HELP PLEASE! About travelling

[mishca21]

I will be leaving on the 29th of September. First time immigrant ako and was sponsored by my husband. My itinerary is MANILA - VANCOUVER - WINNIPEG via PAL and Air Canada. Worried ako kasi stop over ko sa Vancouver 2.5 hours lang. Will that be enough? Please please post the processes for the connecting flights through Vancouver Airport.

 

[fallenstar831]

2.5 hours is more than enough time for a transfer at any airport. Transfering a flight is not the same as an arrival as you do not leave the airport, you have no customs/immigration to go through and do not need to collect your luggage. The airline transfers your luggage to your connecting flight. You will go through immigration at your arrival point before you leave the airport.

You will simply make your way from one gate the the next.

I would double check this with the travel agent who sold you your tickets - or with the airline when you check in... but I've done a considerable amount of flying and have never had an issue with a connection.

 

[bobshynoswife]

The above poster is incorrect. you will not just be going gate to gate. as this is your first stop in canada, vancouver is where you will clear customs and eventually 'land'.

the process though is fairly simple. you will go through customs and be directed to immigration, where you will sign the landing papers, answer a few questions and give your canadian address. after you are finished you will collect your baggage, get it approved at customs, then drop it off not too far away where it will be directed onto your next flight. then you can go to your gate.

2.5 hours is enough time to do all this, and get yourself a coffee as well. if your manila flight is delayed, there is the possibility that your luggage will not make the 2nd flight, but it's okay because they will send it on the next flight, and if necessary deliver it to your home.

congratulations and welcome to Canada!

 

[mishca21]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFO!!! God bless

 

[Grade 08]

Hi mischa..

it actually is more than enough time to relax urself and wait for your connecting flight. i waited for almost 4hrs for my next flight and i was out from the immigration about an hour more or less. but... you have to be in front of the line to get out earlier. i was the 6th in line then. regarding the luggage, i have to get my luggage on my own and bring it to check it in myself. im not sure with others.. either way, its not that but that hard, all you need to do is get yourself a cart and youll get by just fine. after checking in my luggage, i went to find my boarding area and waited till its time for me to go.. you wont get bored with the tv and coffeshops all over, if you have a laptop or any wifi ready, you can use their wifi for free. have a safe trip and goodluck

 

[fallenstar831]

Boo! I was wrong... but oddly I thought back, and I have never transfered in a country of arrival, only departure, or I crossed the border first.

Oopsy!

 

[Kess]

I've arrived in Vancouver from Hawaii and had to transfer to Edmonton all on the same trip. Might take a bit longer for you (as I'm a Canadian Citizen), but you will be required to go through customs in Vancouver and pick up your luggage before you head to the domestic terminal/wing for the flight to Winnipeg. As other posters have said the landing shouldn't take too long at customs and is really just a formality (the hard part was getting that stamp in your passport).

2.5 hours should be ok since the requirement for check-in on a domestic flight is only 60min and that leaves an hour and a half to get off the plane and through customs. The only thing that would cause a problem would be a really long line at customs or your flight into Vancouver being delayed. Either way make sure to contact an Air Canada employee when you are there if you are worried about time and worst case you end up on a later flight out of Vancouver.

 

[mishca21]

Thanks to all for the reply. I just cant help but get nervous since Id be flying nonstop for 12hrs then rush everything up at Vancouver alone. Haha! THANKS MUCH

 

[kal1313]

Hello mishca being a vancouverite and worked at the airport in the past I'll try and guide you correctly once you get off your flight you need to walk over to the immigration and customs which are going to be about 5 mts away from the gates just keep following the passengers they will all have to go the same way there is only one way to go . once you go down to customs there is a special sign there which will let you know "this way for new immigrants " you do not have stand in line with the rest of the passengers , so you will get some priority to bypass the crowd there , just depends on how many new immigrants arrive along with you , there are usually 4 immigrations officers there. The entire immigration process should barely take 15-20 minutes if that, just remember its not an interview so no need to be nervous about the immigration officers and if you have a language barrier there can be a tagalog interpreter arranged for you , but your english sounds fine. There will be some charitable multicultural community people there to welcome you and help you in answering any questions but none here is going to be able to help you with your connecting flight yet . Once you get past immigration you will enter the baggage claim area just remember your flight number and go to the carosel that your luggage is on get one of the buggies put your baggage on it and head to the exit , the customs at the exit will take your white declaration slip that they will give you to fill on your flight . Make sure you have a working pen at all times as it will be your best friend there trust me. once you get past customs you will go past a couple of glass doors . Past the glass doors is the greeting area this is where you will officially enter Canada you will see alot of people awaiting for their loved ones here. Right behind these people on the left side you will see some elevators you need to go up 1 level to the departures area once you get out of the elevators keep going to your left and go past the international terminal its about a 7-10 minute walk . Keep following the sign for the domestic terminal , once you get into the domestic terminal just go up to aircanada's domestic counter and check in your luggage. Just remember you need to check in your luggage at least 1 hr before the domestic flight . The beauty of vancouver airport is that the international and domestic terminals are both interconnected so you wont get lost and the gates are not that far from the check in counters . I had a lot of time at my work as there is not much to do so I thought I'd make it as detailed as possible for you . Let me know if you want any more info . Good luck

 

[mishca21]

Thank you again. I can now picture even more myself inside Vancouver airport. I just don't want to travel clueless since I really need to maximize my 2.5 hours there, and just making sure that I'm not gonna miss my next flight of course. I also printed the 'connecting through yvr' guidelines from the YVR site just to make sure that I do the steps accordingly.

 

[rjessome]

Your issue isn't really with having enough time to make your connecting flight. You do. The issue is whether you have enough time to do the landing procedures as a new PR. And again, PROBABLY you do but it depends on how busy CBSA is on that day with landing other new PRs, issuing work permits, student permits, etc. The landing procedures themselves are not long (about 15 minutes) but it depends on how many others are seeking immigration documents from CBSA that day. I normally recommend 3 hours between flights but 2.5 should do it. Sit as close to the front of the plane as possible and go quickly and directly to the passport screening que. Best of luck.

 

[kal1313]

Your issue isn't really with having enough time to make your connecting flight. You do. The issue is whether you have enough time to do the landing procedures as a new PR. And again, PROBABLY you do but it depends on how busy CBSA is on that day with landing other new PRs, issuing work permits, student permits, etc. The landing procedures themselves are not long (about 15 minutes) but it depends on how many others are seeking immigration documents from CBSA that day. I normally recommend 3 hours between flights but 2.5 should do it. Sit as close to the front of the plane as possible and go quickly and directly to the passport screening que. Best of luck.

Just remember it is not the same queue as regular passenger so dont get in line with the rest of the passengers , There is a totally separate section designated for new comers make sure go there , it is clearly marked once you come down to the customs and immigration in vancouver and that is true about the sitting close to the entrance of the plane you will get priority getting off first .I would suggest going to the airport in manila very early on your day of travel and request a seat close to the entrance if its possible or even ask the booking agent to do that and please do not carry so much carry on luggage with you on the plane as this will be nothing but take your time . Do not forget if you are coming to canada for the first time you get one opportunity to bring as much stuff as you want without paying customs . They will ask you at the Customs if your have luggage to follow tell them a big YES . You will have to send them a list of all the articles that you need to bring to canada in the future and you only have 20 days to make that list and send it back I highly recommend you do that . Good Luck.