Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Air Canada | Aeroplan
Reload this Page >

ac33 yyz // yvr sent trough customs

ac33 yyz // yvr sent trough customs

Old May 26, 2014, 11:49 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
Programs: It's hard to get status when the website won't let me book flights.
Posts: 5,705
ac33 yyz // yvr sent trough customs

So just wanted to post a fun detour today. Landing in yvr from yyz on flight 33 all passengers were sent to canadian customs ( best guess someone opened the wrong door ). Anyway, with basically no one having a passport and customs not allowing anyone trough without a customs form etc. It took a good hour to figure out what happened and get everyone through.

Not to mention anyone with bags had to walk the entire length of the airport to get to customs and then the entire length back to get their bags.

The positive: no one was waiting for their bags.
Sean Peever is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 12:17 am
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
So how does one fill out the form when it comes to questions like what countries have you visited prior to entering Canada? I believe Canadian citizens do not require a passport to enter the country as long as they have a valid piece of other government photo ID. It's the Americans who insist Canadians have a passport to enter the US (as do other countries of course) after decades of only requiring valid government ID. IIRC there is also a special type of provincial drivers license that is recognized by US and Canadian authorities in lieu of a passport though.

So, any AC reps at Customs to explain why you all were misdirected? Apologize?
Shareholder is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 12:22 am
  #3  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-EP, TK-*G, HL-DM, HY-GLO, MR-LTP
Posts: 25,927
This has happened a few times with AC at YYC. I was on a flight once from YVR to YYC and we were parked at the gate at US immigration where we found ourselves stuck between jetway and 'US territory'. It took about 20 mins before the pilots can get someone on the phone to let us through to the domestic side.
Guy Betsy is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 12:23 am
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
Programs: It's hard to get status when the website won't let me book flights.
Posts: 5,705
ac33 yyz // yvr sent trough customs

We all just put NA or some people picked a random box. The border guards were pretty friendly about it ( although they were frustrated a bit too you could tell ).

It probably didn't help that they were filming canada border security there - they'll probably cut this part out.

No, no one was there to explain or apologize. I am guessing someone opened the wrong door because that is the most logical explanation. Yvr staff started rounding up people to fill out customs cards. The passengers who did so simply got in line and passed through quickly.

However some passengers decided to make a big scene and refuse to fill out a card. Resulting in the officers having to come out of the booths and get involved with some of them.

I actually had a fun quick chat with the border guard while she marked up my paperwork so I could pass through. Most pleasant chat I've had with a border guard.
Sean Peever is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 12:35 am
  #5  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Had something like this happen years ago when my YYZ-LAX flight was cancelled due to weather shortly before boarding. Since everyone had "entered" the US, we had to go through Canadian customs and pick up our bags from the transborder arrivals area. In this case, AC reps accompanied our group through customs and no forms or anything else had to be dealt with. Customs hall was empty at the time so I guess there was no concern about us intermingling with legit US arrivals.

Also had a similar event occur at PVG when our flight had to turn back from taxiing out due to thick fog. The flight was cancelled and we were all off-loaded and led through Chinese immigration/customs. Now in China you'd expect all sorts of bureaucratic hassles and the like due to expired visas, multi-entry on single entry visas, etc. However, the Chinese agents were very blasé about the whole thing and just waved us through. We didn't have to fill anything out or get new visa stamps. Next morning also expected some hassles leaving with already stamped exit visas but once more, no problems.

If I was producing the border series, I'd certainly want to include this vignette as a light hearted event.
Shareholder is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 12:51 am
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MLL / AC Cafe
Programs: It's hard to get status when the website won't let me book flights.
Posts: 5,705
True! It would be a fun light hearted event!

I think this one through people for a loop because it wasn't an international flight, and we arrived at C52 which should have been set up domestic that time of night (it's a swing gate).

And you make a good point - I think the reason for the forms is because there were a few international flights and a couple US flights where we all mixed into once walking into the customs hall. Also because they didn't know it happened at first, all the people from Toronto AC33 flooded right into all the lines mixing with worldwide passengers.

Hence the delays, and time to get through.

Regardless, it was a fun change to the usual AC33 YYZ - YVR rhythm, I just wouldn't want to do it every time .
Sean Peever is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 6:21 am
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 376
A few years ago flying from YYZ to YSJ we were diverted to BOS due to bad weather. After a few hours on the plane in the US returned to Canada.

