That would be the case with me.

YYZ T1 US / International to Domestic - No Security
 

Hadn't seen this discussed here yet... but maybe there is another thread I just missed?

I connect fairly regularly through YYZ to/from the US, last flight was about 2 weeks ago. This morning I came home to YOW from LAX connecting through YYZ and when I came up to the escalator that heads down to the YYZ customs hall they were diverting all connecting passengers to the left.

Went in to a small room and they had 2 agents checking passports (no NEXUS machines, so a short lineup) and then you went down the escalators and got on a bus. The bus takes you over to the D gates where you go up an escalator and show up right beside the AC service desk, beside the escalator that goes up to the E / F gates from the D gates area (i.e. right in the middle of the D gates).

So no security check when arriving from the US connecting in to Canada. The OSS on my boarding pass actually got used for something.

Not sure if this is a pilot or permanent but not having to re-clear security was very nice. Made an earlier flight back to YOW. If they found the space for a few NEXUS machines in there then it would be even better.

Yes, there is an existing OSS thread. Another FTer informed a few us already if this, but in another more accurate and newsbreaking forum.
But good to know that it is now actually in full effect.

I guess YVR does not have this yet. Last week had to transit from US to YYZ via YVR. BP had OSS but the transit connection still has security which had a long line so I just exited and used the regular line.

Which is what I do in YYZ normally as well, but this morning they were sending all connecting passengers through this process. This was something like my 5th US -> YYZ -> YOW this year and the first time I have seen this. I remember the idea of it when they first got the agreements and starting putting OSS on boarding passes but I've never seen it used until this morning.

YVR has it for INTL->INTL. INTL->Domestic is a bit harder to implement because of the layout of the terminal and the low % of OSS-eligible connecting to domestic pax relative total pax. Just recently (mid 2015) they finally installed the infrastructure to allow ->Domestic pax to not claim baggage in YVR and to instead get it in their destination in Canada. As of 2016 this "program" was still in trial phase but was expanded to something like 40% of flights. Supposedly it is at 100% as of the new year but I haven't verified.

To allow for real OSS and bypass security when connecting to Domestic, they would need to now install a sterile corridor. However, from my understanding, they have no intention to do this, so you shouldn't expect OSS for domestic connections at YVR for at least the next 3 years.

I wonder if this would allow reducing the MCT on US-Canada connections at YYZ?

i used OSS in YYZ today. A pax who deplaned beside me did not and ended up at the end of the Nexus security line at the same time as I was entering the PP lounge. So it is at best about 1 minute faster. Don't get me wrong I would love to see MCt reduced to 1 hr but I don't see this doing it. They need to cut out the bus transfer to do that.

I don't think so as not every connecting passenger is OSS eligible, hence the reference on the boarding pass.

I also went through this today (and likewise made a brief appearance at the PPL). I agree with you -- this process isn't much quicker than the old way due to the bus. On the flip side, it's considerably more convenient. I'd much rather do the current implementation of OSS than the old re-clear security method. Especially if the latter goes full CATSA+ on us.

Is that based on the passenger or where they're coming from?

I thought it was the latter, in which case, they could adjust the MCT.

Though this entire thing is stupid if a flight from PEK and DEN land at the same time, and passengers from PEK can hand things off to those from DEN.

They were only asking for point of origin and not asking to see boarding passes when entering the OSS customs area.

MCT cannot be adjusted due to OSS because there is chance the traveler could be selected for secondary inspection or that the traveler has declared an importation limit above their personal exemption. Under these circumstances the pax must go through the standard process.

I don't know about the "standard" process. Last time I came back from PHX I declared $3,200ish over my $750 (or whatever it is) and all they did is swipe my card, didn't bother to check my bags or anything like that. Took 5 min.

Both, in a sense.

If you fly DEN-YYZ-YQT, then you may be OSS eligible.
But if you are flying MEX-DEN-YYZ-YQT you may not be OSS eligible.
So not everyone on the flight is/isn't OSS eligible as not everyone is simply flying from DEN-YYZ.
Not sure about YYZ, but in YYC there is a Customer Care Ambassador that checks to see if you have 'OSS' on your boarding pass. If you do, then you follow the OSS process. If you don't, then you follow the regular process. As well, there are passengers that are OSS eligible but then CBSA deems them ineligible (e.g.: transportation of firearms, importation of animals, dutiable items that require fee collection, etc.).

