Advice re BUF - ATL - LAS
January 7th, 2009 Filed Under naaktbelgisch.com edit
With all the heightened security concerns, I'm looking for some advice for an upcoming flight to Vegas (next Wednesday). Since I'll be driving to Buffalo from Toronto I want to make sure I give myself lots of time to make my flight. I'm on a 7:30 a.m. flight from BUF-ATL where I connect on a 12:54 pm flight to LAS. I plan on leaving Toronto early in the morning (probably around 3:30 a.m) and drive to BUF. Here's my questions:
1. Should I expect any significant delays at the CAN/US border (I should be arriving at the border around 4:30 or 5:00 a.m.)?
2. I'm hoping to get to the Buffalo airport by 5:30 a.m. At this ungodly hour will I be able to get through security relatively quickly?
3. Am I correct in assuming that my connection in ATL will NOT require me to go throough security there (I've never flown into ATL before, so I'm not the least bit familiar with the airport)?
4. What's the likelihood of my luggage following me to LAS?
For those of you wondering why I would want to drive to Buffalo and have to make a connection in ATL instead of flying direct YYZ-LAS, it's costing me at least CAD$850 less for my family and me (3 of us) to do this. The cheapest AC fares today (based on their current seat sale) would be $1,499.90 for the three of us vs. the CAD$653.82 I paid to fly Delta out of Buffalo (I got a pretty good seat sale price last February when I was making my plans), and they would not be available for the actual dates I'm travelling. When I was booking the flights the cheapest alternative for flying out of YYZ direct to LAS was CAD$1,837.53 (AC), so in fact I'm saving almost CAD $1,200 by flying out of Buffalo. More money for the tables ;) .
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13F
Taxes are the least of the higher cost structure on Canadian airline tickets...in fact the US border inspection fee on transborder tickets is higher than any Canadian government imposed tax or fee, so knock of the BS yourself. (BTW, the "tax-heavy CDN gov't" is about the only one in the world that doesn't charge you a fee to enter or leave the country, or pick up the cost of processing you into the country.)
The issue is THE MARKETPLACE, which all you low-tax zealots worship. The capitalist system works best when the marketplace is free and competitive and companies financially healthy and profitable for their shareholders. If you look at the US airlines industry you will see that they are for the most part not financially healthy nor returning profits for their investors. The nature of that marketplace and competition is different, and consequently fares are different.
Why is it so much cheaper? I don't know if it's the competition or the taxes are less or the various fees are less but something is out of whack. In the end as long as your willing to live with a connection enroute you'll save yourself money for the relatively easy drive.
On a related note why is AC (and all the other Cdn airlines) allowed to add a "fuel surchage" on after the fare? This is ridiculous!! It's like saying here's your fare but we had to relpace the tires on your plane last week so here's a maintenance charge for that..........I don't know any other non-Canadian airline that adds this on afterwards...is there?
What are you talking about? USD$7 vs. GST, NAVCAN fees, higher security fee. Oh, and the AIFs are more than double what any U.S. airport charges.
And what do we get for paying more? The pleasure of being searched by Mustafa!
There are some great r/t fares from BUF for fall travel, including some transcons for less than $200USD. DL and NW seem to be leading the way with the lower fares. I'd say it's a good thing they're in Chapter 11 as the airlines tend to be more competitive when they're hurting for money.
The busiest times for security at BUF are between 5:30 and 8:00am. Do the web check-in and walk straight to the security when you get to the airport. You should be fine for a 7:30am flight. It's good that you're allowing yourself extra time just to be on the safe side. I'll be flying on Monday and I'll give you an update on the situation there.
SH is dead on. Where do you get USD$7 from. He's talking about transborder tickets, not a flight out of BUF.
On TB flights the only charge that the Canadian government charges is a Canada security fee - usually around CAD$8.
For the US you've got USA transportation tax, US passenger facility charge, September 11 security fee, and USA immigration user fee - easily around CAD$55 and up.
GST is GST - don't think that you're getting screwed by it and if the USA ever woke up and realized that they're just about the only country left in the world that realizes that a value-added tax system is efficient they would have it as well. In addition, if you're in a business or expensing it to a business, they can claim it back.
NAVCAN is charged to the airlines who pass it on to their pax.
AIF's are charged by the airport authorities - not the gov't.
Get your facts straight man!
USD$7 is the US Immigration Tax that Shareholder was referring to.
To further clarify my previous post, since you haven't done your research, the U.S. PFCs are no more than USD$4.50 per departing airport. Some airports charge less, some don't charge anything at all. I compared this to the AIFs charged by the Canadian airports, which are more than double that amount.
Yes, GST is GST - a tax charged by the government. So what's your point? :confused:
Yes, NAVCAN is passed on to the customer by the airline. But who privatized the system in the first place, leading to these fees? The same group who privatized the airports, leading to high AIFs to fund artwork in terminals :D
You can spin it however you like, but it all comes down to the government making air travel more expensive for us in Canada.
1. Should I expect any significant delays at the CAN/US border (I should be arriving at the border around 4:30 or 5:00 a.m.)?
Very unlikely that you would be waiting at all. But never hurts to call the border services automated phone number as it will have an accurate wait time. If you cross at niagara rainbow bridge you definately will not have a wait at this time in the morning. The peace bridge in fort erie is busier, but quicker to BUF. However, at this time of the morning I wouldn't think it would be overly busy for cars....
2. I'm hoping to get to the Buffalo airport by 5:30 a.m. At this ungodly hour will I be able to get through security relatively quickly?
2 hours should be enough time to get through security in BUF but I'd check Delta's recommendations on Monday or Tuesday....
can't comment on the other 2 questions......
1. Should I expect any significant delays at the CAN/US border (I should be arriving at the border around 4:30 or 5:00 a.m.)?
2. I'm hoping to get to the Buffalo airport by 5:30 a.m. At this ungodly hour will I be able to get through security relatively quickly?
3. Am I correct in assuming that my connection in ATL will NOT require me to go throough security there (I've never flown into ATL before, so I'm not the least bit familiar with the airport)?
4. What's the likelihood of my luggage following me to LAS?
.
Hey,
I do a similar thing quite oftern ...
1. There won't be many other cars (but there also won't be any agents). 5-6 cars ahead could lead to a little wait but I would't stress at all.
You never have to explain or justify departing a close border city vs a CDN one. It's BS - It would be nice if the tax-heavy CDN gov't could wake up and see the bigger picture. The airports in SYR and BUF are full of Canadian plates. Think of the lost revenue ... If the CDN dollar can stay where it is (or strenghten) it's just going to get more common.
And what do we get for paying more? The pleasure of being searched by Mustafa!
There are some great r/t fares from BUF for fall travel, including some transcons for less than $200USD. DL and NW seem to be leading the way with the lower fares. I'd say it's a good thing they're in Chapter 11 as the airlines tend to be more competitive when they're hurting for money.
Al:
SH is dead on. Where do you get USD$7 from. He's talking about transborder tickets, not a flight out of BUF.
On TB flights the only charge that the Canadian government charges is a Canada security fee - usually around CAD$8.
For the US you've got USA transportation tax, US passenger facility charge, September 11 security fee, and USA immigration user fee - easily around CAD$55 and up.
GST is GST - don't think that you're getting screwed by it and if the USA ever woke up and realized that they're just about the only country left in the world that realizes that a value-added tax system is efficient they would have it as well. In addition, if you're in a business or expensing it to a business, they can claim it back.
NAVCAN is charged to the airlines who pass it on to their pax.
AIF's are charged by the airport authorities - not the gov't.
Get your facts straight man!
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