NL by Air Canada

Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
1,008
Location
Too far east
Be prepared, very prepared, and all should be OK. Get your Covid paperwork in order. I did 5 tests before I left to make sure I had the results in time. You must use the arrivecan app to get into Canada. I crossed customs in Montreal, and the airport was vacant. But I breezed through with all my rifle paperwork, and covid nonsense in order before I left.

There is another internet form just for NL, which you MUST do in advance. It's totally separate from the arrive can app. When you land in NL, the will ask you for it.

In order to leave NL, you need another covid test. I brought an online test with me. (thanks to whomever recommended it here). However, the cell service was lousy at my outfitter, so I had to find cell service for the test.

While I'm still in NL, I will go through customs in Toronto. Hopefully that goes well, as my connection time is short. We'll see what happens, but I don't foresee any problems except time is short as my 1st flight is delayed.

The outfitters are calm about Covid, but Canada is further left than Biden. These people are insane about masks indoors.
 

Aluminum Rain

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
222
I am currently in Newfoundland waiting for the wind to die down enough to fly on the float plane into a camp. Our experience has been a little more painful. First off, everyone has been polite and fairly helpful. However Short track is right about the Canadian's really taking their covid serious. To the point that there seems to be a bias against Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Maybe caused by a "2 shot" media campaign. There are stickers and signs everywhere promoting 2 shots amd i think some folks up here dont understand that jj is a one shot deal. Some restaurants may refuse entry to j&j vaccinated people. Our first issue was only having a 70 minute layover in Montreal with a weapon. That wont work but it was our only airline choice. The first stop at customs was to show your passport and ArriveCan receipt which all 4 of us had. However 2 of us had a note deeper in our ArriveCan paperwork that stated "Vaccine document. Please speak with Canadian Border Service officer upon arrival" . Note this does not show up on your one page receipt. Our one pagers all looked fine. But the 2 of us got put in a special line that ate up almost 30 minutes for nothing. My cbs officer basically looked at my vax reults and said good luck. My buddy got drilled for another 10 minutes by an officer who did the same to everyone making the line longer and slower. Then we got downstairs to the rifle and oversize baggage check station. Another long line with more officers watching than working. I was first in line and officer asked when my flight was. I told him 20 minutes and he said I will need to reschedule that as he proceeded to take 45 minutes to check my gun when it couldve taken 5 minutes. It was like he had never seen a rifle in a case before. Didnt even know how to unlatch the case. Furthermore they take you to another room just to open the case instead of the counter in an already very secure room. Two of my buddies had slightly more competent officers but never the less we missed the connection flight. The time spent on the 4 of us probably caused many others without rifles to miss their flights too.
Ironically the next morning when boarding the rescheduled flight to deer lake on what is now considered a non international flight, the Air Canada staff had us open 2 of our gun cases right on the floor in front of their counter with about 50 people standing around in line. Then they let me pass with no inspection at all. A definite difference in procedure from the cbsa folks. The take away for us was that you could get different answers and different treatments from any 2 staff at any point in the process. And while everyone was cordial, it was a shit show.
 
OP
Short Track
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
1,008
Location
Too far east
I just got home, connecting through Toronto. Missed my connection, because 2 hours is not enough. You need 3 hours absolute minimum to connect. Air Canada took 1 hour to get rifles off the plane, into US customs. They apologized & rescheduled me. Luckily there was a later flight out.

US customs wasn't too bad, except the agent informed me I should have exported the rifle with a special form when I left the USA to make life easier getting home. I'm like, there are no USA customs agents at most airports. So it's not possible. Tack on another hour to clear US customs.
 

JES

FNG
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
78
Location
Richmond, TX
Just got checked into my flight in Houston. Talked to my outfitter and Air Canada has alrwady lost bags for two of their hunters. One guy was missing his clothes another his bow. They didn’t get the bow until Thursday, hunt ends Saturday.

I have an extra challenge and will find out in Toronto if I get to hunt or not. I work out of the Country and just returned Tuesday evening. Not sure if they’re going to let me in without forcing quarantine or not…fingers crossed.
 
OP
Short Track
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
1,008
Location
Too far east
It's doubtful they will force quarantine. Tell them you will be at a spike camp deep in the woods. Just make sure you have the arricecan app open with the confirmation code visible.
 

keller

WKR
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
628
Location
wi
Waiting to get on ferry for return trip. Driving through was easy if you have all paper work done. Their is now another form to fill out for new Brunswick. Road was blocked off to get into nova Scotia checking vaccine cards.hopefully return trip goes as smoothly.
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Messages
1,936
Location
Eagle River, AK
Be prepared, very prepared, and all should be OK. Get your Covid paperwork in order. I did 5 tests before I left to make sure I had the results in time. You must use the arrivecan app to get into Canada. I crossed customs in Montreal, and the airport was vacant. But I breezed through with all my rifle paperwork, and covid nonsense in order before I left.

There is another internet form just for NL, which you MUST do in advance. It's totally separate from the arrive can app. When you land in NL, the will ask you for it.