This shows why the system is even more of a farce, like the guy originating from non-OSS countries can't hand off stuff to one originating from OSS-eligible countries on the same flight into Canada. :rolleyes: Don't get me wrong, I have benefited from the OSS protocol a couple of times now, but really they should just make all pax eligible or none are eligible.

I just went through the "new" system in YYZ. I mentioned to the custom officer that it wasn't like this a couple of weeks ago. He said it was temporary while they redo some of the Nexus machines and other stuff. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Does it have anything to do with the new kiosks?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/canad...on-kiosks.html

Regarding the speed of the new system: on the flight from LAX to YYZ my co-worker whose upgrade cleared was in row 2 and I was in row 25 because mine did not. Before we boarded I told him to go ahead when we landed in YYZ because we were both trying to get an earlier flight to YOW and I didn't want him to have to wait for me and maybe miss it. He wasn't paying attention and he went down though regular customs hall and re-cleared security ... we ran in to each other heading to the gate for the YOW flight, where he wondered how I had managed to get past him!

So it saved me however long it takes to disembark 24 rows of a 767 ... maybe 5-10 mins or so? If there had been a NEXUS machine in that new area and I didn't have to stand in line it would have saved another 5 mins at least. For someone without NEXUS at all who had to go stand in the regular YYZ security line it could have saved quite a bit more time.

Saving the hassle of the security line was a major bonus as well, regardless of time saved.

That is just at YOW right now so far as I know, and also as far as I know unrelated.

MEX-DEN-YYZ pax would be rescreened by TSA at DEN to TSA standards. OSS eligibilty would be applicable from that point onwards.

You are confusing OSS, which is a Transport Canada / CATSA program, with ITD which falls under the purview of the CBSA.

Once can certainly be OSS eligible but completely incapable of benefiting from due to CBSA processing needs such as you mention.

The concierge told me yesterday that OSS was up in operations "for the next few weeks" effective Friday. Due to a mixed-up same day change I didn't have OSS on my connecting boarding pass but it didn't matter, the customs agents didn't mention it as they processed me.

While I had to wait about 5 mins on the shuttle bus before it started over to the domestic side, there was still a little time savings and definitely a huge reduction in hassle (no security to clear).

Too bad that the airport architecture didn't (and couldn't) anticipate these changes. It's definitely a mess in the International/US area for connections now, with criss-crossing pathways and tons of airport staff directing people and checking boarding passes.

If they would just add a couple Nexus machines in the OSS area it would definitely be faster. I would also prefer walking to the bus, but that is at least half because I like to stretch my legs after a flight and prefer to walk over pedways and busses.

When I went through around 4pm Friday, there was no line whatsoever at OSS. Probably four customs agents working, and no wait. So Nexus machines wouldn't have helped.

Why would someone not be eligible due to their origin airport? Wouldn't someone flying MEX-DEN-YYZ have gone through TSA screening in DEN and thus be just as compliant with Canada's security standards as someone who started in DEN?

And then couldn't someone starting in MEX and wanting to bypass an extra screening in YYZ just do MEX-DEN and DEN-YYZ as separate tickets so they'd get OSS?

I probably passed through around 3:45 on Friday and the little CBSA transfer desk room was 3/4 full... took no more than 2-3 minutes to get through. I agree that Nexus kiosks probably wouldn't have made much of a difference. In my case, my interview was way shorter than my arguing with the Nexus kiosk.

Only if 'OSS' is marked on their boarding pass. Not always the case depending on the earlier carrier and if they participate in the OSS program or not.

Right, but ITD and OSS go hand and hand. If you are not ITD eligible then you are not OSS eligible because you have to pickup your bags and exit Customs like regular passengers.

1) It depends if 'OSS' is marked on the boarding pass. If the previous carrier doesn't participate in the program, then there is no IT infrastructure to print 'OSS' on the downline boarding passes.

2) Definitely possible. It is not a foolproof system. As others mention, there is nothing stopping a PEK-YYZ passenger who is not OSS eligible from handing something off to a DEN-YYZ passenger who is OSS eligible on the way to the Customs Hall.

