New Transborder Process at YYZ
 

I noticed this on aircanada.com: "On May 17, 2016, Toronto Pearson is launching a new process for U.S.-bound passengers whereby Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) screening will take place before U.S. Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) inspection."

I'm having trouble picturing how that would flow through the building. Did anyone go through T1 transborder today?

More information: http://torontopearson.com/updates/#

"...towards the rotating knives."

I just went through the new set-up at T3. All the new security machines and lines leading to them just past the check-in counters.

Once past security, US CBP and GE kiosks.

T1 wasn't finished when I went though a couple of weeks ago, but I'll assume others will report back.


By the way, this is the key part from the YYZ T1 page

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) screening will occur prior to US Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) processing in Terminal 1 for US-bound passengers.

* Passengers will be able to check baggage with the airline first so they can move through security screening and US CBP more comfortably.

* Connecting passengers bound for US destinations will have a more streamlined experience.

http://torontopearson.com/rethink/t1/#

So you give up your checked bags before going through pre-clearance now?

That presumably requires a system to pull your bags before they are loaded on the plane in the event you get delayed (and miss your flight) or refused entry at pre-clearance doesn't it?

Yes, it's in the link I attached

All that says is

My ? was intended to indicate a rhetorical question

Doesn't address the question of pulling the bags if you don't get on the plane because of pre-clearance failure.

I am wondering if this will end up causing more delays.

I know it didn't answer your specific question. I'll assume the US CBP has some sort of provision for pulling bags in such a situation

I did the new process today - yyz transboarder. I went in around 7:50am. Nexus.

Security first - nexus line completely empty, no issues.
Showed my nexus again to get into the GE area.
GE normal.
They had CBP folks scanning BPs and checking GE receipts before passing the interview... line..of..boxes.. (that I normally just walk right past).
Then normal line to turn in GE/customs receipts with everyone else dumping into the old security area, all roped off and walking straight to the escalators.

I asked if checking GE was the new normal. I got a "for now" response. General experience... other than the GE checking, no real noticeable difference to me.

A bit of a kerfuffle
 

Quite confused today were the yellow jackets. If you have nexus/ge, but no checked baggage, you got your ge machine receipt and headed towards the usual funnel where you hand it over. If you have checked bags, you have to see an officer, where you are shown a picture of your bag on a belt (since you left it at checkin, same as you would for domestic or international) , your bp is stamped and off you go.

But the yellowjackets couldn't figure out how to tell people this, and there was no dedicated officer for ge, and so they were intermixing with regular line, and at one point there were two ge lines for no apparent reason, and people (including me) were getting irritated. What's the point of ge if you end up in the line anyway?

Should be a dedicated ge officer, since its a 3.2 scond process.....

I was there this morning, the new process is a downgrade for Nexus holders, everybody need to line up and talk to a CBP officer after obtain receipt from GE machine, only 1 line was open around 5:00 AM. The officer checked my nexus card and ask me to confirm my checked bag picture, the process takes about 30 seconds.

I've done this a couple of times at T3. You checkin and get your bag tagged. You take the bag to a conveyor where you scan your BP and then place the bag on the conveyor. It scans your bag and it enters the system.

You now go through security as normal. Nexus, priority, etc. After you clear security there is a computer station where you scan your BP and enter the number of checked bags. I assume this check is to let the system know that you are through security and ready for CBP. I also assume that they can't release the bags until this check?

You then proceed to US customs and immigration. GE terminals and everything else is the same as before except you're not lugging a suit case. You clear immigration (or GE) and then proceed to customs. You hand your paper slip to the customs officer.

I have always just proceeded to the gate but I assume that at this point if they want to search your bag, they can scan your BP, and the system will automatically bring your bags. The same would be true if you were rejected by immigration.

I'm not sure if the bags are automatically released to the airline if you're not stopped or if there is a time limit but they do magically get there :)

Altogether a much better system as no one is dragging bags through customs.

Yes they do. CATSA can pull any bag if US CBP wants to screen it. Thats how the system is designed.

I was able to dropped my bag at (UA) check in counter while getting my boarding passes.

This may also be true for the airlines at T3 but I have only ever printed my baggage tag at a self service kiosk.

This sounds pretty similar to what they have setup at YWG. Dropped off suitcase at the DL bag drop, went through CATSA security, talked to CBP officer who showed me my suitcase on the screen and asked if it was mine, then off to my gate.

Now in the case of YYZ, who knows if this'll help alleviate the massive lines that buildup just for an AC agent to beep one's bag tag into the system. I don't know if that's by design, but the experience of arriving at the start of March break at YYZ and then doing the same at DEN was like night and day.