Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21286 posts, RR: 19 Posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 2775 times:
AC wants to sell me a 1:40 connection on LHR-YYZ-BNA. It looks like the MCT is 1:25. Assuming the LHR-YYZ is on time (I know - and can assess - the chance that it is not on time), is this likely to be doable?
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21286 posts, RR: 19 Reply 2, posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 21 hours ago) and read 2767 times:
Quoting airontario (Reply 1): What time does the flight arrive in to YYZ?
1500
Quoting airontario (Reply 1): Then again the lineups at US customs can be nonexsistant one day, and totally jammed the next.
That is the source of my concern. It seems really unpredictable, perhaps because it is.
Am I likely to have to wait an overly long time for my checked bags to show up at Customs?
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
Julian773 From Australia, joined Aug 2009, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 7 months 1 week 19 hours ago) and read 2745 times:
Hi Cubsrule!
I have connected to the US frequently through YYZ.
It goes pretty well actually, the bags came through customs very quickly all I had to do was re-tag them and put on another belt. Make sure you fill in your immigration card correctly as I saw some dudes do a mistake and they got sent back all the way to the belt and after filling in a new card had to queue in like all again.
The only time I had trouble was when our 767 went tech. in ZRH and we got delayed for 2h. But AC did a good job and rebooked pax on the next flight but told us enroute to Canada already who got rebooked on which flight.
I'd book it in an instant. I have connected from ZRH to the US multiple times in YYZ and it was always a breeze. Actually it's my favorite method to go to the U.S.
WARNING! The post above should be taken with a grain of salt! Furthermore, it may be slightly biased towards A.
reifel From Germany, joined Feb 2005, 1153 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (1 year 7 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 2677 times:
Quoting Julian773 (Reply 3): It goes pretty well actually, the bags came through customs very quickly all I had to do was re-tag them and put on another belt. Make sure you fill in your immigration card correctly as I saw some dudes do a mistake and they got sent back all the way to the belt and after filling in a new card had to queue in like all again.
Actually I thought that bags via YYZ and YUL to US destinations are checked through and can be looked up by US customs on request, but usually not. Isn't this correct? Furthermore, you don't need to pass Canadian immigration if continuing in the US, right? While if you would fly i.e. FRA-YYZ-EZE, you would need to clear Canadian immigration (where's the sense in that...?).
Julian773 From Australia, joined Aug 2009, 105 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (1 year 7 months 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 2667 times:
Quoting reifel (Reply 5): Actually I thought that bags via YYZ and YUL to US destinations are checked through and can be looked up by US customs on request, but usually not. Isn't this correct?
When I travelled via YYZ I had to do it myself every time(US bound), however you have to go through that area anyway so it doesn't really make a difference. But on the way to Europe it was checked through-no idea why.
Quoting reifel (Reply 5): Furthermore, you don't need to pass Canadian immigration if continuing in the US, right?
No. Unless you miss the sign 'US Immigration This Way'. You'd end up automatically passing Canadian customs.
Quoting reifel (Reply 5): While if you would fly i.e. FRA-YYZ-EZE, you would need to clear Canadian immigration (where's the sense in that...?).
Never connected to South America via YYZ but I fail to see the logic in that too. Maybe because these international flights leave in a transit area where it isn't possible to stay in a security zone. Other than that it would just be unnessasairy work for the Canadian immigrations.
reifel From Germany, joined Feb 2005, 1153 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (1 year 7 months 6 days ago) and read 2665 times:
Quoting Julian773 (Reply 6): Never connected to South America via YYZ but I fail to see the logic in that too. Maybe because these international flights leave in a transit area where it isn't possible to stay in a security zone. Other than that it would just be unnessasairy work for the Canadian immigrations.
I'm unsure if this is the reason actually... When I landed in YUL a few months ago, when arriving to the immigration hall you had 3 options:
-Enter Canada, reclaim bags, pass customs and leave the airport (or connect domstically, which is basically going landside on arrivals, then up the stairs and going airside again as if you were a local passenger, how silly, I think Montreal airport is very inconvenient for that).
-Continue to US immigration without passing Canadian immigration nor retrieving your bags. Very straightforward.
-Continue internationally without collecting bags, but with the need to pass Canadian immigration. It's only 2 counters and usually a small queue anyway, since international connections are mainly Latin America or Caribbean... The counters are located left from the regular immigration counters, and passengers go directly airside again if I understood correctly. No need to exit direction arrivals hall.
To be honest I never really understood how Canada works in that matter... I understand US is very bad for international transfers since you need to retrieve your bags and pass US immigration and all that, but this is because there is no "international departure area" since international and domestic departing guests are not separated like in a lot of other airports in this world... Not sure if they can't or don't want to change that (although in a lot of airports, i.e. ATL, it wouldn't be a big deal to make a few terminals parts "international" areas...).
Sorry, it's a little bit off topic, but I was wondering why YYZ and YUL aparently work quite differently, especially when it comes to connecting to the US. That said, to answer to the thread openers question, you should be fine with that connecting time, and if not the airline will probably take care of you.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21679 posts, RR: 23 Reply 9, posted (1 year 7 months 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 2648 times:
Quoting reifel (Reply 5): Actually I thought that bags via YYZ and YUL to US destinations are checked through and can be looked up by US customs on request, but usually not. Isn't this correct?
As far as I know, that procedure is in place at YUL and YVR but not yet at YYZ although it's planned. At YYZ you have to claim your bags (even if they're checked through to the final destination in the US) and present them to US pre-clearance and they're then sent to the connecting flight. However you don't have to clear Canadian customs/immigration. http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/yyz_intl_us.html
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