Westjet flights

[low]

Hi...

My family and I will be landing in May 2010, and initially I have booked us on Air Canada to Toronto. Due to some last minute screw ups by my travel agency, I now have no choice but to consider taking up China Airlines which flies only till Vancouver, and I have to interline from Vancouver to Toronto via Westjet flights.

May I know if anyone has experience flying Westjet? How reliable is it? As this is a domestic interline, how will it affect my clearance theough immigration? any idea...

Appreciate some pointers here..thx

 

[imigrate]

Westjet is very reliable airline.

Regardless of which airline you are using, you will go through customs and do landing formalities once you arrive in Vancouver.
The airline is irrelevant, but make sure to provide ample transit time in Vancouver before connecting to Toronto.

 

[cono_sur]

Westjet is awesome! More leg room, leather seating, personal screens, LIVE T.V.!

Immigration will not be affected as you will go through immigration procedures once you land in Vancouver.

 

[OrangeCounty]

Beware that the wait times are sometimes unpredictable. We had to wait nearly 3 hours to clear immigration/customs formalities. Such wait times are rare, but still possible as in our case. Sometimes multiple flights get bunched together.

Also, remember that CBSA at Vancouver does not stamp your B4 GTF list - they do it only after goods arrive in warehouse. Maybe you can try checking with the CBSA office who collects the stamped Customs forms (the one that you fill in onboard the flight) before your leave the airport.

Good luck!

 

[low]

Do I need to clear immigration and customs in Vancouver even if my final destination is Toronto? My earlier intention is to check in my luggage directly till Toronto, and then proceed with immigration and customs at Lester Pearson International.

I have only 3 hours interval in between flights from Vancouver to Toronto,does it mean I'm heading towards more headache?

 

[max_lee]

Do I need to clear immigration and customs in Vancouver even if my final destination is Toronto? My earlier intention is to check in my luggage directly till Toronto, and then proceed with immigration and customs at Lester Pearson International.

I have only 3 hours interval in between flights from Vancouver to Toronto,does it mean I'm heading towards more headache?

Your first POE will be the place where your immigration will take place, so it will be Vancouver. However 3 hours between your connection flight should be OK, but you might not know if this will be sufficient as this depends on the number of flights landing at that time, more the number of international flights that time more the time it will take for Immigration and customs.

Max

 

[low]

guys....thx for the heads up..in this case, I guess I will not be able to check my luggages directly to Toronto but have to 1st clear immigration and customs in Vancouver then, right? you've saved me from a lot of headaches ...


Normally, we will only get to the baggage carousel after getting through immigration. In this case, do they wait for the luggages to come through before the start the immigration clearance process? How does it work?

 

[OrangeCounty]

Not sure how this works in Canada (meaning connecting flights after immigration), but I don't think it will be any different from what happens at US airports. You baggage tag might be until final destination, in this case Toronto, but you still have to go through immigration/customs at VIA and then transfer the bags to appropriate connecting baggage carousel. Maybe when you check-in, verify with the airline how it works.