CDG transfer time
 

I'd like your input on my itinerary.

I am transferring between AF flights at CDG. Arriving from the DTW to terminal 2E, departing from terminal 2D. I have 90 minutes, is that enough?

The flights are on separate itineraries, can I check my luggage through to the final destination?


Thanks

Whether you can check your luggage through depends on which airlines you are using - some have "interline" agreements, others don't. If you are flying AF to AF, then certainly they can check your luggage through. Insist on it at check in.

90 minutes is probably a legal connection, depending on the airlines involved and where you are transferring to. But many people have missed flights in CDG due to connecting times of 90 minutes. Everything has to go right for it to work - no delays on inbound flight, short security lines, etc.

I am flying from the US on tickets booked on NWA.com, the flight DTW-CDG is operated by AF. The flight leaving CDG is on a separate itin and is operated by AF.

A big problem with CDG is that you need to take a bus between terminals... which adds to the time, then when you arrive at the next terminal, you need to clear a security check-point... more time. The only other problem I could see is if your AF flight required the use of buses to get to the terminal, which of course means more time, same with the flight out of CDG. Also, think of your checked bag... will it make off-loading, baggage transfer, and to the next flight.

When checking in at DTW ask them to interline your luggage to AF. They can do it even if you are on 2 separate itineraries. Here in TYS they have done it for me many times when I was flying NW/KL/AF/OK and was on 2 itineraries.

Transfer from 2E to 2D is easier than it seems from the map
http://www.nwa.com/travel/trave/airports/CDG.shtml
and what people say. OK, I needed to fly via CDG about 4 times to figure that airport out:)

Anyway, look at the linked map above. All you need to do is when you get to 2E (you might be bused from NW A333 to 2E) stay within the terminal and walk to 2D, just follow the signs. You will see arrows pointing down like this
|
|
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V
which means walk straight ahead.


Do not use a bus. It takes longer. A walk takes no more than 10 mins for a typical pax.

As long as you arrive on time then 90 mins is enough time to transfer in CDG.

I've flown into/out of/through CDG some 40 times. 90 minutes should be enough time. A few things to consider:
- Terminal 2E has collapsed in June 2004; it won't be fully rebuilt for a while. For now 2E only has boarding by bus, which takes considerably longer, especially since 2E is used for long haul flights (i.e. BIG planes). So you can't escape the CDG busses. There is no escaping that; resistance is futile.;)
- Follow the signs, NOT the other pax. Pax get easily confused in CDG. The down arrow means keep going forward.
- The buses between terminals are usually ok. It shouldn't take long. Avoiding the bus is a possibility but that can mean going through additional security filters, which may take longer. AFAIK, 2D is the "domestic" flights terminal (all intra-EU) and it's usually pretty fast.
- In my experience (and it may be just my luck) TATL AirFrance flights often end up parking at another terminal. My last 2 TATL AF flights were scheduled to land at 2E, but one ended up at 2A and the other at 2B. :-: You may get lucky, too.
- I've had TATL flights to Paris arive 1 hour early but also 1 hour late, depending on winds. 90 minutes could be 30 or 150 minutes.

Good luck to you. Let us know how it turned out.

I recently flew NWA from DTW to FRA and then Lufthansa to Dresden. The counter personnel in DTW knew exactly what to do to Interline it through to Lufthansa, HOWEVER I had to do a "transfer check-in" in Frankfurt to tell Lufthansa that I was there and was really going on my next flight. They couldn't do that in Detroit. Since you are arriving in CDG a day later than you leave, odds are you will have to also check in with AF when you get there. Make sure they see your luggage tags and scan them in to ensure your luggage will also arrive. Not sure what AF's policies are regarding transfer, but I imagine similar to Lufthansa's, so you should ask as soon as you get there.

Coming back I had discussions for 45 minutes with Lufthansa personnel who said they couldn't Interline my luggage, since "NWA isn't a partner in Interline." What rubbish, they said it was luck that it worked from DTW to Germany... After talking to 2 different managers and then making them call Lufthansa's international booking line from the counter they finally "agreed to make an exception" and check my luggage through to DTW, but that was probably just Lufthansa being Lufthansa. Hopefully you won't have that problem, just be aware that it IS possible and demand that they do it correctly. Like I said, you shouldn't have any problems in DTW.

Going through that must not have been fun. Sorry to hear that. I do agree with you on LH being LH. I hear they are strictly by [whatever they believe to be] the books. :rolleyes:

Since we're talking about 2 AF tickets, this shouldn't be a problem. AF is an AF partner :D

check out sticky in the AF forum entitled "Paris CDG Airport FAQ." This will have all the info you need about your walk from 2E (or wherever you end up) to 2D. You must walk, since the airside bus skips 2D (and 2F1) because they are considered "domestic" (i.e. Schengen zone) terminals. You will clear passport control in your terminal of arrival and then security in 2D. 90 minutes should be enough but if you are late [or if deplaning by bus takes a long time] you could be forced to walk quickly.

Thanks for your input!

I am hoping to make the connection walking from the terminal. My current reservation to CDG is with NWA (AF metal), so I can't get a seat assigned to me and my wife. I hope we are not in the very back of the plane, if we are, then it might be harder for us to make the first bus leaving the plane at CDG.

I will let you know how things went.

Could be close
 

Last Aug I flew LAX-CDG-HEL and had a 90 min layover in CDG. The flight was a little late arriving in CDG, so I had to walk pretty fast to make the connection. After going through passport control and security, I arrived with about 10 mins to spare. The bad news: My bags did not make it to HEL until the next day. Could have been worse - at least the bags arrived at my hotel in good order.


Good luck!

Made it!
 

We arrived on time, no earlier but also no later, terminal was changed from 2E to 2F. We made our way to the transfer desk where they checked us in for the next flight. We started walking over to 2D for out connection but were stopped half way through for 20 minutes due to the police shooting up someones luggage. Made it through to the gate anyway, but I was a little nervous about making it.

Thanks for all the input.