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YUL Canadian-International departures separation

YUL Canadian-International departures separation

Old Apr 26, 2019, 8:47 am
  #1  
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YUL Canadian-International departures separation

This has probably been discussed elsewhere but without the proper search terms I could not find anything. Just flew through YUL and noticed that they now have separate areas for Canadian and international departures. What's the rational behind this separation? Seems to make things more complicated instead of streamlining connections.
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Old Apr 26, 2019, 9:02 am
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As this is a YUL airport rather than Air Canada or Aeroplan specific question it's been relocated to the Canada forum for further discussion.

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Old Apr 26, 2019, 1:30 pm
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I just noticed this a few days ago as well.

My assumption is that the main reason is to allow Intl => Intl. and US => Intl. connections without having to go through Canadian immigration.

In the old setup, this was impossible as anybody doing e.g. LGA-YUL-CDG could just walk out landside into Canada once they arrived at their CDG departure gate, which was completely open into the domestic concourse and from there the exit. Consequently, connecting pax needed to pass Canadian immigration in any case.

Edited to add: One of the unfortunate consequences of this setup is that the Priority Pass / Contract lounges in the intl. concourse are now no longer accessible for domestic departing pax.
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Old Apr 26, 2019, 1:42 pm
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Originally Posted by airoli
I just noticed this a few days ago as well.

My assumption is that the main reason is to allow Intl => Intl. and US => Intl. connections without having to go through Canadian immigration.
Are you sure that you do not have to go through Canadian Customs on Intl => Intl. and US => Intl. connections? When I transferred yesterday, I arrived from an international destination and in order to get to another international destination the only way would have been to go through Canadian immigration (at least from want I can tell and saw). But maybe this will change in the near future
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Old Apr 27, 2019, 2:10 am
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Originally Posted by totti
Are you sure that you do not have to go through Canadian Customs on Intl => Intl. and US => Intl. connections?
There is a special transfer area for those cases (not new). Up until recently, unlike e.g. in YYZ, in YUL the CBSA agents in those booths had to essentially go through the full proceedure for entering Canada, because of the terminal design.

Now, they can limit themselves to the quick transit-style look at your passport that is already used in YYZ.
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Old May 6, 2019, 7:14 am
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Quick question on MCT for Intl to USA connection. Flying NRT->YUL on AC, connecting to United Airlines flight to ORD. Schedule change has reduced connection time to 1 hour, 5 minutes.

Looking at MCT chart on Air Canada site (https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/...ion-times.html ), not sure if this is considered Intl->Intl, so a 40 minute MCT, or if I will pre-clear into USA, which I am betting is the case, which means MCT of 1 hour 10 minutes...and so, I would need to find alternate flight.

Any insights?
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Old May 6, 2019, 7:26 am
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It's a Intl. => US connection, you definitely pre-clear in YUL, and thus the 70min MCT applies.
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Old May 6, 2019, 9:19 am
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This is now just short of MCT. It's best to do the research for the reroute you want and to call the ticketing carrier before somebody gets around to auto-rebooking you. You will still have the chance to rebook at that time, but your options may be better now.
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Old May 6, 2019, 11:25 am
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Originally Posted by airoli
It's a Intl. => US connection, you definitely pre-clear in YUL, and thus the 70min MCT applies.
Originally Posted by Often1
This is now just short of MCT. It's best to do the research for the reroute you want and to call the ticketing carrier before somebody gets around to auto-rebooking you. You will still have the chance to rebook at that time, but your options may be better now.
Thanks to you both for confirmation. Need to work on options now.
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 11:12 am
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Gosh I had not been back to YUL since 2018 and just saw the separation. So didn't know it happened years earlier. Such a shame since I use to go to that Priority Pass lounge for domestic connections.

But to go back to this thread would once say that the US-YUL-INTL connection is much easier then nowadays? Just wondering.
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