Changing planes in Paris
 

My 19 yr. old daughter and I will be traveling to Munich in June. We are flying from Atlanta on Delta and then from Washington Dulles on Air France. Our flight schedule gives us only 1 hr. to change planes in Paris (CDG). Is this going to be enough time?

I'm confused... Is your itinerary Atlanta to Paris to Munich? Where does Dulles come in? On the flight home? Explain your itinerary more clearly and you might get more response to your post.

In general, if you're ticketed on one ticket (code-sharing) they (the airline) are only supposed to ticket you in a way that allows you enough time to get from one flight to the next. They are then responsible (to some degree... we know how that goes) to help you get on the next flight out. If you're not ticketed as one, then you're "on your own" should you miss your connecting flight. CDG is a pretty big airport, but fairly efficient. The bigger issue in my mind is getting through customs quickly enough (that alone could take close to an hour) and what would happen if your flight were delayed.

Do you already have your ticket? US Airways flies direct from Philly to Munich and there are plenty of flights from Atlanta to Philly. Just a thought.

Agree there's no reason for all those stops to get from Atlanta to Munich - since each one gives the opportunity for something to go wrong. Pick an itinerary that has only one change of planes - and make sure it leaves enough time to do it realistically (an hour isn't enough anywhere IMHO, given how often planes are let, jetways are full, bad weather etc.)

With your current itinerary I'd be afraid you would still be in Immigration when your plane for Munich takes off.

Hi B,

Some people have reported making 0:45 hr connections at CDG.

Most people have missed 1:30 hr connections.

If you have one ticket ATL/Munich and you miss any of your connections the A/L has to put you on the next available flight.

If you have to overnight, they have to put you up at a hotel.

((I))

AF flies CDG-MUC:
0715, 0815, 1020, 1250, 1535, 1725, 1825, 2035.

If you miss your booked connection, you'll be on the next. (Assuming that you will be traveling on "one" ticket)

I sure don't understand this one. Why go that way when Delta has direct flights to Munich from Atlanta?
Sure would be a lot easier.

Good luck !

CDG is NOT easily navigated from airline to airline and likely you WILL walk more than in any other airport.

But you might be lucky !

Yes, it is "one" ticket. The flight was booked with skymiles which were a gift, that's the reason for the numerous stops. That's the only way they could get us there using the skymiles.Our itinerary is ATL IAD CDG MUC and reversed coming back. We have 2-3 hrs. between the other flights. Wish us luck. Hopefully we can make the connection. Thanks

Understand the trade off to get reward tickets. Since it sounds like this is a single itinerary then just relax knowing that should you miss your connection you will just be put on the next flight. Don't use that as an excuse to dawdle at CDG, but don't sweat it, either. Think of all the $ you are saving!

No worries, blivey.

60-80min connection time is standard procedure (at least in continental Europe).
It is also standard procedure to miss a connection once in while.
I would only worry if I was connecting to the last flight of the day, or if there were only 2, 3 flights a day.
Your AF flights from IAD arrive 0615 or 1115 -- so if things go "wrong" you wait an hour at the gate for the next plane. Overnight delay is not an issue with early arrivals like yours.

(If you should have problems with your checked luggage: the Lost and Found desk is right next to the carousels in MUC.)

I hate to be doom and gloom but right now, making fast connections at CDG isn't as easy as usual. There is rennovation going on with AF terminals. You are likely to land and taxi to a spot on the tarmac as most large planes are right now. Then load a bus to go the terminal. There is a lot of walking and passport control as well as another security screen. your connection is likely to be a regular gate. If your plane is on time take care of restroom needs before landing as it will take just about 35 to 40 minutes to get to the next plane.If the plane is late they will let passengers making connections get off first. Finally, if you do miss your connection it isn't a given that you'll get on the next plane to Munich. You are re-routed based on your ticket price. They'll get you on a plane, but soonest seats available goes to passengers with full fare tickets and on down. If all is on time you can make it but move fast!

Actually - don't hope to make the connection too much - 'cuz even if you make it, your luggage might not so you'll end up waiting around MUC for the next flight to arrive anyway.

Don't figure you'll make the connection - and if you do it is just gravy. They will get you to MUC one way or the other so don't worry . . . . .

