passport comments

[disneyfan2]

I wonder how much money the Airlines will lose once people realize they can fly from buffalo, or other bordering airlines without a passport. Once people book from US flights( i booked from Buffalo at 1/2 price from the canadian prices) This could snowball for awhile when people realize that the cost of air from US is substantially less then up here. I am in the middle of Buffalo airport and Toronto(and hope!! to fly out of Buffalo if passports received in time)
The Toronto airport is just too busy for me and i am so glad to find an alternative option.

 

[sammi]

You're absolutely right! DH and I were discussing this last week and once Canadians see how cheap it is to fly out of Buffalo there will be no stopping them flying from Buffalo all the time and the Canadian airline industry is hurting as it it but there will be even more trouble...all due to these stupid passports!

 

[Mickey1Fan]

Of course passports will be required very soon at all land crossings as well, especially when it is realized how many people are crossing borders to fly.

 

[disneyfan2]

but by then word of mouth will be going around that it is way cheaper to fly from buffalo!! with 5 of us flying, we are saving over $1500

 

[nosnobunny2006]

We've been flying out of BUF for a long time, even before the current passport mess. (BTW - I've had mine for years). This summer, we're taking an adult dd, an adult gd, and two young gks to WDW and we're flying out of BUF. The cost for all six including taxes and insurance is US $1268. Just for the fun of it, I checked Air Canada out of Pearson, same dates and approx. the same times. The cheapest was CDN $4200 after tax but without insurance. For us, it's a no-brainer. I feel sorry for those who don't live close enough to the border to take advantage. They're virtually hostage.

Beth

 

[drag n' fly]

I wonder how much money the Airlines will lose once people realize they can fly from buffalo, or other bordering airlines without a passport. Once people book from US flights( i booked from Buffalo at 1/2 price from the canadian prices) This could snowball for awhile when people realize that the cost of air from US is substantially less then up here. I am in the middle of Buffalo airport and Toronto(and hope!! to fly out of Buffalo if passports received in time)
The Toronto airport is just too busy for me and i am so glad to find an alternative option.

There is a whole lot of us who do not have this option (including us canuckies in cowtown lol) however I agree with you. Why else would Mickey Mouse come to Calgary and other Canadian cities this month encouraging people to get a passport. Disney is also worried about loss of business and with the US economy going into a downward trend they appreciate international visitors. I do hope that everyone does get a passport eventually as their needs to be one commonly accepted form of ID no matter where your flying from or to.

 

[Luv'sTink]

My IL have been flying out of Seattle for years. I guess they figured it out years ago.

 

[maddiel]

The effect of Canadians choosing to fly south from airports on the American side of the border is going to be completely dwarfed by the economic impact of reduced tourism, especially once a passport is required for land crossings.

M.

 

[riu girl]

Does anyone know EXACTLY when passports will be required for land crossings? I have read Jan 2008 as well as June 2008?
Thank you

 

[disneyfan2]

as it stands now i believe jan 2008 is correct, but with things going as bad with the current restrictions, hopefully U.S will consider delaying it.

 

[dsneygirl]

It's no so much what an airline causes for a seat as for fees and taxes. If you read the fine print in the ads it will say air for $199 +$200 in tax. I think most of the airlines are running on a pretty slim profit margin right now.

 

[nosnobunny2006]

I have one more reason for having a passport.

My sister just phoned and told me that she and my BIL booked a last-minute trip to a 5 star resort in Jamaica and are all set to leave this Saturday - or shall I say were set to leave. My BIL forgot that hockey is a game for the young and broke his leg, requiring emergency surgery. He's not going anywhere anytime soon. To make matters worse, this is an expensive trip and they don't have cancellation insurance, meaning if they don't go, they lose everything they've paid.

Since BIL is out of the woods and their DD and DIL who are both RNs and live nearby, my sister is going anyway. Her first choice for a travel partner would have been her DD, but she doesn't have her passport. I OTOH do. So she suggested we make it a much needed sisters trip. Now all I have to do is pack.

Beth

 

[OntFamily]

I have one more reason for having a passport.

My sister just phoned and told me that she and my BIL booked a last-minute trip to a 5 star resort in Jamaica and are all set to leave this Saturday - or shall I say were set to leave. My BIL forgot that hockey is a game for the young and broke his leg, requiring emergency surgery. He's not going anywhere anytime soon. To make matters worse, this is an expensive trip and they don't have cancellation insurance, meaning if they don't go, they lose everything they've paid.

Since BIL is out of the woods and their DD and DIL who are both RNs and live nearby, my sister is going anyway. Her first choice for a travel partner would have been her DD, but she doesn't have her passport. I OTOH do. So she suggested we make it a much needed sisters trip. Now all I have to do is pack.

