WEST JET from AB to MCO direct flight

[chimo2u]

Has anyone flown West Jet's direct flight from Alberta to Orlando?? How is customs worked on this flight since there are no connections inbetween??

Flying home, I am on an AC Executive Class flight. We have about 1 hour 45 minutes to make the connection in Toronto for the second leg of our flight...I am hoping this is enough time to get through the customs process without missing our connecting flight. Do Executive Class passengers have a seperate/expidiated line for the customs process?

Any help with the customs process would be greatly appreciated, as this is my first time travelling without my husband (who is the one who is very well versed in travelling procedures due to his many military flights overseas)
It is just my 14 yo son and myself travelling in February!

Thanks in advance for any info,

~ Marie

 

[aristocat65]

Has anyone flown West Jet's direct flight from Alberta to Orlando?? How is customs worked on this flight since there are no connections inbetween??

Flying home, I am on an AC Executive Class flight. We have about 1 hour 45 minutes to make the connection in Toronto for the second leg of our flight...I am hoping this is enough time to get through the customs process without missing our connecting flight. Do Executive Class passengers have a seperate/expidiated line for the customs process?

Any help with the customs process would be greatly appreciated, as this is my first time travelling without my husband (who is the one who is very well versed in travelling procedures due to his many military flights overseas)
It is just my 14 yo son and myself travelling in February!

Thanks in advance for any info,

~ Marie

If you are flying out of Calgary or Edmonton, you will clear customs there. You won't have to do so in Orlando.

As far as Toronto goes, I don't think Executive Class gets any priority at customs. I could be wrong, but I can only remember using a separate line up for security when departing. I do think that 1.45 hrs is plenty of time even if it takes you 30 min to clear customs, you'll still have time to go to the Maple Leaf Lounge!

PS - I'm also a Marie

 

[chimo2u]

If you are flying out of Calgary or Edmonton, you will clear customs there. You won't have to do so in Orlando.

As far as Toronto goes, I don't think Executive Class gets any priority at customs. I could be wrong, but I can only remember using a separate line up for security when departing. I do think that 1.45 hrs is plenty of time even if it takes you 30 min to clear customs, you'll still have time to go to the Maple Leaf Lounge!

PS - I'm also a Marie

Thank you "Marie" I appreciate your help!

Any other experiences/advice???

Thanks again

 

[aristocat65]

Thank you "Marie" I appreciate your help!

Any other experiences/advice???

Thanks again

The only other advice I have is to have a great time. I think it's really special to be doing a mom and son trip. Mine is now 17 and they grow up so fast. Luckily he still likes Disney. You're so lucky to be also going to Universal. When we were last there, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter wasn't there. My son would have loved that at 14.

Oh, I do have advice: Make sure you have a notarized letter from your husband so you won't have problems at customs. I've never been asked for it, but you need to have it just in case

 

[photomama]

from Calgary you will clear customs there. In Toronto there is no priority, in my experience.

Have a great trip!

 

[abirdd]

I'm just going to ditto the pp's...

Calgary, you clear customs on the way down. My BIL/SIL found it really smooth sailing.

When coming home via Toronto, you will be clearing in Toronto - and there is NO priority in customs. Mind you, the volume of customs agents alone in Toronto always blows my mind, so I'm sure you'll find it quick!

 

[chimo2u]

Thanks for the replies so far To clarify, going down, we are departing from Edmonton, NOT Calgary....but I assume it's the same procedure in any event? Do we go through a special customs line in Edmonton? or do we fill out a form on the plane??

As for notarized letter for my son, he's 14....so I wasn't planning on getting a notarized letter done. My husband will be dropping us off at the airport, so I think I will tell him to hang around until we leave in the event there are any problems, I don't see that happening though as we both have the same last names and my son is older.
Thinking about it some more, Perhaps I will have my husband sign a letter, (but really don't want to pay to take it to a notary, hopefully signature will suffice)....just to be on the safe side!

 

[abirdd]

You will fill in a US Customs Form at the airline check in counter, and then proceed directly to security/customs. All this happens BEFORE you get on the plane headed to MCO.

In terms of the letter - while 14 may seem old, I would recommended having a letter at the ready. In fact, I think it's mandatory until age 16, but I could be wrong. Perhaps one of the DISers with older kiddos can confirm...

 

[abirdd]

Looks like you NEED a consent letter... even if you are not divorced or separated.

You can read about it here: http://www.voyage.gc.ca/faq/children-travel_enfants-voyage-eng.asp#1

Air Canada also has a big section on their website, that covers this exact topic. Just run a quick Google search, it comes right up.

 

[chimo2u]

Thank you for your reply I see that they state "strongly recommend".....but not that the letter is "mandatory" I wonder how often one really needs that letter, especially with older children?? I guess I will look more into this, but was really hoping it wouldn't be a issue.

 

[aristocat65]

I have only taken my son out of the country twice without my husband, but both times I had a letter. The 2nd time he was 14. I was never asked for it, but you just know that it would be the time you don't have it they'll ask. It cost him about $30 to have it notarized. Really a small price to pay for peace of mind.

 

[NWT]

I don't recall any priority line for Executive AC at customs whenever I have flown.

