YEG airport refused to accept Gold status Priority at CATSA baggage inspection lineup
Aug 7, 2022, 11:42 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: westjet
Posts: 12
YEG airport refused to accept Gold status Priority at CATSA baggage inspection lineup
When checking in online for a Westjet flight and with my Westjet Gold Status their website has a notice that states "make sure you use the Priority Line" for CATSA baggage inspection. Well on August 1st leaving Edmonton I was stopped when trying to enter the Priority Lineup and although my printed boarding pass said "Gold" the CATSA agent stated "we don't care that your boarding pass has gold on it that is for the airlines use but means nothing to us; if "Priority" is not printed on your boarding pass you must lineup thru the normal lines.
My understanding is that with Gold Status one of the perks is being able to use the Priority lines especially when it is busy at the airport.Westjet should get this straightened out with Edmonton Airport.
I tried to email Westjet my concern but the "email us" contact page defaults to concerns about Westjet Vacations which has nothing to do with my concern.
My understanding is that with Gold Status one of the perks is being able to use the Priority lines especially when it is busy at the airport.Westjet should get this straightened out with Edmonton Airport.
I tried to email Westjet my concern but the "email us" contact page defaults to concerns about Westjet Vacations which has nothing to do with my concern.
Aug 7, 2022, 11:50 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,833
When checking in online for a Westjet flight and with my Westjet Gold Status their website has a notice that states "make sure you use the Priority Line" for CATSA baggage inspection. Well on August 1st leaving Edmonton I was stopped when trying to enter the Priority Lineup and although my printed boarding pass said "Gold" the CATSA agent stated "we don't care that your boarding pass has gold on it that is for the airlines use but means nothing to us; if "Priority" is not printed on your boarding pass you must lineup thru the normal lines.
My understanding is that with Gold Status one of the perks is being able to use the Priority lines especially when it is busy at the airport.Westjet should get this straightened out with Edmonton Airport.
I tried to email Westjet my concern but the "email us" contact page defaults to concerns about Westjet Vacations which has nothing to do with my concern.
My understanding is that with Gold Status one of the perks is being able to use the Priority lines especially when it is busy at the airport.Westjet should get this straightened out with Edmonton Airport.
I tried to email Westjet my concern but the "email us" contact page defaults to concerns about Westjet Vacations which has nothing to do with my concern.
https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/airpor...rity-screening
Airports offering priority security screening
Flights to Canadian cities U.S. cities International cities
Calgary, AB Yes No YesEdmonton, AB Yes No Yes
Aug 8, 2022, 10:19 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The World
Programs: WS Platinum, Marriott Titanium, DL Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,478
Many airports require a “priority” stamp of some sort on a physical, paper boarding pass to use the priority lane.
Airport security guards understandably have no way of discerning which of WestJet’s four tier levels … Air Canada’s six tier levels … Delta’s five tiers … American’s five … and so on … get “priority lane” access.
And it gets even more confusing factoring in that alliances extend benefits across airlines — so they’d even have to determine (and train all of their people on) benefits for Star Alliance, One World and SkyTeam.
And some carriers offer priority security access to premium credit card holders, too.
It would be insanely complex to have a large group of third party security guards figure that all out. Hence the frequent need for a paper pass with a single, consistent stamp (ie consistent for each airport) on it.
Heck, each airline’s staff sometimes have a hard time figuring out benefits for their own customers. It’s crazily complex, which is why each airline has grids and charts and cheat sheets showing who-gets-access-to-what (with priority security being just one of them).
There’s no way to expect all CATSA or TSA security guards to be able to figure all of that at, and “police” it at the entrance to the security lanes, and keep it moving quickly.
If you want express lane access and don’t have NEXUS, stop and get a paper boarding pass and ask the agent for the stamp.
Airport security guards understandably have no way of discerning which of WestJet’s four tier levels … Air Canada’s six tier levels … Delta’s five tiers … American’s five … and so on … get “priority lane” access.
And it gets even more confusing factoring in that alliances extend benefits across airlines — so they’d even have to determine (and train all of their people on) benefits for Star Alliance, One World and SkyTeam.
And some carriers offer priority security access to premium credit card holders, too.
It would be insanely complex to have a large group of third party security guards figure that all out. Hence the frequent need for a paper pass with a single, consistent stamp (ie consistent for each airport) on it.
Heck, each airline’s staff sometimes have a hard time figuring out benefits for their own customers. It’s crazily complex, which is why each airline has grids and charts and cheat sheets showing who-gets-access-to-what (with priority security being just one of them).
There’s no way to expect all CATSA or TSA security guards to be able to figure all of that at, and “police” it at the entrance to the security lanes, and keep it moving quickly.
If you want express lane access and don’t have NEXUS, stop and get a paper boarding pass and ask the agent for the stamp.
Aug 9, 2022, 10:47 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: YQR
Posts: 2,743
Many airports require a “priority” stamp of some sort on a physical, paper boarding pass to use the priority lane.
Airport security guards understandably have no way of discerning which of WestJet’s four tier levels … Air Canada’s six tier levels … Delta’s five tiers … American’s five … and so on … get “priority lane” access.
And it gets even more confusing factoring in that alliances extend benefits across airlines — so they’d even have to determine (and train all of their people on) benefits for Star Alliance, One World and SkyTeam.
And some carriers offer priority security access to premium credit card holders, too.
It would be insanely complex to have a large group of third party security guards figure that all out. Hence the frequent need for a paper pass with a single, consistent stamp (ie consistent for each airport) on it.
Heck, each airline’s staff sometimes have a hard time figuring out benefits for their own customers. It’s crazily complex, which is why each airline has grids and charts and cheat sheets showing who-gets-access-to-what (with priority security being just one of them).
There’s no way to expect all CATSA or TSA security guards to be able to figure all of that at, and “police” it at the entrance to the security lanes, and keep it moving quickly.
If you want express lane access and don’t have NEXUS, stop and get a paper boarding pass and ask the agent for the stamp.
Airport security guards understandably have no way of discerning which of WestJet’s four tier levels … Air Canada’s six tier levels … Delta’s five tiers … American’s five … and so on … get “priority lane” access.
And it gets even more confusing factoring in that alliances extend benefits across airlines — so they’d even have to determine (and train all of their people on) benefits for Star Alliance, One World and SkyTeam.
And some carriers offer priority security access to premium credit card holders, too.
It would be insanely complex to have a large group of third party security guards figure that all out. Hence the frequent need for a paper pass with a single, consistent stamp (ie consistent for each airport) on it.
Heck, each airline’s staff sometimes have a hard time figuring out benefits for their own customers. It’s crazily complex, which is why each airline has grids and charts and cheat sheets showing who-gets-access-to-what (with priority security being just one of them).
There’s no way to expect all CATSA or TSA security guards to be able to figure all of that at, and “police” it at the entrance to the security lanes, and keep it moving quickly.
If you want express lane access and don’t have NEXUS, stop and get a paper boarding pass and ask the agent for the stamp.
I don't know how standard such systems are, but the last few airports outside Canada we have flown through it was really clear if you did or did not qualify (NUE, for example). A big sign had all the relevant statuses listed. I have not flown out of YEG in years and years so have no idea how it is set up. In any case, I assume that it is up to the airline to set things up so there is no ambiguity for passengers. When we went transferred at YYZ a few weeks back off KL onto WS we had very little time due to a delay and needed to see the WS agent just prior to exiting the customs secure area to fix a BP issue: she very clearly told us exactly where to go and what to look for to get through the priority lane, and that lane was an automated one so if you had the wrong BP it would not let you in. A good system as far as I am concerned.