delays at customs at YYZ

[cndmama05]

Hello all
I think we have finally decided to fly down instead of driving but I have heard in the news lately of major delays at customs with respect to a new system, where they post your name on a screen when it's your turn to pass through after your bags have cleared. Has anyone been through lately that could verify this?
Thanks in advance

 

[SirDuff]

I passed through in December and there was no such system in place. Where is this system supposed to be in place? When you are exiting after collecting your luggage? There was no line there at all when I went through. I used my NEXUS card at immigration, but I didn't notice any back-up or changes up there (since my previous trips in June or October).

Also - Canadian customs or US pre-clearance? The order of things has changed in departures over the past year, but still didn't notice what you're describing (again, I used Global Entry, but that it right beside the other lines, so I should have noticed (but might not have)).

 

[cndmama05]

I passed through in December and there was no such system in place. Where is this system supposed to be in place? When you are exiting after collecting your luggage? There was no line there at all when I went through. I used my NEXUS card at immigration, but I didn't notice any back-up or changes up there (since my previous trips in June or October).

Also - Canadian customs or US pre-clearance? The order of things has changed in departures over the past year, but still didn't notice what you're describing (again, I used Global Entry, but that it right beside the other lines, so I should have noticed (but might not have)).

Sorry I should have been more clear...I was talking about US pre clearance. I can't remember where I read about it. Ok that's good to know. We are on the first flight on AC in the morning. Hope it won't be too bad as far as delays...

 

[SirDuff]

This is YYZ's description of the process in departing for the US and there is no mention of the number thing (though lots of talk about it being a lengthy process).

https://www.torontopearson.com/Departing_to_usa.aspx#

 

[Canooknic]

I don't know about YYZ but at YEG we have screens to complete before passing through US customs, is that maybe what the article referred to?
I've used them a couple of times but it doesn't slow things down too much (although it has felt like it when stuck watching tech-savvy people struggling to use it!)

 

[samsteele]

I have heard in the news lately of major delays at customs with respect to a new system, where they post your name on a screen when it's your turn to pass through after your bags have cleared.

I haven't heard of this with names on screens, but my parents went through Toronto a week and 1/2 ago & they noticed much more security & delays & long lines than in the past. Of course, many Snowbirds fly home for Christmas & then fly back to Florida in January. So arrive earlier, pack your patience & be prepared for longer lines & lengthier time through American Homeland Security Clearance when flying out of YYZ.

 

[SirDuff]

I don't know about YYZ but at YEG we have screens to complete before passing through US customs, is that maybe what the article referred to?
I've used them a couple of times but it doesn't slow things down too much (although it has felt like it when stuck watching tech-savvy people struggling to use it!)

Pearson uses the kiosks now too (they use them for Canadian immigration too).

 

[starvenger]

Well, here's to hoping the NEXUS application for wife, kids and MiL go through with no issues... although I could see PEOTUS 86'ing the program...

 

[Lesverts]

Last time I flew from Toronto they were just finishing the new procedure set-up. But it was completely straight-forward. Never once had an issue going through pre-clearance at Pearson. The order of security and pre-clearance changed, you now enter your information on a screen and get a print-out. And you go through two checks instead of one. But I find the system a lot faster then when I first started going through it 10 years ago with having to go to Denver every couple of months.

 

[Starwind]

we connected in toronto in december 2015, and another trip in february 2016, both with westjet, and experienced this both times.

basically, when you connect from a canadian origin to a us destination via pearson, you will clear us customs in toronto. you no longer have to handle your checked baggage for the connection and customs, it is processed behind the scenes.

there are multiple points where your information is scanned and you move forward to the next step. right before you enter the "customs hall" is one of these. if your bags have processed through you are allowed to enter the customs hall and you get in line and clear customs.

if your bags have not yet processed, you are told to go sit down in the area to the right (where are chairs) and wait until your name shows up on th screens they have hung. the screens also show the flights for apssengers being processed, and the status of the luggage of that flight, so you have an idea of where in the process your bags likely are. also in that "room" are desks for the airlines who can help locate wayward luggage (see below). both times i have had to wait there an airline employee has approached me, scanned my boarding passes and determined where the bags were and let me know how long the wait was likel to be based on that.

One of the trips i only had to wait about 5 or 10 minutes. the other, however, my bags decided to take a little trip and stay in canada, somehow having been directed onto the domestic belts instead of the transborder (as explained to me later by westjet and delta). It took a good half hour for them to FIND my bags, but once they were found one of the westjet workers went into the back, retrieved them and put them into the transborder stream. a short wait later and my name came up on the board and i was allowed to enter the customs hall and clear customs. both westjet and delta did a great job of talking with me and keeping me informed as i waited, and also explained what would happen if the bags kept on their little adventure and could not be found in a reasonable time [after a certain time i would be allowed to enter customs so i would not miss my plane, and the bags would catch up later and be delivered to me by the airline - i was very grateful i had a four hour connection !!!].

most passengers can go right into customs, it is only a small number who get to wait for their bags to process through. and even rarer for bags to be like mine and want to stay in canada.

SW

 

[BabyHabs]

On our March Break trip last year we experienced this and it was the most frustrating experience of our trip. We waited and waited for our names to be shown on the screen and they never were. As we were approaching our flight time, my DH had to go to the customer service desk and ask what was up. That was another long wait. Finally, they found it was a glitch and our bags had indeed cleared. This was about 15 minutes before our flight and they had to personally rush us through screening/security and we literally were running through to our gate like buddy in Home Alone 2. We made it and they closed the doors right behind us. Then we were delayed 2 hours. All with 3 young kids. It was lovely.

