New Verified Traveller Program

[Fouremco]

CATSA and Transport Canada have launched a new program that will benefit Verified Travellers. These include:

 

Program benefits

Improved screening experiences are available to you depending on location and checkpoint, including:

·       Leaving permitted liquids, aerosols and gels in your carry-on

·       Leaving laptops and electronics in your carry-on

·       Keeping shoes, belts, light jackets and headwear on

·       Keeping small items in your pockets

·       Access to dedicated screening lines, or front of the line service (including for certain co-travellers)

 

Full details can be found here:  https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/verified-travellers

 

[canadianbear]

They were doing this at YVR (apparently testing it) when I used my nexus to fly to YUL.  On my return trip YUL wasn’t doing it.  
 

It sure sped up the process at YVR.  

[dawnvip]

I used the verified traveller line coming home from YYC last month.

 

While I appreciated not having to dig out the liquids and laptop, or take off my shoes, there was still a substantial line up. Not sure if there was a "random screening" session or some other reason, but several people ahead of me walked thru the metal detector and then had to endure the wand/pat down/swab of their carry-on. 

 

It doesn't matter if its a verified traveller line or regular screening line-up, as soon as they start doing a wand/pat down on someone, the whole line-up grinds to a standstill. Moving the person to the side/secondary seems to be beyond our system's capabilities.

[Fouremco]

48 minutes ago, dawnvip said:

I used the verified traveller line coming home from YYC last month.

 

While I appreciated not having to dig out the liquids and laptop, or take off my shoes, there was still a substantial line up. Not sure if there was a "random screening" session or some other reason, but several people ahead of me walked thru the metal detector and then had to endure the wand/pat down/swab of their carry-on. 

 

It doesn't matter if its a verified traveller line or regular screening line-up, as soon as they start doing a wand/pat down on someone, the whole line-up grinds to a standstill. Moving the person to the side/secondary seems to be beyond our system's capabilities.

Good point. It seems to be an ongoing problem with CATSA being unable to hire or retain sufficient personnel. So lanes remained closed and equipment unused. If they ever get up to full strength, there would be officers available to deal with the individual while those operating the metal detector would continue to keep the line moving.

[Senga]

Sounds good but.....not worth taking the chance and then finding out there is no line available.  

[dawnvip]

Flew YVR to MIA today for our cruise leaving on Wednesday (yahoo!)

 

Used the verified traveller line for US security and was glad to see a shorter line than normal screening. However, was shocked to find that all of the other verified traveller perks are NOT included for US flights: shoes off, liquids and electronics out of bag, belts off, coats off, everything out of pockets. When questioned, the CATSA agent said "its  US requirements".  Ugh

[ctlyf]

27 minutes ago, dawnvip said:

Flew YVR to MIA today for our cruise leaving on Wednesday (yahoo!)

 

Used the verified traveller line for US security and was glad to see a shorter line than normal screening. However, was shocked to find that all of the other verified traveller perks are NOT included for US flights: shoes off, liquids and electronics out of bag, belts off, coats off, everything out of pockets. When questioned, the CATSA agent said "its  US requirements".  Ugh

We've not had to do that... I use the Known Traveler number when booking my flights and have always gotten TSA Pre-check.

[lx200gps]

8 hours ago, dawnvip said:

Flew YVR to MIA today for our cruise leaving on Wednesday (yahoo!)

 

Used the verified traveller line for US security and was glad to see a shorter line than normal screening. However, was shocked to find that all of the other verified traveller perks are NOT included for US flights: shoes off, liquids and electronics out of bag, belts off, coats off, everything out of pockets. When questioned, the CATSA agent said "its  US requirements".  Ugh

Same experience for us as well. Flew YUL-LAX last month and ran into long, slow lines at this new screening area, when the lines at the regular plebian security line, and the premium credit card line were literally empty. Sadly, it was a mistake to have entered the new "verified traveler" line as it made the process much worse, especially since my metal hip guarantees a physical patdown when I set off the alarm.  When we fly out to LAX again in February, I'll ask whether I can use the Infinite Privilege line and still go through to the NEXUS machines

[Oceangoer2]

Does this Verified Traveler Program work in tandem with Nexus?  or is it for those without Nexus and has a dedicated line if they're approved VT's?  Don't want to get into the wrong lineup next week...LOL.

[Fouremco]

12 hours ago, dawnvip said:

Flew YVR to MIA today for our cruise leaving on Wednesday (yahoo!)

 

Used the verified traveller line for US security and was glad to see a shorter line than normal screening. However, was shocked to find that all of the other verified traveller perks are NOT included for US flights: shoes off, liquids and electronics out of bag, belts off, coats off, everything out of pockets. When questioned, the CATSA agent said "its  US requirements".  Ugh

According to the CATSA website, the full range of perks are only available when flying out of YUL (T-1) and YYZ (T-1, T-3). https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/verified-travellers

[dawnvip]

Verified traveller includes Nexus holders, police, airport workers (with a RAIC), military, and a few others. 

I guess I was just surprised that domestic flights (I've done 3 so far this year) included the verified traveller "priveledges" while the flight to the USA did not. The USA must not trust anyone flying out of Vancouver LOL

[lx200gps]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

According to the CATSA website, the full range of perks are only available when flying out of YUL (T-1) and YYZ (T-1, T-3). https://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/en/verified-travellers

We flew out of YUL Transborder "T-1" last month. I notice that the CATSA website makes a slight differentiation between "Verified Traveler" and "Verified Traveler (Transborder(US Flights)", with the principal difference being that if flying to the US, laptops still have to be removed and scanned separately. This certainly was the case when we went through last month.

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, dawnvip said:

Verified traveller includes Nexus holders, police, airport workers (with a RAIC), military, and a few others. 

I guess I was just surprised that domestic flights (I've done 3 so far this year) included the verified traveller "priveledges" while the flight to the USA did not. The USA must not trust anyone flying out of Vancouver LOL

The entire Verified Traveller program, with its multiple variations depending on your destination and departure airport, is a CATSA invention. We can't blame the US for excluding YVR, so maybe CATSA thinks that it is already doing such a wonderful job that they don't need to streamline the system there. 🙄

[dawnvip]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

The entire Verified Traveller program, with its multiple variations depending on your destination and departure airport, is a CATSA invention. We can't blame the US for excluding YVR, so maybe CATSA thinks that it is already doing such a wonderful job that they don't need to streamline the system there. 🙄

My bet is that is it a YVR issue more than a CATSA  problem. All US security were the old style scanners and walk-through basic type of screening. No new fancy stuff at that end of the airport yet. 

[Fouremco]

Hmmm, you've got me wondering now. Are the scanners and other hardware the responsibility of the airport authority or CATSA to purchase and install? 

[cdn_tbird]

On 11/13/2023 at 2:21 PM, lx200gps said:

We flew out of YUL Transborder "T-1" last month. I notice that the CATSA website makes a slight differentiation between "Verified Traveler" and "Verified Traveler (Transborder(US Flights)", with the principal difference being that if flying to the US, laptops still have to be removed and scanned separately. This certainly was the case when we went through last month.

We flew out of YYZ to MIA on Nov. 3rd and that certainly wasn't our experience. Everything stayed in the bags. Leave it to govt bureaucrats to be consistently inconsistent. 😂