Confessions of a YYC Travel Junkie

[MoneyGuy]

I have a hiking stick for walking on uneven terrain that screws apart into sections. When it’s apart there are large screws that protrude. I’ve never tried to fly with it. Will security allow it as carryon?

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I have a hiking stick for walking on uneven terrain that screws apart into sections. When it’s apart there are large screws that protrude. I’ve never tried to fly with it. Will security allow it as carryon?

Yeah, it's not a weapon. If you have any doubts, use it to "help you get around" the terminal and don't disassemble it until after you clear security.

[Fuzz]

Strap them together with metal wire and put them in a duffel bag. Maybe the xray guy will be convinced they are sticks of dynamite, like he thought my tripod was.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Strap them together with metal wire and put them in a duffel bag. Maybe the xray guy will be convinced they are sticks of dynamite, like he thought my tripod was.

Shouldn't have had that giant Acme sticker on the side of your camera bag.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I have a hiking stick for walking on uneven terrain that screws apart into sections. When it’s apart there are large screws that protrude. I’ve never tried to fly with it. Will security allow it as carryon?

Very unlikely you'd be able to fly with it. It doesn't sound aerodynamic, at all.

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by D as in David

Very unlikely you'd be able to fly with it. It doesn't sound aerodynamic, at all.

That's funny to you?

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by butterfly

That's funny to you?

As far as dad jokes go, it was better than most.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by butterfly

That's funny to you?

That's annoying to you?

[topfiverecords]

Butterflies offended by flying jokes.

[butterfly]

Some clown trying to travel from Paris to Detroit is now arrested in Newfoundland. Have fun trying to get home!

https://www.wxyz.com/news/plane-enro...ruly-passenger

[MoneyGuy]

I’d be really pissed if I was on that flight. I hope the idiot is banned from airlines.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Some clown trying to travel from Paris to Detroit is now arrested in Newfoundland. Have fun trying to get home!

https://www.wxyz.com/news/plane-enro...ruly-passenger

He's stuck in Stephenville?! Hahahahaahahahahahahaha

If being arrested wasn't bad enough, Paris = big city; Detroit = big city; Stephenville = aggressively small town, only reason a A330 could land there is that it's an old US Airforce Base.

Great people, but talk about culture shock.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

If being arrested wasn't bad enough, Paris = big city; Detroit = big city; Stephenville = aggressively small town, only reason a A330 could land there is that it's an old US Airforce Base.

Wasn't it one of the diversion airports where the space shuttle could land as well?

[sleepingmoose]

Originally Posted by STeeLy

Wasn't it one of the diversion airports where the space shuttle could land as well?

Yes, it was one of about 20 sites listed for an East Coast Abort Landing.

[Torture]

I was told at the airport in Istanbul that I couldn't bring a tent on as carryon because the poles might be used as a weapon. Not the stakes, the poles.


Also, I travelled on multiple flights through North/South America/Europe before somebody in Africa decided that the scissors I had totally forgotten about in the first aid kit buried at the bottom of my backpack were a safety risk.

It really is just luck of the draw sometimes. *shrug*

[chemgear]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/can...rash-1.6872285

Canada's visaless entry system crashes, leaving many travellers stranded

The collapse of the website that processes Canada's Electronic Travel Authorizations (eTAs) has caused missed flights, stress and financial pain to many travellers trying to reach Canada.

This week, Canada expanded the number of countries eligible for the eTA system, which replaces a full visa requirement for countries whose citizens are considered at lower risk of overstaying. Travellers from these countries pay a $7 Cdn fee and fill out an online application in a process that would normally take just minutes.

IRCC appears not to have anticipated that adding 13 new countries with a combined population of over a quarter of a billion people would lead to a sudden surge in applications, but that's what happened.

Monerawela says that between their non-refundable Air Transat flights and a prepaid Airbnb, her family will lose thousands of dollars. They will also miss the chance to see family in Canada for the first time since the pandemic began.

One of their daughters is wheelchair bound and has other medical issues that make travel very difficult, she explained. The family had already paid to forward some medical items their daughter needs to Toronto.

Gabriel Contreras already missed his flight from Spain to visit a sister who lives in Canada. He was refused boarding on the first leg of the trip from Madrid to Amsterdam because of the eTA issue.

He said that even if the problem were fixed tomorrow, he and his travel partner would have to buy two new tickets for 970 euros each. The new flights would end up costing him more than $2,700 Cdn.

"The hardship you caused to travellers is immense," wrote another person. "All the pain just to collect $7."

On Friday evening, some passengers attempting to obtain eTAs reported receiving a message in response suggesting repairs might not be coming for days.

[Bankai]

Flying in from HNL-YVR-YEG on a very tight connection at YVR. All flights with AC.

Does anyone know if I need to pick up my checked luggage after customs before proceeding to YEG? Don't think I'd make the connection if I have to wait for bags.

[Weitz]

Usually you have to get your bags when you clear customs which would be in YVR. Not sure how their customs process is set up though.

[Meelapo]

My wife and I are going to Singapore (SIN) in September for about a week. I'm looking at flights right now and there are very limited flight carrier options to SIN leaving from YYC. There's a United flight that's appealing but the cost to book the extra legroom seats is $400 CDN per person direction (so $800 round trip person). We're normally okay with doing the extra $100-$200 but $400 seems like a lot. Given that it's a 16 hour flight the extra legroom would be great - also because I'm 6' 3" and my wife is tall too.

So we were thinking that it might be worthwhile to do a non-connecting flight to a big hub (YVR, LAX, SEA, SFO) and then picking up a flight from there to Singapore. It's a bit risky because we'd be banking on ensuring we get to one of those hub cities in time and with our luggage. Anyone have any suggestions on what we should do? Go this "travel to hub" idea or just pay United $1600 extra for the roomier seats (nothing more....it's just roomier seats).

Are there websites that find ideal routes for something like this?

[RichieRich]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

My wife and I are going to Singapore (SIN) in September for about a week. I'm looking at flights right now and there are very limited flight carrier options to SIN leaving from YYC. There's a United flight that's appealing but the cost to book the extra legroom seats is $400 CDN per person direction (so $800 round trip person). We're normally okay with doing the extra $100-$200 but $400 seems like a lot. Given that it's a 16 hour flight the extra legroom would be great - also because I'm 6' 3" and my wife is tall too.

So we were thinking that it might be worthwhile to do a non-connecting flight to a big hub (YVR, LAX, SEA, SFO) and then picking up a flight from there to Singapore. It's a bit risky because we'd be banking on ensuring we get to one of those hub cities in time and with our luggage. Anyone have any suggestions on what we should do? Go this "travel to hub" idea or just pay United $1600 extra for the roomier seats (nothing more....it's just roomier seats).

Are there websites that find ideal routes for something like this?

I can't recall the site but with a little sleuthing online you can find out the seat layouts of the specific flights you're thinking of taking. Then you can do seat selection. This can help you find "better" seats that sometimes come with more space versus paying extra. For example at the rear bulkhead area where the seating goes from 3 across to 2 across often the 2-seats have wider and longer space. As a tall person who has done international flights this has been super useful.


I don't know for sure but try Google Flights to explore your flight options. It's great for finding lower cost options.