Canada Airport Security

[world~citizen]

If you are flying to or returning from your cruise in Canada be aware of increased security screening at airports. This is particularly important for certain cancer survivors:

 

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110114/calgary-aiport-woman-screened-apology-110114/

 

Smooth sailing...

[gentlemancruiser]

If you are flying to or returning from your cruise in Canada be aware of increased security screening at airports. This is particularly important for certain cancer survivors:

 

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110114/calgary-aiport-woman-screened-apology-110114/

 

Smooth sailing...

 

Smooth sailing

Last time I checked a map Calgary wasn't a port city!

 

This was a VERY sad event and should never have been allowed to happen. However it is NOT the norm for traveling at Canadian airport. Having just flown a few weeks ago, my experience was nothing like this.

[world~citizen]

Smooth sailing

Last time I checked a map Calgary wasn't a port city!

 

This was a VERY sad event and should never have been allowed to happen. However it is NOT the norm for traveling at Canadian airport. Having just flown a few weeks ago, my experience was nothing like this.

 

I am not sure there is a norm any more. I can say this flying extensively through Canada over the past three weeks.

 

The point of my post is to alert pax to disclose breast prosthesis, colostomy bags etc.

 

Calgary is not a port city. You may fly through it en-route to your port and as airport security is not operated by municipal authorities, the same caution is applicable nationally.

 

Smooth sailing...

[sail7seas]

Smooth sailing

Last time I checked a map Calgary wasn't a port city!

 

This was a VERY sad event and should never have been allowed to happen. However it is NOT the norm for traveling at Canadian airport. Having just flown a few weeks ago, my experience was nothing like this.

 

 

With all respect, gentlemancruiser, You probably do not have a breast prosthesis so would not have been subjected to that indignity. That dignified, senior lady was utterly humiliated.

 

I think world~citizen did us a favor to alert us of this basic fact....... prosthesis must be declared despite that painful embarrassment.

[ldog]

With respect to all. I don't think this is only a Canadian problem. I was yelled at in LA by the scanner people. It was most unpleasant.

 

And the story is that they apologized and are investigating which is a very Canadian thing to do.:D

[cruz chic]

Wow...that's really disgusting. Thanks for the post. This is my airport and I've never had any problems there so it's surprising. I could just be lucky however. I've had way worse interactions at USA airports.

[northernphoenix]

As three healthy adult Canadians we travelled via Pearson Airport to Halifax this past June. The security staff in Toronto exceeded their professional authority with questionable behaviour at our security checkin. Our experience in Halifax was quite the opposite. The interesting thing was that the Pearson staff were not using the new scanning equipment, the Halifax staff performed the scan in the most professional manner. This was my first expereince with this new standard. If the staff performing the security inspections are properly trained and supervised these new measures should be accepted by the travelling public as an improvement in airport security.

Marilyn

[spcl4cs_gal]

After seeing that poor woman on the news last night, I find it hard to believe that ANY airport security person would consider her a risk. Their conduct was a definite insult to her and a total embarrassment to Canada if you ask me. :mad:

 

With regards to the other post about Pearson's security, it really can be a mixed bag at that airport. I usually find that the US Customs people at YYZ have far less of a personality than any security people in my opinion.

[cruz chic]

Oh yeah.....I had forgotten about the Toronto airport. That airport is on my list to avoid at all costs.

[Cygneagile]

:rolleyes:

My husband travel to and from Mexico from Toronto Leaster B Pearson airport. He has a pace maker. And yes his screening was very thorough and intense. In both countries. But he had to advise them of this because he had to be manually screened. It was a bit disconcerting for him but he knew that is was necessary. Obviously this lady was not aware that the breast implants are gels. You need to know that now anything that is not part of your original body must be declared. But courtesy and a concern for dealing with these special people was totally ignored. And yes I know they do so many of these but a proper attitude must be present at all times. The fact that they touched skin is unacceptable period.

Since the security at the Airports is contracted out, more training is needed. I trust that the person who did the tap down will be fired. Nothing else would satisfy me.

 

[cruz chic]

:rolleyes:

My husband travel to and from Mexico from Toronto Leaster B Pearson airport. He has a pace maker. And yes his screening was very thorough and intense. In both countries. But he had to advise them of this because he had to be manually screened. It was a bit disconcerting for him but he knew that is was necessary. Obviously this lady was not aware that the breast implants are gels. You need to know that now anything that is not part of your original body must be declared. But courtesy and a concern for dealing with these special people was totally ignored. And yes I know they do so many of these but a proper attitude must be present at all times. The fact that they touched skin is unacceptable period.

Since the security at the Airports is contracted out' date=' more training is needed. I trust that the person who did the tap down will be fired. Nothing else would satisfy me. [/size']

 

Being "felt up" seems to be SOP at many airports now. That's totally unacceptable.

[kazu]

Look, let's face it times have changed. I highly sympathize for the woman. But Pearson isn't the only place this can happen. When we were returning from our cruise flying out of Fort Lauderdale, I was disgusted with how i saw some handicapped people being treated in Fort Lauderdale by security. wheel chaired, basically told if they couldn't walk through the scanner, they would be put through a lot. And they were.

