Switching to an earlier connecting flight at CDG
May 8, 2019, 11:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
Switching to an earlier connecting flight at CDG
Hi,
In August this year we are flying SFO - CDG - MAD; connecting from 2E to 2F in CDG.
Flight from SFO is scheduled to land at 4.20pm. Then there is a flight that leaves CDG at 5.10pm (50 minutes after first flight lands). However, they did not allow us to book that connection. Instead, we are booked on the following flight leaving 5 hours later.
My question: if we were to make it in time and showed up at the gate for the 5.10pm flight and they still had seats available, would Air France allow us to switch to that earlier flight? Would they charge us?
We are flying in C Class award ticket.
It's been my experience that the transfer 2E-2F can be made in that time frame, especially if sitting at the front of the plane. And even more so if the SFO-CDG were to arrive in advance: last time I took it we left SFO on time and landed 30 mins ahead of schedule.
Thank you
In August this year we are flying SFO - CDG - MAD; connecting from 2E to 2F in CDG.
Flight from SFO is scheduled to land at 4.20pm. Then there is a flight that leaves CDG at 5.10pm (50 minutes after first flight lands). However, they did not allow us to book that connection. Instead, we are booked on the following flight leaving 5 hours later.
My question: if we were to make it in time and showed up at the gate for the 5.10pm flight and they still had seats available, would Air France allow us to switch to that earlier flight? Would they charge us?
We are flying in C Class award ticket.
It's been my experience that the transfer 2E-2F can be made in that time frame, especially if sitting at the front of the plane. And even more so if the SFO-CDG were to arrive in advance: last time I took it we left SFO on time and landed 30 mins ahead of schedule.
Thank you
May 9, 2019, 12:47 am
#3
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 760
Hi,
In August this year we are flying SFO - CDG - MAD; connecting from 2E to 2F in CDG.
Flight from SFO is scheduled to land at 4.20pm. Then there is a flight that leaves CDG at 5.10pm (50 minutes after first flight lands). However, they did not allow us to book that connection. Instead, we are booked on the following flight leaving 5 hours later.
My question: if we were to make it in time and showed up at the gate for the 5.10pm flight and they still had seats available, would Air France allow us to switch to that earlier flight? Would they charge us?
We are flying in C Class award ticket.
It's been my experience that the transfer 2E-2F can be made in that time frame, especially if sitting at the front of the plane. And even more so if the SFO-CDG were to arrive in advance: last time I took it we left SFO on time and landed 30 mins ahead of schedule.
Thank you
In August this year we are flying SFO - CDG - MAD; connecting from 2E to 2F in CDG.
Flight from SFO is scheduled to land at 4.20pm. Then there is a flight that leaves CDG at 5.10pm (50 minutes after first flight lands). However, they did not allow us to book that connection. Instead, we are booked on the following flight leaving 5 hours later.
My question: if we were to make it in time and showed up at the gate for the 5.10pm flight and they still had seats available, would Air France allow us to switch to that earlier flight? Would they charge us?
We are flying in C Class award ticket.
It's been my experience that the transfer 2E-2F can be made in that time frame, especially if sitting at the front of the plane. And even more so if the SFO-CDG were to arrive in advance: last time I took it we left SFO on time and landed 30 mins ahead of schedule.
Thank you
In the US it is much more usual to change flights for free, but in Europe, in general airlines do not allow a free change of itinerary.
Sorry. You'll need to wait in the lounge.
The only 'free' way you can change is when there are IRROPS on that later flight and if you have Platinum status, you can call and try to book on that earlier flight.
May 9, 2019, 2:20 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: FR
Programs: FB Plat
Posts: 299
You should not count on it but I would not say it is 100% impossible. AF might have reasons that day that would push them to accept such a change (e.g. a late inbound flight with several missed connections with the flight you want to take: AF may be happy to free some space on the later flight).
