YYZ transit question on AC
 

Traveling with a companion on AC C, HAV>YYZ, and then we are connecting to different flights. I've got a US passport and travel partner has a Thai passport. He has a Canadian transit visa. I'm continuing on to IAD on AC and he's going to ICN on AC. From looking at flightaware, it appears the flights from HAV arrive in YYZ T1, and both of our AC flights also leave from T1.

We're trying to figure a few things and will be grateful for any information:

1. When you arrive in Canada and are immediately connecting to an international flight, do you pass through any kind of immigration control, as if you're formally entering Canada, or just a security check for transit passengers?

2. Are US-bound flights segregated in some way from other international departures? Also at flightaware I see US flights departing from gates all over T1 so I'm trying to figure this out.

3. Basically since my flight leaves a lot later than his, we'd like to hang out near his gate until he departs and then I'll go over to my gate. Is this likely to be possible?

Thanks very much for any insights on this.

@Matthew_DC

In addition to other answers you may receive here, this info from AC's website may help. And yes, U.S. flights are in a separate area as YYZ has U.S. pre-clearance.

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...l-airport.html


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b946d2d210.png



Selecting International to U.S. for example, you get this page

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...rt/int-us.html


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...4187d2975e.png



https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...t/int-int.html

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1646f83209.png

1. For transient PAX, to US or other INTL destinations, there is a pro-forma immigration check. To the USA there will be a US TSA style security check, and then US border clearance. I'm not sure if there is another security control to get back on an INTL outboudn.

2. Yes. Leaving a INTL inbound there is only a hallway to a customs/security checkpoint. No services. It is obviously not designed for mingling around.

3. No. But if can "enter" (as opposed to "transit") Canada, then you could hang out landside, I suppose. For you going to the US, this would not be any additional security/customs, since you have to clear anyway, but for them, it might mean one more security process. If allowed.

Thank you very much! That is very helpful. So I guess the US-bound gates are on a different level or something, or there is some way they keep them separate after pre-clearance. On the map I first checked, I didn't understand why E&F gates were the way they appear, but I think I do now. Thanks again.

To get to the end (always international section) of that pier, you walk a long and empty corridor on the top floor. The hermaphrodite gates rarely change.

You can't get into the F area without seeing US customs (and security), or out of it without seeing Canadian customs.

What happens when a US flight is cancelled? Do they get sent to the arrivals corridor and then take the escalator up and then down to CBSA located below USCBP?

Yes.

My single experience was a flight cancelled, and everyone returning to the US waiting area. I headed to the lounge, was unhappy with my rebooking, and, to exit, had to find a GA to let me into the arrivals labyrinth to get upstairs to Canadian customs.

Interesting. My only experience with a transborder flight cancellation was with WS at YYZ T3, and I didn't have to see Canada Customs. I was simply escorted out to landside. What is the rationale for having to go through Immigration/Customs? Possible duty-free purchases?

My guess would be because of TWOV.

I've flown MUC-YYZ-SFO a few times.

Sometimes, after being at the gate, I decide to exit and have dinner with someone (in at least one case, it was a VDB that pushed my departure out by 4 hours).

They have no idea whether I've cleared Canadian immigration. In that case, I hadn't.

Another time was YYZ-YUL-SFO when YUL-SFO was cancelled. I was definitely legally in Canada, but I still had to go through, because I'd mingled with others who may not have cleared Canadian immigration.

Makes sense.

I just looked at the connection guide on YYZ's website. It doesn't seem they offer OSS or any expedited international-to-international/US transfer facilities at YYZ T3, so everybody in the US pre-clearance area has come from landside. This is probably why they could just escort me out in T3, whilst in T1 you would need to go through immigration/customs to exit.

Sorry, can you elaborate a bit... for MUCYYZSFO, you did VDB after preclearing for your YYZSFO flight and then decided to have dinner groundside in Toronto? And if so, you didn't have to clear Canadian immigration, but then had to go through US preclearance a second time once you returned to YYZ post-dinner?

I did have to clear CBSA. Sorry, I realize I left out that very important fact.

I have never been able to leave a TB area without going through CBSA, regardless of airport or circumstances. I've done it in YVR, YYZ, YUL.

I did leave the YHZ TB area, with an escort, to landside, without clearing Canadian customs. (on a reroute through YYZ to the hinterland, off a cancelled EWR flight).

Strangely, they escorted us through the DOM area, and out the airlock, as opposed to just upstream through customs & security (or some other direct route).