Okay...I am one of the many posters with "OCD" regarding extremely limited transfer times at CDG.

I have been reading comments from posters who are recommending not bringing any carry-on luggage to avoid the security search time. Others have recommended making sure that you have an extra set of clothing in the event you miss your flight and need to spend the night.

So...I originally was going to have all of us (three family members) take a carry-on bag with clothing and the a few approved small toiletries in the event we miss our flight and/or our luggage gets lost.

We change at CDG for our flight for Rome (90 minute transfer time) and our return flight to the US has a 45 minute transfer time.

So...I am now wondering if we should just take one carry on with essential items for all three of us.

That is the question.

I would have each person take 1 small bag as carry-on with essentials and what you need for a comfortable flight. I don't see any time savings by only carrying 1 item for 3 people. But maybe I'm missing something? The flight home is always of less concern to me.

I always bring an extra set of clothes as carry-on (except on the way home) and whatever I need for onboard as well as my valuables. Security is long. However, if you don't have much, it won't take them long to do their search.

For CDG, I would not recommend bringing everything as carry-on. With short transfer times, this will delay you and possibly cause you to miss your flight.
I don't see a problem with taking a small carry-on for 3 people.

To clarify, with short connection times at CDG, I would not do carry-on only. They will and do open all carry-on and go through everything (packages, pockets, zips, etc).

In recent flights I started using ziplocks or small clear plastic cosmetic bags to organize within my carry-on. I was actually complimented several times by security people for how easy my bag was to go thru.

Taking everything as carry-ons will not delay you.

First, at the regular security, the whole bag just goes through the X-ray machine. How much more time will you need to lift a few bags up to the belt? A few seconds.

The main delay is for US-bound aircrafts after they've taken your boarding pass, at the secondary checkpoint on the jetway. If they take 20 minutes to go through your stuff, so be it. <b>You've already made your flight!</b>

<b>45 minutes ?!</b>

I wouldn't worry too much re the flight to Rome - since they will put you on the next flight (assuming the whole itinerary is one booking). Take what you want as carry on or not. But for the 45 min connection going home - you had better have carry on because there is a pretty good chance you'll be spending a night in Paris

Not having a carry-on bag of any sort will not substantially speed you through the airport, as you'll still have to wait in the same queues as your fellow travellers. Detailed search of your own bag, should you decide to carry one, will take very little time.

If you're making a very tight connection and have carried on entirely (which is once again possible) you'll want to make sure that you can carry your bag up and down numerous sets of stairs, but that's another question entirely.

We just went thru this. We took one
c/o with two days clothes for each of us in the event we did not make our 75 min connection, and if we did, we thought is a good chance our bags would not. We were very pleasantly surprised that we, along with all of our possesions, made it with time to spare. The lines for security were not long and it was just no issue, even after all my worries about it! Our 90 min connection on the way back was just the same.

I would do it the same way again, just in case, but wanted you to know it can work out just fine!

Thanks folks for responding to my post. I think we will go as originally planned...a carry on for each of us and toiletries in zip locks for easy security check. And we'll remember to put our itinerary, cell phone numbers, and addresses in Rome and NYC inside our checked luggage in case it doesn't make it with us- this was a suggestion I got from someone in an earlier post. We are not staying at a hotel so in the event luggage get lost we need to be contacted directly.

This is when a cell-phone number is really useful.

Even with no carry on, you are going to be waiting in line while everyone elses is searched. Maybe if you mention that you can NOT miss your flight, it'll help. If you do bring a carry on, be smart about it. Put every thing in ziplocs in small bundles, so they can pick up a couple of zip loc's, see you stuff and move you along.

I think some people are still not clear about security at most foreign airports like CDG.

All the added security stuff since 8/10/06 only applies at the jetway for flights to the US. This includes the restriction of gel/liquid products, pad-down, extra questionnaire, etc. The primary screening <b>has not changed</b> since 8/10/06, or in fact since 9/11/01.

