Flight travel during Covid

[ajr4013]

Some positive news from the Reddit thread:

-the guy who started it (and I’m grateful he did) got his kids’ 48 hour passports today and the line moved fairly quickly
-someone in said line was able to do a same day passport and was able to pick it up by 3:30 today. So potentially a viable option there though probably not cheap.

I’m still antsy but some positive news for a change.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by ajr4013

Some positive news from the Reddit thread:

-the guy who started it (and I’m grateful he did) got his kids’ 48 hour passports today and the line moved fairly quickly
-someone in said line was able to do a same day passport and was able to pick it up by 3:30 today. So potentially a viable option there though probably not cheap.

I’m still antsy but some positive news for a change.

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like when things get down to the wire, passports are being issued on an urgent basis (with the additional fees of course).

I also read that Service Canada has hired a bunch of people, so hopefully it clears up some of the backlog.

[ajr4013]

Got to Harry Hays this morning at 4:55. Probably 10-15 people ahead of me. Somehow some people got into the building before 6 but thankfully got kicked out.

They are saying the goal is to do 35 walk-in applications a day to give you an idea of when to get there. But if the appointment queue moves they could do more. My wife took my place in line so knock wood.

I had to shake my head at people showing up at 7:45 and having Shocked Pikachu face at the lines.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by ajr4013

I had to shake my head at people showing up at 7:45 and having Shocked Pikachu face at the lines.

I mean this has been on the news, but it isn't totally unreasonable to expect basic government services to actually be provided without a 15 hour lineup either.

In what world would 35 walkups per day at Harry Hays be the right number...

[ajr4013]

I agree in spirit but to also expect to mosey to the line 45 minutes before open and be shocked there is a massive line when:

-this is constantly in the news and online
-pent-up travel demand is increasing especially with the removal of testing to return to Canada
-government services at the best of times aren't stellar let alone with probable staffing issues

seems pretty crazy to me. Every time it happened we all just shook our heads and laughed. I'd say if you're not there by 5-5:30 you're gambling on getting in that day.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by ajr4013

I agree in spirit but to also expect to mosey to the line 45 minutes before open and be shocked there is a massive line when:

-this is constantly in the news and online
-pent-up travel demand is increasing especially with the removal of testing to return to Canada
-government services at the best of times aren't stellar let alone with probable staffing issues

seems pretty crazy to me. Every time it happened we all just shook our heads and laughed. I'd say if you're not there by 5-5:30 you're gambling on getting in that day.

I guess. I would say it doesn't seem unreasonable to me to think, "it's busy, but if I arrive 45 minutes before they open and plan to wait ALL DAY I should be ok."

They could have (should have!) kept issuing passports at will during the pandemic, and then there wouldn't be such a huge bottleneck. IMO this is well past the usual indifferent quality of government services.

[calgarygeologist]

I don't remember if I mentioned this here but the passport service currently is a joke. As a comparison, my mom is in Poland right now and my grandma is coming to visit us this summer from there. My grandma needed a new passport in order to travel over here. Passport services over there are experiencing high demand as well because of the conflict in Ukraine and the fear that spillover could occur. My mom and grandma did have to go to an office early in the morning and wait in a pretty long line which obviously is not fun or ideal but once the application was done the passport was available in one week.

Meanwhile, it has been two months since my kids passport renewal application was submitted at a Service Canada office and we have no idea when it will be available.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I guess. I would say it doesn't seem unreasonable to me to think, "it's busy, but if I arrive 45 minutes before they open and plan to wait ALL DAY I should be ok."

They could have (should have!) kept issuing passports at will during the pandemic, and then there wouldn't be such a huge bottleneck. IMO this is well past the usual indifferent quality of government services.

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I don't remember if I mentioned this here but the passport service currently is a joke. As a comparison, my mom is in Poland right now and my grandma is coming to visit us this summer from there. My grandma needed a new passport in order to travel over here. Passport services over there are experiencing high demand as well because of the conflict in Ukraine and the fear that spillover could occur. My mom and grandma did have to go to an office early in the morning and wait in a pretty long line which obviously is not fun or ideal but once the application was done the passport was available in one week.

Meanwhile, it has been two months since my kids passport renewal application was submitted at a Service Canada office and we have no idea when it will be available.

It is a joke and the delays are inexcusable as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. While it is true the numbers of applications dropped like a stone during the pandemic and have skyrocketed in the past year, the numbers are still about half of pre-pandemic levels. For service to be this poor when they are producing 50% of what was previously done at far better service levels is pathetic.

Pre-pandemic - 2.3 million passports issued 2019-2020
During pandemic height- 365 000 issued 2020-2021
Most recent year (2021-2022) - 1.2 million issued

Get your #### together Service Canada, you are letting your customers down.

[ajr4013]

Sounds like we're getting screwed. Apparently our forms did not get sent (which how is this not done electronically) so we have to do all new forms, pictures, get them signed and lineup again tomorrow. I'm beyond words.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by ajr4013

Sounds like we're getting screwed. Apparently our forms did not get sent (which how is this not done electronically) so we have to do all new forms, pictures, get them signed and lineup again tomorrow. I'm beyond words.

That sucks. You should be getting your passports for free. But in actuality you will probably end up paying more to rush an application because of government incompetence.

[ajr4013]

I just can't believe they do everything by snail mail and can't just transfer stuff by fax or through an internal system. We do have an appointment apparently now but can't get them until Friday at best so there's a third trip.

[Ironhorse]

I was able to get an appointment in Red Deer near the end of May. Better than the June 17th one I have in Calgary. Hope I don't have to pay "rush" charges to get the passport in my hands by early July...

[tvp2003]

That's brutal ajr.

Yeah, for any other service that is this shoddy, you'd expect them to waive the fee. I'm guessing instead you'll get to pay extra for "rush" processing instead -- what a joke.

[ajr4013]

Happy ending sounds like. Barring a printer issue (which of course there was one today) they told us we can pick them up tomorrow at 12. But still anxious until they are literally in our hands.

[InglewoodFan]

Update on flying to US. YYC-MSP this morning - boarded with masks on, all masks in YYC terminal. By end of the flight, ~60% masked. In the MSP terminal, maybe 10% masks.

[ajr4013]

Wife now has them. Such a relief and I sympathize with anyone that has gone through/will go through this.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by ajr4013

Wife now has them. Such a relief and I sympathize with anyone that has gone through/will go through this.

Freedom! Enjoy the trip and congratulations on the passport.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by ajr4013

Wife now has them. Such a relief and I sympathize with anyone that has gone through/will go through this.

Congrats! A big relief I’m sure.

Do you mind me asking: did they ever find your original file or did you have to submit a new “urgent” application and photos? Also, I’m assuming you had to pay extra for the expedited processing?

[ajr4013]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Congrats! A big relief I’m sure.

Do you mind me asking: did they ever find your original file or did you have to submit a new “urgent” application and photos? Also, I’m assuming you had to pay extra for the expedited processing?

We had to do an all new application, new pictures etc. As far as I know we just had to pay the 20 dollar transfer fee or whatever but nothing further that I heard.

Seemed like when they get them to people they only do it if all passports in the batch you're in are done hence the holdup. My wife was waiting with 4 other people as well.

[Table 5]

For anyone travelling recently, what are the lineups at YYC like these days? Is the typical 2 hours prior enough time, or better to get there earlier?