Air France A380
Apr 1, 2011, 11:48 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 309
Air France A380
I'm booked on a flight this Fall on an AF A380 from CDG to IAD. We upgraded to business class (our seats are 61 A and B - kind of "funny" IMO) and am wondering how crowded immigration and the baggage claim area will be upon arrival. Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks!
Apr 2, 2011, 1:57 am
#2
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Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
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Don't make any guess. It's completey unpredictable : from nobody in line to a good 1 hr wait. It all depends on other flights arriving just before you (at their schedule, which you can study, or delayed and you can't predict this), their load factors, the ratio US citizens versus visitors, etc
Apr 2, 2011, 6:18 am
#3
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Apr 2, 2011, 7:33 am
#6
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Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
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You are very welcome Sunny1. What I can add is that usually, IAD is not a bad airport for waiting time at immigration compared to other US gateways like ORD or EWR/JFK. Most of the time at IAD, if you are flying J, it's done in 15 min but I had a few occasions when a jumbo arrived just before me and then you're stuck for 1hr. Another advice I can give you at deplaning : you will be directed to a people mover that will bring you to the immigration desks in the main terminal. As you are flying J, you will be among the 1st to board the people mover, so do not make the mistake to take a seat at the back of this because you'll be the last to leave it and you'll have automatically a hundred of pax before you in line for immigration.
Apr 2, 2011, 10:28 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 309
We are due to arrive at 1:00 pm into Dulles and in my previous experiences flying in/out of Dulles, most of the international flights arrrive later. So, I'm crossing my fingers that we're not too delayed. Ah yes, the "people movers". I keep forgetting about those. Being corraled in one of those after a long flight is not the most pleasant of experiences...