Minimum connection time at CDG

Old Oct 11, 2017, 12:38 pm
  #106  
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What is the actual MCT for connections coming in from the US and heading onward into schengen?

I'm flying JFK-CDG-CPH, I have a 75 minute connection. I'm not actually worried about missing the flight since there are others that day but would like to change to a different routing if possible so if this is below MCT I would jump on an opportunity.
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 1:25 pm
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Originally Posted by 1973 Ford Pinto
What is the actual MCT for connections coming in from the US and heading onward into schengen?

I'm flying JFK-CDG-CPH, I have a 75 minute connection. I'm not actually worried about missing the flight since there are others that day but would like to change to a different routing if possible so if this is below MCT I would jump on an opportunity.
If you were sold this connection, it means it is at or above MCT.
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 1:58 pm
  #108  
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That doesn't actually answer my question, though. I know airlines won't sell you a ticket with an illegal connection, but schedule changes happen and that's where I am now.

Can you point me to an authoritative source of what the actual MCT is?
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 2:28 pm
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Hi folks, I'm flying from KEF by FI542 next spring into CDG, which seems to land by 1pm according to recent data. I will be getting into Terminal 1 with no checked luggage, and I was wondering if a 3:25PM Air France flight departing at 2F would be too risky. I assume there won't be any immigration since I'm flying within Schengen, although I've heard they do random checks even with Schengen flights these days. Any insight would be much appreciated.
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 5:54 am
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Originally Posted by 1973 Ford Pinto
That doesn't actually answer my question, though. I know airlines won't sell you a ticket with an illegal connection, but schedule changes happen and that's where I am now.

Can you point me to an authoritative source of what the actual MCT is?
IIRC ExpertFlyer offers the MCTs.

That said, without a special subscription or asking FT, you can simply try to rebook your existing itinerary. For example, I see that AF11 connecting to AF1850 is being sold with a 75 minute connection, so I think it's safe to say that is still above MCT. (Personally, I don't think it's sensible, given border chaos and the A380's seeming inability to regularly operate on time on the JFK segment, at least on AF6/7.)
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 6:08 am
  #111  
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In case of a schedule change inducing going below MCT, the ticket will have to be processed for a involuntary rebooking and re-validation. If OP’s ticket has not been “invalidated” it means it still complies with the applicable MCT.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 8:21 am
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I'm familiar with terminals 2F and 2E, but not so much with terminal 1 (only two departures so far, but no connections). What about the following connection on separate tickets:

LX632 ZRH-CDG 07:35-09:00
WS81 CDG-YHZ 11:20-13:35

Both flights arrive and depart at terminal 1. I checked the on-time performance of LX632 and it has been late only once in the last 12 months. Unfortunately there is no online check-in for WS flights departing from CDG, so I need to show up at the counter no later than 10:20. The good thing is that I will travel with hand luggage only. But still, I'm unsure whether I should travel to CDG the day before.
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 7:03 am
  #113  
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Arriving on a Delta flight from LAX, and have an eighty minute connect to an AF (Joon) flight to Budapest. DL claims the MCT is eighty minutes, which is a number I haven't seen published anywhere. If it helps, we'll likely be off the DL flight quick, as we are near the door in business. This is an award ticket, so my booking choices were quite limited at the lowest points level.

Would hate to miss the connection, as it looks like the next flight to BUD is over seven hours later. Is this MCT real, and doable?
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Last edited by Craig6z; Jan 7, 2019 at 7:23 am
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Old Jan 7, 2019, 1:05 pm
  #114  
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If they sold you this connection, it is of course legal. And yes, it is doable.
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Old Jan 8, 2019, 6:40 am
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Originally Posted by Craig6z
Would hate to miss the connection, as it looks like the next flight to BUD is over seven hours later. Is this MCT real, and doable?
You will need to clear immigration and security and do a fair amount of walking. Security has never taken me more than maybe 5 minutes. Immigration most of the time also only takes a few minutes, but if you're unlucky it could take an hour.

So most likely you will need 20-25 minutes total, but if the airport is having a bad day you may misconnect (unless you can find someone to escort you to the front of the line).
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Old Jan 8, 2019, 3:48 pm
  #116  
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I have not connected from Schengen to International for quite some years. I'm currently in the dilemma of choosing a MAD- CDG - IAD flight with 1:05 connection time, or a MAD-ATL-DCA flight with 2 hours to connect. Any recent experiences with such short connections at CDG especially when there's a security check for US-bound flights before boarding the flight at CDG?

