Returned from Canada lately?
 

Has anyone flown from Canada to the US in the past month? Wondering what the situation is with carry-ons. I'm headed to Toronto and Ottawa this week and trying to figure out how light to pack. I'm returning from YYZ to CVG and usually have a small rollaboard (about the size of a pilot's bag) with an LCD projector and a laptop-sized tote bag with my small purse, laptop and paperwork in it. Will I be able to take them both thru security? Thanks for any insights.

Try this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...edures-90.html

I travel to Canada twice a month. Security continues to be the tightest the any other airport (even Europe) with multi- check points and very long lines. I have been able to bring my rollaboard and other times been told to check it. Terminal 1 is much worst then Terminal 3 die to the higher traffic from Term 1. Key is they allow 1 bad so even placing your briefcase in a rollaboard can work. Good Luck.

Thanks for the info. It seems like it's fairly inconsistent from place to place and time to time (not unlike US TSA). I'll pack light just incase. BTW -- I do have a NEXUS card -- will that help me at all? I'm taking WestJet from YOW to YYZ, have to claim my bags and change terminals for the DL flight. I have 3 hours between flights -- hope that's enough time.

I flew YYZ-LGA a couple of weeks ago (although on AC metal) and it was completely miserable. There is no point in getting to the airport too early as customs only lets specific departures through at any given time. If times work for you I would personally fly out of BUF to save the heartache.

NEXUS is a great help in skipping Immigration/Custom lines but no help for security checks. YYZ uses "green/red lights" (one steps on a pad to activate) and if you get a "green" you breeze thru! I think westjet and Delta are both in terminal 3 so your transfers should be easier and Term. 3 is much better then Term 1.

came out of Calgary last week, one word, EVIL. Curb to gate 90 minutes. Had to check roll on bag and of course UA lost it. Not doing business in Canada for a while till this all settles down.

Lucky you - WS and DL are both in terminal three. The US departure with Nexus is very easy and the T3 security contractor are the most accommodating of all the departure security checkpoint at YYZ. 22by14by9 plus a personal item has not been a problem for me since the hype over the boxer-bomber die down.

Returned from Canada lately?
 

I have been to Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in the past six weeks. They have relaxed the carry-on thing quite a bit. I can now carry a regular carry-on bag. Initially it was only a lap top bag and nothing else. Warning, security is taking forever. Through the scanners and then a secondary pat down and full bag search after. Plan for a lot of time in lines. Especially in Montreal and Toronto.
In Calgary they will not even let you go through security till 2 hours before your flight. So everyone goes at same time=loooooong wait :(

I travel to Canada every week so if anyone wants info oin the airports let me know.

YYZ to US
 

I fly in and out of Toronto frequently, so here is my advice:

You are allowed 1 carryon item that is from a specific list posted on the Pearson Airport website (purse, computer). This makes the check-in line very long and tedious, but since there is rarely anyone in the "First/Medallion" line, you avoid most of that headache.

The initial customs line can be brutally long, but that process has not changed due to the new screening rules. As a result, the first security checkpoint wait is no longer than it used to be.

The change is that they have second screening checkpoint before the gates where TSA goes through your carryon in painstaking detail. However, the past 2 times I was told to "go around" and was somehow exempted from this secondary process. No clue why.

My advice is to book the first flight out in the morning. Customs opens at 4:30 AM - get through as quickly as possible and just relax on the other side.

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT Canada Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator