brappy!

declaration, originally uploaded by brappy!.

Vancouver is a nice airport, but in my opinion, it's a ridiculous place to transit when you go Intl-to-US. Here are the steps it requires:

• Get off plane. Show passport on the jetway to the Canada Immigration officers (passport check one).
  
• Walk a long way to the immigration queue (just building at 10.40 a.m. and about to get to be over 500 people). As I'm arriving on Air China, I'm not allowed to do the direct US transit option and have to legally enter Canada.
• Clear immigration controls (passport check 2).
• Wait for bags.
• Clear customs (passport check 3).
• Find unmarked elevator and take it with 70 pounds of luggage to the third floor check in for US flights.
  
• Check in with Alaska Airlines (passport check 4).
• Stand in 1 km line to clear US immigration, having my passport checked again (check #5).
• Clear US immigration (check 6).
• Clear US customs (passport check 7)
• Drop off luggage, walk 15 minutes to gate. Find out flight is cancelled, get on next flight an hour later.
  
• Board plane (passport check 8).
  

Eight passport checks? That's the last thing I want after an eleven-hour flight.
Let's contrast with transiting Narita after flying in from, say, Taipei:

Arrive in Narita (Tokyo), go to security, show passport and boarding pass. Go to gate, then get on plane when it's time to board. When arriving in Seattle: go to immigration, show passport, go to customs, show passport, dump bags on a belt, then take a train to the main terminal baggage claim. Wait five minutes, and bags arrive. Much easier, for me.

For others, I know it's not this simple, but this organization at YVR is RIDICULOUS and irritating. I'll think twice about connecting in YVR in the future - Narita is just so much easier.