Bad Experience at Montreal

[josko]

Your story brings back a similar experience that I endured a couple of years ago after arriving in Canada.

Arrived at Montreal for a 3 day business trip to meet with a major Canadian hospital CEO and his board. Very important meeting to finalise contract and establish future deals.

Get to passport control where I'm questioned about what am i doing here, how long am i staying and the usual blah, blah! I am then directed to a very ****ty female Canadian immigration official who accused me of trying to immigrate into Canada and didn't believe my story of my business trip( i know this sounds unbelievable...but I assure you...very true)

Showed her my return ticket...hotel reservations etc as proof but this seemed to only irritate her more.( I started to think that she had a quota of rejections that she hadn't reached that night and I was on her list)

Asked me about a dozen times if I intended to work and who did I know in Canada...did I have relatives etc.

Well by this stage I'd had enough and demanded to see her supervisor.

Finally after demading for about 15 minutes I get to see him. After 5 minutes of reviewing my situation and documentation he politely asks his immigration officer to take a break and that he will finalise my entry.

Once she is out of ear shot, I get an apology and all my paperwork is stamped and I am escorted into arrivals!

All I can say is that Canadian immigration was worse than the UK one

 

[openseat]

I have to agree with the bad experiences about Canadian immigration. In all the ports I have entered Canada, YYZ, YUL, YVR, I have had experiences similar to what others have experienced here, both in travelling for work and for holidays.
The worst for me was at YUL when I was going on to Quebec City to stay with friends. That was a real drama where I was hauled off to an interview room despite return plane bookings and the like.
I have discussed this with friends who have had similar experiences and one thought that Canadian immigration has it in for Australians. Certainly if you talk to young Australians who work in the ski fields in western Canada they seem to cop a fair bit of hostility from Canadians.

 

[winetraveller]

I think you will find that SSSS is not given because you are deemed to be a terrorist risk, but moreso the airlines have to give a certian quota, and based on previous history with the airline you get chosen. First time I flew through the US post 9-11, AA had me SSSS'ed 2 for 2 on a DONE4. On same trip I was flying from Rapid city on NW for the first time, and sure enough SSSS. However since then I have flown AA many many times and never had the SSSS given to me again. TOUCH WOOD, as I am flying there tommorow and a series of AA flights.

In late November last year I was SSSS'd by US Airways for about a week. It happened at first in Fayetville Arkansas, where I made some significant changes to flights, at a significant cost. I pondered the reason for it, and wondered if it was becuase I had a complicated itinerary and made expensive changes without complaining about the cost. Regardless it ceased after about a week or so, and I haven't had any problems since being back in the US. In most cases it took only a short time.

I can't imagine many terrorists posing as somebody working in the wine industry.

 

[serfty]

I have been told it's the airlines that choose who to SSSS.

On a done4 First AA flight BP was printed in SYD; no SSSS. Next 5 Flights on this one PNR - all SSSS.

I have since travelled another 15 times on AA and no SSSS.

Last time for any SSSS targeting was out of HNL in March, travelling QF codeshare on JQ. (last of 3 segments on the ticket). The check-in Agent saw this and went away with the BP. Came back 2 minutes later and SSSS has been annulled.

 

[NM]

I just spent 10 mins reading what some people think trigger such SSSS'ing and so far i have fail to see how i would possibly be selected to SSSS ! If i was selected based on some "risk" profile then there must be other things that people have not thought of to trigger my SSSS.

note that ATW tickets can look like a series of one-ways, so can put you higher up the SSSS priority list. The FF program being used also seems to have an influence - credit to AA and there seems to be a lower risk of SSSS than if crediting to QF for the same flights.

Also since the time between the ticket being issued and the flight seems to to have an effect, flights early in an ATW itinerary seem to be more likely to trigger the SSSS than those a few weeks into the journey.

I am sure there is a very complex set of criteria that influence the probability of being SSSS-ed. Its when all the holes in the SwiSS cheeSe align that you tend to fall through into the SSSS bucket.

 

[winetraveller]

note that ATW tickets can look like a series of one-ways, so can put you higher up the SSSS priority list. The FF program being used also seems to have an influence - credit to AA and there seems to be a lower risk of SSSS than if crediting to QF for the same flights.

Also since the time between the ticket being issued and the flight seems to to have an effect, flights early in an ATW itinerary seem to be more likely to trigger the SSSS than those a few weeks into the journey.

I am sure there is a very complex set of criteria that influence the probability of being SSSS-ed. Its when all the holes in the SwiSS cheeSe align that you tend to fall through into the SSSS bucket.

I think I got SSSS'd for being stupid enough to be in Arkansas in the first place.

 

[NM]

I think I got SSSS'd for being stupid enough to be in Arkansas in the first place.

Ahhh ... that would explain it

 

[Happy Dude]

Actually the OP's experience could hardly be called bad. A pain in the rear to be sure, but it sounds like a keen immigration official actually doing his job. He's entitled to ask questions to establish your circumstances, isn't he? The OP was (eventually) granted entry so I'd say that it was a pretty good outcome.

 

[dragonman]

Actually the OP's experience could hardly be called bad. A pain in the rear to be sure, but it sounds like a keen immigration official actually doing his job. He's entitled to ask questions to establish your circumstances, isn't he? The OP was (eventually) granted entry so I'd say that it was a pretty good outcome.

