Charles De Gaul...Easy or not?

[spunks]

We last minute booked a cruise out of Barcelona, and for the first time ever have let the cruise line(Celebrity) do the air for us. We will be flying Air France out of Houston with a connecting AirFrance on to Barcelona. The Paris Airport is De Gaul.

 

We have exactly one hour to make the flight.We arrive in terminal 2F and depart from 2E(I might have that backwards)

 

1.Will we have to claim baggage in Paris and clear customs?..or will the checked baggage automatically be put on the Barcelona flight?

 

2.How complicated is Degaul airport to get from one terminal to the next?

 

We have paid for transfers to the ship, so I assume that in the event we miss the boat Celebrity may help us:confused:

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.WE always do our own air and come in a few days early so this is a new and nerve racking experience for us.

 

Thanks so much

Doug

[ab0si]

In Paris, you will clear passport control/immigration and security. You will NOT clear customs there. that will be done in Barcelona, but you will likely not even notice it.

 

CDG has the reputation of a bad airport for connections. The signage has been improved but it is certainly a good idea to have a fairly clear picture of the route you will need to take to make your connection. there are many terminal maps on the 'net and you have many hours on board the AF plane to study the one in the back of the AF magazine.

 

One hour is cutting it close. But, then, you really don't have an hour. You might, if you are lucky, have as much as 1:45 if the jet stream is behaving nicely and take off on time.

 

I would certainly know the later flights to Barcelona-- and to the next port before leaving.

[FlyerTalker]

We have exactly one hour to make the flight.We arrive in terminal 2F and depart from 2E(I might have that backwards)

Into T2E, out of T2F. Note that T2E has two separate buildings that share that designation.

 

1.Will we have to claim baggage in Paris and clear customs?..or will the checked baggage automatically be put on the Barcelona flight?

Baggage will be transferred for you. You will not see your luggage between IAH and BCN.

 

2.How complicated is Degaul airport to get from one terminal to the next?

Complex but doable. Go to the AF website and you will find a page that will show you the transfer for your flights.

 

We have paid for transfers to the ship, so I assume that in the event we miss the boat Celebrity may help us:confused:

NO!!! There is no responsibility on the part of the cruiseline. #1 myth of cruising, IMO.

[Jinn]

Doug---I had the same questions in July when I had a tight connection. I did exactly what Flyertalker told me. I printed the plans of the airport and also the times and numbers of the next flights that day. Fortunately, my flight form ATL landed early at CDG and the plane to CPH left late. Getting from one term. to the other was no problem. I like to walk and am a fast walker. There were 2 bottlenecks. Since we had landed early, the immigration people weren't ready for us and had to round up some more agents. The people directing traffic there did not do a very good job. The area where we went through security was a zoo, with poor signage. I saw an agent and asked, in English, where I should go. She politely pointed me to a very short line and I was on the other side very quickly. Prayer helps. A friend had told me to learn how Copenhagen is spelled in French, which I did. I assume Barcelona would be spelled the same, but it never hurts to check. Good Luck. BTW---It's De Gaulle, not De Gaul. The French can be prickly about that name. Jinn

[spunks]

LOL Jinn,,,I see I have already exposed myself to the French as not worthy of help.

 

I thank each of you for the kind advice.Now if anyone needs information on how to navigate through a South Texas mesquite thicket, I will be glad to help....Thanks again.

 

Doug

[alexandra cruiser]

:rolleyes: We just had similar problem there last month, we were running late and only an hour to get to another terminal.Even with a map and fast running ,we new it would be tight.Asked the flight attendant if we could get off first when we landed. It worked , so try it if it looks close.PS, we found most of the French people friendly, so don t concern yourself with that myth.

[chipmaster]

Good luck!

 

I've flown thru that airport only twice but that was enough to never want to do a connnect with less then 2 hours.

 

If you really are going to be coming into one and out of another terminal :eek:

 

Hope for on time arrival ( international are generally pretty good )Try and sit in the front of the airplane, get off as fast as you can and walk fast/run to the shuttle. Both times we had an hour and an hour and half, thought we had enough time but between the shuttle confusing signs and slow security etc. etc. we barely caught the last bus to our connects.

[vivian02]

Several years ago we had one of those tight schedules with a 55 minute layover at CDG and managed to make our flight. It will really help to look over a CDG Airport Map and know where you are going. I do remember there were very well marked over head signs giving directions to the other Terminals.

Once you have made a transfer at CDG you will always remember that airport. Do your homework ahead of time and you should be alright. Tim