Delayed getting through customs due to mishandled luggage. Huge Delay as a result
Mar 13, 2019, 10:46 am
#31
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Some of the OP’s delay could have been caused by the volume of passengers going through FIS at that time. Flights from HND, CDG, and AMS arrive at MSP within about a one hour period in the middle of the day. Yesterday’s arrival times were within a 45 minute period, with the CDG second of the three. If the OP didn’t have GE the passport check lines could have been long and the time taken to search for his/her bag with so many coming off the carousel would also have been time consuming. As others have mentioned, the best option would have been for OP to leave customs without his bag, but it’s easier to say that in hindsight.
Mar 13, 2019, 10:51 am
#32
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I'm wondering whether it was separate tickets, perhaps for an "illegal" connection. IME there's lots of time to catch connections after international arrivals at MSP, although someone who doesn't know the airport might take the long and slow path to the A/B/high C gates.
There aren't many one hour flights from MSP that would have eight hour gaps between flights (although Saturday travel could be worse) and are also a three hour drive. Someone upthread suggested Duluth, but the eight hour gap in schedules doesn't seem right to me. So my guess is Eu Claire, Wisconsin, on a tiny airplane. IIRC there's also shuttle bus service from MSP airport, although not real frequent either. Rochester is too close and again wouldn't have an eight hour gap while IIRC DL no longer serves St Cloud (which could be three hours in bad traffic). If the eight hour schedule gap were something like 10 pm to 6 am, I think the OP would have complained about a forced overnight with no hotel.
Maybe the OP doesn't want to drive, especially in a foreign country and after a long TATL flight, when jetlagged, and perhaps after consuming alcohol. A three hour bus ride wouldn't be pleasant and it might not even be obvious that there is a bus option, nor how get information or use the bus. [Woud one first take a taxi to St Paul or to Minneapolis and if the latter, would you go to the downtown "transit center" or the greyhound bus station a bit outside of downtown, with the first being accessible by light rail plus walking if you don't have much luggage?]
There aren't many one hour flights from MSP that would have eight hour gaps between flights (although Saturday travel could be worse) and are also a three hour drive. Someone upthread suggested Duluth, but the eight hour gap in schedules doesn't seem right to me. So my guess is Eu Claire, Wisconsin, on a tiny airplane. IIRC there's also shuttle bus service from MSP airport, although not real frequent either. Rochester is too close and again wouldn't have an eight hour gap while IIRC DL no longer serves St Cloud (which could be three hours in bad traffic). If the eight hour schedule gap were something like 10 pm to 6 am, I think the OP would have complained about a forced overnight with no hotel.
Maybe the OP doesn't want to drive, especially in a foreign country and after a long TATL flight, when jetlagged, and perhaps after consuming alcohol. A three hour bus ride wouldn't be pleasant and it might not even be obvious that there is a bus option, nor how get information or use the bus. [Woud one first take a taxi to St Paul or to Minneapolis and if the latter, would you go to the downtown "transit center" or the greyhound bus station a bit outside of downtown, with the first being accessible by light rail plus walking if you don't have much luggage?]
That said, it would have been helpful had Delta proactively offered to pay for ground transportation in lieu of the flight - the shuttle bus is $60, which seems reasonable to free up the seat on the flight and get a customer to their destination faster after the baggage delay issues.
Mar 13, 2019, 10:55 am
#33
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Mar 13, 2019, 11:03 am
#34
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Mar 13, 2019, 11:03 am
#35
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Some of the OP’s delay could have been caused by the volume of passengers going through FIS at that time. Flights from HND, CDG, and AMS arrive at MSP within about a one hour period in the middle of the day. Yesterday’s arrival times were within a 45 minute period, with the CDG second of the three. If the OP didn’t have GE the passport check lines could have been long and the time taken to search for his/her bag with so many coming off the carousel would also have been time consuming. As others have mentioned, the best option would have been for OP to leave customs without his bag, but it’s easier to say that in hindsight.
Is this the DL or the AF flight from CDG? OP was on the AF operated flight apparently, according to the OP, although he/she gives the arrival time as 1:07 pm, which IIRC would be the early departure.
Mar 13, 2019, 11:41 am
#36
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Edit: Just realized that jebr had already posted this upthread from me. Missed it on my first pass.
Last edited by steex; Mar 13, 2019 at 11:57 am
Mar 13, 2019, 11:43 am
#37
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Mar 13, 2019, 11:45 am
#38
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It’s the Delta flight; I don’t think the AF flight is operating until later in the spring. Also, that arrival time is the DL flight. The actual arrival time, according to delta.com was 1:14, which might have ended up below the MCT.
The OP may have been referring to the AF codeshare, but was actually on a DL flight.
Mar 13, 2019, 1:25 pm
#39
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OP: If there were 9 empty seats, did you ask why they put you on standby?
Was that on a separate itinerary?
Was that on a separate itinerary?
Last edited by mvoight; Mar 13, 2019 at 1:53 pm
Mar 13, 2019, 1:45 pm
#40
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Nobody's curious about where the heck that bag went?
Was it still sitting at CDG, sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette while practicing that contemptuous CDG attitude?
Was it still sitting at CDG, sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette while practicing that contemptuous CDG attitude?
Mar 13, 2019, 2:00 pm
#41
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None of this matters. The inbound flight apparently arrived roughly on schedule, OP did not suggest that there were appreciable delays at CBP and had OP's bag been the last off, he would not have been obligated to wait longer. But, he did. And he then misconnected. That leaves DL with the obligation to reroute him space available and, because this was on a ticket departing the EU, a duty of care for hotel and meals until DL gets OP to his final ticketed destination. At DL's option, that could be via ground transport.
EU authorities have held that the little placard at the check-in counter at CDG is sufficient warning of EC 261/2004 and that's the end of it.
The rest of this is red herring, after red herring.
EU authorities have held that the little placard at the check-in counter at CDG is sufficient warning of EC 261/2004 and that's the end of it.
The rest of this is red herring, after red herring.
Mar 13, 2019, 2:24 pm
#42
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I'm curious of if maybe there was a misunderstanding of what the customs agent said. Ie - you need to wait to ensure all bags have come off. I just have never heard an agent say need to wait for them to go out to plane and verify all offloaded.
Mar 13, 2019, 3:07 pm
#43
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I would, as long as the money is right.
I needed to fly to Brazil using routing A-B-Brazil-B-C. The cost was $200 less if I ended my flight at B and used a different airline to fly to C. The connection was 75 minutes. Heck yes, I went for it. I was at the gate for the flight to C before they started boarding.
I needed to fly to Brazil using routing A-B-Brazil-B-C. The cost was $200 less if I ended my flight at B and used a different airline to fly to C. The connection was 75 minutes. Heck yes, I went for it. I was at the gate for the flight to C before they started boarding.
Mar 13, 2019, 6:43 pm
#44
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IME when I have had bags not arrive and I was in a customs area I waited until the conveyor belt stopped. At that point, I checked with airline officials to make sure there were no more bags. At that point I exited customs and dealt with the airline. Fortunately, this happened only when I have been at my destination with no immediate onward flight.
Last edited by FlyingUnderTheRadar; Mar 13, 2019 at 7:21 pm
Mar 13, 2019, 7:02 pm
#45
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Bottom line is that it's hard to report a bag missing until the aircraft is off-loaded. Even with the app, there are all kinds of bags loaded which miss the scan but still show up. However, once the belt stops, it's over and you head out. The bag is not actually delayed for Montreal Convention purposes until it does not show up at its final checked destination. Even though one knows it not to be the case here, the fact is that on a tight connection, just head to your onwards flight and report it on arrival at the onwards destination.