Montréal Airport

I had a terrible experience when i went through the Custom in the YUL airport to come back to US. The waiting line was long about 300 passengers were waiting but only 3 custom windows were open. A guy who might be a guard to maintain the line for lining up for the windows was extremely rude and vicious. When I asked him if there was anything he could do for helping me get through the line faster since I only have less than 1 hour left before departure and line seemed extremely long and slow. He yelled at me and screamed "I don't care if you miss you flight or not! That has nothing to do with me! If you don't come to the airport 3 hours earlier that is your problem!". I and many other passengers were stunned by his horrible behavior! Then he screamed at me again saying "if you say one more word you will stay here forever!" All of the passengers in the line were completely stunned. He has no right to treat passengers as such! How can an airport keep an employee who is so rude and vicious to the passengers? We are not criminals - he was yelling and screaming as if he had the authority to determine the passengers' fate.

This airport is getting better since all international flights were transferred from Mirabel airport. Waiting in lines to pass security points and customs can be very long during rush hour. Walking distance are long when the flights leave from the last gates of the terminal but there's a shuttle that passes frequently. A good variety of stores after security points and many restaurants before security. This airport is well connected to the city of Montreal with an Express bus and connected to the cities of Quebec and Ottawa by bus. In a few years there will be a train station under the main terminal. Overall this airport is very good.

Very Welcoming Airport. Staff helpful and queuing time was relatively short! Flew on a busy week. Art pieces from various artist exposed around the airport (when arriving and leaving). Terminals were clean and so were the toilets (spotless) even though I had to walk quite a bit to find some. Overall shops nearly everywhere and heating was at correct temperature.

I fly back and forth between Turkey and Canada 3 times a year and always use Montreal Trudeau. The customs and immigration area is large always lots of gates opened and no different on my last trip just before Christmas. I was through immigration and out with my bags in 40 minutes. I have always found lots of immigration and customs officers and the wait time is minimal. Leaving the airport has greatly improved although the two security screening gates can get congested when a number of international flights are departing in late afternoon/early evening. Best to get into line to leave enough time. Airside the shops are small but offer enough choice. The big thing I like about the airport is free wifi and great speeds a nice touch. All in all a good airport to use.

Security staff so rude that makes the TSA look like a theme park. Immigration a complete mess waited in queue for almost an hour before reaching the counter where the staff were considerably more polite but still asked more questions than any other country I've visited. In the year 2012 the most effective way of going from the airport to downtown is a cramped bus. I will never set a foot in this place ever again.

A lot could still be improved at Trudeau but having to work with a 1960 built terminal they have done a great job in improving the experience. The 3 concourses and the aeroquay are pleasant and have a reasonable choice of shops food and drinks. The separate security checks for international transborder (US) and domestic flights divide the flow and makes for usually shorter queues. The international arrival hall and access to baggage belts are user-friendly and the space is beautiful. Trudeau is a decent airport and overall going through either upon departure or arrival is an easy quick process. Airports have a duty to make it easier for the traveler but the traveler also has a duty to come prepared.

I had connection was in a rush and at the customs (coming from France) I was questioned about the value of 100 dollars in gifts that I declared in the declaration form. There were some chocolates and gifts from my parents (I was coming back) and I didn't know the exact value of the gifts because I didn't buy them myself. I considered the value of all the gifts to be around 100$. In the end after many questions asked by the custom officer I offered to open and show my carry on (I didn't have anything checked in). She finally let my pass. I didn't think 100 dollars is something worth so many questions. Anyway I was late because my plane arrived late and when going through security to the connection I ask the employee to help me pass ahead but I was told to ask the people in line myself. A lot of people were nice and let me pass but somebody in the middle of the line didn't allow me. I was able to catch the plane last minute. Do not rely in much help from the airport employees.

Trudeau International is poorly laid out and confusing. If you're connecting to a domestic from an international flight there are unnecessary layers of security that slow travellers to the point that missing a flight is a very real possibility. The staff were not helpful and even at times a hindrance requests for assistance were met with condescending answers or contempt which made the professionalism of a minority stand out all the more by comparison.

My overall impression of the security/baggage system is positive a few more signs would be helpful to those not familiar with the facility. I travel between Washington and Montreal at least once a year. However I do not understand why passengers waiting to board are only allowed to enter the gate area minutes before flight time. At a small door an agent checks passports/IDs and boarding pass and passengers enter a smallish lounge. There is only one other door leading to the aircraft. When boarding is announced and the door to the aircraft opened another agent checks passports/IDs and boarding passes again before passengers proceed to the plane.

A potentially nice airport spoilt by various non-customer-friendly practices. Four European flights arrive almost simultaneously in the afternoon including an A380 from Paris so Immigration Baggage Reclaim Customs clearance and taxis all involve long slow lines. Security on the departures side is a convoluted effort with holding pens through which progress is slow. I doubt if security is in any way enhanced in reality.