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Avoid Toronto!

Just returned from Newfoundland and wanted to pass along my experience from flying through Toronto. I have a SKB double bow case that I had also packed with gear and clothing. Made it to Toronto and after my 3 hour layover was about to board the plane to Deer Lake wgen I hear my name being called over the main airport intercom. I needed to report to security! Im like... WTF? This isn't good! I find a service counter for Air Canada and ask the lady for assistance. She's confused, makes some calls and gets ahold of someone from baggage or security. I dont know who he was. They put me on the phone and he says to me.."Mr Long! You didn't check your gun!" I tell him I don't have a gun. He says "yes you do!- you have a gun case!" I calmly tell him again that i don't have a gun. He comes back with " You have ammunition in here then!" Me- "No i dont- there's never been ammunition in there! - This repeats all over again and then he says that i need to come get it and go back through security/customs because, and I quote "They're instructed to pull ALL case that's look like gun cases". I'm fighting mad now but keep my shit together. I'm then escorted by several different people through different security checks who, btw all ask whats the issue. I tell them and every single one says "Well why didn't they just scan it?" Needless to say my flight is long gone by now. I get rerouted to St John's 4 hours then onto Deer Lake. There were 5 other gun hunters, who also were jacked around by the Toronto airport. Not one of them had done anything wrong either. No paperwork errors, nothing mislabeled or trying to get banned articles through. Plus once we got to Deer Lake none of our weapons were there- not a one! My bow/ gear eventually made it to camp Sunday evening and I was able to shoot a few times by flashlight. My return flight was a cluster also. Left Deer Lake no problem. Get on my connecting flight to Detroit in Toronto. I'm in my seat when security comes on the plane and escorts me off. I'm about ready to lose my shit at this point but don't. I get escorted inside to so.e official. As soon as i see him and before he says anything I say "It's not a gun... Its archery equipment!!" He was like "What?" And so I repeat myself and say I had the same problem last week. He says "Oh okay let me make a call". He calls and they scan it I guess (thats a novel idea) because after a few minutes he hangs up and says I'm okay to reboard. As i re-enter the plane everyone is looking at me like I'm friggin Taliban but I couldn't of cared less at this point. I fly on to Detroit and... surprise- No bow case!! It never made it on my plane. Supposedly it will be delivered today. End of Rant

Fuzz

I’m sorry to hear that Fuzz. Burocratic red tape is bad enough but when you deal with stupidity or laziness it drives me nuts. I’m not sure I would have stayed as calm as you did

I have made 7 trips to nfld. I drive but on all but one of the trips there were baggage issues upon arrival at deer lake by other hunters who flew. Toronto is a common cause as is Halifax where sometimes they don’t put gear on due to weight

Did you have a good hunt otherwise

It`s Canada....avoid it like the plague.

I went to Newfoundland back in the early 2000's.. I had a similar experience.. They actually asked me if my bow was loaded.. I kept saying "its a bow".. I am like how many thousand hunters must fly with Air Canada and through Toronto.. WTF.. I missed my flight..

Too many GREENS and not enough Reds in that part of the world. No excuse for treatment like that. Cana daaaaaaaaagh !

totally sucks Lewis

Bou'.... My hunt was interesting. The recap is already written but will be posted at a later date.

My bow case looks like a regular checked bag. Got rid of my hard case back in the 80’s. Never have any issues. Hard cases get all the attention. 73.2373% of airport employees are liberal:) They actually get “excited” slowing down hunters.

I avoid Toronto Airport as much as possible...i live here and fly 20 times a year and every time i have to go threw Toronto its the same song and dance....We recommend all clients go through Boston or NY into Halifax...thenonto Deer Lake or going through Montreal isnt too bad....TH

Charlie... I think I'm going to go to a soft case after this experience even though I just this one. That's what I originally was going to buy but was swayed toward the SKB after many recommendations from BS users.

Canadians are the WORST! JK, sorry Fuzz. Next time drive up to Winnipeg, come fishing, then head east :)

I have less and less desire to visit any place in Canada east of B.C.

I don't like Air Canada very well....think United...based on my US experiences with them flying out of DIA IN Denver. And I avoid them whenever possible. There was a bowhunter in camp last week from Australia. His bowsite had been messed with pretty well down in LA. Lucky he was able to sight in and correct it before the hunt started.

I've flown within Canada with my bows in a soft case inside a rolling Cabelas XL Ripcord duffel bag (with all my other gear) a few times this year. No issues within Canada. I tell them it has archery gear, no firearms or ammo.

What Franklin said......

If u think that's bad u should try crossing into the us from canada through detroit with a legal firearm and all the proper paperwork lol talk about being treated like criminal I could go on for paragraphs but don't want to hijack your post.

Had the same probables in Toronto but I was already on the plane heading to deer lake good thing was I had planned to do some tourist stuff for 5 days got my bow and camouflage the second day we were there because literally saved my hunt

This in a duffle. No issues.

i thought i was going to have to declare asylum to get back in the US with a bear hide last time i was in cananada. aint been back.

I think the problem is Air Canada. I won’t go into the details because I posted my fiasco last year, but AC “lost” my bow for a day on the arrival, then I discovered all of my arrows broken and bow damaged on the return trip. They refused to pay a cent of the damages, claiming that I didn’t report it in time (24 hours). I went back to the airport 3 times in 24 hours and they didn’t have any staff working to help with claims. They will never get my business again

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