 

I think for some reason, some security people have gotten full of self importance and don't care about the people they are 'serving'.

 

A very unpleasant experience.

[tcook052]

More non-HAL topics cluttering up the forum. Unlike the others though this one really isn't even about cruising but travel horror stories of which it seems there is sadly no shortage of these days. Flame away.

[cruz chic]

Look, let's face it times have changed. I highly sympathize for the woman. But Pearson isn't the only place this can happen. When we were returning from our cruise flying out of Fort Lauderdale, I was disgusted with how i saw some handicapped people being treated in Fort Lauderdale by security. wheel chaired, basically told if they couldn't walk through the scanner, they would be put through a lot. And they were.

 

I think for some reason, some security people have gotten full of self importance and don't care about the people they are 'serving'.

 

A very unpleasant experience.

Actually the incident occured in Calgary..........

[cruz chic]

More non-HAL topics cluttering up the forum. Unlike the others though this one really isn't even about cruising but travel horror stories of which it seems there is sadly no shortage of these days. Flame away.

Feel free to ignore it or report it........

[gentlemancruiser]

With all respect, gentlemancruiser, You probably do not have a breast prosthesis so would not have been subjected to that indignity. That dignified, senior lady was utterly humiliated.

 

I think world~citizen did us a favor to alert us of this basic fact....... prosthesis must be declared despite that painful embarrassment.

You are very right, I do not have a breast prosthesis, however my mother is a breast cancer survivor. She does have a gal prosthesis and I've travelled with her at Pearson airport and it's never been an issue so far. The new body scanners are the real problems. I think that ALL airports need to provide more information to passengers about what should be declared before scanning. The current approach of threaten first ask questions later is a real issue. The scanners were rolled out too fast and not enough is being done to communicate with passengers.

Watching this poor elderly lady, I became very upset with the YYC screeners for a total lack of sensitivity towards the lady. However one incident for which the Gov't & airport have apologized, does not make this a CANADIAN AIRPORT SECURITY issue. I believe that you could probably find similar problems with almost any airport screeners these days.

[tcook052]

Feel free to ignore it or report it........

 

That's partly the point; these topics are hard to ignore when they push actual HAL topics off the first page faster than they should be.

[RuthC]

That's partly the point; these topics are hard to ignore when they push actual HAL topics off the first page faster than they should be.

Are you having trouble accessing page 2? Would a tutorial be helpful?

[cruz chic]

Are you having trouble accessing page 2? Would a tutorial be helpful?

Ruth, you always know the right thing to say:D. Love it!

[GeriatricNurse]

Oh yeah.....I had forgotten about the Toronto airport. That airport is on my list to avoid at all costs.

 

 

Why?:confused: I have never had any concerns/problems departing from or arriving at Pearson!:)

[RuthC]

Ruth, you always know the right thing to say:D. Love it!

Thank you; I was being serious. Over the years some people haven't been able to get to old posts, including posts as "old" as one day, because they have their settings (at the bottom of the threads page, on the left-hand side) very restricted. It's not an area that gets much attention, and could easily be overlooked. And it's so easily fixed that dropping off page one should never be a problem.

[cruz chic]

Why?:confused: I have never had any concerns/problems departing from or arriving at Pearson!:)

Because everytime I go through there it's a "ship"show. Just because you haven't had problems...no one has:rolleyes::confused:.

[sapper1]

That's partly the point; these topics are hard to ignore when they push actual HAL topics off the first page faster than they should be.

Many of us have to fly to take a HAL cruise so that makes this thread pertinent.

As far as Calgary airport is concerned, we connected and cleared US customs there on our way to take a HAL cruise out of San Diego last spring.

What happens to us in airports is part of the overall cruise experience.

 

My favourite airport for security is right here in Saint John. Before we even go through security we have to take our bags to the X-ray belt and wait there while they are x-rayed. The staff is very friendly and, last spring when they decided to search my bag, had me wait there for them to finish and chatted with me while they did it. They then allowed me to relock the bag before they sent it on its way.

After the bag check we can then proceed through security which is always done in a professional, friendly manner.

 

That is one reason I am looking forward to flying to Vancouver in August---once cleared here we are done---no customs or further checks.

[cruz chic]

That is one reason I am looking forward to flying to Vancouver in August---once cleared here we are done---no customs or further checks.

Sapper, I don't know if you've been through the Vancouver airport on the way OUT of the country but it's an excellent airport. I went through there on the first day of the Olympics in Feb.2010 and I was through security and customs in 45 minutes. I didn't ever need to get my luggage. They showed me a picture of it I said yes that mine and that's all that was involved. I hope this will spread to all airports in Canada. I understand that it's in place in a few airports in Canada. I would fly into that airport on the way to the US any time.

[spcl4cs_gal]

Was the problem the gel implants or was it something else? She said repeatedly in the news interview that they (inspectors) demanded that she raise her arms to be scanned and that she couldn't.

 

Have to agree with the OP though...these so-called security experts are on some kind of power trip these days and need a quick lesson in human respect.