Thunderroad

I'm trying to help friends get their college-age daughter (a U.S. citizen) home from Spain to Portland, Oregon (USA). She's due to take off from Malaga, Spain tomorrow, with Calgary her first stop in Canada. Her ticket takes her on to Vancouver. But since she'd have to overnight in Vancouver, her folks have instead bought her a separate ticket, on which she'll fly from Calgary to Portland, via Seattle. (The reason she's routing this convoluted way through Canada to begin with is so she can travel with a friend as far as North America, before her friend continues on to home in Vancouver. They're both kind of freaked out, so want to be together, and their parents have made these plans in a rush.) I'd very much appreciate help with any of these questions:

1. Am I correct in assuming that, once she arrives in Calgary, she'll have to go through Canadian customs and immigration? I'm almost sure this is the case, but just want to confirm.
2. Am I also correct in assuming that she'd retrieve her check-in luggage in Calgary rather than it simply continuing on to Vancouver?
3. I've flown in and out of Canada several times from the USA, but can't recall the process clearly. Am I correct in assuming that she'll pass through US immigration in Calgary?
4. Am I correct in assuming that the Canadian immigration authorities (or the U.S. authorities, for that matter) won't have a problem with her just transiting through Calgary on her way to the USA?

Those are the key questions. But a few more for anyone who has the time:

5. Am I correct in assuming that Calgary airport might be relatively uncrowded and calm, given its relatively small size and limited international connections?
6. Am I correct in assuming that her not traveling the last leg, Calgary-Vancouver, of her ticket won't be a problem? Her folks could try to change that ticket to drop that leg, but I suspect that could create more problems than it's worth, especially since it was booked through a discount online travel agency I'd never heard of (literally called Cheapo).
7. Aside from the hassles of dragging check-in bags around with her and having to hang out in Calgary airport with them for a long time, are there any extra complications they could create in transit?
8. Of course, any other advice or questions about matters I might not have considered would be more than welcome.

Thanks in advance, very much.

Jebby_ca

Verify whether US Citizens can still enter Canada when she arrives. The border is closing for all non-essential travel, even for US citizens. This change was just announced today, effective at 11:59PM Friday March 20th.

canadiancow

1. Not if she's connecting to the US, but it sounds like it won't be a connection since it's a separate ticket with bag re-check involve.
2. Make sure they only check the bag to YYC if that's her plan. There are many situations in YYZ and YVR where you don't pick up bags on international to domestic connections. I'm not sure about YYC.
3. Yes
4. I wouldn't assume that, given she is leaving the transit area to claim her bags. Best to verify.

5. Every airport is calm right now
6. In the current situation, I doubt it. But I would have tried changing the existing ticket (likely free with current waivers), rather than abandoning it and buying a new one. It would alleviate most of my concerns above.
7. Short-checking a bag is always a concern. Not every airline/agent will do it.
8. See my response to question 6.

Stranger

Bunch of questions, not all of which have an obvious answer.

First issue, luggage. If the two tickets were first one to Calgary, and second, starting at Calgary, checking through would likely not be an issue, assuming AC has an interlining agreement with the second (unspecified) airline.

In these uncertain times, there might be flexibility. So calling AC they might just change the ticket and remove the YYC-YVR leg in which case checking through might be OK? Otherwise, apart from issues with luggage, missing the least leg should not be a problem.

I believe (but not 100% sure, other may know better) that there is no sterile international to US connection at YYC so yes she will need to go through Canadian immigration and then US immigration, which is very likely better than having to go through US immigration upon arrival in the US. Whether in Calgary, luggage has to be retrieved to go through US immigration even if checked through or not I do not know.

Does not appear that transiting in Canada should be an issue. They ask people arriving to self-quarantine. And no, YYC should not be very crowded.

Sounds like this is an itinerary AGP-FRA-YYC. I would be much more concerned with FRA than YYC when coming to the issue of getting contaminated. We flew FRA-YYC on March 1, and we were already worry and did our best to be careful; it may well be the case that the following day an FA on that flight turned out to be positive.

But more importantly, does LH still fly AGP-FRA?

Thunderroad

Thanks for the quick and very useful replies. I'm a bit confused by this, though very much appreciate the info:

You're suggesting she verify whether she can enter Canada before going, not upon arrival right? Or am I missing something here? She won't even be allowed on the flight if Canada is barring U.S. citizens.

Anyway, any other info or advice from anyone is very much welcome.

Stranger

Jebby is right. Should check whether she will be able to board a flight to Canada.

Would have to be classified as essential, and it is possible that connection are OK, but situation is clear as mud at this point.

YEG USER

You're not missing anything. Midnight tonight the Canadian border closes to all non-essential travel for non-citizens/permanent residents. She might not even be allowed on the flight.

I've not seen anything definitive about whether people will still be allowed to transit via Canada to the US, as pax in transit wouldn't be entering for tourist purposes.

I would recommend that your friends try to keep the booking to go via YVR to SEA. AFAIK that is one of the routes to the USA that AC is maintaining even after the border closes. If the routing via Canada to the US is all on one ticket, there might be a case that they could travel via Canada since they're in transit, but it isn't a guarantee.

Fiordland

Rules are changing so it is good to do the verification as this stuff is all changing day to day.

The last bit of information I had was transit passengers were accepted. However they needed to obtain boarding passes at the check in counter show onward connection documentation.

Fiordland

Air Canada is still posting that transit passengers are permitted to connect in Canada. I don't believe the US would block a US national returning to the US. Canada would not block them from leaving Canada.

I don't think it should mater if it is on one ticket or not. Likely they would not be able to do online checking and may be required to show proof they are booked on a connecting flight. I would also print and bring along a printed copy of the AC FAQ and the second booking.

https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...uirements.html

BenSenise

are you saying that Canada is like most other countries in the world where you can transit without technically entering the country and going through immigration? i've never done that in Canada but I'm trying to picture the arrivals hall at YVR and I can't see how someone would get from international arrivals to any departure gate without going through immigration. Am I misunderstanding your reply?

YEG USER

there are some airports in Canada where you can connect from international to USA without going through Canadian customs. You head straight to US preclearance.

IIRC YVR does this. Instead of heading down escalator to CAN immigration you take a different escalator down to USA preclearance.

Stranger

Definitely at YYZ and YUL.

sokolov

Which is irrelevant in this case, as the traveler has to pick up luggage and check it for the flight to Portland and pay the luggage fee - unless they manage to get it checked through from Europe to Portland.

exbayern

Last week the A to B tunnel in FRA was completely empty, this week FRA is even emptier. No shops open, most food outlets closed or closing down, lounge limited entry to 30 persons. Many flights historically in B have been moved to Z, although as AC is based at B not sure if they have also moved over.

AGP to FRA is still scheduled; LH has cut up to 90 percent but seems that the flight is still scheduled, or at least one of the flghts several times a week. I've been on several LH flights in the last 10 days and all were actually packed (or even oversold with the middle seat in short haul business occupied) as travellers try and get back to their home countries. Sadly this should die down shortly as the windows close.

RangerNS

There is always a cursory document check, which verifies that one can do the shortcut. Not everyone can take the shortcut, and if there are problems, everyone (including Canadians) would need to clear customs to leave the area.

It's not clear if a USian can enter Canada from Europe. I would not bet on her ability to board an Air Canada aircraft.