cdg_dxb

Long time lurker of this forum. Finally took the time to create an account and write my first post.

We bought an LHR > ORY ticket with a 45 minute transfer in NCE. I'm not familiar with NCE and the passport control queues there. This ticket seems (to me at least) very high risk for a missed connection. I believe we're on the very last flight of the day to ORY, so a missed connection would likely mean spending the night in Nice (which I wouldn't mind).

Is 45 minutes enough to make our NCE - ORY segment? As FB Plat & Gold members, would AF deploy any help for us to make it on time? Or is there a high chance of spending the night there?

physicsdude

The MCT from non-schengen to schengen is at least an hour for ORY iirc and going through passport control can take a long time at ORY as well. I'd say based on the conditions these days, there's a rather high risk to miss that connection so I would book just book a longer connection.

cdg_dxb

Sorry if I was unclear. The ticket is LHR > NCE and then NCE > ORY. Transfer and Schengen passport control in NCE.

irishguy28

I'm a bit surprised that this is an actual routing offered by the AF website, but it is, which means that it is a legal connection which the airline considers "doable". It also means that they will be responsible for getting you to Paris should delays cause you to miss the connection at NCE.

However, in future I would recommend instead booking a LON-PAR ; there are direct flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton to, variously, CDG or ORY (Vueling do LGW-ORY). Or hop on the eurostar!

LHR-NCE-ORY = 647+419 = 1066 miles
LGW-ORY = 203 miles

(All travel for 24 August, one way)

cdg_dxb

Thanks @irishguy28. I'm aware of the direct flights and the Eurostar (which is extremely expensive these days but that's OT).

My fiancée and I were curious about the NCE connection when offered on the AF site, and we have some time to waste in case things go wrong. So we picked it "just to see." I guess we'll "just see" indeed.

irishguy28

The last NCE-ORY flight appears to go out roughly on time - but that's based only on seeing the last 7 days' worth of history - but I wouldn't expect that they will delay the flight on your behalf, even with your Platinum status, should you encounter delays out of Heathrow....

orbitmic

Definitely a risky connection though NCE is typically much better organised than many other airports - not least these days. Things will much depend on whether other non Schengen flights arrive at t2 just before yours.

To save you time, when you arrive and clear passport control, you’ll arrive in the luggage hall, go out (past customs), turn immediately right and you’ll find an escalator going up. Once at the top of the escalator keep going in the same direction (after an initial slight left) and you’ll arrive at the departure security screening. For those of us knowing our way and luggage less, it’s about 2 minutes from passing passport control to departure security (assuming of course customs have no interest in you) and even if you don’t, if flight 1 is on time and there aren’t too many people at immigration, you should make it.

thierryd92

I did it on 20 july (this save my company £400) in comparaison with a direct flight.
LHR-NCE is a full economy flight.
We took off 15mn late so my connection time at NCE was 30mn only.
The purpser came to me before we landed and she told me I will be escorted by AF ground people right from the plane gate. 5 other passengers were in the same situation. We smoothly went thru Police and Security. The escort was in constent communication with the gate for ORY flight. We were the very last 6 passangers to board but we made it within need to run !

cdg_dxb

Great to hear. Gate-to-gate escort is exactly what I suspected AF would do here. I was afraid I was perhaps too optimistic, but looks like not!

Let’s see how our experience goes. I’ll report back.

CyBeR

I've connected in NCE before and their direct transfer ("correspondances") situation was closed and I had to go outside and back in through security. But NCE is not a large airport so it did not take a lot of time and 45 min should be perfectly fine given your bags (if any) will be checked through and you will already have a boarding pass.

brunos

Orbitmic is the expert and his analysis is encouraging.
AF6241 is indeed the last flight NCE-ORY and they won't delay it by much to wait for you.
If your AF7381 is nearly on time you should make it.
The problem is if it is a bit delayed and there are other non-Schengen flights arriving before you. AF escort will probably help you there.

Here is the landing timing of the past 7 days: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/af7381

orbitmic

ah I asked elsewhere but since you did the flight, thierryd92, can I ask my silly question of whether you got a sandwich or just a biscuit? Thanks in advance!!

ps: the day of this being offered as a connection may be numbered because the lhr-nce now looks fully booked on many dates!!

olivedel

BA offers this route with a much more civilised Club Europe, reasonably priced if booked in advance

orbitmic

In fairness, rarely so in the period AF are competing with them (July-August) where prices can sky rocket most days in both Y and C even when looking for tickets 2-3 months ahead!

irishguy28

I note that there is also a direct AF flights on some days throughout August; AF7381, departing LHR at 1735, arriving NCE at 2030

It appears to have availability on the following dates in August:

Wednesday 3
Monday 8 to Wednesday 10 (inclusive)
Sunday 14 to Friday 19 (inclusive)
Sunday 21 to Sunday 28 (inclusive)