Canadian Airport Thread

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Dirt_Devil

YQB's transformation and expansion since 2006 is simply amazing. Once this upgrade is done, the airport will be fantastic. Hopefully the US customs pre-clearance will be a go this year.

Isn't awesome eh ? De plus en plus fier de notre belle Capitale !

[2009]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

YQB - Aéroport Jean-Lesage extension.

• Video Link

Looks great! It strikes me as odd as to the quality and size of facilities at YQB given the passenger volumes. It looks like a much bigger airport than other facilities hosting a similar number of passage (1.5 million/yr) such as Kelowna, Victoria, or Saskatoon.

[eemy]

A much greater proportion of those passengers are going to be international, though, which typically requires much greater terminal space.

[SkahHigh]

YUL stats for May: +4.2% for 1,236,936
Domestic +2.9%
International +6.5%
Transborder +3.5%

[Nicko999]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

YUL stats for May: +4.2% for 1.236,936
Domestic +2.9%
International +6.5%
Transborder +3.5%

Yep, summer/vacation season is here.

I will be contributing to the "International" number next month.

[SpongeG]

is terminal 3 in toronto the main terminal? i am trying t figure out how do get around in a fairly short layover, need toclear us customs etc i don;t know what map to look at...

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

is terminal 3 in toronto the main terminal? i am trying t figure out how do get around in a fairly short layover, need toclear us customs etc i don;t know what map to look at...

Neither 1 nor 3 are really the "main" terminal, they just serve different airlines. Although that said, terminal 1 is much bigger with more services, so I guess if either one can be regarded as the main terminal, it's that one.

Where are you coming from/going to? In my experience it's pretty rare to have to switch terminals unless you are travelling on two separate tickets for different airlines in and out of Toronto.

If you are clearing US customs it depends on time of day. I would want at least 1:30 to feel comfortable, 2:00 at peak times, although it can be done in less. They're pretty good at moving large volumes through at YYZ.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by esquire

Neither 1 nor 3 are really the "main" terminal, they just serve different airlines. Although that said, terminal 1 is much bigger with more services, so I guess if either one can be regarded as the main terminal, it's that one.

Where are you coming from/going to? In my experience it's pretty rare to have to switch terminals unless you are travelling on two separate tickets for different airlines in and out of Toronto.

If you are clearing US customs it depends on time of day. I would want at least 1:30 to feel comfortable, 2:00 at peak times, although it can be done in less. They're pretty good at moving large volumes through at YYZ.

westjet, edmonton to new york city - la guardia, their website says they use terminal 3 in toronto

was hoping top see and use the fancy new terminal

i arrive just after 6 am, depart 9:30 am so i should probably get it done and plan to eat past security i guess

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

westjet, edmonton to new york city - la guardia, their website says they use terminal 3 in toronto

was hoping top see and use the fancy new terminal

i arrive just after 6 am, depart 9:30 am so i should probably get it done and plan to eat past security i guess

Yeah, WestJet operates in T3, Air Canada is in T1.

3h30m is plenty of time to make your connection with US customs preclearance and a leisurely breakfast, so that is the silver lining to what is I presume is your red-eye flight!

No point in going to T1 because there isn't much to see or do on the landside, and time would be short anyway. Some might disagree, but I think T3 is not bad from the limited number of times I've been through there. (I'm usually on AC.)

La Guardia is terrible... it might remind you of the Edmonton Greyhound station, but at least it's a convenient airport!

Bon voyage, have a great time in NYC!

[SpongeG]

thanks for the info, i was looking at the maps on the toronto pearson site and couldn't figure out which one i would be using at first and my ticket didn't give any clues.

on the way back i have 1 hr and 25 mins to get through customs etc between flights so hopefully there are short lines.
yes la guardia is awful used it last time but i flew edmonton - houston - nyc, had to do customs in houston at 6:30 am ugh, that was a huge airport

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

thanks for the info, i was looking at the maps on the toronto pearson site and couldn't figure out which one i would be using at first and my ticket didn't give any clues.

on the way back i have 1 hr and 25 mins to get through customs etc between flights so hopefully there are short lines.
yes la guardia is awful used it last time but i flew edmonton - houston - nyc, had to do customs in houston at 6:30 am ugh, that was a huge airport

1:25 on the way back will be a bit tight but should work unless you're a) late or b) travelling during the peak morning/evening rush. If you really want to minimize the possibility of problems, take a carry on and don't check anything.

