PHX787 From Japan, joined Mar 2012, 5110 posts, RR: 14 Reply 2, posted (5 months 3 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 9838 times:
Quoting francoflier (Reply 1): And apart from delays, fees and staff ego, nothing's bigger in CDG...
Well I connected through CDG on my only trip in Europe....it was a very nice experience. Landing on the remotes, the speedy customs, and all of the walking
It was 8 in the morning and I enjoyed a nice Croissant from the F concourse bakery lol
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16943 posts, RR: 57 Reply 3, posted (5 months 3 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 9679 times:
Quoting francoflier (Reply 1): And apart from delays, fees and staff ego, nothing's bigger in CDG...
Every time a Frenchman complains about infrastructure and public works, an American child falls into a pothole in the street.
FFlyerCDG From France, joined May 2010, 25 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 8754 times:
Quoting PHX787 (Reply 2): Well I connected through CDG on my only trip in Europe....it was a very nice experience. Landing on the remotes, the speedy customs, and all of the walking
All doctors say that walking and doing some exercise after a long flight is a very good thing !
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 7840 posts, RR: 27 Reply 5, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 8666 times:
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 3):
Every time a Frenchman complains about infrastructure and public works, an American child falls into a pothole in the street.
Now I know why they don't fill the potholes in the USA.
I heard about that TK A330 in the 6 am radio news but not afzter that time., Looked for the thread here but nada. Slow time between the holidays.
airbazar From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 6955 posts, RR: 7 Reply 6, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 8577 times:
Quoting PHX787 (Reply 2): Well I connected through CDG on my only trip in Europe....it was a very nice experience. Landing on the remotes, the speedy customs, and all of the walking
The new international concourse is a delight, and having all AF flights consolidated in the same terminal since last Summer is a huge improvement. The immigration lines however are a nightmare, if you are arriving in France. I spent half an hour in the EU line (ridiculous), my fellow J class friends without an EU passport spent about 45 mins in the "priority" line, and the other lines looked absurdly long and slow. CDG makes US immigration lines look good.
airbazar From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 6955 posts, RR: 7 Reply 10, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 6145 times:
Quoting Icarus75 (Reply 7): Are you kidding? I really think that CDG immigration is not worse than US immigration which is really a nightmare!
As a GC holder I have never spent more than 5-10 minutes in a immigration line in the US. That is significantly better than the time I spent at the immigration line in CDG as a EU citizen that I am. So, no I am not kidding.
My family who are European and come visit me every year, are usually thru immigration and customs in less than 1 hour. The line I witnessed at CDG for non EU citizens had to be close to 1.5 hours long. It was well past the 1 hour sign.
Jano From Slovakia, joined Jan 2004, 814 posts, RR: 4 Reply 11, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 5682 times:
Quoting Icarus75 (Reply 7): Are you kidding? I really think that CDG immigration is not worse than US immigration which is really a nightmare!
Nope, immigration-wise comparing CDG to ATL and DTW I can say both ATL and DTW are generally faster and less troublesome. And that is taking into account one big advantage of CDG, which is when traveling with a small kid (4x in last 32 months when my son was 5, 19, 29, 32 month old) my family was usually routed either into the first class immigration line or at the front of normal line the moment we were spotted by ADP agent (or whoever those people were working for).
francoflier From France, joined Oct 2001, 3257 posts, RR: 10 Reply 13, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 3950 times:
Quoting DocLightning (Reply 3): Every time a Frenchman complains about infrastructure and public works, an American child falls into a pothole in the street.
I don't complain much about infrastructure. I just think that ADP is doing a terrible job at running CDG. Especially considering it's one of the most expensive airports in the world in terms of user and operator fees. You certainly don't get your money's worth!
Arriving from an intercontinental flight early morning into terminal 2A, for instance, is a nightmare. The jetway takes forever to dock, there is only one because the other one always seems to be unserviceable, it takes forever to reach the immigration lines (early terminals are built with arrivals and departure lounges on the same level, with these ridiculous crossings). The immigration lines are very long, no matter whether you are or not a EU resident. Once you eventually get through that, you go and cram yourself into the ridiculously small baggage claim area where you wait for about 45 minutes for your bags to arrive (not accounting for the immigration downtime!). Then you emerge into a small and overcrowded terminal, with little facilities, no wifi, connecting between terminals is long, you wait forever outside for a crowded bus to come by (the timetable is there for show), etc...
A taxi into town will charge you about the price of the flight you took to get there, the train connection is downright scary, the busses take about two hours thanks to the traffic jams.
On top of all that, it's Paris so everybody has a temper and is rude.
If, say, the origin of your trip is a major Asian or middle eastern hub, you're in for a shock.
It really makes you wonder which of the country you left or the one you arrived is indeed a developed country.
Even when I used to operate there, there always seemed to be some sort of snag at some point along the process which meant we never, ever, left on time from there.
I don't go there as often anymore, and I know newer terminals are much better, at least in terms of space and layout, but it's still far from an acceptable experience.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit posting...
sandyb123 From UK - Scotland, joined Oct 2007, 894 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 3763 times:
Quoting AirPacific747 (Reply 8): Looks like a TK A340-300 in the picture in the article to me.
Quoting PHX787 (Reply 2): Well I connected through CDG on my only trip in Europe....it was a very nice experience
CDG is known as a complete hell hole and many of my colleagues avoid it like the plague.
I flew to / from CDG in September with my partner, daughter and baby. It was the best choice for a EuroDisney & Parisian break. The experience was horrendous. Trying to find the train station no mind a train was near impossible and there was little information about public transport. We ended up taking a taxi both ways.
On the return trip, we were accosted by a pick-poket who tried to steal my iPhone. When I clocked it he started with a rant, shouting and spitting which really frightened us. Then we got through to the gate and there were no toilets, shops bars anything! We had to go back through security just so we could change my babies nappy.
