treved22

Hello,

Have enjoyed these forums silently for years and have a question for the community about my upcoming trip.

I'm flying LAX--YYZ--TLV, all on Air Canada.

My layover at YYZ is 12 hours, so I'd like to leave the airport.

A few questions:

1) Will my bags will be tagged all the way through to TLV?

2) Will I need to do anything with my bags in YYZ?

3) I assume I'll go through passport check when I land in YYZ. If I leave the airport and come back for my later flight to TLV, will I need to go through some sort of passport check again? Or just regular security?

4) Can I also assume I'll be checked in and have my boarding pass for the TLV flight?

5) Assuming all I have to do prior to the TLV flight is arrive at the airport and go through regular security to my gate, how long prior to the flight should I arrive? Is one hour enough?

Thanks in advance and i hope I gave enough detail.

treved22

I realize I forgot one more thing: since this is a flight to Israel, will I need to check in again at the check-in counter to undergo questioning from Israeli security?

D582

1. Yes

2. No, they will go through to TLV

3. Yes, if you want to enter Canada you go through the regular Customs check. Canada does not have exit controls so no passport check when you leave YYZ, so just regular security

4. You should get both BPs in LAX. If not, you can get the TLV one when you get to YYZ

5. AC rules for flights to TLV is that you must be at the boarding gate 60 minutes prior to departure. So factor in additional time to clear security and actually get to the gate as its at the other end of the airport

6. I don't recall any additional security questioning when I flew to TLV in 2008, but maybe things have changed...

treved22

Thanks D582, especially for #5. When I spoke to AC yesterday they didn't mention such a rule, so it's a good thing I got the heads up from you!

treved22

I've heard something about a system for the connecting bags where they are scanned and if they deem them suspicious, they make you pick them up and re-check them? I don't understand how this would work, practically. When does this happen?

yul36

AC uses a far gate for TLV. You will go through another security check there.
Not sure if they will keep your bags for 12 hours or if you will have to recheck them. I think there is a place you can check them for the day in T1.
You can grab an airport bus downtown. remember it can take around 90 minutes to get back to the airport in rush hour. So plan that in.

RatherBeInYOW

They use a gate at the far right end of the hammerhead (International pier), and access to the seating area at the gate is controlled through a checkpoint. You'll line up and they'll do a quick check of your carry-on, but it isn't a full fledged security checkpoint.

As mentioned you do need to be at the gate a bit earlier for this reason.

CorSter

Yup, I flew to TLV on Air Canada this past summer and it was set up like that. CATSA showed up around 90 minutes before the flight, cleared out the walled off area at the end of the hammerhead, and then did a basic security check (mostly residue swabs of carryon iirc) as you entered the seating area for the gate.

CdnRW

The Samsonite Store in T1 can store your bags for a small fee - around $5 per bag depending on the size. The store is at the very end of the departures level, outside security for domestic departures.

treved22

Thanks for that. I've spoken to 2 separate AC agents on the phone and they promise me the bags will be checked all the way to TLV, with no need for me to pick them up or touch them in YYZ. We'll see if they are right.

Plan is to rent a car, so will have to get there a bit early to drop that off, but going on a Sunday so hopefully not as much traffic.

treved22

Thanks for this. Did you have to undergo questioning from Israeli security prior to going through airport security? I ask because each time I've flown to Israel there's been an Israeli agent questioning passengers while they are in line to check in or drop off bags, but I'm not going to be checking in or dropping off bags in YYZ so I'm wondering if they will be concerned that I didn't undergo that questioning.

Jasper2009

Afaik all pax are only interviewed by security staff when flying LY. While security measures such as interviews, intensity of baggage searches, escondary screening etc. often change based on the security situation, I wouldn´t be too concerned. There´ll be plenty of connecting pax. I´ve flown xxx-YYZ-TLV twice in the last few years and the process was pretty painless. I´d recommend arriving at the gate 60min before departure and you should definitely be fine.

treved22

Thanks Jasper. I've been questioned at check in on AC and AF in addition to LY but hopefully as a connecting passenger it won't be relevant to me.

Thanks all!

treved22

Just a small update to close the thread.

We landed in Toronto and chose to go through customs to enter Canada rather than through the connection process.

Our bags were indeed checked through to TLV without us having to transfer them in YYZ.

We spent some time in the city, and when we came back just had to clear regular security to enter Terminal 1. That took about 5 minutes. Then, our gate (70) had a special entrance where there was additional security that swabbed our hands and luggage, and then ushered us onto the plane. There was no "interview" per se like I was used to.

Thanks again to all for the advice.

travel agent

there are only interviews when departing TLV & its not related to the airline, its the airport.