This is behind not being "foolproof".

This is literally pointless and stupid. If a sterile and unsterile passenger can hold hands, neither of them are sterile.

Oh, I misunderstood you. I think I see what you're saying now. So it's not that starting in MEX alone would make someone ineligible, just that the carrier they would be flying from there might not be able to generate the proper boarding passes?

The only way I can see to solve this issue would be to build a separate terminal for people qualified for OSS. Is there any other option?

You don't need a separate terminal, just a separate arrivals corridor. The same way you have swing gates that sometimes go one way and sometimes another.

OSS corridor: at the end, you go through a one-way door to arrivals, or to the connection path
Regular corridor: you go to arrivals

And I'm not saying this is practical. But with the current system, everyone has OSS, so it's pointless.

Why not just dump people who arrive from "safe" countries into the departure lounge? If they were in transit this would enable them to board another international flight without any checks at all (why does CBSA even need to check INT-INT passengers?). Then provide routes for them to either go through OSS if they want to transfer to Canada domestic, or CBP preclearance if they want to go to the USA, or an exit route for traditional immigration and customs if they want to leave the airport.

If someone arrives from a "non-safe" country, send them into the arrivals corridor like all international arrivals are now. If they want to go to CBP preclearance they can do that, if they want to go to another international flight they can go through security, or they can go through the traditional customs and immigration procedure, reclearing security once landside if they want to transfer to Canada domestic.

Am I missing something, or would this pretty much solve all the problems with the current setup? It would require minimal building work. OSS and non-OSS pax wouldn't mix and thus couldn't swap items. There would be no need to make OSS pax get on a stupid bus with terminals that weren't designed for OSS like YYZ T1, just have them do the DOM-INT connections path in reverse. There would be no need to waste money on airport workers checking boarding passes and CBSA officers checking pax who will never enter Canada. There would be no need to worry about whether foreign airlines are capable of issuing OSS-marked boarding passes or not.

Obviously this would only work at airports like YYZ T1 or YYC where domestic and international departures are separated.

Even better than my suggestion!

I think the one issue would be CBSA. Because while I agree it shouldn't be necessary for them to be involved, they clearly care.

Yes, sorry, that is what I am saying.

I've never connected at YYZ before but noticed the special customs line for US-Canada connections the other day when getting off a flight from the US into YYZ. It looked like there were 2 CBSA officers and a bit of a queue (perhaps 10 people waiting in line). I didn't see a NEXUS kiosk in the connecting line but did not get a very close look.

I have an upcoming trip on AC from DCA-YYZ-YQM. I'll have a checked bag and will have NEXUS. Would it be faster to use the new connecting passenger line (is there still a bus involved?) or just go down to arrivals, use the NEXUS line and then back up to Canada departures?

I believe that the connecting line is on the far right and the NEXUS machines are on the far left. In between are the normal APC kiosks.

NEXUS is probably faster - no need to talk to an agent, just show the numbers on the receipt.

Also depends what gate you land at - last time I landed at F36 so there was an escalator that allowed me to go down directly to the NEXUS machines on the far left side of passport control. No need to walk over to the connections line.

Hmm. I remember one or two years ago that the connecting line was on the far left next to the Nexus machines. I guess YYZ and CBSA changed the format.

Are you required to use the Connections Line if you are a Canadian Citizen and connecting? What is stopping you from taking the regular line or the visitor line? I assume the diplomatic line is off limits because we're not diplomats... :p

We discussed this in another thread last week when they made some (temporary? ... permanent?) changes to US / Intl to Domestic connections last week. My post on it is here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28082540-post61.html

From the admittedly small sample size it was a bit faster than NEXUS and re-clearing security, and certainly less hassle without the security line. I'll be trying ti again next week.

Earlier in the month I flew BJX (Leon, MX.)-IAH-YUL-YHZ, first flight with UA, connecting to AC. UA printed boarding passes did not say OSS on them. Upon arrival in Houston I had AC reprint my boarding passes, and the AC printed boarding pass to YUL had OSS. Was a great surprise in YUL to straight from customs into the domestic/intl gate area, as when I flew through in the summer OSS hadn't been implemented.