Preclearance Customs on early morning Halifax Continental flight - Questions!

[Applemomma]

I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to knowing what's coming when so please help me sort this out in my own mind!

-I've got a 6:30am flight booked with Continental out of Halifax. I see that the US Customs Preclearance doesn't open until 5am.....is this going to be a problem?

-I'm assuming that the Continental Desk is beyond Customs; will they be open the same time Customs is? I'm thinking we go through customs with our luggage and then pass it in to Continental. I'm going to check in online (never done before!) so I'm not entirely sure what the procedure is....do we still stand in line the same as we would to check in at the airport desk itself?

-I've only gone through customs alone or with another experienced traveler (apart from sitting in the car with my family driving across) so I'm not sure of the procedure going through with my two daughters (9 & 13) and my mom. Do the girls have to go to the agent on their own (at age 9! ) or can we go as one group to the agent? just need to know what to prep the kids and my mom for.

Actually what I really want is for someone to "talk to me like a six year old" (Jerry McGuire reference there for ya!) and talk me through the whole procedure from airport arrival to takeoff!!!!

Some kind soul take pity on me please!!!!

 

[abdmom]

I haven't gone through Halifax, but I have gone through at Toronto more times than I can count. Here's the drill.

Normally, you should show up at the airport 2+ hours before your flight. Since customs doesn't open until 5 a.m., you should show up at 4:45 - 5 a.m. You go to the Continental checkin counter FIRST. Most airports have kiosks before the counter where you do your own checkin. You would still need to go to the checkin counter for luggage tags. You will have to fill out the customs form at this point (or before).

U.S. immigration is after that. You and your daughters can go as a group to immigration. This is where the longest line will probably be. Your mother should go separately. Everyone will need passports. You will need a letter from dh stating that you have his permission to travel with the girls to xxx on xxx dates. At this point, you still have your luggage with you.

After immigration, you go to customs, hand over your customs form. Then, there is a place to drop off your checked luggage. Keep your carryon with you (keeping in mind you can have one small bag/backpack/suitcase that can fit in the overhead or under your seat) plus a purse.

You then proceed to security. Then to your gate. Good luck!

 

[Northstar]

I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to knowing what's coming when so please help me sort this out in my own mind!

-I've got a 6:30am flight booked with Continental out of Halifax. I see that the US Customs Preclearance doesn't open until 5am.....is this going to be a problem?


Shouldn't be a problem. The preclearance isn't that busy at that hour so they can get all the 6:30 am passengers through with no trouble

-I'm assuming that the Continental Desk is beyond Customs; will they be open the same time Customs is? I'm thinking we go through customs with our luggage and then pass it in to Continental. I'm going to check in online (never done before!) so I'm not entirely sure what the procedure is....do we still stand in line the same as we would to check in at the airport desk itself?

No, the Continental check in desk is before customs and preclearance. When you get to the airport, go to the north end and take the stairs/escalator/elevator up... all the signs direct you there for US-bound flights. The check-in desks are at the top of the escalator. You check your bags when you check in, then go behind the counter and accompany your bags while they are scanned... they may pull your checked bags out for extra screening randomly, and in that case you stand and watch while they go through your bag. Then, after the bags disappear up the conveyor belt, you proceed to security and passport control.

-I've only gone through customs alone or with another experienced traveler (apart from sitting in the car with my family driving across) so I'm not sure of the procedure going through with my two daughters (9 & 13) and my mom. Do the girls have to go to the agent on their own (at age 9! ) or can we go as one group to the agent? just need to know what to prep the kids and my mom for.
You can go up as a family. I'm not sure about your mom, though... they might ask her to go up separately

Actually what I really want is for someone to "talk to me like a six year old" (Jerry McGuire reference there for ya!) and talk me through the whole procedure from airport arrival to takeoff!!!!

It'll be okay. They are used to people who don't know the ropes so the process is organized so you can't get lost!

Get there at 5:00 or a little earlier and you'll be fine. There's no point arriving earlier than they open up.

There's food and washrooms past the security and passport control, so you're all set!
Some kind soul take pity on me please!!!!

Have fun!

 

[Tinkershelly]

I travelled through this in June and wil echo what Northstar just said. You must travel a straight line from security through customs and immigration so no way to get lost or turned around. Also the restaurant in the departure lounge is supposed to open at 5am so you can have a light breakfast and a hot or cold beverage after you successfully get through the procedures. Not sure when they start serving booze, though I'm sure you won't have any problems, and if you are confused just ask someone, they are used to people being confused, especially at 5am and there is no penalty for that

 

[Applemomma]

Thanks for your replies! I've been through that preclearance before but not with family and no checked baggage so I couldn't remember the check in desks. I did get pulled there for extra screening but the security officer was so friendly we chitchatted the whole time and it felt like a visit with a friend rather then a screening

So one last stupid question....since I'm checking in online and all I'll need is baggage tags it's the same line as the regular check in right? They won't give me a weird "why are you standing in front of me" look?