You can carry all your liquids through the security and you don't need to take off shoes, etc. You put your hand-carries on the belt, you walk through the metal detector. If there's no problem, you go on. It's the same 9/10/01, 8/9/06 or today.

Similarly, CDG is a mess to connect 9/10/01, 8/9/06 or today. Just want to make this clear.

Again, all the extra security stuff happens at the jetway, after they collect your boarding pass <b>for flight to the US</b>. Does not apply to the OP's CDG-FCO flight, for example. And the 45-minute return connection is absolutely ridiculous <b>not because of extra security</b>. In fact, because of the extra security and delay associated with flights departing CDG to the US, <b>the OP has a better chance of making the connection than before 8/10/06.</b>

rkkwan,
You are wrong about the security. I returned via CDG just a few days ago. The extra security is both at the inital screening for US bound flights and at the secondary screening at the gate.
At the initial screening, all carry-ons and jackets go thru the x-ray machine. EVERYONE then undergoes a complete pat-down. This is then followed by a thorough search of all carry-on items. This is for EVERYONE.
You CANNOT carry liquids thru beyond this point. I flew just after the TSA changed their rules on travel-sized items. AF is more strict and did not follow TSA guidelines.
There are trash bins at the search area to dispose of the banned items.

This is markedly different from the security before 8/10/06. Prior to then, pat downs were only if the metal detector alarm had gone off. And the carry-on searches were random.

They will rush NO ONE thru security! If others let you ahead in the line to try to make your flight, that is one thing. But, you cannot short-cut security. EVERYONE is subject to the searches and pat-downs and the personnel will not be rushed. It is possible to miss your flight at this point. And there were people who missed their flights on the day I flew because of being stuck in security lines.

There is second security check at the gate after the boarding pass has been collected. They randomly searched and patted down various passengers. On my flight, it appeared to be every other person.

Security has markedly changed since 8/10/06.

niblette - Thanks for the information. My experience is for CDG2A, which AA, CO, Air Canada, and other international airlines use. From what you're saying, it's different at 2E where AF use for most of its US-bound flights then.

Thanks for the clarification. I guess this means the process is definitely worse for AF/NW/DL passengers who use 2E for their US-bound flights.

In general, European airlines are more strict about the size and weight of carryons, so I think it better for each person to have their own.

Flew United from CDG to IAD on Sept 21 - the security was TIGHT. Not only there was a 2nd security checkpoint in front of the gate with X'Ray, hand search and pat-down, that is BEFORE they collect any boarding pass, there were another intensed hand search and pat-down, when they picked you and denied you immediate boarding. I was picked, but my husband was let pass to board - both our boarding passes have the dreaded SSSS. I was led around the whole area, downstair and up, though I could see the security line most of the time. At the end, they took me back to the jetway area, there is a small corridor just next to the jetway - where they set up 3 tables, and those of us chosen went thru another serious search and pat-down. Our plane was delayed 45 minutes because of that.

Okay, I'm beginning to panic a little.

I leave on Wednesday from SFO to CDG and then I head to CDG to Florence with a 90 minute connection window.

The security measures aren't leading me to panic too much now that I know what we're in for.

But am I understanding correctly that the liquids allowed on my US-France flight will NOT be allowed from France to Italy? I don't want to pack all of my make-up only for it to get tossed out.

I'm only concerned about the trip TO Italy, not about my trip back home to the US.

I've looked everywhere to validate this info (CDG's website, Air France) but I can't find an answer that mirrors what some have posted here.

Thanks for the suggestions!

EuroTravelerJen - There's no liquid restriction for intra-Europe flight. All the extra stuff have to do with US/UK mostly.

same here - we have a flight SFO/CDG on AF connecting with DL CDG/MAD with a 1hr 5mins transfer time between Terminal 2E to Terminal 2F.
Guess we'll just have to hand carry the smallest tubes of lotion, etc. and stow the essential stuff in our checked bags. I wish the TSA and the EU would just settle on one rule and stick to it.