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Passport necessary for a layover in Canada

Passport necessary for a layover in Canada

Old Jul 14, 2008, 3:15 pm
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Passport necessary for a layover in Canada

I'm on a UA flight from HNL-ANC with a layover in Vancouver and changing to a Air Canada codeshare.

When I tried to check in on-line, it asked for my passport information. Why would I need a passport for a three hour layover?
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 3:16 pm
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Originally Posted by honmani2
I'm on a UA flight from HNL-ANC with a layover in Vancouver and changing to a Air Canada codeshare.

When I tried to check in on-line, it asked for my passport information. Why would I need a passport for a three hour layover?
No sterile transit. You'll need to preclear U.S. entry even though you're arriving from the U.S. even if you don't need to clear Canadian entry.
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 3:18 pm
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Because you are leaving and re-entering the US. You *may* not have to clear Canadian customs at YVR however you will have to clear US customs/immigration in order to proceed on to ANC. There are US agents stationed at YVR so you will clear there before boarding the flight onward to ANC.
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 3:19 pm
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For one, APIS requirements for the YVR-ANC leg.
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 3:58 pm
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Originally Posted by YVR Cockroach
No sterile transit. You'll need to preclear U.S. entry even though you're arriving from the U.S. even if you don't need to clear Canadian entry.
Got it. I didn't know that airports weren't considered "sterile".

I'm glad I checked with all of you and that I tried to check-in on-line; otherwise, I would have gone to the airport tonight and been SOL.

What would happen if you just didn't have a passport and you thought you were going from HNL to ANC without realizing that you're entering Canada?

I guess you wouldn't be allowed to board in HNL?

Oh, a few more questions. What about check-in luggage?

And can I shop at the duty-free shop prior to "leaving" Canada for the U.S.?

And do I have to go through customs and immigration in ANC?

I guess the lesson is go to HNL-ANC via SEA.
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 4:14 pm
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Originally Posted by honmani2
Got it. I didn't know that airports weren't considered "sterile".
Even if it were, you'd still need a passport even if your origin and destination didn't require that you need one. Hypothetical example, if you were flying AA UA SFO-MEX-IAD. As a rule carry a passport wherever any itinerary contains a flight leaves the country of your citizenship or where you cannot travel w/o travel documents.


What would happen if you just didn't have a passport and you thought you were going from HNL to ANC without realizing that you're entering Canada?

I guess you wouldn't be allowed to board in HNL?
These days, yes. A few years ago, all you would have needed was ID + proof of citizenship (DL + Birth Cert for someone born in the U.S.) Now, it's pretty much a passport or passport card.


Oh, a few more questions. What about check-in luggage?
You'll have to reclear it through CBP. You either recollect it normally if you clear Canadian entry or upstairs in a special area if you can bypass Canadian entry. Ask the agent what your tag is. If it's just tagged YVR, you need to clear Canadian entry and pick it up on your way out, if tagged YVR and ANC, then you should be able to collect it upstairs before clearing U.S. customs.


And can I shop at the duty-free shop prior to "leaving" Canada for the U.S.?
Only if you clear entry into Canada. As far as booze goes, supermarket prices in Hawaii are probably much cheaper than YVR duty-free prices.


And do I have to go through customs and immigration in ANC?
With preclearance, no.


I guess the lesson is go to HNL-ANC via SEA.
Yes, that is the much easier and hassle-free route.

Did you get the ticket as one, both UA-coded flights in either direction? If so, I am surprised it is allowed
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 4:18 pm
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Isnt a US to US flight with a canadian connection considered cabotage?
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 4:24 pm
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Originally Posted by Peetyrd
Isnt a US to US flight with a canadian connection considered cabotage?
Yes, but the OP has an AC flight for one of the two segments.
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 4:27 pm
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Originally Posted by sbm12
Yes, but the OP has an AC flight for one of the two segments.
So simply switching carriers is a way around the rule?
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 6:06 pm
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Originally Posted by YVR Cockroach
Did you get the ticket as one, both UA-coded flights in either direction? If so, I am surprised it is allowed
I don't know what you mean as "one" but the routing is HNL-SFO-YVR-ANC.

The YVR-ANC segment is on AC with a UA flight number.

My return is ANC-SFO-HNL.
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 6:14 pm
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Originally Posted by honmani2
I don't know what you mean as "one" but the routing is HNL-SFO-YVR-ANC.

The YVR-ANC segment is on AC with a UA flight number.

My return is ANC-SFO-HNL.
So all the flights on the outbound are UA-coded, or is at least SFO-YVR on an AC-coded flight? FWIW, you may not get denied boarding w/o a passport at HNL but will at SFO. That may be a strategy to get you on a SFO-ANC n/s flight.
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 8:11 pm
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Originally Posted by Peetyrd
Isnt a US to US flight with a canadian connection considered cabotage?
a new word for me - what is "cabotage"?
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Old Jul 14, 2008, 10:40 pm
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Originally Posted by YVR Cockroach
So all the flights on the outbound are UA-coded, or is at least SFO-YVR on an AC-coded flight? FWIW, you may not get denied boarding w/o a passport at HNL but will at SFO. That may be a strategy to get you on a SFO-ANC n/s flight.
All the flights are UA-coded; in fact HNL-SFO-YVR are on UA metal. It's only the YVR-ANC segment that is UA-coded but AC metal.
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Old Jul 15, 2008, 12:17 am
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Originally Posted by alief
a new word for me - what is "cabotage"?
In layman's terms cabotage is the concept in law where countries restrict the ability to move cargo or passengers on domestic voyages to aircraft or ships of their own country: i.e. Air Canada cannot fly passengers between SFO and JFK, nor can UA fly YVR to YYZ. The concept began with and also applies to maritime shipping. The "Jones Act" is a piece of maritime cabotage legislation.

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Old Jul 15, 2008, 12:17 am
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Originally Posted by alief
what is "cabotage"?
a law that requires travel within one country to be carried only by that country's carriers. you're not allowed to connect in Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Armenia, etc. if only traveling between two points in the USA, and although sometimes such flights will show up on booking engines, the airline is not supposed to sell you such a ticket. similarly, although some airlines run continuation services in foreign countries (like LAX-SYD-MEL on UA), they can't pick up SYD pax going to MEL.
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