Oddly, my stress level increased only as I got close to Montreal, not as I navigated the inanities of the US air travel experience.
For some reason (mainly business travel) I seem to arrive very often at Trudeau around 17:00 - 19:00. Just about the same time that B-747's and A-330's disgorge hundreds of passengers each.
There are a lot of Canadians on those flights, however there are an awful lot of Europeans and Africans as well.
Trudeau airport marshall all of this cattle into a long lineup at the end of which you are guided towards a half dozen to dozen customs lineups (about 10 deep) to await your greeting home.
In most other countries and certainly the EU and the US (when you clear in the US as opposed to Montreal or Toronto) there are two customs clearing areas: those for visitors and those for nationals returning home.
There is nothing like ending up behind a family from the middle east or Africa. You will wait behind them for a long time.
Why are Canadians being punished having to wait for visitors to clear customs?
It is time for Canadian customs to do what almost all other countries do: have agents dedicated to Canadians returning home.
Yes, I know there is the CANPASS line for frequent travelers. However, I was with my girlfriend who travels at most once a years by air... and in any case that should not matter. All Canadians should have a faster lane to return through.
Another thing that SUCKS at Trudeau: where are the baggage carts in the US baggage area these days? There used to be tons of carts all over, but I had to go all the way to the opposite corner of the baggage area to find one of a remaining dozen carts. Maybe, as this flight was at 19:30 most of the carts were all over the parking lot. Trudeau needs more people to marshal and return carts. (At least there is no fee).
Trudeau is getting worse and worse while Plattsburgh beckons.