My plan is to be standing in the airport at 4:30 so we have lots of time for questions ..... all the stress for this trip is to be mine and mine alone (don't want my mom to worry about anything since she's not very travelled) so I want to build in lots of time.

Thanks again!!!!

 

[Northstar]

Applemomma, I just wanted to add a few tips because you mention you're not used to doing this yourself. Please forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know!

Online checkin: You will need passport information for everyone when you do the online check in, so gather up everyone's passport when you head for your computer to do the check in.
They will ask how many bags you plan to check for each member of your party. Don't stress over it too much: I've changed those numbers on arriving at the airport.
Have your printer all ready and with enough paper if you plan to print out your boarding passes at home.

At the same time as I print my boarding pass, I always print out the confirmation email from my hotel. YOU WILL NEED THE STREET ADDRESS OF YOUR HOTEL to fill out the customs form at the airport.


What to have in your hand when
At the check in/baggage drop: The boarding passes that you printed at home, your passports, and might as well have the consent letters from your children's other parent out as well.

After baggage is checked, pick up a US customs form at a counter by the entrance to preclearance, and fill it out (oh yes.. bring a pen). One for you and your kids, one for your mom. It will ask for the address you're staying at in the US, so pull out that confirmation email I mentioned.

At security: Stow passports and customs forms in easily-accessible pouch in purse (plan this is advance so you are not, like Northstar, pawing through all possible pockets where you could have absent-mindedly put your documents) Keep boarding passes in your hand. Pull your litre-sized Ziploc bag with gels and liquids out of carry on and hold it in your hand as you approach the security check.

I always find that I need more arms than an octopus to cope with disassembling everything, then getting dressed and organized again, at security. Keep reminding your kids to watch their belongings and take your time making sure you have everything before you run off after everyone's through the scanner.

At customs/passport control (I think there's just one control at Halifax, not a separate customs, but I'm not positive): Passports, the filled-in customs form, consent letters, and possibly boarding passes.
When you go up, hand them the customs form and passports only. They may ask for the other stuff.

At the boarding gate when you get on your plane: Boarding passes and passports open to picture page (this is your photo ID)

THEN start having fun!

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I've done this exact flight before ... as everyone has said this will not be a problem.

Pay for your bags online the day before your flight and it will be cheaper.

Also, don't order food in the area after you clear customs .... its very expensive.

Northstar's advice for online checkin is important TSA will need the address of where you are staying and other info.

Ted

 

[Applemomma]

Thanks for the address reminder NorthStar! I knew that about needing it for the customs form but it's one of those small things that I probably would have forgotten....now that it's on this thread I should be able to remember it.

The more I think on it from reading the responses the more I remember about the layout of the security and customs. Another reason to like Halifax preclearance is the fact that, you're right, it's laid out one right after the other and it's not the cattle call huge room of Toronto, especially coming back in....my last trip through TO I felt like chaos just because of the sheer size of the room!

My kids have been through security before and did great (actually got high fives from the screener ) that now that they are a few years older it should be a breeze. I'm less concerned about them then my mom.

Any word on the full body scanners? Did Halifax ever get them? That issue seems to have dropped off the radar. For the record I'm fine with them as long as they don't ask me to lift my rolls!

 

[Applemomma]

I've done this exact flight before ... as everyone has said this will not be a problem.

Pay for your bags online the day before your flight and it will be cheaper.

Also, don't order food in the area after you clear customs .... its very expensive.

Northstar's advice for online checkin is important TSA will need the address of where you are staying and other info.

Ted

Thanks Ted! I know there's no Tim's beyond that security but is it a Starbuck's? Also any idea what time the Hudson's News (I think that's the name of it) opens there? Can't remember what time my last flight out of there was but it seems to me I could get coffee but not magazine's......buying junk food and junk reading material is usually part of my preboarding procedure.

 

[Tinkershelly]

Any word on the full body scanners? Did Halifax ever get them? That issue seems to have dropped off the radar. For the record I'm fine with them as long as they don't ask me to lift my rolls!

When I went through in early June they had a scanner. One man was picked at random to go into it. He seemed good natured about it and thought it was a good adventure. I'm not sure why he was picked or if he could have refused to go into it. It was in plain view of the public at the back of the security screening area, before Customs and Immigration.

The man was older, perhaps early 60s, and was slim. He wasn't asked to lift anything!

Also, when I travelled in June, before going to the security conveyor belt-thingy that you put your stuff on, there was a platform every traveller had to stand on. A light flashed after you stepped on it. The colour of the light meant something to the security guard there, perhaps it randomly picks who gets to go through the body scanner, or maybe gets some other special screening procedure. I got the "nothing special" light as did most travellers. It looked almost like a digital scale.....and I was very nervous before getting on it.

 

[braddillman]

There is only a Hudson News and a licensed restaurant in Halifax US preclearance. No Tims or Starbucks.

I've been through many times, and there are no errors in any replies so far, and I have nothing to add except this is my all-time favourite way to enter the US - it's the least busy, quickest, simplest, etc.

Just wish the had a Starbux, but I do without.