Question about flying into SFO ?
 

Hey there,

I have a question about flying into SFO on Air France from CDG Paris.... what are your experiences with arrival time and your actual time leaving the airport, thru customs, ect?

I have a 12:30 pm flight on a Saturday, Air France and am scheduled to be performing for the City of SF at 1:30pm.... YIKES!

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't make it a 1:30 no matter which airline you flew. SFO is a lot easier to navigat than CDG or LHR for eaxmple. But it is a major international airport and immigration, baggage retrieval, etc can take a while. What Passport are you flying w/. if not USA, it could take <u>quite</u> a while.

Where is the performance - you need to count on 20 to 40 minutes just to get to downtown. Do you have transport arranged or do you plan on BART?

All in all, 60 mins after touchdown you will be very lucky to be to be to Brisbane (just north of SFO)

I am using an American Pasport, am only bringing on a carry on and the gig is downtown? I have someone picking me up, they say they have timed getting to the gig at 17 minutes. What do you think?

I live near SF and have flown into/out of SFO many times. With a perfect on time landing, front row in aircraft, no wait in customs, running through the terminal, no traffic on 101, no traffic in the city, all green lights...

then you might be on time.

IF you're flight is ontime and you have carryon luggage, you'll be out quick. Also, make it a point to get out in front of the crowds because everyone goes through customs before luggage retrieval. If another flight has just landed, it could be conjested.

Have the person picking you up waiting (in their car) at departures rather than arrivals. It's much less congested than arrivals. They may have to keep circling because they can't linger there. Just walk upstairs and exit to the front.

Even w/ all the signs aligned perfectly and a police escort lights and sirens this would be tight.

The US passport and only carryon helps quite a bit. And, 1:00 p.m. will be better (usually) than 9:00 a.m. or 5 p.m. But how on earth can someone say <u>17 minutes</u> to anywhere in the Bay area? Just a slight jam up on 101 (or even on the Bay Bridge/80 since it would affect everything down stream) could lengthen your trip to 35 or 40 mins easy.

How important is it that you be right on time?

This may not be a problem with flights from Europe, but young males traveling alone with little baggage (such as carry-on size) and a short-stay return ticket may be singled out by customs for a more intensive search. It happened to my son on return from Thailand---he spent a whole afternoon being questioned by customs officers. (He admits he may have provoked the scrutiny with his 'tude). The good news is they didn't make him disrobe for a &quot;complete&quot; search.

Just a warning.

If your Gig is near Union Sq or someplace that's directly off the freeway (101, 80, or 280), 17 mins door to door on a Sat afternoon is possible - assuming there will not be a back up. There is currently a lot of construction and off-ramp closings leading up to the Bay Bridge, so that might cause a big back-up. I live 7 mins past SFO &amp; I can make it to Union Sq within 25 mins with no traffic.

If your gig is just off Hwy 280, I'de say it's about a 40% chance that you will make it. If your gig is just off Hwy 80, then I'de put it at 25% - because of the traffic. If it is more than 15 mins off either 80 or 101, then I'de say there is a 0% chance. If it's at Davies or anyplace near the Civic center, and it's a major concert, it will be quite crowded with pedestrians &amp; cars &amp; there is little chance you will make it.

Where is your gig? Is your driver familiar with short-cuts &amp; alternate routes??? What happens if you are 30 mins late???

Stu Dudley

Hey thanks for all your replies!

My first concern is getting off the plane, (which I will figure will be 20 minutes late), getting thru customs and out to the curb. Is SFO notorious for their international flights running late, late to the gate, late thru customs?

The gal who is picking me up is a courier from SFO to several art galleries picking up and delivering antiquities and rare art for a prestigous importer, she has to account for every second. She did tell me &quot;if all is well&quot;.