I'm hoping the procedure is now running more smoothly.

 

[grantclaire]

It can be confusing, seemed slow. We also had to scan our bags and place them on a conveyor this was away from the ticket counter. Then scan passports, receive slips. We only had to show the slips to one agent and we were on are way. Do not remember any screens?

 

[cndmama05]

we connected in toronto in december 2015, and another trip in february 2016, both with westjet, and experienced this both times.

basically, when you connect from a canadian origin to a us destination via pearson, you will clear us customs in toronto. you no longer have to handle your checked baggage for the connection and customs, it is processed behind the scenes.

there are multiple points where your information is scanned and you move forward to the next step. right before you enter the "customs hall" is one of these. if your bags have processed through you are allowed to enter the customs hall and you get in line and clear customs.

if your bags have not yet processed, you are told to go sit down in the area to the right (where are chairs) and wait until your name shows up on th screens they have hung. the screens also show the flights for apssengers being processed, and the status of the luggage of that flight, so you have an idea of where in the process your bags likely are. also in that "room" are desks for the airlines who can help locate wayward luggage (see below). both times i have had to wait there an airline employee has approached me, scanned my boarding passes and determined where the bags were and let me know how long the wait was likel to be based on that.

One of the trips i only had to wait about 5 or 10 minutes. the other, however, my bags decided to take a little trip and stay in canada, somehow having been directed onto the domestic belts instead of the transborder (as explained to me later by westjet and delta). It took a good half hour for them to FIND my bags, but once they were found one of the westjet workers went into the back, retrieved them and put them into the transborder stream. a short wait later and my name came up on the board and i was allowed to enter the customs hall and clear customs. both westjet and delta did a great job of talking with me and keeping me informed as i waited, and also explained what would happen if the bags kept on their little adventure and could not be found in a reasonable time [after a certain time i would be allowed to enter customs so i would not miss my plane, and the bags would catch up later and be delivered to me by the airline - i was very grateful i had a four hour connection !!!].

most passengers can go right into customs, it is only a small number who get to wait for their bags to process through. and even rarer for bags to be like mine and want to stay in canada.

SW

Thanks for your post. This is exactly what I read about. From what I gather now, there isn't supposed to be a big delay during the whole process but it can happen...

 

[cndmama05]

So do you think we would be able to bypass the delays at pre clearance by taking the earliest possible flight of the day?

 

[SirDuff]

Thanks for your post. This is exactly what I read about. From what I gather now, there isn't supposed to be a big delay during the whole process but it can happen...

Unless you are connecting at Pearson, what Starwind described doesn't apply to you.

 

[cndmama05]

Unless you are connecting at Pearson, what Starwind described doesn't apply to you.

No connections here, we are departing from pearson.

 

[Starwind]

Thanks for your post. This is exactly what I read about. From what I gather now, there isn't supposed to be a big delay during the whole process but it can happen...

Exactly. Delays happen when for some reason it takes longer than normal to process bags off one flight through the airport and into the transborder area and through customs. Can happen for any of a number of reasons, including that a particular set of bags decide to stay in Canada, like mine did, and never make it to the transborder area until a human intervenes. For a while they thought my bags must have not even left Ottawa ! Then the wayward things showed up somewhere in domestic luggage and got sent on their proper way with the help of a human. So, it happens.

But the normal is a pretty seamless process. By the time you have deplaned and walked the VERY LONG walk from your gate to the US Customs area, and entered all your info into the kiosks and been called to be allowed in further, your bags should have also been able to make that journey.

SW

 

[Starwind]

It can be confusing, seemed slow. We also had to scan our bags and place them on a conveyor this was away from the ticket counter. Then scan passports, receive slips. We only had to show the slips to one agent and we were on are way. Do not remember any screens?

That is the old process. Now when connecting from a domestic to a USA flight you don't collect your bags during the connection, they are transferred for you behind the scenes. You will be shown a picture of them but won't actually see them "in the flesh" nor touch them.

SW

 

[Starwind]

No connections here, we are departing from pearson.

Then you don't have a modified process. You should not have to deal with the screens. You just have the lines.

If Pearson is like Ottawa, the first flights of the day can have long lines since there are multiple early flights that will all be lined up together. Some airports will experience a "sweet spot" sometime in the day where the lines die down, but others it is just pretty continuous. No idea what Pearson is like.

The best way to avoid long lines is to have a Nexus card, which gives you Global Entry privileges for US Customs, if you are eligible. Then you can usually go in special SHORT lines and bypass most of the normal lines entirely via the designated Nexus/Global Entry lines. Nexus for the security check and Global Entry for US Customs. Coming home, Nexus makes you eligible for TSA's Pre-Check in the USA (short lines!) and Canada Customs usually has special short Nexus lines, too. Nexus is the least expensive of the special credentials, at $50 and valid for five years. There are other benefits to it as well.

When I last traveled with my sister (who does not yet have Nexus; I do) through Pearson, they let us both into the Nexus security line (which had about 2 people in it) when I showed them my Nexus card, but for US Customs we had to wait in the normal line as we wanted to go through together. The Global Entry line had NOBODY in it. The normal line, OTOH, took an hour to get through once we were actually in it. We are in the process of getting my sister a Nexus card so our next trip is much less painful

SW

 

[starvenger]

NEXUS is wonderful. Except if you're arriving in T1 and you have checked bags. Because all it means is that you're spending 90 minutes waiting for bags instead of 45 minutes in customs and 45 minutes waiting for bags.