Flight connection in Paris

[PaulaW]

Hi!

I have a flight scheduled to leave Venice and connect in Paris (CDG) before returning to the US. Does anyone know if I will need to go through customs/immigration? I am not sure because both countries are part of the European Union and usually travel between two EU countries is not difficult. I have about 1 hour and 40 minutes between flights and I am starting to get worried about time. Any thoughts/advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Francine]

Hi PaulaW,

I have the exact same concerns, only we are traveling in the opposite direction through Paris. I have now waitlisted us on an earlier flight, which would give us two additional hours in the Paris airport. I just don't want to get to Florence (our final destination, pre-cruise) and find our luggage has not come along with us.

Fran

[cberge]

Hi!

I have a flight scheduled to leave Venice and connect in Paris (CDG) before returning to the US. Does anyone know if I will need to go through customs/immigration? I am not sure because both countries are part of the European Union and usually travel between two EU countries is not difficult. I have about 1 hour and 40 minutes between flights and I am starting to get worried about time. Any thoughts/advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Globaliser is the one with all the knowledge of the airports so I hope he/she replies,but here is my take.When you arrive at CDG just look for your flight number,and it will tell you which terminal and gate then follow signs for connections.If you don't have to change terminals fine,but if so you will more than likely get on a bus in the secure area go to that terminal and then your gate.God,only know what security checks the will have,but you won't go through customs.imm just maybe pass.contol.Your bags will be checked through or should be for you to the US so no worry there.You should have planty of time..you just may have to move it...:D

[PaulaW]

Thanks, Karen, for your response. That is how I hope things will work. I have been to CDG before and I know what a madhouse it is, but I was just departing from there and did not have a connection-- so I wasn't sure. I am hoping that with no delays, I can do it. My friend and I are both in our 30's and are experienced travelers so I know we can move quickly if need be.

 

I hope, as you said, Globaliser will respond and shed some light on the subject for both myself and Fran.

Thanks!

[Globaliser]

I have a flight scheduled to leave Venice and connect in Paris (CDG) before returning to the US. Does anyone know if I will need to go through customs/immigration?

On the assumption that this is a connection that's written on one ticket and that you can therefore get your bags transferred directly from one flight to the other at Paris, you will only need to go through outbound immigration at Paris. There will be no baggage or customs issues. The Venice->Paris flight is domestic for both immigration and customs purposes; the outbound immigration check is only because you are leaving the Schengen immigration area at Paris when you fly to the US.

 

Thanks for all the votes of confidence, although FlyerTalker is actually the expert on connections at Paris CDG. I do Heathrow better.

[cberge]

Thanks for all the votes of confidence, although FlyerTalker is actually the expert on connections at Paris CDG. I do Heathrow better.

 

I know,but you always come through.......:D :D :D

[PaulaW]

Thanks Globaliser!

I definitely feel more comfortable now. And as for not being an expert, you were able to answer the question, so that's good enough for me. :D

[Francine]

Globaliser,

We are flying from San Antonio to Atlanta to CDG on Delta with a change in Paris on to Air France to Florence. How will our connection work? We have been given no seat assignments on Air France and we have one hour and forty minutes to change planes. (I do have us waitlisted for an earlier flight which would give us an additional two hours in Paris.)

I appreciate any help and reassurance.

Fran

[Cruisingonceagain]

We were on Air France in June/July this year - flights from Boston to Rome and back with connections in CDG. We had 1 hour and 25 minutes layover in CDG from Boston to Rome and over 2 hours from Rome to Boston. Initially, I was relieved that our flights came in at Terminal E and then transferred to Terminal F and vice-versa on the way back. Well, lo and behold, there is major construction in Terminal E, and it did not help that our flight was delayed from Boston. We had to take the shuttle from hell from wherever the plane stopped (it was nowhere near Terminal E) and we barely made it to our connecting flight to Rome. The shuttle driver did not seem to know where he was headed; at one point, we were backing up because he nearly hit a plane (I would not have believed it if I had not seen it myself!). We had to clear passport control (thank goodness there was hardly a line) and we were running to our gate in Terminal F; we were one of the last ones to board the flight. On the way back, it was a lot better, although we still had to take a shuttle from Terminal F to E. Because of the shuttle transfers, our flight from CDG to Boston was delayed over an hour to wait for passengers who probably booked flights with a 45-minute layover. I was glad I read up on Air France and CDG prior to booking our flights. We all understood we had to head straight to our gates, and no side trips along the way.

[F19810]

Cruisingonceagain, was it easy to find the shuttle to go from one gate to the other? I am flying Phila to Rome via Paris and I know that I have to go from terminal E to terminal F. According to the AirFrance rep that I spoke to, one hour is "plenty" of time to get from one trminal to the other. Now I am worried, Phila has one of the worst on time records( coming and going) in the US. If I don't make my connection, hopefully the next plane is not full and I can get on that one.

Judy

[Stelladoro]

We're also flying Air France. I was quite concerned about the very short lay over in Paris( 50 min.) on our return flight, Barcelona to Toronto. I called Air France and was told that 50 min. should be sufficient time, as we won't be changing terminals, both flights will be out of Terminal F. Sure hope this is correct! :cool:

[cberge]

Globaliser,

We are flying from San Antonio to Atlanta to CDG on Delta with a change in Paris on to Air France to Florence. How will our connection work? We have been given no seat assignments on Air France and we have one hour and forty minutes to change planes. (I do have us waitlisted for an earlier flight which would give us an additional two hours in Paris.)

I appreciate any help and reassurance.

