Luggage issue when aborting itinerary in Toronto?
 

I am booked on a NRT-YYZ-DFW itinerary on Air Canada, but I am thinking to abort the itinerary in YYZ to catch a flight to EWR on Continental due to a change of plans. Will there be any issue with rechecking my luggage in YYZ? I remember that I get to go through US customs just like in a US airport. So is it too naive to expect to simply rip off the luggage tags after customs and to show the rechecking desk my new itinerary? Can you forsee any other potential complications like terminal changes, customs, etc? An alternative would be to book another Air Canada itinerary out of Toronto instead, if this would avoid complications.

You'll probably want to just rebook your final leg on AC to EWR. CO operates out of T3, and there's no 'sterile' inter-terminal transfer; you'd have to clear Canada Customs & Immigration just for the privilege of changing terminals. If you stay on AC in T1, you can bypass Canada Customs & Immigration and go straight to pre-clearance at the US transfer hall.

Not true - you still need to clear customs, but it's not a full inspection. If you want to leave the terminal, then I believe you get a full customs and immigration inspection.

Also, CO is moving to T1 to be with the other *A carriers - so we'd need to know the OP's dates of travel.

OP: there is nothing wrong with removing the bag tags and just presenting yourself for US pre-clearance and security with your bags as carry-on, provided they're not obscenely large.

Travel will be in early September. There will be too many bags of substantial size to be able to carry them all on. Besides annoying a whole bunch of people by doing so. ;)

The full step-by-step description is here.

I am going to check again when I'm there later this week, but I believe you still need to clear a simple inspection or check with the Customs person - just not a formal clearance into the country. I believe there is little to stop you from entering the US inspection hall, then backtracking out the entrance and into the main terminal.

I think the point is that the OP wants to abandon his original itinerary at YYZ. But if his luggage is tagged to DFW, then they'll show up at the US Connection Hall, and not the regular baggage claim to enter Canada.

So, the question is whether he can take his bag then and somehow get back to Canadian immigration and customs and then recheck his bags with Continental.

Once you're in the US inspection area, there is nothing to stop you from leaving - people walk in and out all the time. The issue is whether or not arriving in the inspection area from the inbound gate filters into a different part where leaving is not an option.

I'd imagine that they are equipped to handle this scenario in some way officially because not everyone who arrives from an Int'l flight connecting to the US is admissible to the US. Some people would be declined at pre-clearance.

I know what you're saying, but the OP (and others going through this new channel) hasn't entered Canada either. So, it's not exactly the same as the "regulars" that are simply flying from Canada to the US.

And if such passenger (or the OP) is refused entry by the US, then Canada has to decide whether to admit such passenger or to send him/her back to NRT (or elsewhere).

I don't know how that is done, but it may not be as so simple.

Looking at the OP's post again, it looks like the itinerary will be changed, so the ticket would reflect NRT-YYZ-EWR with a terminal change assumed (unless CO moves before then).

So if the terminal change is needed, the OP must officially clear Canada Customs and claim their bag in baggage claim, then re-check it with CO (if desired at T3).

Based on this, I think AC should check the bag to YYZ (and tag it as such) - and if they don't, I think the OP should escalate and insist on it because of the terminal change and need to clear Customs. I'm not sure what would happen if the bag was checked through to EWR...

Of course, if he changes his ticket, there's no issue at all. I was just wondering aloud what would happen if he just abandons the AC ticket at YYZ. Which I believe was his original question.

My guess - and it's only a guess - is when he presents himself to Customs for the cursory check before continuing to the pre-clearance area, he can state to the inspector that he will be stopping in Canada and wishes to be admitted.

They would probably do an admissions inspection and call downstairs to have his bags pulled from the pre-clearance transfer queue and sent up to baggage claim.

If you're currently ticketed on NRT-YYZ-EWR all on AC, you will be bypassing Canadian immigration and customs in YYZ. In T1, you will be directed to the US pre-clearance area, where you will pick up your bags for US CBP clearance. I do not believe you can exit that area, especially since you have not cleared Canadian immigration and customs.

If you plan on booking another ticket on CO, you'll probably have to get your bags short-checked to YYZ, and then go through the regular Canadian customs and immigration procedures in T1, then schlep your bags to T3 to check-in with CO.

This is all assuming CO is still operating in T3 by the time you travel, and you will be on 2 separate tickets.

The intent is to abort the itinerary, i.e. to not change it. Instead I want to buy a new ticket originating in Toronto. I think this is the most cost-effective way. So there would be no itinerary NRT-YYZ-EWR. But, would it be possible to show the gate agent in NRT both (*A) itineraries and then have the luggage tagged for EWR. I do not want to officially cancel the YYZ-DFW part, since I think this will invoke significant change fees on such an international open jaw itinerary.

Chances of that happening is close to zero. You are not supposed to abandon the trip mid-itinerary to start with, but of course they couldn't force you to get on the plane to DFW. But you definitely shouldn't even MENTION you're not flying that leg.

So, the question remains, how difficult it would be to retrieve you DFW-tagged bag at YYZ. Which none of us knows exactly.

A better chance is to have them tag it to YYZ only. Tell them you have something large in your suitcase to give to a friend/relative in Toronto, and you're willing to claim your bags and go through Canadian immigration/customs, and then recheck it with AC for DFW. Maybe they'll buy your story and let you.