Confessions of a YYC Travel Junkie

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by 1991 Canadian

Has anyone had any luck with getting compensation via the CTA air travel complaints resolution process?

I put in a compensation request with the Canadian Transportation Agency Air travel complaints site in Feb 15, 2023. Today on Oct 7, 2024, I got an email response giving me a login link, a site with my uploaded documents, and a requirement to review my submission. Exactly 600 days later.

Just curious if anyone else who has done the CTA travel complaint process got to this step, and how long the response from the CTA / airline took after you got to the login/review step of the process.

Should I expect another 600 days to get a response from the CTA/airline, are is this now on a more reasonable 300 day timeline?

I got the same 2 weeks ago. Also from Feb 2023.

[BlackArcher101]

Someone somewhere is looking at the queue and thinking, this is fine.

[Cube Inmate]

Hey junkies... sorry if I missed this nugget in the 5900 posts. For YYC Express advance booking, is there a reason international destinations don't show up in the drop down on the registration form? The only destinations available are in N America but that seems kind of crazy if they do an express line at Security D. Any help?

[Bill Bumface]

I'm renting a car outside of North America. My credit card has me covered for collision insurance. However, liability on my personal auto insurance is Canada and US only. Is there an option to get liability only insurance without paying the $13/day or whatever for a full on policy?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

I'm renting a car outside of North America. My credit card has me covered for collision insurance. However, liability on my personal auto insurance is Canada and US only. Is there an option to get liability only insurance without paying the $13/day or whatever for a full on policy?

I think that it depends on the country. In Italy, third-party liability is mandatory and included in the price of the rental. My credit card covered me for everything else, so I declined all insurance add-ons from the rental company.

Obviously read the fine print for your credit card insurance, the rental company, etc. to make absolutely sure you're covered. There will be a limit on the value fo the car that they'll cover ($60k CAD if I recall), so keep that in mind too.

[Bill Bumface]

Thanks! Luckily the #### boxes they rent there are far under $60k.

I finally found something helpful, and they will nail you at the counter for liability insurance, whether you already have it or not. This is when your $30/day rental doubles in price haha.

[topfiverecords]

I just booked Calgary -> Rome / Malta -> Calgary (via AMS) on KLM for $664 in February. So if anyone's thinking of going to that region early next year check it out. Thanks to cmyden for the post.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

Thanks! Luckily the #### boxes they rent there are far under $60k.

I finally found something helpful, and they will nail you at the counter for liability insurance, whether you already have it or not. This is when your $30/day rental doubles in price haha.

If this is for Nicaragua, depending on what your needs are, have you looked at what the cost would be for a van/driver? Might be an option if you don’t need daily transport.

You also might be interested in this article giving some info about places to live as an expat, but it has some general info too. https://internationalliving.com/four...ua-1-to-avoid/

[RW99]

I just had one of my worst trips with Westjet and wondering if this is normal. It started with me getting the dreaded SSSS on my ticket for the 1st time. I know that's not on Westjet. But why is their customer service line pre-security so freakin long? I can usually avoid with self check in and bag drop that works like 50% of the time. But why in Calgary can they only have a few agents working and why are soo many people in this line? Does everyone have issues with their tickets? I get not having a lot of agents at their destination cities, but we shouldn't have to wait for 90 minutes pre-security in Calgary.

The return from JFK was not much better. The bag drop was not working. There is only one line for everyone, only those self checking without checked bags can head to security. The rest are in the long single line. No one is out trying to help those trying to get bag tags, waited for 60 minutes in this line. Then Westjet seemed to rent the worse gate at JFK, a remote gate with busses that adds 40 minutes to the boarding process. I've been to JFK a few times before, was a new experience for me.

I don't usually need to stand in line pre-security, are these kind of delays normal? What is everyone else in the line trying to do?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by RW99

I just had one of my worst trips with Westjet and wondering if this is normal. It started with me getting the dreaded SSSS on my ticket for the 1st time. I know that's not on Westjet. But why is their customer service line pre-security so freakin long? I can usually avoid with self check in and bag drop that works like 50% of the time. But why in Calgary can they only have a few agents working and why are soo many people in this line? Does everyone have issues with their tickets? I get not having a lot of agents at their destination cities, but we shouldn't have to wait for 90 minutes pre-security in Calgary.

The return from JFK was not much better. The bag drop was not working. There is only one line for everyone, only those self checking without checked bags can head to security. The rest are in the long single line. No one is out trying to help those trying to get bag tags, waited for 60 minutes in this line. Then Westjet seemed to rent the worse gate at JFK, a remote gate with busses that adds 40 minutes to the boarding process. I've been to JFK a few times before, was a new experience for me.

