Have They Lost Their Mind in Toronto
 

What is with the new security in Toronto? Has anybody experienced what I experienced last week. I was not allowed to bring my regulation sized roll on board unless I only had a laptop bag that only contained a laptop. Then I went through security where they pawed through everything in my bag and then 3 other times as I went to the gate and then experienced another gate change. Don't they trust their own security? It seem overboard and harassment. Also, anybody had the "back spatter" technology traveling as I had through Boston. Why don't they just make us all go through naked and ban all carry ons.

Boycott Canada if you're US-based.

Boycott US if you're non-US based.

Governments and their actors need to get the message. :mad:

This has been going on since December:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...rocedures.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ry-policy.html

Essentially, then, you're telling them to shut down the border. What is the security-related problem for American traveling to Canada? I haven't seen that discussed here. (Yes, we've seen plenty of stories about Canadian customs.)

The fact that many Americans travel with large carry-on luggage is well known. The fact that the US Government imposed these silly restrictions on anyone traveling to the US is also well known. The OP's experience in YYZ is merely a product of these two facts, unfortunate as that may be.

Many from the Toronto area are now driving to Buffalo, and flying from there. The BUF long term lots and area hotels are filled with cars that have Canadian tags.

Yes.Done.

Bruce

I'm telling them to stop harassing people.

Passengers are being refused the normal 1+1 carryon policy from Canada to the US due to yet another stupid, irrational fear of terrorism that Canada is unwilling to mitigate in an intelligent manner.

Both governments should suffer backlash via heavy losses in the transportation and tourism sectors until they get the message: lose the harassment.

Travel through Ottawa. It's inconvenient, sure, but the security there is less fascist.

Driving to Buffalo takes 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on border and traffic around Hamilton. Driving to Ottawa can take double that, or more - and the experience going through security will be the same.

Toronto flyers should give BUF the boost it deserves...while sending a copy of their itinerary to YYZ management/Transport Canada with a 'middle finger' message about why they're not using YYZ anymore.

My cousins just flew B6 to FLL from BUF - with two little kids in tow and a lot of luggage, the decision was a no brainer. Not only did they save almost $2,000 in airfare, they also saved an incalculable amount of stress by driving to BUF the evening before, overnighting at a local hotel and using their sleep/park rates to leave their car and get shuttled to/from the terminal.

A Toronto local could also drive a rental car or take Niagara Airbus to depart BUF and fly back to YYZ, which eliminates half the drive but all of the airport stress.

That will be done on all of my future trips to Canada. Funny thing is that when you get to the concourse you see many people with too much (according to Canadian regulations) carry on luggage. The other funny thing is that most of them are women. If there is a subtile profiling being done at the checkpoints, then doesn't that violate Canadian law?

I travel to this pocket of the world every 2-3 weeks. I made the mistake of using YYZ a couple weeks ago

This has nothing to do with it. Canada is the ONLY country enforcing such stupid "rules." Also, it has nothing to do with how many Americans travel with "large" carry-ons. The vast majority of YYZ trans-border travelers are on connections or on business and follow 1+1 strictly.

That was the case anyway. The people at BUF estimate that at least 1/3rd of passengers there are Canadian. The ridiculous thing is that CBP still is shocked every time someone tells them they are going to BUF to fly from the airport.

Exactly. If it is good enough for US domestic and other countries, it should be good enough for the Canadians.

BUF is much closer and cheaper. No reason to go to YOW unless you are going to Ottawa.

Its ridiculous. I had this exact thing happen to me. I had my roll aboard and my Ogio backpack, which I made sure was only laptop and laptop stuff in it. Igor at the door said "too many zippers." Some woman who was also on my flight had a roll aboard and a backpack that was both larger and had more zippers (funny, I know) than mine. It royally pissed me off and it does indeed violate the Charter.

Bolding mine.

Igor at the door? Between dropping off your checked luggage and beginning the screening process, that door? Seem to recall some folks in white shirts and red vests at that same door. They didn't appear to be a very friendly lot. Who are they since once past them I dealt with CATSA and they were professional.^^ (USA TSA are you listening?)

This is one of the things I like about FlyerTalk in that we can compare experiences at the same airport (and often with the same people).

Wonder what would it take to file a violation of the Charter against those folks? What authority do those people at the door have?

No. The door to the Pre-Clearance zone. I have no idea who they are, other than the one I got being an oafish Eastern European who obviously discriminates. I saw several gray haired men along with that woman I mentioned getting buy with as much or more.

As for CATSA, I stood on the mat and was sent to secondary. I cause an uproar when I refused the nude-o-scope and gave my reason as "not wanting to be looked at by perverts." They wanted to take me out of sight of my bag (I obviously kept the backpack and checked the roll aboard) and I said no. So they patted me down in line. The pat down guy had an English/Francais tag on and so I let him know my opinions on security theater and nude-o-scope perversion in French. He agreed with me.

I wonder the same thing. I was thinking of filing a complaint.

Female poster. My carry on combination of choice around the world is my hand carry Titan laptop bag and a Jump or Longchamp bag, both of which are well under the international carry on limitations.

Yet I cannot take them flying Canada to the US because of the Titan bag - it has too many pockets and zips.

So how did I fly a few weeks ago from Canada to the US? I took a 22 inch rollaboard, which I never take as carry on, and the small Jump purse. I put my laptops in their neoprene sleeves inside the 22 inch rollaboard, removed them at security, and then put them back inside. Had I been forced to check the rollaboard, I had a large size Longchamp le Pliage which can be used to carry my laptops instead. But I was not questioned nor challenged.

So I took MORE carry on ie larger than I normally take, due to this rule. I don't like to carry on a rollaboard, and it irked me to do so, but my usual standard small carry on absurdly don't fit 'the rules' in this case.

Interesting situation. I do find it ironic that if someone brings a max-sized roll aboard and simply shoves their laptop gear in there, or shoves non-laptop stuff from their other bag in there, they are free and clear. Anyone else see how dumb this is?