Hellish place with horrible staff and criminals skulking round every corner. But what's the alternative?
jet-lagged From United States of America, joined Mar 2002, 852 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 3492 times:
I've always had a poor opinion of CDG. Then a month ago I transitted through the new concourse. That was very very nice. Pleasant, spacious, lots of power outlets, and even a beautiful vertical garden. Really classy.
FFlyerCDG From France, joined May 2010, 25 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 2568 times:
Quoting jet-lagged (Reply 15): I've always had a poor opinion of CDG. Then a month ago I transitted through the new concourse. That was very very nice. Pleasant, spacious, lots of power outlets, and even a beautiful vertical garden. Really classy.
Thanks for that !!
Maybe some French guys should spend more time transiting in CDG than complaining here
Rafabozzolla From Brazil, joined Apr 2000, 1165 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (5 months 3 weeks 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 2196 times:
Quoting airbazar (Reply 10): As a GC holder I have never spent more than 5-10 minutes in a immigration line in the US. That is significantly better than the time I spent at the immigration line in CDG as a EU citizen that I am. So, no I am not kidding.
My family who are European and come visit me every year, are usually thru immigration and customs in less than 1 hour. The line I witnessed at CDG for non EU citizens had to be close to 1.5 hours long. It was well past the 1 hour sign.
As an EU passport holder my experience arriving in Europe has always been seamless and that includes AMS, LIS, MAD, CDG and yes, even LHR.
In the USA on the other hand it's been mixed (of course I don't have an US passport so it's a different story)... SFO and DFW early morning were fine, MIA is always a nightmare in the early morning rush from South America. The worst, however, was DFW in the European afternoon bank of arrivals. Twice did have I missed connections there.
airbazar From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 6955 posts, RR: 7 Reply 20, posted (5 months 3 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 1645 times:
Quoting Rafabozzolla (Reply 19):
In the USA on the other hand it's been mixed (of course I don't have an US passport so it's a different story)...
You're comparing apples and oranges. First off, you can't compare resident on one side vs. non-resident on the other side. But I too have never had any significant delays at FRA, MUC, LHR, LIS, AMS. I'm not a frequent visitor to CDG so maybe my experience last October was unusual or I arrived at the worst possible time of day: 8am. However I was struck by the small number of immigration booths for such a large airport at that time of day. Maybe there was a strike or something. The immigration hall was absurdly crowded. The lines wrapped all the way around into the corridor that leads in from the train.
jetlife2 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 214 posts, RR: 25 Reply 21, posted (5 months 3 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 1593 times:
I have to speak up here in favor of CDG. The Access No. 1 line at immigration is fantastic (for those who can use it). Frequently I walk right up and pause zero to 3 minutes, then through...walking past a line of 100's of others in the process. As a visitor that option is really, really appreciated, and something that does not exist in the US (I exclude here Global Entry, etc which is a whole different discussion, since such systems exist in both places). Thanks CDG.
PanHAM From Germany, joined May 2005, 7840 posts, RR: 27 Reply 22, posted (5 months 3 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 1573 times:
The travel section of WELT on Sunday had an article about CDG and decölared it as worst airport of the world.
Particularly, they said, Aeroports de Paris does everything to keep that status.....
Remark from me, it would be great to have everything, signs and announcements at least in one foreign language, which should be English. It's uselesss to stand on the RER platform not bveeing able to fully understand what the guy said.
Aquila3 From Italy, joined Nov 2010, 220 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (5 months 3 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 1426 times:
Quoting PanHAM (Reply 22): Remark from me, it would be great to have everything, signs and announcements at least in one foreign language, which should be English. It's uselesss to stand on the RER platform not bveeing able to fully understand what the guy said.
Are you kidding?
I believe there is a French Law that forbids that, to avoid contamination of the French Language......
chi vola vale chi vale vola chi non vola è un vile
L410Turbolet From Czech Republic, joined May 2004, 5412 posts, RR: 18 Reply 24, posted (5 months 3 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 1330 times:
Quoting PanHAM (Reply 22): The travel section of WELT on Sunday had an article about CDG and decölared it as worst airport of the world.
Worst in the world? I am no CDG fan with but this seems a bit unfair. CDG is a dysfunctional mess but there are other, far worse airports imho: DOH, SVO or GIG for example.
25 francoflier: It's a matter of Gallic pride. As far as 'the worst', in absolute terms, I would say no, there are far worse airports around the globe. Now, as far a
26 Azure: I seldom read as many approximations and false statements (voluntary or not) as in this thread! Of course all signs and announcements are translated i
27 PanHAM: Not my personal opinion either, just said what the article stated. but i liked the sentence that ADP does everything to maintain that status. Sure th
28 airbazar: But I am a EU citizen. I used the same line as any French citizen. THAT's what was so absurd about he long wait. Such long wait does not happen anywh
29 AF185: The service quality of CDG was not really the topic of this thread, but I'll go with my own comments Being there again a few days ago, I found the ove
Sponsor Message: 
From France, joined May 2010, 25 posts, 
From Japan, joined Mar 2012, 5110 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16943 posts, 
From Germany, joined May 2005, 7840 posts, 
From Denmark, joined May 2008, 2097 posts, 
From Slovakia, joined Jan 2004, 814 posts, 
From India, joined Apr 2007, 1001 posts, 
From UK - Scotland, joined Oct 2007, 894 posts, 
I enjoy a nice walk through a terminal. Half the reason why I make my connections at MSP. Love the walk from F to B 
From Brazil, joined Apr 2000, 1165 posts, 
From Italy, joined Nov 2010, 220 posts, 
From Czech Republic, joined May 2004, 5412 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
