CDG----time for connections?
 

Is 1-1/2 hrs. enought time to go from Terminal E to F?

Way more than enough.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...QEwAQ&dur=4698

My comfort zone is 2 1/4 hrs or greater. I've been on a couple of flights from SFO to CDG that landed 1 hr late.

Once we landed at CDG just behind a flight from Africa. All the Africans had passports and "other" documents that looked like they had been in the washing machine dozens of time. This was an early morning arrival, and there was only 1 immigration person checking people through. We missed our connecting flight.

Stu Dudley

StCirq----you're always so quick with the reliable info, thanks.
Apt. in Sarlat--booked
Hotel in Paris--booked

Checking on flights from Chicago to Toulouse---Paris to Chicago.
Then on to a car for Sarlat and train from Brive to Paris.
You've been a great help in our planning.

Thanks to you also Stu. Your help is always appreciated. We haven't booked our flight yet, so I will consider all of this info.

StCirq is a knowledgeable poster but a 1½ hour connect time is absolutely not sufficient time to make an international connection at any airport in the world and maintain a high likelihood of success.

There is absolutely no guarantee that your flight will arrive on time. Of my last 3 transatlantic flights made this year, one arrived on time, two arrived over two hours late due to unforeseen maintenance problems. Does this mean you will arrive late? No. It means that it is foolish not to recognize that it happens and it happens often. Weather delays can also cause flight to arrive late. If you do miss a tight connection, keep in mind that the airline is obligated to put you on the next available flight but the next available flight is not necessarily the same as the next scheduled flight.

Further it is possible that you will be required to pass through immigration even if your luggage is checked through to your final destination (however this eventuality is not specific within the context of your question).

I should think it very unwise to be oblivious to the myriad possibilities that could result in making a connection, as short as this one is, a complete mis-connection.

Well, sorry about that. I can't remember the last time I got into CDG late, and I was assuming no immigration line, just a crossover to the next terminal. But sure, give yourself more time if you can.

I think the difference is:

- can the distance be specifically covered within the time alloted? Yes.

- will you actually have the time alloted to cover the required distance? No guarantees.

Last fall our flight from Boston landed on time but was not able to get to a gate. We sat on the plane for around 30 minutes while they got buses to take us to the terminal. Passport control was fairly quick, but then it took a very long time for the checked bags to get to the carousel.

It seems that in several trip reports recently I've read about this happening at CDG. I'd give myself a lot of time if I had to make a connection. Especially with checked bags.

On arrival, go to the transfer desk, rather than attempt to navigate CDG on your own.

I would leave more time after arriving into CdG and literally driving around the airport looking for an open gate. I would have had a heart attack if I was making a connection!

Still researching:

Carry on luggage only

Air France
Arrive CDG, terminal 2E @ 8:10am---- 1 hr. 25 min
Depart CDG, terminal 2F @ 9:35am
Can we make it?

Arrive CDG, 2E @ 8:10---- 4- 1/2 hrs.
Depart CDG, 2F @ 12:40
4-1/2 hrs. Yikes!

Arrive CDG, 2E @ 8:10---- 3-1/2 hrs. but airport change
Depart Orly, W @ 11:45
Airport change, double yikes!!

Other airlines change in Frankfurt---never been in that airport. How is it??

London--no
American Airlines--no
Any other suggestions?

I would book the the 4 1/2 hr connection. If you arrive at CDG on time, see if you can catch the earlier flight. Since you won't have any checked bags, this might be possible. Otherwise, have a nice breakfast at CDG.

Stu Dudley

In the last 8 times flying to Paris from Chicago, we were always early. Not saying that we would be early again, but we were thinking of taking the 1-1/2 layover and hoping to make it. If we miss the connection, we would hope to be booked on the next (4-1/2 layover) flight.

Am I hopelessly dreaming?

We do like Air France but I just found a flight at the same price on KLM with 1 hr 45 min change in Amsterdam, with Air France direct from CDG to Chicago coming home. Sounds good.

We've never flown on KLM before----any comments?
We have changed in Amsterdam before and it seemed very efficient. Would 1:45 be sufficient time there?

I'm pretty comfortable with short connections at CDG so I would book the 1:25 connection since there are later flights.

1:45 would be enough at AMS. I can't remember ever not getting a jetway on an inbound long haul at AMS whereas at CDG you sometimes need to bus. The walks can be long (up to 20 min between the farthest gates) and you have to pretty much go through the same arrival procedures (passport control + security) but that amount of time would be fine.

Will KLM put you on the next flight if it is not a KLM flight? Are there many later flights to your destination after Amsterdam??

There was an article in the San Francisco Chronicle Travel section about "code share". The travel "expert" called it a "hoax", or something like that. Three years ago we flew KLM to Frankfurt and then United to SFO. KLM went on strike and cancelled many flights - including ours. Although we booked everything through United, United stated that they had no responsibility to book us on another KLM flight at no cost to us. KLM could not be reached by phone.

Stu Dudley

I routinely do 1 hr layovers at AMS coming from the US. The longest it took me between getting off the plane from the US to the waiting lounge at AMS was 35min, that after going through the passport control and carry-on check. It took long because the departure gate was the furthest end gate on gate C.

KLM vs AF? KLM is ok as long as everything is normal. They seem to fly on time and has not yet lost my luggage. I think the food on AF is a notch above everyone else.

However, as Stu mentions, woe to you if KLM cancels flight, and the flight was booked from a US codeshare partner, which is often the case for US travelers. If you call KLM, KLM claims no responsibility in what happens to you afterwards. There excuse is that the US carrier booked the flight, go bug the US carrier. If you call the US carrier, they can look but can't do anything about it because the reservation is in KLM's system.

The flight we are looking at is KLM from Chicago to Amsterdam and KLM again from Amsterdam to Toulouse with a 1:45 connection.

Returning is Air France, CDG direct to Chicago.
This all booked through Expedia. Would booking through Expedia make a difference?