I don't usually need to stand in line pre-security, are these kind of delays normal? What is everyone else in the line trying to do?

What is SSSS

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

What is SSSS

I believe it's US secondary screening, basically

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by RW99

I just had one of my worst trips with Westjet and wondering if this is normal. It started with me getting the dreaded SSSS on my ticket for the 1st time. I know that's not on Westjet. But why is their customer service line pre-security so freakin long? I can usually avoid with self check in and bag drop that works like 50% of the time. But why in Calgary can they only have a few agents working and why are soo many people in this line? Does everyone have issues with their tickets? I get not having a lot of agents at their destination cities, but we shouldn't have to wait for 90 minutes pre-security in Calgary.

The return from JFK was not much better. The bag drop was not working. There is only one line for everyone, only those self checking without checked bags can head to security. The rest are in the long single line. No one is out trying to help those trying to get bag tags, waited for 60 minutes in this line. Then Westjet seemed to rent the worse gate at JFK, a remote gate with busses that adds 40 minutes to the boarding process. I've been to JFK a few times before, was a new experience for me.

I don't usually need to stand in line pre-security, are these kind of delays normal? What is everyone else in the line trying to do?

My sister was flying back to YYZ from YVR last month and she had to do regular check-in. When she got in line, there were less than 10 people already in it. With only one check-in agent, it took my sister >30 minutes to get to the front of the line.

[Johnny199r]

I'm close to booking a trip for Nov 7-11 to San Francisco. I will be going solo and it will be my first time. Realistically, I will have 3 and 1/2 days to do things.

I'm into being as active as I can (biking, walking anywhere) and just seeing as much as I can (city or nature). I don't care about shopping or drinking.

It seems the must-do's are Alcatraz tour, Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods National monument, and a lot of tours encompass going over to Sausalito. I feel like I will knock off most of those items on a day tour, or a day and a half as most.

Any other suggestions for someone that gets up early and is cool with getting 30,000 steps in? I know there is always hop on, hop off buses, too.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

I'm close to booking a trip for Nov 7-11 to San Francisco. I will be going solo and it will be my first time. Realistically, I will have 3 and 1/2 days to do things.

I'm into being as active as I can (biking, walking anywhere) and just seeing as much as I can (city or nature). I don't care about shopping or drinking.

It seems the must-do's are Alcatraz tour, Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods National monument, and a lot of tours encompass going over to Sausalito. I feel like I will knock off most of those items on a day tour, or a day and a half as most.

Any other suggestions for someone that gets up early and is cool with getting 30,000 steps in? I know there is always hop on, hop off buses, too.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

I've rented a bike there and it's fun (but challenging). You can take the bike on the Sausalito ferry, too. Riding the bike down Lombard St (the crooked road) is quite the endeavour.

Walking in general there is tough. Lots of massive hills.

If I might make a couple restaurant suggestions, Kin Khao is an awesome Thai restaurant (near Union Square) and Anchor Oyster Bar is unreal for fresh seafood (in The Castro).

[FurnaceFace]

You can rent a bike from near Fisherman’s wharf, ride across the golden gate to Sausalito, then ferry back, or bike back. That should burn a good chunk of the day I would think.

My wife took a free walking tour when she was anone and I was in a conference. I believe she did the Haight-Ashbury area. That would be an interesting area to wander through anyway.

MOMA if you like modern art - though it is pricey.

Walking up to the Coit tower would burn some of your energy. It might be a good morning spot if there is fog as the buildings might look cool. My hobby is photography so it’s a place I’d go.

[Derek Sutton]

Just rent a bike and bike the bridge both ways. The Ferry ride really lame as is waiting for the ferry, and loading the ferry, and unloading the ferry (with all the bikes) and you have to pay to ride the ferry. Also spend some time biking around Golden Gate Park, such a neat park and massive.

You can go online and find self guided walking tours. We did one that took a few hours starting near Union Square, where we were staying, through China town, to Coit tower and down to the Pier, rode the Cable Car back. We also this took the bus out to the Pacific Ocean (got off along the way times the painted ladies) to dip our toes in On the way back we got off at Golden Gate Park to take that in.

Also book the first tour in the morning to Alcatraz. It is really neat to arrive when no one else is there.

[marsplasticeraser]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

I'm close to booking a trip for Nov 7-11 to San Francisco. I will be going solo and it will be my first time. Realistically, I will have 3 and 1/2 days to do things.

