Toronto Pearson is gearing up a very busy holiday season. UK airports could allow large bottles of liquids in carry-on bags by June of 2024. Amsterdam is asking rowdy visitors to stay home. U.S. airport gun seizures are up. And Air Transat resumes Montreal-Havana flights. My travel news roundup for Monday, Dec. 19, 2022.
PEARSON PREPARES FOR BIG HOLIDAY CROWDS
It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but the December holiday season also means peak crowds at Canadian airports.
Toronto Pearson, Canada’s busiest air gateway, says it expects 130,000 customers to pass through its two terminals EVERY DAY between now and early January. That would be the most since 2019.
WestJet says it expects to carry 1.2 million passengers between Wed., Dec. 21 and Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, while Air Canada anticipates some 2 million passengers. That makes it more important than ever to arrive early and pack your patience.
To help make the experience easier, Toronto Pearson and its airport partners have introduced a number of tools aimed at making flying easier.
This includes:
* YYZ Express, an online reservation program that allows travellers to book a spot in the security line ahead of their flight, up to 72 hours in advance. This will help speed up the security wait time for passengers.
* Mobile Passport Control, an app introduced by United States Customs and Border Protection that allows travellers to digitally submit their information for a smoother departures experience from Pearson if they’re travelling to the US.
* A live wait times dashboard was launched by Pearson, providing travellers with real-time information ahead of arriving at the airport.
* A peak travel times dashboard was also introduced by Pearson, so passengers can look ahead to know if they’ll be passing through the airport during a busy period.
* Advance Declaration continues to be offered by Canada Border Services Agency, which lets travellers submit their customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of flying into Canada, giving them a faster border experience and saving them time at Pearson. And new at Pearson, passengers who complete Advance Declaration will have access to an Express Lane in the customs area, further saving them time.
GUNS ON THE RISE AT U.S. AIRPORTS
A record number of firearms were confiscated from US airport passengers in 2022, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says.
The BBC says officials recently stated that a total of 6,301 guns were taken at checkpoints as of mid-December, and that 88% were loaded.
The TSA said it expects to confiscate 6,600 guns by year’s end – a 10% increase over 2021’s record level.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) recently said it prevented 1,009 firearms from getting into the country this year. That compares to 908 in 2021 – an increase of 11%.
A canal in Amsterdam. Adrien Olichon/Unsplash Photo.
AMSTERDAM TO TOURISTS: GO WILD SOMEWHERE ELSE
The city government in Amsterdam wants obnoxious tourists to bugger off.
Faced with years of troublesome visitor behavior, city officials have proposed a number of measures, including earlier closing times for bars, clubs and sex window brothels, limiting the number of river cruises and banning marijuana smoking in certain parts of the city.
“Another part of the initiative focuses on ‘actively discouraging’ international visitors with plans to ‘go wild’ in Amsterdam,” which has been dubbed as the “stay away” campaign, CNN reports.
“Some businesses misuse Amsterdam’s image to sell it as a place of ‘unlimited possibilities,'” Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki said. “As a result, some groups of visitors think of it as a city where anything goes. This kind of tourism, as well as offerings specifically targeting these groups, is not considered desirable by the Municipal Executive.”
UK AIRPORTS TO ALLOW LIQUIDS BY 2024: NO LAPTOP REMOVAL REQUIREMENTS
Major airports in the United Kingdom have been told to embrace new technology that would end the need to remove laptops and other electronics from carry-on bags at security.
Passengers at major airports would be allowed to carry liquids in containers of up to two litres, versus today’s limit of just 100 ml. It would be a huge improvement for travellers and would definitely speed things up at airport security.
The UK government says it wants the new technology introduced by June of 2024.
AIR TRANSAT RETURNS TO CUBA
Air Transat is back in Havana, after almost three years of forced suspension due to the pandemic. The airline operated its first flight from Montréal to Havana (TS552) this morning. In Montreal, traditional Cuban coffee and pastries were served to passengers at the boarding gate.
Air Transat is the only carrier to offer two weekly direct flights from Montréal to Havana in its winter program. It’s also possible to combine an urban getaway in Havana with a beach-side vacation in Varadero with Air Transat’s exclusive Duo package. Departures are available from Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, Moncton, Montréal and Quebec City.
A Florida Keys sunrise. JIM BYERS PHOTO
CANADA JETLINES GETS U.S. FLIGHT APPROVAL
Canada Jetlines says the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the airline permission to fly to and from the United States.
OpenJaw.com reports Canada Jetlines plans to launch flights to Florida and Las Vegas early next year.
“The U.S. is a major market for Canadian travellers and we are looking forward to expanding our international network. Jetlines is ready to start flying to the Melbourne/Orlando International airport in Florida and to the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, with both inaugural flights scheduled for January 19, 2023,” stated Eddy Doyle, President & CEO Canada Jetlines.
