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9 | durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, June 9, 2022 We've all seen the photos and videos on social media: thick crowds of people at Canada's busiest airport, suitcase mountains beside carousels and long, long lines at security screening. Simply put, your next airport experience will likely be different than on previous trips, says the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA). A sharp increase in travellers, remaining COVID-19 health screening and staffing shortages have combined to create what many have described in one word: chaos. So whether you're planning a trip, or just browsing travel sites dreaming of landing a sweet deal to your next bucket-list locale, here's a checklist to help make your next flight experience as painless as possible. TIPS TO EASE LINEUPS • Take into consideration the time of day and day of the week that you're flying. A spokesperson for the GTAA says Pearson typically sees the highest volume of departure flights on Monday morning. Peak departure times are generally early morning, late afternoon, and early evening. For inbound flights, Pearson's busiest times of the week are typically from Thursday to Sunday, says Ryan White, media relations manager for the GTAA. International arrival peaks are usually seen in the afternoon and evening. "Travellers should be prepared for longer wait times regardless of the time at which they arrive at/ depart from Toronto Pearson," White cautions. • Pack strategically. It could help you save money, as well as time. Some airline carriers charge a fee for checked luggage. Checking in baggage and waiting to retrieve it on the other end also requires some added time waiting around at the airport. You could be that traveller at the airport with the small carry-on cruising past the baggage carousel as tired travellers look on enviously. • Check if the airport's "Family/Special Needs lane" is available, suggests the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA). This lane features screening equipment that can accommodate larger items like strollers, and has screening officers who offer additional assistance to passengers who need more time or require help getting through security. • If you have a NEXUS/FAST membership, use it. • Arrive early. The GTAA now recommends arriving two hours ahead of domestic flights and three hours ahead of international flights. DEPARTURES If you are 12 years and four months of age or older, you will need to be fully vaccinated in order to board a domestic or international flight departing from an airport in Canada. COVID-19 rules in Canada still require passengers arriving and departing by plane to wear masks. Travellers should check their flight status regularly on the GTAA website or with their airline prior to arriving to the airport. To help make the pre-boarding security screening process quicker, which is where many are reporting the heavy lineups due to a staffing shortage in screeners and increased traffic in air travel, departing passengers should have their boarding pass ready, take any laptops, cellphones or other devices out of their bags, and avoid wearing items of clothing with metal parts. Make sure all liquids, aerosols and gels are in containers no larger than 100 ml, although hand sanitizer can be up to 355 ml. You can check in online from home to speed up the process, and use one of the touchless kiosks in the check-in lobby if you have bags to drop-off. When you check in, be prepared for extra questions and document requirements from your airline. You should confirm with your airline what the specific requirements are for your travel destination. ARRIVALS Prior to the pandemic, it took an average of 15 to 30 seconds for a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer to clear an international arriving passenger. Due to the Government of Canada's COVID-19 health screening questions, the GTAA says this has increased the processing time at Canada's borders. This means flights arriving late in the afternoon or during evening peak periods, times of the day when a large number of flights arrive close together, may require passengers to be held on their aircraft or in designated waiting areas inside the terminals before being slowly funnelled into the customs hall. Fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Canada from any country may still be randomly selected for COVID-19 testing upon arrival. Pre-entry tests will still be required for partially vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers over the age of 12 who are eligible to travel to Canada. Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers who qualify for entry into Canada will be required to test upon arrival, on the eighth day, and must quarantine for 14 days. TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children under the age of 12 are not required to provide a pre-entry test result as long as they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult, according to Canada's COVID travel rules. However, everyone, with few exceptions, is still required to wear a mask for the entire flight arriving or leaving from a Canadian airport. This applies to both domestic and international travel on all airlines. Once passengers have disembarked, they are required to follow local airport rules. If you are travelling with an infant younger than two, you can bring baby food, milk, formula, water, juice and other baby items in your carry-on baggage, says CATSA. Certain powders and granular materials, like baby powder, are also allowed in your carry on up to 350 ml or less. Gel and ice packs are also allowed on board if they are being used to refrigerate baby food, milk, breast milk, formula, water or juice for infants younger than two years of age, says CATSA's website. Passengers flying with or without their child are allowed to bring breast milk in quantities larger than 100 ml, provided they inform the screening officer for prior to inspection. Children's medication, baby formula or breast milk should be packed so they're easily removable from carry-ons for inspection, and CATSA recommends clearly labelling these items with the manufacturer's name or pharmaceutical company identifying the medication. It goes without saying, but you should leave toys that resemble weapons like water guns, toy knives, or toy grenades at home. TRAVELLING WITH PETS You should contact your airline ahead of travelling to find out about their policy for travelling with pets. Inform the screening officer that you are travelling with your pet. All passengers travelling with animals must undergo explosive trace detection (ETD) testing, says CATSA. A screening officer will offer to conduct the screening of your animal in a private search room. CHECKLIST OF WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE READY AT THE BORDER To enter or return to Canada as a fully vaccinated traveller, either by driving or flying, you must have the following items handy with you to present to a government official at the border. Land border crossings don't provide Wi-Fi for travellers. • ArriveCAN continues to be mandatory for all travellers to Canada, and by not submitting your travel information and proof of vaccination using ArriveCAN you can be fined $5,000. • You'll need to present the travel document entered in Arrive-CAN, like your passport. • Proof of vaccination that was uploaded into ArriveCAN, either the original or paper copy. PRE-ENTRY TESTING Pre-entry tests are no longer required for fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada by land, air or water. You must still submit information using the ArriveCAN app withing 72 hours prior to arrival in Canada. Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children younger than 12 are not required to provide a pre-entry test result, if they are accompanying a fully vaccinated adult. Children who are less than 5 years old don't require a test, regardless of their vaccination status. ARRIVECAN ArriveCAN continues to be mandatory for all travellers to Canada. You can sign up using the ArriveCAN mobile app or sign in on a computer to enter your proof of vaccination and travel information. You can save proof of vaccination and travel documents on your ArriveCAN traveller profile. In order to get an ArriveCAN receipt, you must submit your travel and vaccination information within 72 hours before your arrival to Canada. If you don't have a smartphone, you'll still need to enter your information and submit it in Arrive-CAN up to 72 hours before arriving in Canada or before taking a short trip outside Canada. You can print off your receipt and present it when you travel. You can also have someone submit travel information on your behalf. AIRPORT DELAYS AT PEARSON GOT YOU WORRIED? HERE'S SOME TIPS TO EASE THE WAIT Passengers face long lineups at Pearson airport in Terminal 3 on May 5. CATSA says low staffing levels are contributing to long lines at Canada's busiest airport. Paige Taylor White/Toronto Star file photo IVY MAK ivymak@thestar.ca NEWS