&gt;he spent a whole afternoon being questioned by customs officers. (He admits he may have provoked the scrutiny with his 'tude).&lt;

That often happens to people who have 'tudes. :)

((I))

You could watch the flight status of your flight # for a couple of weeks to give you an idea of likelihood of being ontime. Of course, this doesn't guarantee your's will follow suit.

Flying a similar route soon - will post reply with my experience.

There is no way customs would be before luggage claim - it's always after. Immigration / passport control yes, but customs no. US passport will definitely make it faster, and it being an AF flight will mean lower % of Americans on board vs a UA flight, so that might help as well.

Anyway, bookmarking for future reply.

Ira---yep, but in his case the 'tude was somewhat justified by the agents' stupidity (there were several of them). He went to Thailand with a Thai family on June 27, and returned on July 30. The agent misread his passport stamps and said he'd been to Thailand for 3 days, traveled light, and was alone (the Thai family had to go through a separate customs line), so he must be carrying drugs. The passport stamps clearly read JUN 27 and JUL 30. So he pointed out the agents' error, probably not too diplomatically after the first few attempts, and the trouble started. And everybody missed the connecting flight, because his friends were waiting for him.

My point is just that getting through customs isn't always easy or predictable.

Customs isn't often a big problem - unless there's a &quot;tude&quot; to deal w/ :) But immigration - even on a US passport - can be.

You still haven't told us where the venue is. Could make a huge difference. One other thing - Are the Giants at home that weekend? A 1:05 first pitch will mess up traffic for sure

Sorry J62, I meant immigration. I've never seen anything more than handing my form to the guy at the door for customs and I've passed through many many times.

I won't have to go thru immagration though.... will I?

Everyone does...It just means that you show your passport and they checc it. Aside from the time spent in line, it usually takes about 60 secondds.

Forgot about the Giants thing.. If they're planing, 280 will be a mess. Hopefully, farther away from ATT park should be Ok since most people should be in their seats by 1:15 when Keston approaches SF.

If this was my trip, I would butt in front of the passport control line, tell the person I butted in front of that I'm &quot;on stage&quot; in 30 mins (hold up your instrument if you have one) and the worst they could do is say &quot;no&quot; - but I bet that won't happen.

Stu Dudley

&quot;I would butt in front of the passport control line, tell the person I butted in front of... &quot;

Umm, unless there was only one person in line, wouldn't you be butting in front of a whole lot more than one person? :-)

The last time I flew international into SFO was in March. It took me approx 5 minutes to get through customs and about 10 through immigration. Sometimes it has taken a bit less and others times a lot more.

Hit post too soon - I always (or almost always) travel w/ just carry-on. That does help - but yous is probably not the only flight landing about the same time. So even IF you are at the front of the queue for your flight - you might be behind folks from other flights.

Experience from today on flight from Europe to SFO.

Scheduled arrival 11:55
Actual arrival 12:25. Strong headwind over Atlantic and incoming air traffic control delays.

5min walk from plane, 3 people in line at passport control - 2min total wait. No line at customs as most people were waiting for checked bags.

So from the time plane parked to curbside was about 12min total but perhaps today was a good day.

I think the only thing that would keep you detained is if you get pulled aside into the secondary check line depending on the immigration official you get. Yes. It has to do with attitudes unfortunately. However, if you have a carryon they will usually just let you go free.

But J62, that took a total of 42 minutes (in that your plane was late arriving, not an uncommon occurence at SFO). So if Keston only has a total of one hour I do think going on what you experienced today he will be late getting to his gig. Best wishes Keston, but what will happen if you are late? And where is the performance?

Wow, what great responses! Thank you all so much! The gig is right off the 101, off I believe 9th steet. From what I have been told it is only a block or two from the freeway. If later than 1:30, there will be some other form of entertainment going on.

Hi Keston, my stepgrandson is in a band too, I sure understand the pressure you are under!!! I hope even if you are late that you will be able to do your gig. Let us know the outcome please! And best wishes to you..I truly hope the flight is early, you can get through immigration and custom real quick and that you make it on time for your gig.