News

Whether flying for pleasure or business, a calm yet expedited experience is what most travellers crave at the airport. To avoid departure-day hassles from check-in to departure lounge, follow these tips from frequent fliers:

General

• If possible, avoid peak airport times (usually early morning and 5 to 8 p.m.).
• Check your airline's website ahead of time for the recommended check-in time (this can be as early as three hours in advance for charter flights), the check-in cut-off time (Air Canada, for example, can turn away customers arriving 60 minutes or less before an international flight) and the boarding gate deadline (these vary by airline and airport, but if you're too late you won't get on the plane. Air Canada's are 20 minutes for Canada and the U.S., 30 minutes for most international flights but 40 minutes for departures from Paris.)

Check-in

• For planning purposes, you can check in, pick your seat and get your boarding pass from home or work. Air Canada (aircanada.com) offers on-line check-in within 24 hours of flight time for departures from Canada and for Canada-bound flights from 18 U.S. cities and six worldwide. WestJet (www.westjet.com) offers Web check-in for flights within Canada from 12 hours in advance. British Airways' (www.britishairways.com) Web check-in is available 24 hours in advance for flights from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Then, it's as simple as proceeding to a baggage-drop counter. Cut-off times are one hour in advance. Though it's not that popular yet, check your airline's website to see if advance on-line check-in is available.
• Air Canada also offers check-in by cellphone or mobile device (mobile.aircanada.com), starting 24 hours in advance for passengers without baggage on Canadian flights.
• If checking in at the airport, use self-serve kiosks where available, then use the baggage drop. Agents will help with problems. Air Canada has kiosks at major Canadian and U.S. airports plus London, Paris and some hotels near Vancouver airport. WestJet's kiosks, for flights within Canada only, are at major Canadian airports. U.S. pre-clearance

For Vancouver only: If you fly to the U.S. frequently, spend $80 (Canadian) or $50 (U.S.) for a Nexus card. Available through a Canada-U.S. trial program, it uses an iris scan to allow speedy passage through American pre-clearance as well as Canadian customs on return (www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel/nexus/air).

• Get in the right line. There's one for U.S. citizens and one for others.
• Have your entry card completely filled out, including mention of gifts being left in the U.S. and your destination address. And pick up an extra copy of the form so next time you can complete it in advance.
• Answer questions truthfully, but in few words.
• If you have business goods or items that might need special clearance, check out the rules ahead at www.cbp.gov or phone U.S. Customs and Border Protection at your local airport.
• Don't carry wrapped gifts, Cuban cigars, ivory, fruits, meats, dairy products or goods with counterfeit brand names. Security

For Toronto only: If security queues are long on the departures level of Terminal 1, use the quieter ones on the arrivals level.

• Pick a line with people who look like business travellers — who tend to be more experienced travellers — over families.
• Assemble items that have to be X-rayed (loose change, keys) inside something you are putting through the screener (your carry-on bag or the pocket of a jacket).
• Do not carry prohibited items such as toy weapons, scissors, knives or lighter fluid.
• Have medications labelled.
• Pack your carry-on baggage so it's easy to put items back if it is searched.
• Wear slip-on shoes in case you have to remove them. Avoid shoes (including high heels) with metal parts and belts with big metal buckles. Special to The Globe and Mail