HappyCheesehead

The topics regarding CDG, immigration and transfer times are worrying me.

Can anyone give me advice for my specific situation?

I will be flying NWA award tix (oh PLEASE NWA- NO STRIKE) in September from the US to Zagreb, Croatia. I cannot change them and I had no other options in the scheduling to get the standard award.

The Detroit to CDG and CDG to Zagreb portions are Air France metal. I arrive CDG 8:45 Sunday morning and depart for Zagreb at 9:50. 65 minutes between flights.

Ok - I should NOT have to go through immigration, correct? Croatia is non Schengen. Could it depend on where the US to CDG flight lands (terminal, or tarmac)? If it AF to AF will the arrival and departure be close or no because US to Europe and then Europe to Europe flight are in totally different places? I don't even know what the variables are to ask good questions about them.

Is there a good chance I can make it in 65 min or is it hopeless and I better have alternate plans in mind?

rkkwan

I did a search on Air France's website. DTW-CDG should arrive at 2E, while CDG-ZAG departs 2B.

There's a airside shuttle bus that you can take between the two, and you won't go through immigration.

Study the information printed on the boarding pass jacket you'll receive at Detroit. It has good diagrams and information of all the CDG transits. AF may also change the arrival terminal, so keep that BP jacket with you.

[And since you're flying AF the whole way, you'll be save even if NWA's pilots or whoever goes on strike; unless NWA files Chapter 7 and completely shuts down.]

Alec

Unless you choose to, you only go through passport control at CDG if France is the entry point for the Schengen area and your connecting flight is to another Schengen country. But as you are flying to Croatia, a country outside of Schengen (and of EU), you go through passport check when you land at Zagreb.
If your luggage is through checked to Zagreb, there's a good chance you'll make the connection. However, CDG is notorious for failing to transfer your luggage on time and even if you make the second flight, your luggage may not. 65 min is quite tight, and while that's usually plenty of time at efficient airports like Munich and Zurich, I don't count CDG among them.
If you don't make it, your airline (AF) will be responsible for putting you on next available flight, or re-route you via another connection if that'll get there faster.

HappyCheesehead

Whew - more important I make it than my luggage, LOL. I will take the necessary items in my carry on. Course, we will only be in Zagreb 1 day so that presents its own set of problems if my luggage has to catch up with me.

The next AF flight to Zagreb is 10 hours later. Hope I don't have to wait it out. If there is another airline that would get me there faster, would AF put me on it??

RKKWAN - Very cool that you could tell the terminals - thanks. Just what is an airside shuttle bus? Is it in the terminal? It sounds like an outside thing to me.

And please - cross your fingers for me that there is no strike - I still have to get from WI to Detroit on NWA metal, and the way home is NWA all the way from CDG. All this "what if" is making my head hurt!

rkkwan

When I said "airside" shuttle bus, it means its behind the secured and immigration areas. You'll not go through immigration and you have not technically entered France or the Schengen travel zone. I've not taken the shuttle bus, but unless it's different from other airports, it will travel on the tarmac to the other terminal(s).

[The term "airside" is opposite to "landside", where you've gone through immigration and you're actually in France. It has nothing to do with whether you're on the ground or not. ]

HappyCheesehead

Thanks - I understand! Although the trip I am asking about is in September, I am going to France for two weeks in April and arriving and departing from CDG. I am going to use that opportunity to scope the joint out and plan my September route.

That trip is also on NWA FF tix so, oh my, I am going to be just nauseated if Chapter 7 comes my way.

lincasanova

air france will not necessarily re-book you on earlier connecting flights on other airlines.

this same thing happened to me with one of their close conections. i had to wait 11 hours at cdg, although there were numerous other (connecting on other airlines)routes to get me to my destination.

it must depend on your ticket value, .. a group of businessmen going to my same destination were put on a connecting flight through barcelona, using another airline for part of the trip.

since i had time to spare, i spoke to more than one agent and a supervisor, and no one would solve my problem.