I'm into being as active as I can (biking, walking anywhere) and just seeing as much as I can (city or nature). I don't care about shopping or drinking.

It seems the must-do's are Alcatraz tour, Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods National monument, and a lot of tours encompass going over to Sausalito. I feel like I will knock off most of those items on a day tour, or a day and a half as most.

Any other suggestions for someone that gets up early and is cool with getting 30,000 steps in? I know there is always hop on, hop off buses, too.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

Great walking city, or it was last time I was there in 2020.

Our standard was Union Square east down to the waterfront and then all the way to the Presidio. Then coming back on Fillmore or Polk to japantown.

Also nice to explore straight north from Union Square in Chinatown, telegraph hill, etc and then back over Russian Hill. Some cool mansions.

I never went to Golden Gate Park, but it seemed like a good place to explore for a nice walk and Ocean Beach looks like a nice beach walk down to SF Zoo.

I didn't like walking down to Mission through Civic Centre, it was sketchy. And the Tenderloin was really sketchy, even in the day.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

If this is for Nicaragua, depending on what your needs are, have you looked at what the cost would be for a van/driver? Might be an option if you don’t need daily transport.

You also might be interested in this article giving some info about places to live as an expat, but it has some general info too. https://internationalliving.com/four...ua-1-to-avoid/

Thanks for this! We're hitting all of the recommended places besides Matagalpa. I'd love to see that area, but my family isn't keen on how long we'd burn in the car.

I did look at Van rentals, and we're probably going to do some impromptu exploring, or popping into town to grab groceries/food here and there, and some of our accommodation is a bit remote, so having a car seems convenient. I think the thing will cost us $300 plus insurance for a couple weeks, so pretty reasonable.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

I'm close to booking a trip for Nov 7-11 to San Francisco. I will be going solo and it will be my first time. Realistically, I will have 3 and 1/2 days to do things.

I'm into being as active as I can (biking, walking anywhere) and just seeing as much as I can (city or nature). I don't care about shopping or drinking.

It seems the must-do's are Alcatraz tour, Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods National monument, and a lot of tours encompass going over to Sausalito. I feel like I will knock off most of those items on a day tour, or a day and a half as most.

Any other suggestions for someone that gets up early and is cool with getting 30,000 steps in? I know there is always hop on, hop off buses, too.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

Assuming you aren’t renting a car (you don’t need to), here’s how I would break it up by day (in any order, but just lump these things together because they’re closer). I’ve included a couple things you COULD do with a car, and packed the days up beyond what you can actually achieve in a day, but these things all make sense to do in the same day (as in, if you’re trying to maximize your time, I wouldn’t do day 1 stuff with day 2 stuff, for example).

Transit is really good, so you can take the train/bus/ferry mostly anywhere. Load up a clipper card to make it easy.

DAY 1
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Sausalito
- Muir National Monument
- Point Bonita Lighthouse (some nice trails in the area)
- Baker Beach
- Palace of Fine Arts
- Point Reyes Lighthouse (if you have a car)
- Hog Island Oysters (near PR, again if you have a car)

DAY 2 (1.5 days maybe?)
- Alcatraz
- Fisherman’s Warf/Pier 39 (I hate this area but you’re there anyway if you’re doing Alcatraz so might as well have a look)
- Coit Tower
- Lombard Street
- Chinatown
- City Lights Bookstore
- Ferry Building
- SF MOMA (highly recommended)
- Oracle Park Tour
- (if you’re into live music, worth trying to see a show at the Fillmore, Orpheum, or Warfield)

DAY 3
- The Castro
- Haight Ashbury (worth a quick stroll just to see but kinda whatever)
- La Taqueria in Mission (get a burrito)
- Golden Gate Park (this could be a whole day by itself, includes the following:
- Japanese Tea Garden
- De Young Museum
- California Academy of Sciences
- Windmills)

Depending on what you like, there are also a crazy amount of food options and bar/lounge options to close out the night.

There is also a ferry that goes between a lot of spots in the bay. Doesn’t take too long and gives you some nice views. Might be worth taking the Ferry to Jack London Square in Oakland, exploring for an hour or so, and taking the Ferry back.

[GGG]

That’s a good list,

Do day 1 by bicycle rather than car/bus. Look at the elevation changes and decide if you want e-bike or regular bike. It’s only 10 miles from the Wharf area to point Bonita. (Would need to exclude point Reyes as that’s further out)