Originally Posted by
FlyerWx
I had a similar experience in CDG a few years ago. We were about an hour late, and people were rushing off the plane to try to make their connection. Unfortunately, we had a bus gate, so their efforts were fruitless. This one lady had her connecting flight boarding pass out and when the bus finally arrived at the K concourse, she showed people and said "tight connection" and kinda shoved her way off the bus first. I'm not sure the 30 seconds would make any difference to a now 30 minute connection while still having to clear immigration.
I felt bad for them more than anything -- I would hate missing my connection and would try to make it, even though I have almost no chance of it.
On the whole though, I have found that the typical deplaning etiquette applies: front-to back.
This brings some memories....Some years ago, in what I thought at the time to be a "genius" move: Get from IAH to CMN in a single day at a super low cost. I landed in LHR to take an easyJet to CMN via MAD, with 30 minutes between landing time and departure to the next flight.....Half way in the flight I realized I would have to pick up by backpack from the carrousel -checked in- go thru customs in MAD (on a non-EU passport, had a US at the time) and then run to the easyJet counter in MAD to check it in (too big to be carry on). I was already resigned to spend the night (only 1 flight a day, assuming there would be space in the next) when we landed in MAD about 5 minutes ahead of schedule. Waited for people to deplane, run to the luggage pickup hoping my backpack was already there -it was!- run thru customs and then to the easyJet counter before the close the flight...No sure how, but I made the connection with 1-2 minutes to spare....