55 min layover in Paris too short?
 

Hi guys, I think I goofed when I posted my message/reply. Don't know where it went. Thanks for your help with previous general question.
Is 55 min too short in CDG? Need to change terminals for flight to Athens. I've only been in this airport once before. Thanks again. Sandy

You will likely make it, I am not so sure about your luggage.

It's going to be pretty difficult to make your connecting flight if CDG is you first stop in the EU. You will have to clear passport control and customs before heading to the check-in for your flight to Greece. Also, when flying internationally, you should always expects delays because they do happen quite often.

I ALWAYS book at least 2 hours between arrivals & departures. With 55 min, my experience is that there's a 50% chance you won't make it, and a 50% chance your luggage won't - so plan on about a 75% chance that you won't see your luggage for a day or two. Plus the anxiety - especially if this is the first part of your vacation.

Stu Dudley

Thanks, I will lengthen the layover coming in for the extra $200, and lower the anxiety level. How about a one hour layover in Frankfurt going home?
(Athens-Frankfurt-Atlanta-Tulsa) There wouldn't be customs or immigration yet would there be?

Without even taking into account customs, immigration, luggage, terminal changes, etc. the problem with layovers as short as you are considering, is that you can't necessarily count on your first flight to land on time!

Or even if you land promptly, you may have to sit on the tarmac to wait for a gate to be available to deplane, etc. There's ever so many things that can happen.

I never schedule plane changes for less than 2 hours (honestly I go for 3 hour min. but that's just me). I would rather sit around an airport, read a book, get a cocktail, have a sandwich, any day... then stress out throughout the in-bound flight, have to run thru airports, etc.

Hi SC,

There are more answers on your first post, which you can find by clicking on your name.

((I))

If you are flying Lufthansa (LH) both in and out of Frankfurt, 1 hour should be ok. You will arrive from Athens on one level of the main Frankfurt terminal and depart, pass through EU exit passport control (never any line) and simply go to the next level (up one level I think). For US departures there is an additional security line to let you to the end of the LH departures terminal but I've never seen it long either.

If you are flying out on Delta, you'll need to change terminals. The Frankfurt airport website has terminal maps.

http://www1.frankfurt-airport.com/cm...rik/3/3405.htm

It's not far from one terminal to the next but not as close as just riding the elevator up one floor in the same LH terminal. Plus you'll likely need to go to the the Delta counter to get a boarding pass.

If you're flying on 2 separate airlines then I would definitely give myself more time in Frankfurt. It's also a good idea to figure out any backup options (same airline through Cincinnati, partner airlines, etc) & have that info printed out before you leave home so you know your options.

Your luggage should be checked through to your final destination so although you'll clear immigration upon arrival at CDG, you shouldn't have to clear customs until after you retrieve your luggage in Athens.

I'd also like to clarify something else mentioned earlier. The reason that you clear immigration at CDG is because this is your first point of entry into the Schengen zone, and NOT because it's your first point of entry into the EU. People often confuse the two. Not all EU countries are part of the Schengen treaty (which ended internal border checks for member countries) and not all Schengen treaty countries are part of the EU. They are two separate entities.

The 15 Schengen member countries are:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

I'm glad you extended your layover time. CDG signage is primarily in French. It's pretty easy to get confused. I hope that Greece is terrific! We'll be there in June.

Schengen is a new term to me. What is this all about?

If you're not changing airlines from CDG on to Athens the baggage switch will be handled by the ground crew and the plane will be held for connecting passengers.

Frankfurt is a much more efficient airport to get around in than CDG.
I would be panicked at the thought of a 55 minute layover in CDG, but assuming your plane is on time you will be ok in Frankfurt with a 1 hour layover.

SusieCue, here is a link to information on the Schengen Treaty: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_treaty

Tracy

You don't necessarily have to connect to the same airline for your bags to be through checked to your final destination. Nor do the two airlines have to be part of the same global alliance. You don't even have to travel on a single ticket, as long as the two carriers have interline agreements to transfer the bags. I've had my bags through checked when connecting to unrelated carriers on separately issued tickets. This isn't a single airline/single ticket/one alliance issue, but it's something you have to inquire about with the specific airlines involved.

And just because you're connecting to the same carrier doesn't mean they'll always hold the flight for you. It depends on a lot of factors, such as the number of passengers connecting, the availability of later flights, the reason for the initial delay, etc. If traveling on one ticket, then the airline is responsible for reaccomodating you on a later flight. If you have two separate tickets, then you hope and pray that you don't miss your connection.

<and the plane will be held for connecting passengers.>

I think that is a little over-optimistic and a generalization.

What can I say, it's worked for me many times over the years. I've even been on the other end of the situation, missing a connecting flight at my next destination because the flight that would take me there was delayed to wait for passengers from another flight that was also delayed. Happens all the time.

It's more likely that the plane will wait for connecting passengers if it is the last flight of the night.
For instance, I was recently on the last flight from Dallas to Denver (late night), and our plane was held up for about 35 minutes while we waited on several passengers who were connecting (their flight was delayed). But at least 5 people got on the plane, I can't say whether they would have held the plane for just one or two people.