Crew were worried as there were insufficient declaration cards but not a problem as we exited directly into the main terminal.
Ew/oQ is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 6:46 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AC MM E50 , Former SPG, now Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 6,249
Originally Posted by Shareholder
.

Also had a similar event occur at PVG when our flight had to turn back from taxiing out due to thick fog. The flight was cancelled and we were all off-loaded and led through Chinese immigration/customs. Now in China you'd expect all sorts of bureaucratic hassles and the like due to expired visas, multi-entry on single entry visas, etc. However, the Chinese agents were very blasé about the whole thing and just waved us through. We didn't have to fill anything out or get new visa stamps. Next morning also expected some hassles leaving with already stamped exit visas but once more, no problems.
I had the exact same thing happen at HGH a number of years ago - flight
cancelled due to fog. I had a multi-entry visa, my travel companion had
already used his single-entry one; but the Chinese immigration were
very good about letting us re-enter - what they did was cancel our exit
stamps, and then the next day re-stamped the exit stamp.
IluvSQ is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 8:24 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
i don't fault those for kicking up a fuss. AC f'ed up...but then again, what is new.
mkjr is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 8:29 am
  #10  
Formerly known as tireman77
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,446
Originally Posted by mkjr
i don't fault those for kicking up a fuss. AC f'ed up...but then again, what is new.
AC messed up or YVR messed up?
PLeblond is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 8:55 am
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Originally Posted by Sean Peever
So just wanted to post a fun detour today. Landing in yvr from yyz on flight 33 all passengers were sent to canadian customs ( best guess someone opened the wrong door ). Anyway, with basically no one having a passport and customs not allowing anyone trough without a customs form etc. It took a good hour to figure out what happened and get everyone through.

Not to mention anyone with bags had to walk the entire length of the airport to get to customs and then the entire length back to get their bags.

The positive: no one was waiting for their bags.
I would have expected quite a few international connecting PAX personally...
AA_EXP09 is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 8:55 am
  #12  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Originally Posted by Ew/oQ
A few years ago flying from YYZ to YSJ we were diverted to BOS due to bad weather. After a few hours on the plane in the US returned to Canada.

Crew were worried as there were insufficient declaration cards but not a problem as we exited directly into the main terminal.
My bigger concern would be the lack of passports on this domestic flight.
AA_EXP09 is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 9:19 am
  #13  
Formerly known as tireman77
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 5,446
Originally Posted by AA_EXP09
My bigger concern would be the lack of passports on this domestic flight.
I don't travel with my passport on a domestic flight. My NEXUS card is in my wallet, but technically, you would still need your passport.
PLeblond is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 9:26 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: AC SE100K, AA EXP, SPG Plt, HH Dmnd
Posts: 1,507
Originally Posted by IluvSQ
I had the exact same thing happen at HGH a number of years ago - flight
cancelled due to fog. I had a multi-entry visa, my travel companion had
already used his single-entry one; but the Chinese immigration were
very good about letting us re-enter - what they did was cancel our exit
stamps, and then the next day re-stamped the exit stamp.
Chinese immigration is always pretty good for international visitors. What helps that process are the "how did I do today" buttons that probably play a big role in how they treat foreigners.
Bonaventure is offline  
Old May 27, 2014, 9:38 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 10
When I worked in BOS (with Air Canada) back in the mid 90's, we operated out of Term E, gate 8 to be exact. We used to have arrivals from YYZ/YUL/YHZ and YOW. At that time, YOW/YHZ didn't have US preclearance, so those arrivals had to go thru immigration upon arrival. The way it was set up was that when the psgrs deplaned, the precleared psgrs would make a right turn after walking up the steps, where we would open a door to allow them directly into the terminal. The non-precleared psgrs would make a left turn and proceed to the immigrations area. Occasionally we would make a mistake and the precleared psgrs would make a left turn. Immigrations would give us dirty looks,, but that was about it. More disastrous would be if the non precleared psgrs made that right turn into the terminal. We had to frantically get them turned around and back into immigrations.

Another occasional issue would be our Sydney NS-Yarmouth-Boston flight (back when Yarmouth had commercial service). Sometimes. due to fog, the flight had to overshoot Yarmouth and fly into Boston. All the psgrs would need to clear US immigrations, including the YHZ-Yarmouth ones. Those psgrs obviously didn't have passports. US immigrations was fine with that, usually just asked for any form of ID, Once out of customs, those psgrs would wait for the return Boston-Yarmouth-Sydney flight. By that time, the fog usually had burned away, and we got those psgrs into Yarmouth.
RP TPA is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.