It’s a busy time at Calgary International Airport, with thousands expected to travel through the hub during the summer months — but some heading stateside are finding themselves waiting longer than anticipated.
According to officials at YYC, travellers flying to the U.S. can only access security screening and U.S. customs no more than two hours before their scheduled departure time.
It’s called timed entry, otherwise known as metering, and was reintroduced this past December during peak travel periods to “reduce wait times, streamline security and make the passenger experience smoother.”
“These measures were brought back to help manage passenger flow and create a more consistent, predictable screening experience,” an airport spokesperson said in a statement to Global News.
The measure doesn’t apply to passengers who require extra time or support, including those traveling with small children, mobility aids or with accessibility considerations, the statement said.
Some passengers who arrived for their U.S.-bound flights on Friday weren’t aware of the procedure.
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“I didn’t know about a cap on the time so I went to the gate and they asked me where I was going,” Tim Goldmann told Global News. “I told them and they said, ‘Well, you need to wait.’”
Tannis Johannson travelled from Fernie, B.C., to catch her flight to Los Angeles, and said her assumption was to arrive early as most airlines recommend.
“I thought it was three hours,” she told Global News. “That’s what we came here with in mind.”
Processing and screening through YYC are managed by agency partners, the airport said, but the airport authority introduced the procedure to ensure facilities run smoothly.
Airport officials are encouraging passengers that will be going through U.S. Customs and Border Protection to download and complete the Mobile Passport Control app ahead of their arrival to speed up the process.
“We value the feedback we have received and continue to monitor the experience to identify improvements that support our guests, partners and overall operations,” the airport’s statement said.
However, some travellers forced to wait are taking the situation in stride.
“I’m here, I’d have to wait on the other side anyway,” Goldmann said.
YYC is still encouraging passengers to arrive early to “account for travel conditions” and to allow for sufficient time to check in with their airline and check baggage.
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Calgary airport limiting U.S. customs access to 2 hours before flight time