I have made a 45 minute connection in CDG because i knew exactly where we were going and we hustled through. But our luggage did not arrive until the next day. You have a shot at making this but pack all your essentials and a change of clothing in yor carry on.

I paniced over this last year when I booked my mother a connection in CDG. (There are no direct flights from ATL to Zagreb!)

She did just fine and failed to see why I was so paniced LOL!

My advice is just to keep going. This is not the time to sightsee, shop etc. Go directly to your next flight and THEN do those things if you have time.

Thanks so much to everyone for your advice and reasurrance that we WILL make it to Munich! Will we go through any type of customs in Paris? Or will it be just security screening? Thanks again.
blivey

you will go through immigration in Paris and customs at Munich

My husband and I spent time in Paris for our honeymoon. Then we went to Venice. We made our connection to Venice - but we had two hours instead of one... However, I'll say that if you familiarize yourself with a map of CDG ahead of time (which I THOUGHT I did) you'll save yourself time and headaches trying to figure it out. There's a lot of walking. I even asked directions - but my limited french and the CDG employee's limited english didn't do much for us. :) When in doubt, ask the gate agent when you deplane... hope this helps!

This will be our first trip to Europe and this may sound like a silly question, but: What is the difference between immigration and customs?
This being our first trip I have a ton of questions!

blivey, if possible, do carry-on for your luggage ...even if you do make the connection, checked luggage will not.

I agree you should print out a map of the C de Gaulle airport and know where you are going. In the best scenario, alert the flight attendants that you have a close connection and ask their advice. Air France people tho are notoriously unhelpful to the non-French.

When you deplane (and get into the terminal, a feat in itself), look at the departure board and find the gate for your connecting flight. If it is not waaaay on the opposite side of the airport, consider WALKING (or rather, doing a forced TROT) rather than taking the "shuttle bus" that the try to put you on .

This "shuttle bus" will stop at every "wing" and swings way out to a highway at times in its circuitous path around the terminal(s).

When we found ourselves in this dilemma 3 years ago, we got off and RAN 3 wings to our destination. We were the last ones aboard. As the plane rolled back, we looked out of the window -- and saw the shuttle bus just arriving.

A last word: do NOT expect helpfulness or even courtesy from the "Information" desks, no matter how many "S'il vous plait"s or "Pardonnnez-moi"s you use ... this is based on SEVERAL C deG encounters.

Be prepared. Do carry-on. Good luck!

Immigration: deals with people and passports (and visas if you need one, which you don't in this instance) and whether or not a person has the right/permission to enter a particular country

Customs: deals with everything other than people, and is concerned with whether or not appropriate tax has been paid when bringing goods into a country. In some places (the U.S. and New Zealand are good examples) Customs includes controlling the borders for introduction of non-native plants and animals, as well as introduction of pests which might harm native plants and animals or existing agricultural endeavors.

Customs in Munich means choosing the green- or red-colored side of the central exit at baggage claim. Controls are random (or not so random, maybe), but not general.
Usually you walk just through without getting interviewed by a Customs officer.

After leaving thru Customs exit turn left, use walkway to lower level for trains (follow "S" for suburban trains). Not so cheap (€ 8.80 pP), 5 min walking from baggage claim to station.
Or go straight from baggage claim to the nearest exit to street level and take cab (expensive, appr. € 50 to Munich).

I've found that the chances of getting a jetway on arrival on AF long haul flights have greatly increased since the opening of the 2E S3 satellite (gates E51-76) last year.

IAD flights are scheduled to arrive at 2E. Although there's always the possibility of a last minute change to another non-Schengen hall in terminal 2, I'm finding this less common now than before S3 was opened.

You'll need to clear passport control (immigration) on arrival at CDG. MUC flights are scheduled to depart from 2D. At 2D you'll need to clear security (you always need to clear security at CDG even if the transfer is within the same hall).

I'd familiarize yourself with the layout of CDG terminal 2 http://correspondances-aeroports.air....fr/_index.php so you have a general idea of where you're going.

I've made it as quickly as 15 minutes from my arrival gate at S3 to my departure gate at 2F1, but I had access to fast track lanes at both passport control and security and I ran!

Good luck!

Update: We are back from our trip. My daughter & I made our connection at CDG, but our luggage didn't. We received our bags the next morning at our hotel. We had a wonderful time. We're ready to go back!