Couldn’t use ‘Extended’ Drivers License to Board
Nov 25, 2018, 8:27 am
#1
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Couldn’t use ‘Extended’ Drivers License to Board
I was boarding in Calgary with an extended Ontario Driver License, so it has a sticker on it that it is valid only for photo ID and needs the additinal piece of paper they give you when you renew your license. So it IS a valid drivers license. I have boarded about 5 Canadian flight with it like this. The GA in calgary says it’s expired and says she can’t board me with it, and adds something cryptic about it’s an Ontario and we’re in Alberta. I argued briefly with her even pulling out the additional paper but she insists I can’t use it. Luckily I have Nexus, but the average passenger without a passport or Nexus would be screwed. I told her I didn’t believe her and she just smiles sardonically at me and says ‘sure’ so now I really want to know who is right 
. Thinking of contacting AC on this. I can drive with this but can’t fly with it, so if she’s right, it’s bizarre.
. Thinking of contacting AC on this. I can drive with this but can’t fly with it, so if she’s right, it’s bizarre.
Nov 25, 2018, 8:37 am
#3
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Sounds like another story of an inconsistent GA checking ID.
As a resident of Alberta for all but one year of my life, for that one other year I was a Japanese resident that happened to be in Canada for multiple domestic hops. During those trips I flashed my expired Japanese ID where my AB license usually would have been placed in my wallet by mistake, they always let me board and it was only when I realized my mistake after 4-5 flights that I realized I could have ended up like you.
Based on my experiences (is that considered a false positive) and yours (false negative?), I don't think GAs are trained well for ID policies on domestic hop, I think we'll keep hearing stories of GAs not being well read on the rules: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...documents.html
Fun fact, when I worked for an AB municipality I asked if I could use my employee badge as valid photo ID, since it was issued by a government authority after all. The gate agent (she seemed super nervous as if she just started the job) was scrambling for an answer before I pulled out NEXUS to her relief. What to do then?
As a resident of Alberta for all but one year of my life, for that one other year I was a Japanese resident that happened to be in Canada for multiple domestic hops. During those trips I flashed my expired Japanese ID where my AB license usually would have been placed in my wallet by mistake, they always let me board and it was only when I realized my mistake after 4-5 flights that I realized I could have ended up like you.
Based on my experiences (is that considered a false positive) and yours (false negative?), I don't think GAs are trained well for ID policies on domestic hop, I think we'll keep hearing stories of GAs not being well read on the rules: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...documents.html
Fun fact, when I worked for an AB municipality I asked if I could use my employee badge as valid photo ID, since it was issued by a government authority after all. The gate agent (she seemed super nervous as if she just started the job) was scrambling for an answer before I pulled out NEXUS to her relief. What to do then?
Nov 25, 2018, 8:37 am
#4
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I was boarding in Calgary with an extended Ontario Driver License, so it has a sticker on it that it is valid only for photo ID and needs the additinal piece of paper they give you when you renew your license. So it IS a valid drivers license. I have boarded about 5 Canadian flight with it like this. The GA in calgary says it’s expired and says she can’t board me with it, and adds something cryptic about it’s an Ontario and we’re in Alberta. I argued briefly with her even pulling out the additional paper but she insists I can’t use it. Luckily I have Nexus, but the average passenger without a passport or Nexus would be screwed. I told her I didn’t believe her and she just smiles sardonically at me and says ‘sure’ so now I really want to know who is right . Thinking of contacting AC on this. I can drive with this but can’t fly with it, so if she’s right, it’s bizarre.
. Thinking of contacting AC on this. I can drive with this but can’t fly with it, so if she’s right, it’s bizarre.You do know, she works at the airport, right? Which clearly means you're wrong.
I was about to be denied boarding and until the last moment I showed her my Nexus card (I forgot I had it on me until my brain kicked into desperation thinking mode).
Nov 25, 2018, 8:37 am
#5
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I was boarding in Calgary with an extended Ontario Driver License, so it has a sticker on it that it is valid only for photo ID and needs the additinal piece of paper they give you when you renew your license. So it IS a valid drivers license. I have boarded about 5 Canadian flight with it like this. The GA in calgary says it’s expired and says she can’t board me with it, and adds something cryptic about it’s an Ontario and we’re in Alberta. I argued briefly with her even pulling out the additional paper but she insists I can’t use it. Luckily I have Nexus, but the average passenger without a passport or Nexus would be screwed. I told her I didn’t believe her and she just smiles sardonically at me and says ‘sure’ so now I really want to know who is right . Thinking of contacting AC on this. I can drive with this but can’t fly with it, so if she’s right, it’s bizarre.
. Thinking of contacting AC on this. I can drive with this but can’t fly with it, so if she’s right, it’s bizarre.Last edited by YYC009; Nov 25, 2018 at 8:52 am
Nov 25, 2018, 8:41 am
#6
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Nov 25, 2018, 8:41 am
#7
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Ok, what I typed initially was correct.
When one renews a DL in Ontario, your existing DL gets a sticker saying only valid with the Extension slip or something to that effect while you wait for your new DL in the mail. You need both your expired DL with the sticker and this piece of paper with an extended expiry date to drive and to be deemed valid.
Nov 25, 2018, 8:42 am
#8
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My guess is, the "extended Ontario DL" is probably the same loose piece of paper that in Alberta is called a "temporary" DL?
Which is OK for driving. But it's not a photo ID, and whether it's an OK ID to fly with, even if with an expired licence is at the very least debatable.
The agent may be right. Or not. Until a clear policy emerges from somewhere...
Which is OK for driving. But it's not a photo ID, and whether it's an OK ID to fly with, even if with an expired licence is at the very least debatable.
The agent may be right. Or not. Until a clear policy emerges from somewhere...
Nov 25, 2018, 8:43 am
#10
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My guess is, the "extended Ontario DL" is probably the same loose piece of paper that in Alberta is called a "temporary" DL?
Which is OK for driving. But it's not a photo ID, and whether it's an OK ID to fly with, even if with an expired licence is at the very least debatable.
The agent may be right. Or not. Until a clear policy emerges from somewhere...
Which is OK for driving. But it's not a photo ID, and whether it's an OK ID to fly with, even if with an expired licence is at the very least debatable.
The agent may be right. Or not. Until a clear policy emerges from somewhere...
Nov 25, 2018, 8:48 am
#11
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Nov 25, 2018, 8:48 am
#12
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No guys - what I said.
When you have an expired DL, for example, you get a sticker on it saying only valid with the paper slip. It's really not called an Extended, but rather simply a "Temporary Driver's License"
When you have an expired DL, for example, you get a sticker on it saying only valid with the paper slip. It's really not called an Extended, but rather simply a "Temporary Driver's License"
Nov 25, 2018, 8:49 am
#13
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Nov 25, 2018, 8:51 am
#14
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The second paper slip allows it to be valid drivers licence, not valid government issued identification for air travel, which as I pointed out, must not be expired.
Nov 25, 2018, 8:53 am
#15
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