Vancouver airport (connecting from Canadian arrivals to USA departures)

I wonder how long the lines are these days,particulary on a
Thursday afternoon.

A few years ago,we did a similar thing at Toronto; a porter
took us directly while there were many waiting in line. We had
to pay $5 per bag. Is that mean porters have special powers
or the connecting passengers have priorities?

Thanks in advance

On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 03:32:00 GMT, Rowen wrote:

I wonder how long the lines are these days,particulary on a
Thursday afternoon.

A few years ago,we did a similar thing at Toronto; a porter
took us directly while there were many waiting in line. We had
to pay $5 per bag. Is that mean porters have special powers
or the connecting passengers have priorities?


If you arrive before the cross border transit facility closes there
will be only a very short delay. You follow the signs for passengers
in transit to the USA and end up stood in front of the immigration
control point for the US pier. Once formalities are over with you go
and wait for your baggage to come through on a separate baggage claim
belt. Then it's off to the customs clearance point and second bag
drop. Finally through secondary security screening and into the US
pier (E gates).

Transit passengers have their own immigration official, you only merge
with other US bound (non transit passengers) once you have collected
your bags.

Unless you arrive at YVR at the same time as a number of other flights
that have large numbers of transit passengers you will have little
delay. It usually takes far longer to wait for the bags than it does
to clear immigration.

Your luggage must be tagged through to you destination, not short
tagged only to YVR, in which case it will turn up at the regular
baggage collection point after Canadian immigration.

If you arrive after the cross border transit facility closes (5 PM I
think) you will need to enter Canada and then go round and enter the
US pier with the other passengers checking in and heading for the USA.
Good luck if you are flying on Horizon and won't already have your
onward boarding pass. There are check in desks by the transit baggage
belt. You will need to phone them and wait for someone to come and
check you in. Last time I had to do this it took over an hour for
anyone to come.

Chris.

Chris Hill wrote:
On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 03:32:00 GMT, Rowen wrote:


I wonder how long the lines are these days,particulary on a
Thursday afternoon.

A few years ago,we did a similar thing at Toronto; a porter
took us directly while there were many waiting in line. We had
to pay $5 per bag. Is that mean porters have special powers
or the connecting passengers have priorities?



If you arrive before the cross border transit facility closes there
will be only a very short delay. You follow the signs for passengers
in transit to the USA and end up stood in front of the immigration
control point for the US pier. Once formalities are over with you go
and wait for your baggage to come through on a separate baggage claim

Thank you Chris;I am arriving around 12:30PM on Air Canada,I am safe.