Jen Savedra, Editor, Travel Industry Today

26 AUG 2010:  Yesterday, I flew from Miami to Toronto.  That is a two hour and forty minute flight, not a huge whack out of your day, but here’s the kicker – door to door the entire “experience” took seven hours and 35 minutes. No flight delay involved – Air Canada was right on time.

Mainly, Toronto.

Getting from the airport to downtown Toronto is a bloody joke and Pearson International Airport is appalling.

Who is the architect who designed that ludicrous down-the-escalators-then-the-long-walk-then-back-up-the-escalators system of getting from your aircraft to immigration?  Yes there are moving sidewalks for the walk but why the up and then back down bit?

I’ve never seen a route quite so awkward and clumsy, so abysmally unfriendly to travellers, and it never fails to irritate me every time I fly into Terminal One.

Starting out

But let’s back up a bit. South Beach to Miami International was a breeze – woman cab driver just a tad more aggressive behind the wheel than I’m comfortable with (unless of course I’m driving,) but we arrived safe and sound and I didn’t really understand most of the Spanish muttered under her breath directed toward passing drivers who did not match her invigorating manoeuvres or speed.

We arrived at the proscribed 90 minutes prior, probably a tad early, as we were pre-armed with boarding passes and (of course) no check-in luggage.

Straight through Security where I went through my first full body x-ray scan.  It’s pretty obvious what it is and there are two yellow feet painted on the floor which you have to stand on, raise your arms and Bingo! Bango! Pictures of you and all your parts are saved for posterity…or whatever.

The security people were great – joking that they did not get to see anything, claiming it all went straight to Washington, where Obama personally checked the pics every Monday afternoon. “And Michelle gets them on Wednesdays” chuckled another.

After you come out of the little booth there are a couple more yellow footprints to the side where you have to stand for a couple of minutes till given the “go-ahead.”

Then I had to have my bag hand checked – I thought it was my new supersonic toothbrush (it had been the culprit in Toronto) but no, it was a can of Diet Coke I had intended to drink on the ride to the airport but had forgotten.  I admitted liability and stupidity, handed over the can and was sent on my way with a smile.

On board

On board we had emergency row seats ($25 per seat each way) and there was some consternation when a young man also sitting beside the emergency exits spoke neither English, nor French nor Spanish. That disqualifies you apparently, and he was politely but firmly moved to another seat.  That no sooner happened when a couple of men tried to get the now free seat plus another at the window.  I was surprised that they were allowed to do so – on other airlines I have noticed – if you haven’t paid for the preferred seat, you don’t sit in it.  

The flight was fine as flights go, though I do think it is a dumb idea to restrict payments for everything on board to credit cards. What happens to people who don’t have cards or to unaccompanied minors?  It’s an unnecessary inconvenience to passengers – but that’s not who counts these days.

Back in YYZ

So, we arrive in Toronto, and after the obstacle course (one escalator had stopped, so you had to haul your bags down a rather long steep set of stairs, unless cleverly like me, you knew where the elevator was) we reached the Immigration Hall.  

It was packed. Hundreds of people doing the dance of the maze – to and fro, to and fro. Children screaming, adults grouching, security directing and sometimes just lightly shoving. It was controlled and it moved but it took over an hour to get to an officer (pleasant, friendly and fast.) the problem is just the huge volume of people they are processing at the same time.

Going home

All that done (don’t have to wait for bags) but another 10 minutes in line just to get out of the baggage area, finally out and grab a limo.  

We were expecting a slow ride, after all it was 5pm on a Wednesday afternoon. All was fine along Highway 427 and Gardiner right up to about Kipling and then we came to a shuddering stop. Police cars and ambulances wailed by and I knew a long day was going to get longer.

What can you do?  Grab a magazine and a Kindle electronic book and relax.  We arrived at the front door in Toronto at 6.05pm. Left the front door in Miami at 10.30am.  Seven hours and thirty five minutes.

So much for a quick flight. No wonder I prefer to drive!

This article has been re-printed with permission from Jen Savedra, Editor, Travel Industry Today travelindustrytoday.com. Hamilton International Airport is located halfway between Toronto and Niagara. With no long line-ups at check-in or security, a two minute walk from the parking lot and quick and easy highway access, passengers experience less congestion. hi is a fast, friendly alternative. fly easy. fly Hamilton.