Hi everyone! I'm traveling by myself (I'm 19) to see my boyfriend who's stationed in Italy with the Navy. I'm flying out there by myself on Dec 27th and coming back on Jan 6th. I have 3 flights: Detroit to Boston, Boston to Paris, and Paris to Naples. I have to go through customs in Paris and I don't know a lick of French, and everyone is telling me the French hate Americans. Anyone else gone through customs there? How was it?
Any other advice you have would be great, I've never traveled this far alone before... Thanks

It's just an airport, yes I have been through it a couple times, I doubt you will have enough interaction with French people to know their opinion for Americans one way or another. In my experience it is not necessary to speak the local language to find you way around an airport.

But even more important, my best advice is to go in with a more positive attitude and not listen to what "everyone is telling you"... likely those people have not been to France lately, I'm going to guess.

Other good advice for traveling alone is to make sure you have your passport and tickets in order, carrying them somewhere safe.

Also pack light so you don't have too big of a suitcase to manage.

Take in your carry-on bag anything you could not live without (glasses or prescriptions for example), a fresh shirt or change of clothes just in case, along with snacks, magazines, beverages for comfort on the long flights, an ipod or walkman for listening and relaxing... things like that to keep yourself calm, comfortable, and entertained.

Hi, Linds. My daughter and I had a layover in Paris a year ago and almost missed our flight...after waiting 2 hrs...b/c the gate was changed 30 mins before the flight (we learned that later) and there was NO oral announcement of this. We just happened to think of checking the tv screens...we figured God told us to...and learned the gate was waaaaay over there instead of where we were waiting. We JUST made it. So, check the screens often. What airline are you flying?

Hi Lindsey. It's a good idea to learn a few basic words in th language of any country you are even passing through. Yes, no, please, thank you, hello will be enough for the natives to see that you're trying, and they'll suddenly be able to speak English. Suze and Sallyjane have given you good advice - watching the screens instead of listening for the announcements is something you'll soon learn to do without thinking about it. Three other tips I would add - try and have some Euros with you, or a card that you know will be accepted in cash machines, saves problems if you try to buy anything, though international airports are often quite happy to take major foreign currencies. Most important, read the advice you'll get from your airline, from US customs and from everyone else, and take simple steps to avoid getting arrested for someone else's contrabrand. It's not that common, but it does happen. Act confident, look like you know where you're going, and you'll be OK. Finally, and hopefully you won't need this one, if anything goes wrong keep calm - big airports are generally good at dealing with delays, cancellations, missed connections etc. There will always be a leter flight. Don't be put off by all the hints about how to cope with trouble, most air passengers get where they're going without any problems, you probably will too.

I'm flying Northwest from Detroit to Boston, and Air France for Boston to Paris, and Paris to Naples...I was just checking my tickets and I have only 45 minutes stopover in Paris!!!

That isn't enough time to go through customs, and it looks like my flight to Naples is in a different terminal...this isn't good at all. My boyfriend bought me the tickets and he must not have looked at the details...

Not much you can do about the 45 minutes now, is there? If only 45 minutes, chances are you will be late anyway. Don't worry things will work out and you will have a great trip.
As for those who have you worried about the Paris airport, sounds like they haven't traveled very much as everthing is in English as well as French---Most airport personnel speak English, etc. You will have no problems, relax and enjoy.

I'm sure jan22lland is right and it will all work out just fine, but if you are worried, why not call Air France's customer number in the US, and ask about the 45min stopover? After all, Air France don't want passengers who are certain to miss their flights, so they may decide to rebook you to Naples on a later flight, or alternatively will explain what you should do when you get to Paris. Hope you have a great trip!

Hi Lindsey,

Don't worry about finding your way around or customs. DO worry that with 2 connections, you will probably not make both. The good news is that you are on the same airline for your short connection time in Paris. If you miss it, they will put you on the next available flight.

Call AirFrance and ask for a later flight. If they assure you that 45 minutes is enough, they are either untrained in their job, or lying! My connection time in CDG was 1 hour 15 minutes with a change of terminals and I barely made it, even with our flight arriving a few minutes early.

Have a way and a plan to communicate with your boyfriend if you are going to be late.

Even if it's a hassel getting there with this flight plan, you'll love Italy! Napoli for New Year's, sounds great to me!

Buon viaggio!

Thanks for the great advice. I'm going to call right now...I checked and the next AF flight to Naples is the next day..hmm..so I'll see what they say

topping to see what happened.

so now they're telling me I don't go through customs in france, so they are promising I'll make my flight, even though I only have a 45 min stopover...

Air France does this all the time. It will be heart-stopping, but you'll make it. I hope you're in good shape!

lol I think I am! I'll wear my sneakers!

Hi Lindsey,

It is quite likely that you won't have to go through Customs at CDG, but you will most likely have to go through Immigration (Passport Control).

You will likely have to run through the airport and (a) find that they won't let you board or (b) that your connecting flight is delayed.

In either case - don't panic. The AF people become very unpleasant to people who get upset. All you can do, if you should miss your flight, is to arrange for the next flight out.

They have to put you on the next available plane. They should give you meal vouchers. If necessary, they have to put you up at a hotel.

Best of luck.

Have a lovely visit.



PS, are you planning on marrying a man who doesn't check connection times? If so, don't let him do the travel planning.

one more question: if I'm flying Northwest for the 1st flight and AF for the last two, do I have to recheck my luggage after my Northwest flight or do they do that for me even though it's a different airline? Thanks again for the great advice! and Ira, LOL, I don't know about marrying, not thinking about that for years and years, but we were talking yesterday about how many kids we want...so he's thinking about it

Hi Lindsey, you have one ticket correct? Your luggage should be checked all the way through to Naples. Have a wonderful trip, and try not to worry. Just have a fun time!