Ofc in the still-unlikely event it happens and if you are not HBO, don’t expect to have your luggage at final destination!
Ofc in the still-unlikely event it happens and if you are not HBO, don’t expect to have your luggage at final destination!
May 9, 2019, 5:42 am
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,557
I assume that you are on AF85 landing at 16:20 and AF1400 departing at 21:00. AF1100 departs at 17:10.
If ou had a boarding pass in hand and travelling HBO you might have a chance of making it to AF110, if AF85 is on time or early. But if you need to change the flight booking at some AF counter, that will be impossible. Clearing immigration can take time.
Taking the RER to Paris is not a relaxing option. You will have hand luggage hat you need to store for obvious convenience, then go to station and buy tickets. Unfortunately RER can be unreliable for a variety of reasons. So you would need to plan to leave Paris some 2 hours before your flight (say 19:00 or earlier).
Of course all stars could align and you could spend 90min in central Paris.
If ou had a boarding pass in hand and travelling HBO you might have a chance of making it to AF110, if AF85 is on time or early. But if you need to change the flight booking at some AF counter, that will be impossible. Clearing immigration can take time.
Taking the RER to Paris is not a relaxing option. You will have hand luggage hat you need to store for obvious convenience, then go to station and buy tickets. Unfortunately RER can be unreliable for a variety of reasons. So you would need to plan to leave Paris some 2 hours before your flight (say 19:00 or earlier).
Of course all stars could align and you could spend 90min in central Paris.
May 9, 2019, 8:28 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
About a decade ago I worked as a check-in agent for Lufthansa and back then the policy at the station where I worked was to allow connecting passengers to switch an earlier flight upon request if enough seats were available and the passenger could make it on time to the gate (without any risk of delaying aircraft).
It was explained to me that it was a Win-Win situation: happier passenger that uses a seat in a flight leaving soon, freeing space in a later flight (space that who knows if the airline might need later in case of IRROPS of other flights). Plus why make a passenger wait for a later flight that might end up being late for whatever reason.
Given how unlikely everyone is painting this with AF at CDG I don't think we'll even try unless the first flight is ahead of time or the second one is delayed.
It was explained to me that it was a Win-Win situation: happier passenger that uses a seat in a flight leaving soon, freeing space in a later flight (space that who knows if the airline might need later in case of IRROPS of other flights). Plus why make a passenger wait for a later flight that might end up being late for whatever reason.
Given how unlikely everyone is painting this with AF at CDG I don't think we'll even try unless the first flight is ahead of time or the second one is delayed.
May 9, 2019, 8:40 am
#8
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 760
About a decade ago I worked as a check-in agent for Lufthansa and back then the policy at the station where I worked was to allow connecting passengers to switch an earlier flight upon request if enough seats were available and the passenger could make it on time to the gate (without any risk of delaying aircraft).
It was explained to me that it was a Win-Win situation: happier passenger that uses a seat in a flight leaving soon, freeing space in a later flight (space that who knows if the airline might need later in case of IRROPS of other flights). Plus why make a passenger wait for a later flight that might end up being late for whatever reason.
Given how unlikely everyone is painting this with AF at CDG I don't think we'll even try unless the first flight is ahead of time or the second one is delayed.
It was explained to me that it was a Win-Win situation: happier passenger that uses a seat in a flight leaving soon, freeing space in a later flight (space that who knows if the airline might need later in case of IRROPS of other flights). Plus why make a passenger wait for a later flight that might end up being late for whatever reason.
Given how unlikely everyone is painting this with AF at CDG I don't think we'll even try unless the first flight is ahead of time or the second one is delayed.
It might be less lucrative for AF because you give the passenger the option to buy a lower fare class with a good option to take an earlier flight without any costs for the pax. So that will take the urgency away from the pax to actually book that earlier departure for extra costs so extra turnover for AF.
On top of that, you are giving the gate staff and other ground staff extra work in order to rebook customers.
