The Terminal Part I

I am typing this at the Toronto's Pearson International Airport (YYZ). It is 4:30pm. I have been here since 7:15am.

6:45am wake up and head to airport

7:15am arrive at airport

7:18am help man in front of me get a boarding pass at self serve with moderate success

7:23am my turn. I get my boarding pass and proceed to the line of baggage tags. It is very long. They are calling out flights for the tardy but since mine isn't until 10am I wait in line.

7:45am not sure when i got to the front of the line but when it was awhile. When I do the attendant says I should have got in the incredibly short line for star alliance gold members. I said that would have been helpful if the lady who looked at my boarding pass at the head of the line had told me. Bag tagged, off to customs line.

8:00am I have to walk back because the line for customs stretches beyond the lines for baggage. This is a really, really long line. I explain my need for secondary screening to two attendants while I wait but they don't care. Others get pulled for flights soon to depart. I fill out my customs form and I-94 departure form.

8:44am I reach the customs desk and declare my need for a TN permit. I am sent to secondary screening. The room is pretty much full. I hand my yellow folder to the customs agent and I am fingerprinted and photo is taken. I am told to take a seat.

8:45am I take a seat. Lots of unhappy people waiting here. If I can get through in 45 minutes I can still make the plane.

10:00am Plane gone. My baggage ticket is taken. Me - waiting.

11:15am Get name called by customs. I go to counter and the customs agent tells me to pay the cashier $50 for the permit.

11:22am Cashier arrives. I pay. Cashier tells me Air Canada did not prepare customs for the volume saying that Air Canada supplies the data to customs on passengers so that they can staff their desks appropriately

11:25am Permit granted off to get rebooked. New line! Air Canada has no one rebooking passengers. There are about 25 people in front of me. There are 0 agents helping fix this. I mention this to an Air Canada employee who turns out to be in charge. He says "We are doing are best?" I ask if anybody will attend that counter. He gets snippy and says that normally it is dead at this hour and that the agents are walking people to customs. I am also told that it was customs fault for holding me so long. I decide not to mention US customs point of view (of which I am backing). This turns out to be false as the woman who comes to the counter appears to be coming back from a break, purse in hand.

12:00pm Finally get to counter. Turns out a flight to LA just left at that moment. This isn't my day.

12:15pm. Booked on next available flight - 7:45pm. Originally the agent says standby but her supervisor finds a seat. I give him the thumbs up. I'll take it. I inquire about earlier connecting flights but I am rebuffed. It turns out there are no good ones anyway. Supervisor says "At least you have the lounge". Turns out I flew enough last year for Star Alliance lounge access. A minor uplifting moment in an otherwise soul crushing day.

12:18pm. Send bags to baggage check and go through security.

12:22pm. Star Alliance lounge. Seems nice. I go to Internet to check flights and see only the 7:45pm to LAX for Air Canada. I make calls to my Colleen and erin. Then, it's off for a shower, then to the food station for some soup (soup was good) and some vino. Read paper. Commiserate with customs linemate. Watch "No Country For Old Men".

5:10pm. This is now. Surfing and blogging. A bit tired and bored. Want to get on the plane.

Will I write a part 2? Stay tuned.