Fran

 

First,you can't get seat assignments in the US for flts in and out of a European airport,but you will have seats when you check in for your flt. at AF.When you arrive just do as I mentioned and Globaliser said...follow the signs for the Terminal youn need and tha gate assignment...when you deplane there will be monitors to check.You WILL be just FINE!!!;)

[PaulaW]

We have no seats either for our Air France flight from Venice to Paris. But I guess I am not worried as I will make sure we get to the airport plenty early in Venice. Why is it that European airlines do not pre-assign seats?

[cberge]

We have no seats either for our Air France flight from Venice to Paris. But I guess I am not worried as I will make sure we get to the airport plenty early in Venice. Why is it that European airlines do not pre-assign seats?

 

It's not that they don't assign seats...it's just that you don't get your seats assigned here in the US,but upon check-in over there.Always been that way since I have been flying,and never a problem.

[Francine]

Thanks cberg. I really appreciate your quick response. I just keep having nightmares of the last time we spent a few post cruise days in Paris. The lines were unbelievable for check-in. (I know that won't be a problem this time.) We finally got pulled out of line and pushed ahead of others by AF reps. so that we could check in. We got to the gate and then we were bussed to a plane that seemed like it was in another country. The plane took off one hour late, but we made it to Cincinnati on time. Then the nightmare continued when only one of our three checked suitcase arrived. The people at customs in Cincinnati told us that is what always happens when coming from CDG. I just want this time to be less eventful

Fran

P. S. Our luggage was delivered to our door in San Antonio two days after we returned home.

[cberge]

Thanks cberg. I really appreciate your quick response. I just keep having nightmares of the last time we spent a few post cruise days in Paris. The lines were unbelievable for check-in. (I know that won't be a problem this time.) We finally got pulled out of line and pushed ahead of others by AF reps. so that we could check in. We got to the gate and then we were bussed to a plane that seemed like it was in another country. The plane took off one hour late, but we made it to Cincinnati on time. Then the nightmare continued when only one of our three checked suitcase arrived. The people at customs in Cincinnati told us that is what always happens when coming from CDG. I just want this time to be less eventful

Fran

 

P. S. Our luggage was delivered to our door in San Antonio two days after we returned home.

 

I would not hold my breath that there will NOT be long lines...I have found over the years it can be a real PIA to fly or can go as smooth as can be,and with all the new "stuff" going on I think security will be tighter than usual,BUT having said that one just has to go with the flow nowadays and hope for the best...it really doesn't pay to stress out anymore,and things generally work out.One has to say a prayer to the Luggage God for the rest......:D .Enjoy your trip.

[Globaliser]

Why is it that European airlines do not pre-assign seats?

This is to make sure that as many people as possible have seats with which they are happy, and to give adequate priority to those who have a better claim to their preferences (eg higher tier frequent flyers).

 

For infrequent flyers, the greatest benefit of this is that you shouldn't have the hassle that is so frequently reported here of finding that even though you've booked several months out, you can no longer get (say) three seats together.

 

For frequent flyers, it means that if you book one or two days before you fly, you should still be able to get a seat that you are happy with, in a part of the aircraft that you are happy with. This is particularly important on those flights where 50%+ of the passengers are in the top or middle tier of the frequent flyer scheme.

[Globaliser]

We are flying from San Antonio to Atlanta to CDG on Delta with a change in Paris on to Air France to Florence. How will our connection work?

You may get all three boarding passes when you check in at San Antonio - I don't know how well the alliance works on that front. If you do, then you should have a seat allocation for the last flight as well as the frist two.

 

When you get to Paris, you will have to clear inbound immigration, but your bags will go straight on to the Venice flight and you do not have to pick them up and you do not have to clear customs. When you get to Venice, you will not have to clear immigration (because you already did that in Paris) but you will have to pick up your bags and clear them through customs there. That, however, may be a very simple formality.

 

As I say, you really need FlyerTalker for more of the details of how to do CDG!

[Francine]

Thanks Globaliser. I will be checking out FlyerTalker.

I really appreciate your help.

Fran

[Globaliser]

I will be checking out FlyerTalker.

Or, hopefully, he will be checking in here some time. ;)

[Francine]

Globaliser,

I found some of the threads where FlyTalker has responded. I am exhausted just reading through them quickly. If we ever get some rain in San Antonio and I have to spend the day inside, I now know what my project will be. ;)

Thanks for steering me in the right direction.

Fran

[PaulaW]

Thanks to all who have responded. I definitely have a better understanding of how things work now. I will try to check out Flyertalker's posts too.

[Cruisingonceagain]

Cruisingonceagain, was it easy to find the shuttle to go from one gate to the other? I am flying Phila to Rome via Paris and I know that I have to go from terminal E to terminal F. According to the AirFrance rep that I spoke to, one hour is "plenty" of time to get from one trminal to the other. Now I am worried, Phila has one of the worst on time records( coming and going) in the US. If I don't make my connection, hopefully the next plane is not full and I can get on that one.

Judy

 

Because of the construction, they provided shuttles for the passengers on our flights. That is, when we landed in CDG (not anywhere near a terminal), when we got off the plane, there were shuttles waiting for us. On the way back, we went to our assigned gate in Terminal F, and there were shuttle waiting for us to bring us to our plane. I was not too worried about missing the flight from CDG to Rome since there were quite a few more flights to Rome after our flight. On the way back, there was only one flight to Boston. Just in case we missed our flight, we did not make commitments (like meetings, etc.) for the following day. It made it a lot less stressful. I've had layovers of over 3 hours and because of delays from the originating flight, I never made it. Expect the best, but plan for the worst, and you should be okay.

[Francine]

I found a thread where FlyerTalker has given directions on getting from the terminal we will be arriving at in CDG and the one we will departing from. I have printed them out and will be carrying them with me in October. :)

Thanks FlyerTalker,

Fran