Montreal Airport Embarks On Measures To Reduce Customs Delays

Air travelers passing through Montreal’s Trudeau Airport should experience fewer delays in customs as Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) embark on a series of measures to accelerate border clearance processes there.

The facilities and staff include a new customs screening area for connecting passengers (opened in mid-June), increased staff and 10 new self-service kiosks. The new screening area will be closed during the winter for an expansion scheduled to be completed before summer 2018.

Last summer, Trudeau experienced delays of up to two hours during busy travel days.

In order to use the new connections center, passengers are required to have a boarding pass for their connecting flight when they arrive in Montreal. A new pilot program between Air Canada and the CBSA will allow the carrier’s connecting passengers to proceed through customs without collecting their luggage. That program could potentially be expanded to other airlines.

Additionally, a new electronic wait time display system will show estimated wait time to reach CBSA primary inspection lines to incoming international travelers in the arrivals hall. Wait times will be also posted in the public exit area of the international arrivals terminal and on the ADM website for those coming to meet travelers at the airport.