In order to leave NL, you need another covid test. I brought an online test with me. (thanks to whomever recommended it here). However, the cell service was lousy at my outfitter, so I had to find cell service for the test.

While I'm still in NL, I will go through customs in Toronto. Hopefully that goes well, as my connection time is short. We'll see what happens, but I don't foresee any problems except time is short as my 1st flight is delayed.

The outfitters are calm about Covid, but Canada is further left than Biden. These people are insane about masks indoors.
What online test did you use? How does it work and how long for results?

im headed to BC in oct and want to figure that out
 
OP
Short Track
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
1,008
Location
Too far east
The results are in 15 minutes. Everything is app based, and they watch you on your camera. then email you the results. Some guy on here recommended it.
 

Wallace

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 3, 2018
Messages
180
Location
Boone, NC
I flew in and out of Calgary for an elk hunt last week. No issues at all, pretty easy, I got through customs faster than I ever have with a rifle.
 

Aluminum Rain

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
222
Came back friday by air, this time thru Toronto. Got rapid antigen test in Deer Lake airport. Took 10 minutes but was $95 Canadian. US customs guy was awesome in Toronto. Got 3 guys with guns through in less than 20 minutes.
 
OP
Short Track
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
1,008
Location
Too far east
How long did Air Canada keep you in the holding pen ? The area where your name goes up on the board?

I sat there for over an hour, missed my connection. Air Canada felt bad, so they gave me a meal coupon.
 

Cmb213

FNG
Joined
Jan 14, 2021
Messages
31
Got back last week, used Air Canada. The 3 hour layover for customs is a must. I believe they are doing rapid antigen testing at all the NL airports now, i had mine done in Gander before my flight to Halifax. As others said $95 results in 20 minutes. On my connection from Toronto to Montreal my rifle somehow got left behind and caused a headache, had to delay a flight bokento wait for the gun to catch up with me to go through US customs. The Air Canada baggage counter guys were absolutely terrific with helping me track it down and getting it on the next flight too me. It seems like things are still messy with covid in terms of travel schedules but Air Canada (in my experience) if very helpful when you need it.
 

Aluminum Rain

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
222
How long did Air Canada keep you in the holding pen ? The area where your name goes up on the board?

I sat there for over an hour, missed my connection. Air Canada felt bad, so they gave me a meal coupon.
Never had to experience that. Or at least didnt see any board with my name on it. We got in the US citizen line in Toronto and after talking to a primary inspector got escorted to the secondary inspection room where our gun cases were already waiting for the inspection. Handed the US guy the keys and he proceeded to do his thing very quickly. We just sat and waited on our side of the counter. Very different than the Canadian inspection going into Canada.
 
OP
Short Track
Joined
Oct 3, 2017
Messages
1,008
Location
Too far east
Never had to experience that. Or at least didnt see any board with my name on it. We got in the US citizen line in Toronto and after talking to a primary inspector got escorted to the secondary inspection room where our gun cases were already waiting for the inspection. Handed the US guy the keys and he proceeded to do his thing very quickly. We just sat and waited on our side of the counter. Very different than the Canadian inspection going into Canada.

When you get off the 1st plane in Toronto, you follow the US signs, you go through another security line.
Then you come to this big round room, where Air Canada makes you sit in, until your name goes up on the overhead board. Only then can you proceed out of the room to US customs.
 

Joseph2186

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 17, 2020
Messages
218
Location
Indiana PA
I just got back on the 3rd everything was smooth until customs started checking a flight worth of rifles was mass confusion and almost missed my connection to Pitt. That being said they were very nice and having you case key and decoration form when you declared crossing into Canada ready for them.
 

buzzy

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2013
Messages
509
What online test did you use? How does it work and how long for results?

im headed to BC in oct and want to figure that out
Bionex now with the zoom call. Basically you call into a med office via zoom and they watch you take the test and if passing give you a letter. It’s an Antigen test and I used it to get back into the US from Canada. PM me if you can’t find where to order the kits. There are 2 types so make sure you get the right one with a zoom call!
 

buzzy

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2013
Messages
509
I just got home, connecting through Toronto. Missed my connection, because 2 hours is not enough. You need 3 hours absolute minimum to connect. Air Canada took 1 hour to get rifles off the plane, into US customs. They apologized & rescheduled me. Luckily there was a later flight out.

US customs wasn't too bad, except the agent informed me I should have exported the rifle with a special form when I left the USA to make life easier getting home. I'm like, there are no USA customs agents at most airports. So it's not possible. Tack on another hour to clear US customs.
They are talking about form 4457 where you declare your rifle and scope. You usually have to go to the help desk at the airport near customs and ask them to call the customs officer and come out to have a 4457 signed. Can take a little time cut they come out and take you back in where they check the form to match the rifle and you are good to go. Then you show the 4457 to Is customs on your way home and that’s it. Stupid but simple once you know the process.

If you fly out of an airport without a customs department you would have to collect your rifle and get the form signed at the international airport you are flying out of.
 
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