Urgent Assistance Needed: Denied Entry to Canada at USA CLT airport with Refugee Travel document and eCoPR

[Flowercita]

Yesterday, after my third trip to Mexico this year, I was denied boarding on my return flight to Canada. The issue started when I tried to check in online—Flair (and WestJet) always shows an error and forces me to go to the counter. Flair even tried to charge me $25, saying I should have done it online to avoid the fee. The problem is I can’t complete the online check-in using an RTD—I only manage to get a seat number, but never finish the process.


With WestJet, my last counter check-in took about 5 minutes. With Flair, it’s always a major hassle. This time, the supervisor told me: “You’re not taking this flight unless you have a PR card.” But I am not a PR, so how could I possibly have that card?


He insisted I wouldn’t be allowed to board. I tried to contact the embassy, but it was closed. Eventually, I spoke with another employee and asked her to check IATA/TIMATIC. She contacted her superiors and the call center, and only then was I finally allowed to fly. The whole process took about an hour.


It was an extremely stressful experience.

You cant travel with ECOPR and RTD. If you are already PR and dont have yet the PR card you should travel with a PRTD which is different of the RTD. Let me tell you were so lucky that can return.

 

[Viking007]

Yesterday, after my third trip to Mexico this year, I was denied boarding on my return flight to Canada. The issue started when I tried to check in online—Flair (and WestJet) always shows an error and forces me to go to the counter. Flair even tried to charge me $25, saying I should have done it online to avoid the fee. The problem is I can’t complete the online check-in when return to Canada using an RTD—I only manage to get a seat number, but never finish the process.


With WestJet, my last counter check-in took about 5 minutes. With Flair, it’s always a major hassle. This time, the supervisor told me: “You’re not taking this flight unless you have a PR card.” But I am not a PR, so how could I possibly have that card?


He insisted I wouldn’t be allowed to board. I tried to contact the embassy, but it was closed. Eventually, I spoke with another employee and asked her to check IATA/TIMATIC. She contacted her superiors online and the call center, and only then was I finally allowed to fly. The whole process took about an hour.


It was an extremely stressful experience.

I had a similar experience with Turkish airlines. What I did was show them my hearing notice of decision and that was it.

 

[abff08f4813c]

This time, the supervisor told me: “You’re not taking this flight unless you have a PR card.” But I am not a PR, so how could I possibly have that card?

Sounds like an employee of the airline didn't understand the rules and that RTDs can be given to refugees and protected persons who don't yet have PR.

You cant travel with ECOPR and RTD. If you are already PR and dont have yet the PR card you should travel with a PRTD which is different of the RTD. Let me tell you were so lucky that can return.

Sounds like you're making the same mistake as the airline employee (or perhaps confusing the two different OPs - the more recent one isn't a PR and wouldn't even have an eCOPR either).

Non-PR folks with RTDs should be fine to return to Canada on just the RTD alone, unless there's something I'm missing?

He insisted I wouldn’t be allowed to board. I tried to contact the embassy, but it was closed. Eventually, I spoke with another employee and asked her to check IATA/TIMATIC. She contacted her superiors online and the call center, and only then was I finally allowed to fly. The whole process took about an hour.


It was an extremely stressful experience.

I can imagine. Thanks for providing the steps (e.g. checkign IATA/TIMATIC) to get around this, will likely help other folks out in the future.

I had a similar experience with Turkish airlines. What I did was show them my hearing notice of decision and that was it.

My guess is that the hearing of decision letter states clearly that you weren't a PR despite having an RTD. The main thrust here seems to be to prove that you are a RTD holder who lacks PR and thus the rules about PR card or PRTD don't apply.

So I Guess no comercial bus.

Speaking from personal experience as a PR card holder (note though that I'm not a refugee and don't hold an RTD). Was able to board the bus with just my passport that time I misplaced my PR card. (Later found it in Canada after I had returned, it turned out that I had forgotten to take it with me before leaving.)

My guess is that, unlike airlines, commercial buses are not plugged into things like Advance Passenger Information https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/security-securite/api_ipv-eng.html - and I would speculate that getting connected probably wouldn't make too much sense for them because of the cost.

The other aspect is - if CBSA does deny entry then the airline has to fly the person back - at their own cost. But for a commercial bus, you walk off and then enter the POE on foot. So if you're denied entry, you'd have the option of just walking out to the US side and walking from there to the nearest hotel or taxi or bus stop or whatever.