We'll be looking for your NYC photothread

[eemy]

Customs coming back into Canada is significantly easier and quicker than pre-clearing for the US. For most people, you just scan your passport and declaration card at a kiosk, receive a receipt to show an agent who will in all likelihood wave you through. Depending on time of day, it takes longer, but it is quite efficient.

T3 actually has a bunch of gates in a remote concourse connected to the main part of the terminal by a tunnel. They haven't been used in ages, but Westjet recently renovated them and is using them for domestic flights. There's a decent chance your flight from Edmonton could end up there, and that would be the most recently updated part of Pearson.

[casper]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

Customs coming back into Canada is significantly easier and quicker than pre-clearing for the US. For most people, you just scan your passport and declaration card at a kiosk, receive a receipt to show an agent who will in all likelihood wave you through. Depending on time of day, it takes longer, but it is quite efficient.

T3 actually has a bunch of gates in a remote concourse connected to the main part of the terminal by a tunnel. They haven't been used in ages, but Westjet recently renovated them and is using them for domestic flights. There's a decent chance your flight from Edmonton could end up there, and that would be the most recently updated part of Pearson.

T3 main tenant when it was built was Canadian Airlines (yes it is that old). It is actually a nice layout. It is modern in every respect.

Last time I was in T3 connecting to the us was 2-3 years ago.

I connected to the US this week in T1. US Immigration now has the electronic kiosk (you answer questions on the kiosk, it scans your passport, takes your photo). You wait for your name to appear on a screen and then a real US immigration person take a quick look at the print out and your in and off to security. It ran about 10 minutes.

I think your connections have lots of time. LaGuardia is a nasty airport, you just need the wind blowing the wrong way and you are hit with delayed flights.

[SpongeG]

last time i flew back into montreal, customs wasn't too bad but they did send me to second inspection ie open suitcase declare what i bought again etc. i only has less than 2 hours and had no time to eat, the terminal was a weird little building away from the main terminal, had no food services and was too far to walk back

[eemy]

Most of my travel is business-related, so I typically never have anything to declare, or very minimal amounts. That may be why they've never bothered to pull me aside for a secondary inspection.

[thenoflyzone]

Originally Posted by 2009

Looks great! It strikes me as odd as to the quality and size of facilities at YQB given the passenger volumes. It looks like a much bigger airport than other facilities hosting a similar number of passage (1.5 million/yr) such as Kelowna, Victoria, or Saskatoon.

Aeroport de Quebec is taking the YYC approach and building for the future, just as YYC is overbuilding a bit their International facilities project. They are thinking ahead, which is a good thing.

Look at YUL. They completed the international jetty 10 years ago and already there aren't enough gates during peak times. That is something YQB wants to avoid.

[Dirt_Devil]

Originally Posted by thenoflyzone

Aeroport de Quebec is taking the YYC approach and building for the future, just as YYC is overbuilding a bit their International facilities project. They are thinking ahead, which is a good thing.

Look at YUL. They completed the international jetty 10 years ago and already there aren't enough gates during peak times. That is something YQB wants to avoid.

Isn't YUL adding 6 new gates to its international jetty? And I think I read somewhere they will build a brand new domestic jetty once the international is done.

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by Dirt_Devil

Isn't YUL adding 6 new gates to its international jetty? And I think I read somewhere they will build a brand new domestic jetty once the international is done.

Yes 6 new gates for 2016 and a new domestic jetty for 2020 I believe.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

Most of my travel is business-related, so I typically never have anything to declare, or very minimal amounts. That may be why they've never bothered to pull me aside for a secondary inspection.

i barely bought anything, i bought two hoodies a t shirt and some chocolate, all gifts, i did have one pack of open cigarettes perhaps they thought i had more but i didn't

[WhipperSnapper]

That's an awfully short layover. I don't think I ever got out of LaGuardia on time.