Travelsonic

CBC News - Canada - Carry-on baggage subject to strict new rules

maniac78

I'm just guessing but I bet CATSA doesn't have the staff to do gate checks so they went with this instead of that. Hopefully it doesn't last past the 30th

KathrynFlyingAway

Based on speaking with the YYZ airport and related security people, these are very strict limits. Because it is late and I am tired, I might not have asked all the right questions, but as I understood them:

"Laptop computers" means just the computer, no chargers or anything else.
"Cameras" included a camera body, but not lenses.
The small purse can contain a few personal items like a wallet and keys.
You can have a cellphone, but, again, no charger.
A coat is fine, but hats, gloves, eyemasks or anything else would be at the discretion of security.
Books of any kind are forbidden.

moeve

Right and they are paying for anything they loose out of the check in luggage right?

majik

I think what they meant to say was:

ACTHUNG ACTHUNG Bücher sind verboten!!!!

(My bolding)

sfo

This ban was to help speed the lines through security and on to the aircraft. It was a temporary measure and was to be lifted on Tuesday night at 7pm. This was not an Air Canada decision but was a decison made by the Canadian Government

KathrynFlyingAway

I know why they're doing it, but it doesn't make it less of a problem if a connecting plane is missed or canceled (as has happened to many over the past days, because of bad weather, say), or if they're at their destination without their checked luggage (happens to at least one pax per flight, statistically).

The passenger is stuck somewhere with a phone or laptop that cannot be charged, and perhaps no hat or gloves.

And note that if the airline damages or loses anything--a photographers lenses, say, or any of those things the airlines' rules say never to check-- the government did *not* change the rules to make the airline responsible.

But the latter doesn't bother me nearly as much as the idea that passengers are, however temporarily, not able to carry what's necessary to deal with canceled or missed flights. I've been stuck somewhere for 36 hours due to weather, completely unable to access my checked luggage.

phedre

So as of tonight it's lifted? This would make me VERY happy - I have a flight to the US in three weeks.

Any links to sources? I'm going to google, but it'd be nice to have them in the thread.

ETA: Found an article citing Dec 30th as the minimum end date for the new measures:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/0...urity_measures
Which is also listed as the date on westjet.com's security notice.

KathrynFlyingAway

Here's the updated rules from yesterday that list the 13 items you can bring:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/mediaroom/ba...-menu-5781.htm

"Effective immediately, US bound passengers are not allowed to bring carry on bags into the cabin of the aircraft, with some exceptions. Passengers may carry with them the following items: medication or medical devices, small purses, cameras, coats, items for care of infants, laptop computers, crutches, canes, walkers, containers carrying life sustaining items, a special needs item, musical instruments, or diplomatic or consular bags."

You can contact or call CATSA: 888-294-2202
http://www.catsa.gc.ca/english/help_...er_autre.shtml
and have confirmed, as I did, that these are strict limits, although security gets some discretion.

maniac78

CATSA is so useless. I hope this completely destroys the olympics. Of course I bet they make special rules for anyone with olympic tickets.

MissRoseDarrensAngel

If I couldn't travel & have close access to my cell phone, ipod, camera and their respective chargers, I would go nuts. They will be in my purse along with my id/passport/money/credit cards plus my car/home keys, and I wouldn't dare check any of those items as I don't trust baggage handlers not to steal stuff. I don't use the phone and camera on the plane, just the ipod when the all clear is given to use it.

I'd make sure I had a coat with me of some kind especially if my final destination won't be anyplace warm.

star_world

you know the Olympics isn't for another 6 weeks or so, right? This will be long finished by then.

KathrynFlyingAway

As said upthread, one can contact them: 888-294-2202 [888-294-2202]
http://www.catsa.gc.ca/english/help_...er_autre.shtml

1. You can have your cellphone, laptop and camera, but not their chargers.

2. Women can have a bag-within a bag "purse", men cannot. That is, I could have my small purse inside of my laptop bag, but Mr. K cannot have the equivalent.

3. Medicines that aren't in their original box can be confiscated, even if you have a doctor's note. Note: they don't mean in their original blister-pack from a box, but in their original box. This is up to the discretion of the security person. That some important medicines are over-the-counter (non prescription) or are sold or given to me by my doctor's office in individual tubes or packs is irrelevant.

4. there aren't exceptions for children, just for babies. If your toddler loves their teddybear and it keeps them from crying, well, prepare for crying. It'll be in checked luggage.

If someone else wants to call the above number and see if I'm interpreting their words wrong, I'd be happy to find out I misunderstood.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

At one level part of me says good for CATSA. They are probably tired of TSA's knee-jerk reactions. If you are on an airplane bound for the USA - everything will be checked and you walk through a WBI otherwise you do not fly. The number of PAX would drop as would the flights. And in the end less hassles. On the other hand JHFC what a nightmare.

OffToOz

Then I guess they're betting on people believing they'll actually end the nonsense before then rather than cancel tickets or travel plans. The liquids farce was also supposed to end in the US in "mid to late 2009" when "new, more sophisticated" scanners were put into place. That didn't happen, did it? I won't believe this is a short-term temporary measure until it actually ends. Until it does, I'm going on the fact that it's in place now.

Six weeks isn't actually that long a time for someone planning a trip to the Olympics. Things need to be planned ahead of time. The way things stand, I can see a lot of people reconsidering any thought they ever had of traveling to Canada for this.