All this doesn’t contribute to AF profits.
May 10, 2019, 3:33 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,737
Unless you know both Paris and the public transport system very well then there is an enhanced chance of missing your flight.
May 10, 2019, 3:37 am
#10
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
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Posts: 31,452
About a decade ago I worked as a check-in agent for Lufthansa and back then the policy at the station where I worked was to allow connecting passengers to switch an earlier flight upon request if enough seats were available and the passenger could make it on time to the gate (without any risk of delaying aircraft).
It was explained to me that it was a Win-Win situation: happier passenger that uses a seat in a flight leaving soon, freeing space in a later flight (space that who knows if the airline might need later in case of IRROPS of other flights). Plus why make a passenger wait for a later flight that might end up being late for whatever reason.
Given how unlikely everyone is painting this with AF at CDG I don't think we'll even try unless the first flight is ahead of time or the second one is delayed.
It was explained to me that it was a Win-Win situation: happier passenger that uses a seat in a flight leaving soon, freeing space in a later flight (space that who knows if the airline might need later in case of IRROPS of other flights). Plus why make a passenger wait for a later flight that might end up being late for whatever reason.
Given how unlikely everyone is painting this with AF at CDG I don't think we'll even try unless the first flight is ahead of time or the second one is delayed.
May 10, 2019, 3:41 am
#11
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I would advise you to consider killing time in the lounge rather than taking the train into the city on such a relatively short layover. Remember that by going landside you will have to clear customs and immigration to enter France, and clear security to go airside again.
Unless you know both Paris and the public transport system very well then there is an enhanced chance of missing your flight.
Unless you know both Paris and the public transport system very well then there is an enhanced chance of missing your flight.
May 10, 2019, 6:45 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
I would be interested in knowing what station this was. LH (along with most other major European carriers) does not operate a standby-for-earlier-flight system the way the US carriers generally do. The assertion that it is a win-win situation is only partially true as, in the longer run, it leads to fewer (expensive) flex tickets being sold (bad for the airline) and passenger expectations unrealistically raised ('but last week I was able to get on an earlier flight').
May 10, 2019, 6:57 am
#13
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May 10, 2019, 9:19 am
#14
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
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A big percentage of longhaul tickets sold by AF connect in Paris.
Prices can vary according to the "second" (connecting to) flight selected and the difference can be significant. If pax are allowed to freely standby for any earlier flight, the airline is potentially losing money.
Most airline, at least those that I fly longhaul (CX, BA, QR) are quite strict unless irrops. They adhere to the ticket rule (change fee, reprice,...).
Of course the policy could be different if your scheduled flight is overbooked and an earlier one has lighter load. And that is never done at the gate.
May 10, 2019, 9:35 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
I don't really agree with you.
A big percentage of longhaul tickets sold by AF connect in Paris.
Prices can vary according to the "second" (connecting to) flight selected and the difference can be significant. If pax are allowed to freely standby for any earlier flight, the airline is potentially losing money.
Most airline, at least those that I fly longhaul (CX, BA, QR) are quite strict unless irrops. They adhere to the ticket rule (change fee, reprice,...).
Of course the policy could be different if your scheduled flight is overbooked and an earlier one has lighter load. And that is never done at the gate.
A big percentage of longhaul tickets sold by AF connect in Paris.
Prices can vary according to the "second" (connecting to) flight selected and the difference can be significant. If pax are allowed to freely standby for any earlier flight, the airline is potentially losing money.
Most airline, at least those that I fly longhaul (CX, BA, QR) are quite strict unless irrops. They adhere to the ticket rule (change fee, reprice,...).
Of course the policy could be different if your scheduled flight is overbooked and an earlier one has lighter load. And that is never done at the gate.
On the other hand if you don't mind the longer connection and book the cheapest flight anyway then there is no loss here for the airline as long as there are open seats on an earlier flight after check-in closes or so.