edgecorp

We are from central Illinois and are flying out of O'Hare to Paris this July. Our 17-yr-old daughter will be in Memphis, TN playing basketball the day before we leave, so she will be catching a flight from Memphis to O'Hare the morning we fly out. We are driving up and will be parking in long-term. Haven't booked her ticket yet (making sure the tournament doesn't get cancelled)but airline from Memphis will prob. be AA or NW(possibly Delta). We're flying to Paris on Air France. She'll get to O'Hare two hours before we get there. Where would be a safe and convenient place for her to wait for us? Would she need to have her passport with her, or can we bring it with us?

edgecorp

ttt

CubFanAlways

Edgecorp,

Is she getting her boarding pass from Memphis to Chicago to Paris all in Memphis? I assume this is the case. If so, then yes, she will need her passport or they will not give her a boarding pass to France. If she’s getting her boarding to Paris in Chicago, then that’s when the passport comes into play. I suppose she could get only her Memphis-Chicago boarding pass, and then get her Paris boarding pass in Chicago, as I’m getting the impression you’d rather hang on to the passport. But please don’t trust me on all of that, please check with your airline.

As far as a safe place at O’Hare, well, I wouldn’t worry about that. I would focus on a convenient meeting place. Since Air France leaves out of terminal five, she might as well head there and wait for you near the Air France ticket counter. An important point: If this is a code share with United, United international often leaves out of terminal one. Please verify.

From Memphis, if she is on anything but United, she will come in Terminal 2 or 3. There is a small train - “rapid transit” it’s called – that goes to and from the terminals and the long-term remote parking lots.

Hint #1: All rapid transits go to all terminals and the long-term remote. If she gets on one going the “other direction” no need to panic; it’ll come around to the terminal she wants.

Hint #2: There are terminals 1 (all United) ,2,3 (all other airlines and a little United) and 5 (all arriving international, and many foreign (i.e. Air France) departures. There is no terminal 4 and no one knows why.

I hope I’ve helped, rather make it complicated. O

edgecorp

CubFan,
Thanks for responding. The Memphis leg is completely separate from the Chicago-Paris leg (you're correct - I'd rather hang onto the passport). She won't get a boarding pass for Paris until we join her in Chicago. We leave out of terminal 5 at O'Hare; she most likely won't fly United into O'Hare, because at this point their fares are the highest. This is not a codeshare with United - booked directly through Air France. If you could tell us exactly what she should do, that would put my mind at rest.

CubFanAlways

First, a pox upon me . I should been more careful with the phrase “rapid transit”. Even though it applies, is also describes other Chicago transportation systems. She does NOT want the “L”.

Here’s a another hint: If she has to pay, she on the wrong transport. The little train I’m referring to is free and unmanned. It’s just a remote control system that never leaves the airport.

Regarding the passport, ah, separate itineraries. I understand now.

It comes down to her getting from terminal 2 or 3 to terminal 5. If you could bring her luggage with you in your car, all the better. Saves her a trip to baggage claim. In any case, baggage claim or not, her goal is to seek terminal 5. I don’t think you can walk there. That’s why I mentioned the transport.

Please see this link with some pictures.

(If two "http" appear, take one out. I don't know why it's copying funny.)

http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Chicago/OHare/

Looking at picture 2 (Interior of Terminal 3), please note a few things.

1) The picture of the train near the arrows on the sign. She’ll want to look for picture and follow those signs when she arrives.

2) This station is in terminal 3. Note the “3” above the doors, and the references to concourses G,H,K,L.

3) The sign above also says that terminal 5 is the train to the left.

The other pictures will give you an idea of what this little system looks like.

Finally, when she gets to terminal 5, look for the Air France ticket counter. If she asks them if she’s in the right place, it will put her mind at ease – and yours too if you know she’s going to do that.

All in all, it’s not too hard, but I was 17 once myself and wouldn’t wanted to have navigated unfamiliar territory at that age. In the end, no doubt someone at the airport will be able to tell her where terminal 5 is, if necessary. But feel free to ask again if I haven’t made something clear.

edgecorp

I'll go over this with her closer to trip-time (end of July). We'll be back if we need a question answered. Thanks so much!

dutyfree

There is a food court just before you have to go through international screening to get to the gates. I would tell her to meet you either in front of Air France or have her kill some time at the food court area with some of the small shops-very safe area that is just around the corner from Air France checkin. Personally, I would have her carry her own passport just in case there are any problems with late arrivals,mechanicals,etc. She is definitely old enough to be in charge of it.Have fun!

AAFrequentFlyer

I agree with <b>dutyfree</b>,

If her flight is delayed at least one of you will have to stay behind with her passport and instead of just paying the extra fare (it is a separate ticket, so no protection for her on the AF flight if she misses it), you will have to pay for 2. Why put yourself through that?

edgecorp

Just checked back on my posting - thanks everyone for the advice. An update - in keeping with my reluctance to book her flight &quot;in case something happened,&quot; she injured her knee in a tournament last weekend. Nothing major, but we're scaling back the athletics as a result and cutting out the tournament in Memphis. Want her to be in good walking condition for Europe! Thanks again for the responses.

CubFanAlways

So not a problem after all, although I'm sure not being in the tournament is a disappointment. Still, good to have the knee healed before you go. Glad to help!

One final thought. Although you didn't ask, so maybe this is obvious to you, I would plan to arrive at the ticket counter (not the parking lot) two hours before your departure.

I'm so used to domestic carry-on, and can get there 45 minutes ahead of time without a problem, that I sometimes forget how long the international check-in lines can be. In fact, I went to Paris myself and 1 1/2 hours was pushing it.

edgecorp

Thanks for the info, CubFan. Last time we flew out of O'Hare internationally was prior to 9/11, and we've always taken AA before, not AF. We'll be sure to allow plenty of time at the ticket counter.

CubFanAlways

Security wasn't a big deal for me, although I'm sure it has been, or could be. It was the ticket counter. Get a few people with major connecting problems, and suddenly the effective number of service reps drops. This was at the United counter, so I can't honestly comment on terminal five and Air France in particular.

To be fair to United, I've also walked from my car to the ticket counter, through security to my gate...without ever stopping. So who knows?

Have a great trip Edgecorp!