Canadians! YYZ airport

[ilovetotravel1977]

Hmm, now I'm wondering if I should bother even pre-booking seats.

 

What's with this passport scanning thing now?

 

http://www.torontopearson.com/Connecting.aspx#

 

Is that new? I don't remember scanning my own passport during a connection...then again, it's been a while since I went through YYZ to the US.

[Globaliser]

Hmm, now I'm wondering if I should bother even pre-booking seats.

Ask yourself what your reasons would be for pre-allocating seats.

 

I have reasons for doing it, and I have sometimes had to pay money for doing so.

 

But protecting me against a misconnection is not one of those reasons.

[ilovetotravel1977]

Well it costs $15 per seat per person. So with a total of four flight x 2 (plus tax), that is a lot of money just for seats!

[Globaliser]

Well it costs $15 per seat per person. So with a total of four flight x 2 (plus tax), that is a lot of money just for seats!

Hence, as I said, you have to ask yourself what your reasons would be for paying that money.

 

Just a few days ago, I paid the equivalent of about $30 x 2 for a couple of friends to have pre-allocated seats on one flight scheduled at 1½ hours. But those specific seats were worth that money.

[waterbug123]

What if we have our seats already purchased in advance? As long as the plane is there, shouldn't we get priority over others who haven't booked seats?

 

 

The seats that you purchased in advance are for the flight you are booked on.... the earlier flight that in this hypothetical scenario you will miss if you get delayed going through customs. You do not have seats purchased on the flight that is several hours later and which might already be booked to capacity by the time you realize you have missed your connection and need to try to get re-booked. Airlines will not remove pax booked on a later flight in order to accommodate pax from an earlier flight needing to be rebooked.

Edited October 21, 2014 by waterbug123

[FlyerTalker]

Airlines will not remove pax booked on a later flight in order to accommodate pax from an earlier flight needing to be rebooked.

DING DING DING. We have a winner. Can it be put in flashing neon lights in a sticky?

 

Now granted, there may be the VERY VERY rare exception, but the average run-of-the-mill flyer should take the above advice and burn it into their brains. The days when flights flew at 50% load factors is long gone. Expecting there to be empty seats on a later flight is a fools errand.

[JanineM]

I flew through YYZ from Atlanta last week. Had 1:40 between flights. My flight from ATL was delayed 30 minutes, then had to wait for my carry on that had to be stowed under the plane. Had a very long walk to Customs, quick trip through Customs because I was on a connecting flight ... But then another very long walk to my Westjet flight. Signage was poor ... Bottom line. I got to the gate with only about 5 minutes to spare.

 

So I'd say 1:30 is doable, but it may require a hike. Wear shoes you can walk in!

[Payd]

Our issues are often at the end of the trip. Only once have we.made our connection (fll-yyz-yeg). The new set up had us not just gather bags and do customs, but also go through security again. About 50 wonderful people let us move ahead. We ran like crazy listening to the final boarding call of our names. Not fun.

 

And being waitlisted for the next flight is little consolation. Would hate to miss the cruise.

[ilovetotravel1977]

Thank you all for your informative posts!

 

We are flying into Miami the day before our cruise, so I'm not concerned about missing the cruise. I just don't want to miss our flights.

 

I just don't know the Toronto airport at all! Maybe that is more my concern, not knowing where to go (and quickly).

 

Going there:

Flight will arrive on the 1st level. Do we enter Customs or Security next? Where are they located in relation to our Arrival? Do we have to do the passport scanner kiosk or is it easier to just get in line?

 

Coming home:

Where do we re-check our bags after we pick them up? I've never had to do this step before. I'm strongly considering Carry-on and a Lug Overnighter bag just to eliminate this step.

 

This is going to drive me crazy until we are actually on the plane LOL

[buddy1755]

you wont go through American customs until u get to the states, i think, and on the way back you go through Canadian customs in toronto. Toronto is easy, look up your departing gate when yo get there, piece of cake...no harder than Hlfx, just bigger.

Edited October 23, 2014 by buddy1755

[Algebralovr]

We went through there in June. Our flight from Frankfort was delayed by 65 minutes, turning our 1:45 connection into a missed flight. My DD was in a wheelchair, and the team decided to offload all WC ' S last. Even though she did not need the aisle chair, it still took forever. Air Canada took care of us, but could not get us all onto the same flight out - but there were 5 of us. Luckily all over 18, and we were willing to be split.

 

I think I would go with a longer connection and a good book.

[Algebralovr]

you wont go through American customs until u get to the states, i think, and on the way back you go through Canadian customs in toronto. Toronto is easy, look up your departing gate when yo get there, piece of cake...no harder than Hlfx, just bigger.

 

Passenger's going through Toronto clear US Customs in Toronto. The flight into the US is then considered domestic for US Customs and Immigration purposes.

[ilovetotravel1977]

I think we will be okay going there, since we don't have to worry about getting bags and re-checking them. I just checked our flights and we gained 10 minutes Toronto-Miami.

 

Are the baggage re-check areas relatively close to the baggage claim areas for Air Canada? Or do the locations differ each flight?

[ilovetotravel1977]

Passenger's going through Toronto clear US Customs in Toronto. The flight into the US is then considered domestic for US Customs and Immigration purposes.

 

So do we have to collected checked bags in Toronto, before we go to US Customs on the way to Miami?

[buddy1755]

http://torontopearson.com/Connecting.aspx#

 

might help

[ilovetotravel1977]

Thank you for the link.