GJS - yow

I had a new code on my boarding pass for today's YYZ-YOW flight, which was a connection after flying CDG-YYZ with AC. The new AC code was OSS.

It appeared on the paper boarding card just before the Zone. i.e. it was printed as "OSS - ZONE 1."

On my mobile boarding card, it had "OSS" just below my name, to the side of the QR code.

When I asked in Paris, they weren't sure about it, so I Googled it and found that the EU and Canada have agreed to recognize each other's security procedures.

New airport security option made available to speed up connections for air travellersUnfortunately, it has not been implemented yet in Toronto. When I asked several AC employees (gate agent, lounge staff) none knew when it would come into effect.

[apologies if this has been covered elsewhere on this forum - I searched and couldn't find it]

canadiancow

I have this on my SFO-YVR today.

The bigger issue at the moment is that you go through baggage claim, so you have access to "unscreened" objects.

They'd need a sterile transfer pathway for this to work.

HerpaYvr

FINALLY! this is happening.

Flying home through YYZ it will be nice not to go outside and again through YYZ security to fly home.

Better yet when flying through LHR and not going through security again and enjoying more MLL time!

Bartolo

Does anyone know if this is already in effect for YYZ-LHR? If connecting onto LH, is it the same terminal? If BR I expect it's a different terminal and this wouldn't help. Any advice on these issues appreciated.

WR Cage

Unknown if LHR can react quickly, but AC and LH are in the same terminal. Additionally T2 was designed to accommodate OSS type pax flow.

I would give it a try on the ground in LHR if you get OSS onto your BP.

YVR does not have a sterile transit corridor that could accommodate OSS pax flow.

YYZ does have this sterile corridor. the corridor runs above gates 53-57 and used to transfer domestic pax to International flights. There is a CBSA desk in node F just after international security screening that could handle the entry card formalities. Additionally there is a security desk at either end of the corridor to prevent people from getting lost and accidentally winding up in the wrong area.

YYC new International terminal will have a connections center that can handle sterile international to domestic connections. The sterile connections connections center will be located where the AC Transborder MLL would have gone if AC decided to take up the lease. However AC did not provide for a Transborder MLL in the new terminal New terminal opens in fall 2016.

Bartolo

Thanks!

Edit, thinking about this and realize if you want the arrivals lounge, you would have to redo security if connecting within T2 due to its location in the terminal.

The Lev

This speaks of people transiting through Canada (from Europe and US) but no mention of Canadians transiting through European airports. I would be delighted if we no longer had to face the second security line when transiting through LHR, FRA, MUC, ZRH, etc.

28isGreat

Ah, but it does!

GJS - yow

It is definitely not happening for returns to Canada right now. I would love to transit YYZ on a return from an international trip and not need to be re-screened through security. Hopefully YYZ is planning to make it happen.

As noted by 28isGreat, the FAQ on the press release linked in my OP noted that airports are not required to adopt OSS. Let's hope they all do!

Jasper2009

Fully agree - it would make life much easier.

I've been told FRA recently implemented the OSS initiative (afaik pax arriving from the US at T1 have been able to take advantage of this for the last few years).

WR Cage

Last May, I arrived to MUC T2 from EWR on UA and did not have to reclear security for my onward connection to ARN.

During a private tour of LHR T2 later ithat same week there was mention that pax can be routed from aircraft to simple customs line and then out into sterile departures area. There is one catch, pax arriving from T2B must go back to the central terminal in order to be processed by customs. The one saving grace is that most European flights departing T2 leave from T2A.

GJS - yow

Have any airports in Canada announced intentions to open OSS-compliant "sterile" transfer areas? Which airports in Europe have them in terminals to which AC flies?

I often connect both when travelling to Europe (i.e. connect in an AC European city to my final destination) and on the return to Canada (i.e. connect in YUL or YYZ to get to YOW). I would select my connection point based on whether or not I needed to reclear security, when there is no other disadvantage to an OSS airport over a non-OSS airport.

Perhaps as this information becomes known we could have a Wiki with the list of airports providing/intending to provide OSS-compliant transfers.

Shareholder

These secondary screenings are really absurd. My last trip was SYD-DXB-LHR-HEL and though I was in sterile areas in every airport once I checked onto my SYD-DXB flight, yet I had two additional security screenings (at DXB and LHR). Not only does this require discarding any large bottles of water given to me on the planes, but at LHR I was made to open all my sealed amenity kits given to me by QF on their flight segments and consolidate any liquids/gels into my 1 "sealed" baggie! I find LHR to have the most anal security screening in the world...yes, I know, it's for my own "protection", but to have to dump items actually given inflight by an airline is the height of absurdity. (Not to mention, there is still not international consistency to prohibited items since NAmerica and the EU began to permit small scissors but the rest of the world still does not permit these in carry-on!)

skofz

I wonder if this arrangement would be considered sterile enough for OSS purposes. Passengers from non-OSS countries are not re-screened when transiting through T1. There is inter-mingling of passengers from all origins in the international departures area. In contrast, airports like MUC and ZRH are able to completely segregate passengers from OSS vs non-OSS origins.

ACYYZ/SD

Thanks for clearing this up! A very astute SE*MM pointed this out on his boarding card last week and it was clearly a case of "Stump the Chump". The best I could come up with was:

>Office of Strategic Services
>Out of School Suspension

Mystery solved