Beth

Don't tell your sister, but passports are not required for Canadians to enter Jamaica, only proof of citizenship (assuming your flight does not land in the USA)

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=138000#8

 

[nosnobunny2006]

Don't tell your sister, but passports are not required for Canadians to enter Jamaica, only proof of citizenship (assuming your flight does not land in the USA)

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=138000#8

Oh my! I'll have her check with her TA first thing in the morning. Much as I'd like nothing better than an all-expenses paid trip to Jamaica, I'd rather see her take her daughter. Thanks for the heads up.

Beth

 

[siobhan1997]

Oh my! I'll have her check with her TA first thing in the morning. Much as I'd like nothing better than an all-expenses paid trip to Jamaica, I'd rather see her take her daughter. Thanks for the heads up.

Beth

May not be needed to get into Jamaica but I bet you will need it to get back into Canada

 

[Lizzzys]

You'll probably be surprised Dragnfly (because I was!), but flights out of Great Falls are pretty cheap! I was looking because of my current passport predicament (look back in my posts if interested/bored) and with my current travel dates a flight from Great Falls return to LAX (through Salt Lake) will only be about $300 CDN per person (tax in)!! If I'd known that I might have booked out of there to begin with and avoided all of this mess as well as saved $$$! Great Falls is only a 5 hr drive from Calgary. Spokane has some direct flights to LAX but they are over 8 hrs away. I haven't checked the Orlando flights yet... but something to think about in the future!

Liz

There is a whole lot of us who do not have this option (including us canuckies in cowtown lol) however I agree with you. Why else would Mickey Mouse come to Calgary and other Canadian cities this month encouraging people to get a passport. Disney is also worried about loss of business and with the US economy going into a downward trend they appreciate international visitors. I do hope that everyone does get a passport eventually as their needs to be one commonly accepted form of ID no matter where your flying from or to.

 

[drag n' fly]

You'll probably be surprised Dragnfly (because I was!), but flights out of Great Falls are pretty cheap! I was looking because of my current passport predicament (look back in my posts if interested/bored) and with my current travel dates a flight from Great Falls return to LAX (through Salt Lake) will only be about $300 CDN per person (tax in)!! If I'd known that I might have booked out of there to begin with and avoided all of this mess as well as saved $$$! Great Falls is only a 5 hr drive from Calgary. Spokane has some direct flights to LAX but they are over 8 hrs away. I haven't checked the Orlando flights yet... but something to think about in the future!

Liz

You have a very valid point and we have been throwing this idea around. I have 2 theories. The first one is the real me and that is I do not pay regular price for anything and love a bargain. Once I hit 40 and three kids I finally appreciated the fact that my time was also worth money. Even though technically it might be cheaper to fly out of the US, I still managed to get return flights from Calgary to Orlando including taxes for 440 each. By the time I drive 5 hours there, five hours back, parking ,additional meals, gas and an overnight hotel x 2 I have swallowed any profit I was making and that is not including the most precious commodity...time. It is worth more than anything to me. I want to start my holiday peaceful and end it as peaceful as possible. Honestly I am just not hardy enough stock to manage a trip like that...yup thats right too dang lazy to bother. Probably due to the fact I have made too many painful 8 hour drives with a dh and three kids to Kelowna each summer....and that is pretty painful! We made the decision if we cannot afford to fly out of Calgary we simply do not go until we can afford to go.

 

[PanamaMike]

May not be needed to get into Jamaica but I bet you will need it to get back into Canada

Canadian citizens do not need a passport to enter Canada.

 

[siobhan1997]

Canadian citizens do not need a passport to enter Canada.

Are you sure about that. Just because your destination country doesn't require it to get into their country doesn't mean when travelling internationally you won't need it to get back into Canada. We needed it to get back into Canada from the UK

 

[Lizzzys]

That's a great price from Calgary to Orlando! Care to share who the carrier is?

Thanks!
Liz

You have a very valid point and we have been throwing this idea around. I have 2 theories. The first one is the real me and that is I do not pay regular price for anything and love a bargain. Once I hit 40 and three kids I finally appreciated the fact that my time was also worth money. Even though technically it might be cheaper to fly out of the US, I still managed to get return flights from Calgary to Orlando including taxes for 440 each. By the time I drive 5 hours there, five hours back, parking ,additional meals, gas and an overnight hotel x 2 I have swallowed any profit I was making and that is not including the most precious commodity...time. It is worth more than anything to me. I want to start my holiday peaceful and end it as peaceful as possible. Honestly I am just not hardy enough stock to manage a trip like that...yup thats right too dang lazy to bother. Probably due to the fact I have made too many painful 8 hour drives with a dh and three kids to Kelowna each summer....and that is pretty painful! We made the decision if we cannot afford to fly out of Calgary we simply do not go until we can afford to go.