The advantage of connecting through CDG is that I will have one less security checkpoint to worry about and will arrive 1.5 hours earlier (but this time can be consumed between the mobile lounge, immigration, and traffic to DC.
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Old Jan 8, 2019, 10:06 pm
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I have a similar dilemma. Returning home from Madagascar TNR-->JFK I booked with a 1:05 connection time on AF-->Delta. When I originally booked it, it was 1:10 connection, and now with a schedule change it is down to 1:05 and Delta is showing me the dreaded Red Text saying I may not make the connection and I could (probably) change it without cost. Problem is, the only other option is with a six hour layover on AF-->AF. Also, I really would prefer returning on the Delta flight as the layout is 2-3-2 vs the 3-3-3 of AF (yes, sadly we are in Main Cabin.)

Meantime on both the Delta and AF sites this connection is still being sold as a legal one. The arrival time is 10:50 a.m. and departure 11:55 a.m., if that makes any difference.

In my mind there is little chance of making that 1:05 connection--and if we do make it, it would be with much stress! So is it worth the gamble to keep the booking as-is and in the event we don't make it, we'd get put on the later flight? Maybe we'd get lucky and the initial flight would come in early---or the connecting flight would have a delayed departure.

Really don't know what to do!

Last edited by jczinn; Jan 8, 2019 at 10:12 pm
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Old Jan 9, 2019, 2:41 am
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Originally Posted by SDQBound
I have not connected from Schengen to International for quite some years. I'm currently in the dilemma of choosing a MAD- CDG - IAD flight with 1:05 connection time, or a MAD-ATL-DCA flight with 2 hours to connect. Any recent experiences with such short connections at CDG especially when there's a security check for US-bound flights before boarding the flight at CDG?

The advantage of connecting through CDG is that I will have one less security checkpoint to worry about and will arrive 1.5 hours earlier (but this time can be consumed between the mobile lounge, immigration, and traffic to DC.
From my experience, there isn't any real "security check" per se for US bound flights except at the boarding gate to the US flight, where you may be randomly brought aside and asked a couple questions- but I wasn't one of those asked any add'l questions.

The ability to hit that connection will depend heavily an a timely inbound MAD-CDG flight. As an extreme datapoint : I had a 1h20 scheduled connection time FRA-CDG-IAD back in September connecting from 2G to 2E (M Gates, A380) that shrank to 20mn (yes, 20) because my Hop ! flight from FRA had to taxi back to the terminal at origin and ended up arriving 1h late at CDG. I wasn't supposed to be able to make it, but the customs control at 2G was quick, the navette arrived in 5mn, I had no checked bags, and I dashed my way thru 2E.......and the correspondance to IAD boarded 20mn late (luck).

My opinion would be to stick to the shorter connection time and if things go wrong, AF has to rebook you anyway so worst case, you end up on the ATL connection assuming it occurs later than the original one.
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Old Jan 9, 2019, 5:51 am
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Originally Posted by SDQBound
I have not connected from Schengen to International for quite some years. I'm currently in the dilemma of choosing a MAD- CDG - IAD flight with 1:05 connection time, or a MAD-ATL-DCA flight with 2 hours to connect. Any recent experiences with such short connections at CDG especially when there's a security check for US-bound flights before boarding the flight at CDG?

The advantage of connecting through CDG is that I will have one less security checkpoint to worry about and will arrive 1.5 hours earlier (but this time can be consumed between the mobile lounge, immigration, and traffic to DC.
As much as I enjoy avoiding TSA, I would take the ATL routing. It puts the most important segment first, and if you get stuck it's going to be a lot easier to get back to DC from ATL than CDG.

1h5 is tight but OK at CDG... if everything is on time. If your MAD flight is delayed, arrives at a bus gate, and immigration is backed up you'll end up having to route via JFK or something, getting stuck in whatever middle seat is still available. (And with AF, even J sometimes has middle seats...)

Last edited by bennos; Jan 9, 2019 at 6:00 am
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Old Jan 9, 2019, 5:59 am
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Originally Posted by jczinn
I have a similar dilemma. Returning home from Madagascar TNR-->JFK I booked with a 1:05 connection time on AF-->Delta. When I originally booked it, it was 1:10 connection, and now with a schedule change it is down to 1:05 and Delta is showing me the dreaded Red Text saying I may not make the connection and I could (probably) change it without cost. Problem is, the only other option is with a six hour layover on AF-->AF. Also, I really would prefer returning on the Delta flight as the layout is 2-3-2 vs the 3-3-3 of AF (yes, sadly we are in Main Cabin.)

...

In my mind there is little chance of making that 1:05 connection--and if we do make it, it would be with much stress!
I'm not sure why 5 minutes makes the difference between stress and not stress.

TNR-CDG-JFK will not require clearing immigration, only a relatively quick security check. If you're lucky you won't even have to change terminal buildings, as both flights will use Terminal 2E. 2E has three buildings or "piers" connected by train, and it's a a short ride between them if you do need to change.

If your inbound is on time you'll be fine. Unlike the DC scenario, in this case I'd probably stick with the shorter connection given the 6 hour layover and inferior product of the alternate.
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