chatenever

I'm flying from Los Angeles to Milan, connecting through Houston and then Paris (CDG Airport). I will arrive in Paris via Air France at terminal (hall) 2E, and will depart via Alitalia at terminal 2F. Three questions:
1. Will I have to go through customs at Paris or Milan or both?
2. Will I be able to check bags from LAX to MPX?
3. If I have to go through customs in Paris, any hints on making my connection in the 1.5 hours allotted?

Thanks.

Therese

Your bags will be checked all the way through from LAX to MXP, and you will go through customs at your final destination, MXP. You won't even notice that you've done so: you'll collect your bag and just walk out through the door that's indicated in green and says "nothing to declare" somewhere on it (which is the way everybody else is going as well). Very different from U.S. and other customs (like N.Z.).

It's not uncommon to have to go through passport control at some point during transfers at CDG, but they won't slow you down significantly. Don't dawdle and you'll make your connection.

chatenever

Wow! Are you saying that in today's world of high security at airports, I will simply walk from terminal 2E to 2F in CDG with nothing more than a possible passport check, and then collect my bags at MPX and walk through the "Nothing to Declare" door to the streets of Milan?

ira

Hi C,

You will arrive at CDG - somewhere. It is highly likely that it will be way, far away from the terminal.

You will be put on a bus.

You will arrive at 2E.

You will be herded through many corridors.

You will arrive at passport control. They will give you a form to fill out.

No. They do not give you the form on the plane.

After passport control you will go through Security to get to 2F.

With only 90 min, you might make your connection.

You will be happier if you plan on missing it. That way you will be very pleased if you make it.

If you do miss the connection AND you are ticketed from LAX to MPX you will be put on the next flight.

Good luck.


We had a 90 min connection at CDG a while ago, and made it only because our connecting plane was late.

Therese

Well, yes, assuming your trek from 2E to 2F keeps you airside. If at any point you go landside you'll have to go through security again. Because your bags are checked through they remain secure (and airside) the entire trip.

Customs in the U.S. and some other places (like N.Z., the example I gave above) is largely about preventing introduction of agricultural threats, and that is not much of a concern to European countries because of the geography.

Christina

Why do you think that's so strange? You never do anything special at airports in many cases, regarding security, if you don't leave them and go out to the main street or the area pat the security check.

rkkwan

You will have to go through immigration.

You will have to reclear security.

You will not see your checked bags.

The new S3 satellite opened last week at CDG with dozens of new gates. So, the chance of busing from plane to gate is diminished, though not necessarily removed.

If you arrive at S3 satellite, there may be a bus that brings you directly to 2F, without going through 2E. [A new people mover is planned between S3 and 2F, but is not open yet.]

But if you arrive at 2E proper, then it's probably faster and easier to ignore all signs about connection, and just go through immigration right there. Then just walk from 2E to 2F and reclear security there.

Confusing? Yes. Welcome to CDG.