CBSA Removal Flights: DEPA and DEPU Codes Explained

If you are subject to a removal order and you are facing travel out of Canada, it is normal to worry about what is happening behind the scenes and what will happen to you on the day of departure. People often ask the same questions about removal flights: Will I be escorted? Will I be handcuffed? Will the airline know? What documents are prepared? What happens at the airport, on the plane, and upon arrival?

This article explains the practical process for removals by air in plain language. It focuses on what you are likely to experience, why certain steps happen, and what variables can change the process.

What A “Removal Flight” Usually Means

Most removals by air happen on regular commercial flights, not private aircraft. That matters because the process must operate within an airline environment, subject to airline safety rules, airport procedures, and international travel requirements.

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) coordinates the removal, but airlines control access to their aircraft and have their own operating procedures. That means the process is a collaboration, with clear steps.

The Two Codes That Matter: DEPU And DEPA

When a removal is booked for air travel, the booking can be coded using internationally recognized “deportee” codes. You may never see these codes, but they influence the procedures around you.

DEPU: unescorted travel

DEPU generally indicates an unescorted removal. In practical terms, it means you are expected to travel without a CBSA escort accompanying you on the aircraft. You may still be under CBSA control before boarding. You may still be subject to conditions or monitoring, but there is no seating with you for the flight.

DEPA: escorted travel

DEPA generally indicates an escorted removal. In practical terms, it means CBSA officers will accompany you during travel, including on the aircraft, and will manage custody and the handoff process at arrival.

What makes the difference?

The difference is not symbolic. It drives operational decisions: how the airline is notified, how boarding is managed, what information is provided to the lead cabin crew, and how the arrival handover is handled. It can also affect how early you are brought to the airport and how closely your movements are controlled.

How CBSA Decides Whether You Will Be Escorted

People often assume that escort means punishment. Operationally, an escort is usually about risk and logistics. CBSA can decide an escort is needed when there is concern about:

• non-compliance with removal
• safety risks to you, staff, or other passengers
• risk of disruption during boarding or in-flight
• identity, documentation, or transit complexities
• medical, vulnerability, or other operational concerns that require supervision

Even if you are calm and cooperative, CBSA may still choose an escort based on your file history or travel logistics. Conversely, some people travel unescorted when CBSA believes the risk is low and the person will comply.

What you can take from this: escort decisions are individualized and can change as new information arises.

The Documents Prepared Before You Travel

Behind the scenes, removals rely on a document package that is used to coordinate between CBSA and airline staff. This package exists because airlines need to know who is travelling under what conditions, and because the process requires a controlled chain of custody for key information.

You may hear references to forms and acronyms. You do not need to memorize them, but it helps to understand the categories.

Common acronyms you may encounter

• CBSA: Canada Border Services Agency
• IRCC: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• PNR: Passenger Name Record (the airline booking record)
• DEPA / DEPU: deportee coding used in booking systems for escorted or unescorted travel

Why does the airline get documents at all

Airlines have legal and safety obligations in their carriage of people and goods. The airline also needs to ensure the right people are briefed so the flight can operate safely and without disruption.

The document package is typically handled discreetly. It is usually directed to specific airline personnel (for example, a supervisor at the airport or the lead cabin crew member) rather than being broadcast widely to staff.

Will You Be Handcuffed Or Restrained?

This is often the first question. The most accurate answer is: restraints are possible, but not automatic.

Whether restraints are used is a case-by-case operational decision. It can depend on assessed risk, behaviour, flight logistics, and safety considerations. In escorted cases, CBSA is responsible for managing custody and safety. In unescorted instances, the issue is usually less about restraints and more about whether the person will comply through boarding and travel.

If restraints are used, CBSA typically aims to manage the situation in a controlled and discreet way to reduce risk and avoid drawing attention. The details vary. You should not assume either extreme, meaning you should not assume you will be restrained, and you should not assume you will not be restrained.

What you can control is your conduct. Calm, cooperative behaviour reduces the likelihood of escalation and reduces operational stressors that can lead to more restrictive measures.

Who Purchases the Removal Flights Tickets

Removal flight tickets are typically one-way commercial airline tickets booked to the traveller’s destination, or their country of admissibility, in line with the removal order. Removals are booked in standard fare classes, and fully flexible or refundable tickets are often used because dates can shift due to legal or travel document delays.

Who purchases the ticket depends on the case:

1. The individual purchases the ticket (when they can pay)
   If the individual can pay for their flight, they must do so. In practice, CBSA still controls the timing and the compliance requirements, but the individual bears the cost.
2. The Government purchases the ticket (when the individual cannot pay)
   If the individual cannot pay, the Government covers the cost to ensure timely removal. These costs can later be recovered from the individual if they seek to return to Canada.
3. The airline purchases the ticket (transporter obligation and transportation liability cases)
   Where a carrier is legally obliged to effect removal, such as when an airline brings a passenger to Canada who is denied entry, the airline must provide the ticket and onward travel at its own cost under Canada’s transporter obligations. In those transportation liability situations, the ticket is arranged by the carrier and annotated accordingly. CBSA may not need to purchase a ticket at all, except in exceptional circumstances where CBSA escorts are requested or required.

Separately from who pays, the source explains how booking is commonly handled on the operations side: reservations are typically made through a Government of Canada travel services contractor or directly with the airline, in accordance with standard government travel rules.

What Happens Before the Day of Travel

Once a removal order is enforceable and all appeals or stays are exhausted, CBSA schedules the person’s departure. IRCC may be involved in issuing the removal order and may assist with travel documents, but CBSA enforcement officers handle booking and enforcement. Key steps before the travel date are as follows.

