My wife and I am flying Air France from Washington Dulles (gate 2E) to Istanbul (2B non Schengen) in early september. After reading these posts, I am resigned to the fact that 1.5 hours is generally not enough time to make my connections. Thus my questions are (a) how likely is it we will get a seat on the next AF flight (i.e. anyone know how crowded these routes are in early september), and (b) how likely is it the AF ground personnel will escort me to make my original connections?

Hi CD,

You might make your connection.

My only suggestions are:

Plan to not make it. You will pleasantly surprised if you do.

Don't panic.

Don't get upset.

Don't shout.

You will get to Istanbul.

>(b) how likely is it the AF ground personnel will escort me to make my original connections?<

Anywhere from zero to 100% probability. It depends on who is on duty that day.

Enjoy your visit.

Great advice from Ira. My husband just connected through Paris to Athens with only 1.5 connection time. He was not escorted to the gate, but did make the flight!

I think 90 minutes is plenty of time.

On arrival from Dulles, you can count on a bus ride from plane-side to the 2E gate. I timed the ride recently. Roughly 15 minutes. Add deplaning time and a wait for the bus to depart, a total of at least half an hour, probably a little more, and where you were seated on the trans-Atlantic fight has something to do with it. What happens inside the terminal in case of a connecting flight to a non-Schengen country is a mystery to me, as Paris is always my destination.

You might make the connection, but I think you are wise to expect not. Sorry I can't answer the two questions you posed.

Good news is that all three AF flights IAD-CDG - 25, 27, 39 - are quite punctual. IAD doesn't seem to suffer as much from massive delays like some other airprots.

The key thing that will eat up time is if you don't get a gate at 2E, but needs to be bused into the terminal. If that's the case, where you sit probably has little impact.

Thanks to all the responses to my post. I am essentially planning on missing my connection, so if I make it, I will consider it a bonus.

That said, I heard that one of the keys to the 2E bus situation is to get a seat near the door so you will be on one of the first buses to the terminal. Does anyone know where these AF flights deplane their economy passengers (front, middle, back of plane, etc) so I can figure out which seats to pick?