Look mate 2 hours being hassled for no good reason is bad. Yes he asked questions then so did she and so did he. You go through it and tell me how pleasant it is and how good it makes you feel.

 

[Happy Dude]

Look mate 2 hours being hassled for no good reason is bad. Yes he asked questions then so did she and so did he. You go through it and tell me how pleasant it is and how good it makes you feel.

And how is customs/immigration supposed to determine what a "good reason" is? I was merely pointing out that it sounds like they were doing what customs/immigration is supposed to do. You call it 'hassling', I'm guessing they call it border security. Sucks to be the one singled out for sure, although other posters here consider it the norm in Canada, but your paperwork was in order and you were granted entry. The system works. Imagine how the poor buggers who get body cavity searched must feel, especially if nothing is found. If you feel strongly resentful regarding your treatment, and the tone of your last post suggests you do, then write to the authorities in Canada or here and formally complain. Their response might be a good indicator if something 'bad' has happened to you.

I never approach customs/immigration, here or abroad, with the thought that it will be pleasant.

 

[G*]

The YUL airport 'welcome' is certainly not indicative of the city though! We had similar experiences to some mentioned here; rude, curt and surly staff. However once we were there, Montreal was a delight and remains one of my many favourite destinations to visit (unlike the BA check in experience when we left which was another airport disaster!) :evil:

 

[simongr]

note that ATW tickets can look like a series of one-ways, so can put you higher up the SSSS priority list. The FF program being used also seems to have an influence - credit to AA and there seems to be a lower risk of SSSS than if crediting to QF for the same flights.

I assssume that is because in the risk profile QF FFers gives no indication in theory of prior travel profiles. An AA FFer would imply that they are not on their first (and last) one-way trip...

 

[simongr]

And how is customs/immigration supposed to determine what a "good reason" is? I was merely pointing out that it sounds like they were doing what customs/immigration is supposed to do. You call it 'hassling', I'm guessing they call it border security. Sucks to be the one singled out for sure, although other posters here consider it the norm in Canada, but your paperwork was in order and you were granted entry. The system works. Imagine how the poor buggers who get body cavity searched must feel, especially if nothing is found. If you feel strongly resentful regarding your treatment, and the tone of your last post suggests you do, then write to the authorities in Canada or here and formally complain. Their response might be a good indicator if something 'bad' has happened to you.

I never approach customs/immigration, here or abroad, with the thought that it will be pleasant.

I think that is a little harsh - I have observed when travelling into the notoriously paranoid USA that people who have their paperwork in order and ready are through immigration in seconds - it is the people who are not compliant that take the time. Two hours with correct paperwork would seem on balance to be excessive.

My only issues with customs/immigration have been queues - generally my own processing time is about 30 seconds once at the front of the queue.

I have had one bad experience where my bags werre thoroughly searched as I was flying pvg-nrt-dfw-jfk-lhr-lca after having been to Shanghai - a slightly more suspect routing...

 

[NM]

I assssume that is because in the risk profile QF FFers gives no indication in theory of prior travel profiles. An AA FFer would imply that they are not on their first (and last) one-way trip...

Unless they signed up for the Platinum Challenge and reach "elite" status on their first flight

 

[dragonman]

Just to conclude my part of the tale, I did not get SSSS'd and the exit process to maybe 10 mins max including security.

I do agree that Montreal is a lovely place. I love Canada and canadians are cool (or cold at this time of year).

My experience at Montreal airport was particularly unpleasant to me. I don't give a damn about what they think represents border security. My opinion is that if they are profiling targets people on xONE tickets then they are unlikely to be having much success.

It will not prevent me returning to Canada, it will merely come as less of a surprise if it happens again. Their is nothing I could/should have done better to avoid it.

 

[dragonman]

Just to conclude my part of the tale, I did not get SSSS'd and the exit process (US customs) took maybe 10 mins max including security.

I do agree that Montreal is a lovely place. I love Canada and canadians are cool (or cold at this time of year).

My experience at Montreal airport was particularly unpleasant to me. I don't give a damn about what they think represents border security. My opinion is that if their profiling targets people on xONE tickets then they are unlikely to be having much success.

It will not prevent me returning to Canada, it will merely come as less of a surprise if it happens again. Their is nothing I could/should have done better to avoid it.

 

[stryker]

I think that is a little harsh

I have had one bad experience where my bags werre thoroughly searched as I was flying pvg-nrt-dfw-jfk-lhr-lca after having been to Shanghai - a slightly more suspect routing...

A little harsh? You can never be too harsh IMHO when complaining about Customs/Immigration (even if they are fine).

I think there may have been some other reason for the bag search, unless you somehow brought undue attention to your circuitous itinerary.

I have been through LAX on many occasions with quite weird itineraries (like SYD-LAX-HKG-SIN) and never had a problem. Basically, I only tell them as much as I think they need to know. Never an untruth, as this could rebound on you, but just a little economical with it.

 

[JohnK]

I have heard quite a few stories of Canadian immigration not taking kindly to youngish solo men turning up for a short amount of time and flying in.

Are the Canadians afraid of single men coming in to their country to steal their women? No thanks!

Or are they afraid of a repeat of 911? Highly unlikely to happen again, too late to worry about it and who is to say that next time they don't come into the country as married couples.