1) Risk assessment and escort decision (DEPU vs DEPA)

Before arranging travel, CBSA conducts a pre-removal interview and file review to assess behaviour, history, and risk factors. Where concerns exist, CBSA completes an Escort Risk Assessment or Escort Request process to determine whether the person will be:

• DEPU, meaning unaccompanied, or
• DEPA, meaning accompanied by an escort.

The escort decisions can be influenced by factors such as criminal history, violence or flight risk, medical or mental health issues, and airline or transit country requirements.

2) Booking the travel itinerary

Once a removal date is set, CBSA arranges the flight itinerary. The agency prefers using direct, nonstop flights whenever practicable to minimize transit complications. Where connections or transit stops are unavoidable, CBSA plans to minimize them and ensure that transit countries will accept the person and any escort, often by notifying the relevant authorities in advance.

As mentioned earlier, reservations are typically made through a Government of Canada travel services contractor or directly with the airline, in accordance with standard government travel rules.

3) Travel document readiness

Before travel is finalized, CBSA verifies that the individual has all required travel documents for the destination and any transit points, including passports and visas where required. If the person lacks a valid passport or visa, CBSA may liaise with foreign consulates to secure an emergency travel document before the ticket is booked and travel proceeds.

4) Airline notification and acceptance to carry

After flights are booked, CBSA coordinates with the airline to inform them that a removal order subject will be travelling. They do this at least 24 hours in advance. The process includes providing the carrier with key information, including the removal order, relevant risk information, and escort details where applicable.

The airline must confirm acceptance to carry the person, and the pilot-in-command retains ultimate authority to refuse carriage if safety could be compromised.

Boarding: What Makes It Different

Boarding is often the most sensitive moment in the process because it involves other passengers.

CBSA and the airline generally aim to board in a way that reduces risk and attention to detail. That can mean:

• boarding earlier than general passengers, or later, depending on procedure
• using a quieter route to the gate when feasible
• ensuring the lead cabin crew member has the required information in advance

If you are escorted, CBSA officers will be with you through this stage. If you are unescorted, CBSA may still ensure you are at the gate at the right time and may monitor compliance until you are on the aircraft.

On The Aircraft: What You Can Expect

Privacy and discretion

Airlines and CBSA typically aim to manage removals with discretion. The goal is to avoid causing alarm and to keep the flight stable. That does not guarantee you will feel comfortable, but it does affect how the process is executed.

Who knows?

Not everyone knows. Usually, the people who need to know are informed. That often includes the lead cabin crew member and relevant ground supervisors. The rest of the cabin crew may receive only what is necessary for safety and operations.

If you are unescorted (DEPU)

If you are travelling unescorted, your experience may resemble ordinary travel more closely, although you may still feel pressure knowing that the trip is not voluntary. You are expected to comply with crew instructions and the airline’s conditions of carriage.

If you are escorted (DEPA)

If you are escorted, the escort officers manage custody and respond to issues. The crew remains responsible for the aircraft and the safety of passengers. The practical result is that CBSA and the crew each have defined roles.

If you become distressed, the best outcome usually comes from calm communication. Escalation can trigger more restrictive measures, delays, or even denial of carriage depending on circumstances.

Arrival And Handover: How The Process Closes

Arrival is not simply “landing and walking out.” There is usually a structured handover.

• In escorted cases, CBSA escorts manage the transition and ensure custody and documentation are transferred as required.
• In unescorted cases, the arrival process depends on the destination country’s requirements and the travel plans, or you may proceed through normal entry channels, depending on the situation and documentation. Authorities may meet you.

The document package and any chain-of-custody steps are finalized at this stage.

Practical Guidance For The Person Being Removed

1) Focus on what you control

You cannot control the code used in the booking or whether an escort is assigned. You can control your behaviour, communication, and readiness.

2) Prepare for the basics of travel

Even in removal travel, basic travel realities still apply: clothing, medication, medical documents, and other essentials. If you have medical needs, make them clear early and consistently.

3) Ask clear, practical questions

If you have access to counsel or a representative, ask questions like:

• Will I be escorted or unescorted?
• When will I be transferred to the airport?
• What travel documents will I need?
• Will there be a connection or transit stop?
• Who should I contact upon arrival, if anyone?

You may not get every answer, but asking focused questions tends to produce more useful information than arguing about the process on the day of travel.

4) Plan for dignity and composure

Removals are stressful and can feel humiliating. The operational reality is that calm compliance usually reduces the chance of escalation. If you are overwhelmed, communicate that you need a moment, rather than acting in a way that can be interpreted as non-compliance.

FAQs

Will I be told whether I am DEPA or DEPU?

Not always directly. These are operational codes used in booking systems. You may infer from whether you are accompanied on the flight, but the better approach is to ask directly.

Can the airline refuse to carry me?

Airlines can refuse carriage in certain circumstances, especially if there are safety concerns or if the person’s conduct creates operational risk. This is one reason CBSA and airlines coordinate closely.

Will other passengers know?

Often, no. The process is typically handled discreetly, with only those who need to know being briefed.

What if I panic at the gate or on the aircraft?

Distress is common, but behaviour matters. Calm communication gives staff more options. Escalation can lead to delays, additional controls, or removal from the flight.

Does escorted travel mean I am dangerous?

Not necessarily. An escort can be used for many reasons, including logistics and compliance concerns. It is an operational decision.

Closing Note

If you are facing removal, the most useful mindset is to treat the day like a controlled travel operation. There are procedures, roles, documents, and handoffs, and the DEPU versus DEPA distinction is a key driver of what you will experience. Consider booking a consultation session to know your options. Alternatively, fill out the following form.