto, then off to FLL.

As you can imagine, changing planes in Toronto will be interesting, particularly with additional security.

I believe that I've read somewhere that our suitcases will NOT have to be personally picked up in Toronto and dropped off at the next gate? A new policy, where they will be carried through by Air Canada?

yyzprincess

That is what I heard as well. And Canada is on the radar.
We have have to put up with this for awhile.
I would not be surprise if current policies EX: Canada to USA are in place until the body scanners are installed in Canadian airports.
It seems we are in for a long.

On 13th I was advised , to change all my ticketed itineraries to Europe & Australia via USA for rest of JAN & FEB. to EX: BUF, if I want the option not to do checked bags.

All of my travel EX: YYZ for JAN & FEB has been now changed to EX: BUF.

Academic

You will have to clear customs at YYZ, so that means you will need to exit the secure area and follow the signs for US. Then you need to go to the connections area where you'll pick up your checked bags before you through US customs and immigration. After that they go on the belt just before you have to go through security again.

InTheAirGuy

Here's an interesting observation. I was chatting with a friend in the media this am. He suggested that there's an active newsroom investigation of what's happened with all the abandoned luggage and stuff; rumours of all kinds of used luggage / briefcases / knapsacks and other goodies showing up around Toronto and Vancouver flea markets in 'above average' volume; the suggestion that it was stuff that was and is being abandoned by PAX at YYZ and YVR, and that it has somehow made its way out of the airports and into the markets.

Also that they've been trying to seek clarification from CATSA / Transport Canada as to what has been going on with all the items that were left behind over Christmas week, and what is currently being done on the ground now with current "abandonments".

He had it as scuttlebutt, but I know the fellow quite well, and have for years.

Well, I guess if the rumour is true, some folks are having a swell old time with the new regulations!