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CATSA v TSA - departing YUL

Posted by (Upstate NY, USA ) on

Hello all - departing YUL for CDG, haven't flown out of YUL since before it was YUL.

I'm very well versed in TSA outbound requirements, so I'm looking at CATSA's, (well on the YUL website). They say - "Liquids, aerosols and gels in your carry-on luggage must be in containers of 100 ml/100 g (3.4 oz) or less. All such containers must fit easily in one clear, closed, re-sealable plastic bag no larger than 1 litre (1 quart) in size. Approximate dimensions of a 1 litre (1 quart) bag are 15.24 cm by 22.86 cm (6 in. by 9 in.) or 20 cm by 17.5 cm (8 in. by 7 in.). Any beverage in a container larger than 100 ml must be drunk or disposed of before you reach the security screening checkpoint. Any container larger than 100 ml must go in your checked luggage."
Please note the BOLD part - does this include empty water bottles?? Or is this ignored? Or do they mean loaded containers? (I'm presuming this, and it's just poorly written).

Anyone have any recent-ish experience (even pre Covid) specifically w empty water bottles - and anyone else that regularly has flown both US and Canada can chime in w the differences, too. Tks!!

Posted by
401 posts

Haven't flown out of YUL but have never had a problem with an empty water bottle at any of the various airports I've used. Occasionally I have to show that it is empty.

Posted by
336 posts

Hi, Yes, I flew out of YUL in May. They shouldn’t bother you about an empty water bottle. That reference is to do with people trying to bring 100ml of shampoo in a 300ml bottle.

The only thing to beware of is that Amazon sells bags that say they are TSA approved for liquids, but CATSA wants them in the ziploc baggie. TSA approved doesn’t mean CATSA approved.

Posted by
3480 posts

I live in Canada, and a ziploc bag of the recommended size is fine.
Just be sure all your toiletries in there are in containers of 100 mls or less.
Doesn’t matter how many containers, you can fit them all in that bag if they are each under 100 mls.
An empty water bottle is fine too.

Posted by
16269 posts

Hint.....take the top off the empty water bottle. If they see the top on it, they may think there is something in it and ding it for further inspection.

I do this with all empty bottles.

Posted by
32350 posts

I've never had any problem with empty water bottles at any airport in Canada. I normally put the empty bottle in the bin so that they can clearly see it. It's not hard to tell that it's empty when it goes through the scanner.

It doesn't seem to matter whether it's YUL, YYZ, YVR or any other airport, as the CATSA rules should be the same. I don't know if YUL is having the same problems as other airports in Canada, operating with newly hired screening staff who may not be as well trained and experienced.

Posted by
892 posts

@Ken:
thanks - my water bottles are always see through, so that's not an issue, it looks like it's just a poorly written phrase :)

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