pharma

Hello, I am new to flyertalk, so please understand if this is the wrong area..

I am an American that needs to buy 3 tickets for work in June travelling through CDG to get to my final destination in Dubai (USA->CDG->DUBAI)
I feel like I've exhausted all of my available options:
-Air France (the airline I'm taking) says they do not know if they will accept me at CDG, and to consult my local French consulate.
-My local French consulate says to consult the airline and that even they are unable to visit France as French citizens.
-I can't find any rules on those who have a layover in France on French official websites.
-IATA TravelCentre for COVID says on Feb. 2nd 2021: "PASSENGERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ENTER"

Obviously this is in June and is far away and regulations are subject to change, but as it stands now, will I be able to fly through CDG, has anybody had the ability to do so successfully recently? I've seen only 2 posts saying they have been able to no problem but that goes against everything I've seen and heard.

Doesn't make sense to me that Air France would sell me a ticket that wouldn't even work at the time of calling.

Thank you.

Goldorak

Welcome to Flyertalk pharma
Yes, you are allowed to transit in CDG as per the current rules (but you won’t be able to enter France, so you’ll have to stay airside). Make sure you get the PCR test on-time to satisfy the requirements of Dubai.

pharma

Oh wow, ok! Thank you, Goldorak. I've had similar experience here in the states, so long as I stay inside the airport (sometimes with firm time limits not exceeding 24 hours), I am allowed to transit as a layover to my final destination without hassle, I just wasn't sure about France. That was my other concern of being held up at CDG, like a forced quarantine or something and my PCR test time-requirements would lapse or expire by the time I got to Dubai. Definitely my #1 priority there.
I see you are located in France, so I suppose that's an answer straight from the motherland

Thanks a bunch.

Often1

To be very clear, the term "layover" does not exist for these purposes. Under current rules, you would need to be connecting on a single ticket airside. Not only would you not be able to leave the terminal at CDG, but you would not be able to leave the transit area (a term which does not functionally exist in the US).

If your destination is DXB, it would be far better if you departed on a nonstop flight from the US to DXB. If you need to connect to get to a place with nonstop service, make that connection in the US.

As you point out, June is a long ways away and it is entirely possible that in June the rules will be completely different. Thus, the fewer connections, transits and borders, the better.

Goldorak

This is indeed very important additional info to pharma. All correct.

pharma

I see. Thank you for this clarification. When you say "Transit area" does this mean the deplaning/lounge/boarding area specific to my path for boarding the next flight? I have to get my team to Dubai, due to budget constraints, only 2/3 tickets were able to be acquired on non-stop/direct. The third one (that makes a CDG stop) is the one I am worried about.

Theoretically speaking, even with this "transit area" restriction, would one be able to still make it to their connecting flight?

Thanks.

Often1

I would not get too caught up in legal definitions. Rather, as with all international travel, you should check TIMATIC for each passenger's routing based on their citizenship and residence. For a US national, resident in the US, traveling tot he UAE with a transit at CDG, here is the TIMATIC readout. The key is that passengers will not be able to leave a very limited physical area and will need to have their onwards boarding passes before they are permitted to board in the US. If any of your people are not US nationals, the answer may be different.

Before booking, I would look at all of the variables because the cost of the air ticket may not be the only cost.

Visa required, except for Passengers transiting through Paris
(CDG), arriving from a non-Schengen Member State with a
confirmed onward ticket for a flight within 24 hours to a
third country which is not a Schengen Member State. They must:
- stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
- have documents required for their next destination.

pharma

Very clear explanation. I'm still new to this- but when you say TIMATIC, (I've seen this mentioned a lot and tried to do my own homework) do you mean I the "IATA TravelCentre for Passport, Visa & Health" at iatatravelcentre dot com? (tried sending the URL but I can't post links until I have 5 posts)

I seem to be fulfilling each of the requisites you mentioned, and I have an emergency fund in case of additional costs like you said (incase of extra PCR tests etc..). Great heads up.

Thanks!

Tamino

If it comes up, the Yotel hotel airside in terminal 2E is open. Restaurants/cafés remain closed but sandwiches and drinks are available at airport convenience stores.

futuramadramallama

It's worth mentioning that if you have to travel between terminals, that might be an issue. IIRC, there are not uniform airside connections between the terminals and you may have to go through passport control (which you presumably can't).

It might ultimately be okay though, because it sounds like all operations have temporarily been consolidated to just 2E (Non-Schengen) and 2F (Schengen) due to Covid.

Though, as mentioned above, everything should really be on a single ticket if you go with this CDG-layover option, for the fewest possible hassles.