I flew with my daughter, and thank goodness I had a letter signed by my husband and witnessed and stamped by an RCMP allowing her to fly with me. Customs asked to see the letter. We did this "just in case." Thank goodness we did, because DH was two hours drive away by the time we went through customs.

I hope that is helpful.

 

[chimo2u]

Aristocat65, you are probably right!!! Was just mentioning this to my hubby and just my luck, it'll be the time when I don't have one that I'll need it! Hubby and I talked it over and it'll probably be best for us to just get the letter notarized, now I have to find somewhere that does that!!

 

[NWT]

My DH just went to the police station with some ID and had an officer witness it for him, and he stamped it, too. Did not cost anything.

 

[chimo2u]

I don't recall any priority line for Executive AC at customs whenever I have flown.

I flew with my daughter, and thank goodness I had a letter signed by my husband and witnessed and stamped by an RCMP allowing her to fly with me. Customs asked to see the letter. We did this "just in case." Thank goodness we did, because DH was two hours drive away by the time we went through customs.

I hope that is helpful.

Thank you NWT for your reply! How old was your daughter???
I was not very concerned about the departure flight....it is with West Jet, direct flight and hubby could hang around the airport to make sure we are safely off the ground. It is coming back into Canada via Toronto on AC that I am concerned about (as I have to make a connecting flight back to Edmonton in a very tight timeline (1.5 hours to connect).....don't want any problems during my transfer in Toronto!)
I think just for peace of mind I will look into the notarized letter, I see you said you had yours done at the RCMP station, hmmmm I will have to do some calling around to see where I can get this done!
~ Marie

 

[NWT]

My daughter was 9 at the time. We don't have easy access to Notary's, so DH just went to the RCMP. They did not have any problem doing it.

 

[mbb]

Our car insurance broker agent is a notary, one of the real estate agents here is also one...RCMP will sign them here as well.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[noelk]

Two things -

You'll be fine with 1.5 hrs to connect at Pearson (as long as your flight isn't delayed, of course). As you're on Westjet the whole way, you'll be in Terminal 3 and don't have to go through the hassle of changing terminals.

The Pearson Airport website has all sorts of info on their website ( www.gtaa.com ). They also have a series of videos that take you step-by-step through the process of connecting at Pearson, based on different scenarios, that show you exactly where to go. Here's a link to the video for connecting from a US/International flight to a Canadian domestic flight in Terminal 3: http://www.airportwayfinder.com/wayfinders/yyz/?v=5_3

Oh, and I'd get the letter. I remember in the 80s, when my sister and I were teenagers, and my mom and sister were flying to Mexico...my mom had to produce a notarized letter from my father authorizing his teenage daughter's foreign travel. It didn't matter that my father was there in the airport, at the check-in counter with them...the airline needed it in a notarized, written form to check them in. I recall it was one of those crazy, early-morning departures (4:30am on a Sunday morning)...but of course there was a notary working the terminal concourse, ready to provide this service for a fee of $100 cash...at that point, it was a very clear decision - pay for the notarized letter or miss the vacation (and lose all the money you paid for it)!

 

[chimo2u]

Two things -

You'll be fine with 1.5 hrs to connect at Pearson (as long as your flight isn't delayed, of course). As you're on Westjet the whole way, you'll be in Terminal 3 and don't have to go through the hassle of changing terminals.

The Pearson Airport website has all sorts of info on their website ( www.gtaa.com ). They also have a series of videos that take you step-by-step through the process of connecting at Pearson, based on different scenarios, that show you exactly where to go. Here's a link to the video for connecting from a US/International flight to a Canadian domestic flight in Terminal 3: http://www.airportwayfinder.com/wayfinders/yyz/?v=5_3

Oh, and I'd get the letter. I remember in the 80s, when my sister and I were teenagers, and my mom and sister were flying to Mexico...my mom had to produce a notarized letter from my father authorizing his teenage daughter's foreign travel. It didn't matter that my father was there in the airport, at the check-in counter with them...the airline needed it in a notarized, written form to check them in. I recall it was one of those crazy, early-morning departures (4:30am on a Sunday morning)...but of course there was a notary working the terminal concourse, ready to provide this service for a fee of $100 cash...at that point, it was a very clear decision - pay for the notarized letter or miss the vacation (and lose all the money you paid for it)!

Just wanted to clarify..... Our return flight home is with AirCanada, not West Jet (West Jet is the departure flight carrier)
I don't know if that affects terminals as you had pointed out in your reply or not, hopefully it will still be a fairly easy matter making our connection

As for the letter, I printed off the generic copy that was on the gov travel website, will have it notarized as well, dont' want to take any chances

Thanks for you reply

 

[noelk]

Just wanted to clarify..... Our return flight home is with AirCanada, not West Jet (West Jet is the departure flight carrier)
I don't know if that affects terminals as you had pointed out in your reply or not, hopefully it will still be a fairly easy matter making our connection

As for the letter, I printed off the generic copy that was on the gov travel website, will have it notarized as well, dont' want to take any chances

Thanks for you reply

Not a huge difference with Air Canada...it's the same process to connect from US/International to a domestic flight...just a different video on the GTAA website, as Air Canada is all in Terminal One. Here's the link to the Terminal One video:

http://www.airportwayfinder.com/wayfinders/yyz/?v=4_4