Paris CDG Airport review by Simon Harrison

27 September 2007  Customer Rating :

Arrived on in the morning from YUL at terminal 2E with onward connection to MAN from 2F International. The transit procedure I underwent made LHR look like a walk in the park. Dark hallways with low ceilings, at one point down a set of emergency stairs. Inadequate signage and insufficient numbers of staff dotted around at random tables which you find if you're lucky. Eventually ended up in a funnel- like backlog of passengers waiting at one small automatic door to catch airside transit bus. Buses inadequate in number and full - attendant seemed to think it was funny that we all had to squash in. But the worst was yet to come - the bus only travels in one direction! So although 2E and 2F are adjacent to each other we had to go the long way round via terminals 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D. What a waste of 20 minutes valuable transit time! Made connecting flight with just a few minutes to spare. Called Air France Customer Relations yesterday to raise the issue with them. Very nice woman said that they receive complaints regularly about this and that most of the situation is temporary due to ongoing renovation work. However, the one-way bus service is a permanent fixture - she told me AF would very much like to see the introduction of two-way services, as one can imagine. She asked me to put my complaints into writing so they could be forwarded to the airport authority. I don't reckon it'll change much but we shall see. In conclusion, sheer hell on earth.

Paris CDG Airport review by Ken Ross

20 September 2007  Customer Rating :

I travel through CDG a lot (most weeks) and the thing that is most frustrating is its inconsistency. Sometimes it takes 30 seconds to get through passport control, sometimes 30 minutes. Terminal 2F (Shengen) is noisy due to the odd acoustic design, but is still better than many others. Terminal 2F (non Shengen e.g. UK) is awful. Terminal 2E which appears to be in the middle of a rebuild is nothing short of confusing as it seems to have 4 spearate parts connected by trams and bsuses. Terminal 2B has the most unbelievable shortage of chairs (less than 20) and Terminal 1 is an architectural eyesore. Terminal 3 is like a large garden shed. If you use CDG as a hub you really need to allow around 90 minutes to transfer as anything less is very stressful as soon as you come across the long queues.

Paris CDG Airport review by L Wiesenfeld

11 September 2007  Customer Rating :

I always feared CDG for its difficult connections, lost luggage and dubious cleanliness. Had two very pleasant experiences easy connection, smiling employees, easy immigration, a very significant overall improvement. I will consider by now CDG as a viable alternative to AMS when travelling with skyteam alliance.

Paris CDG Airport review by G Martin

6 September 2007  Customer Rating :

We went through transit at CDG this weekend, arriving on a Delta flight, which took 15 minutes from touchdown to arrival at the gate. We had one hour to get to 2D and board our connecting flight to Italy. We spent most of that hour standing in a chaotic passport control line (unhelpful "helpers" gave no indication of which line was which (i.e. EU/Non-EU passport holders). There was no "fast lane" for passengers who had little time to get their connecting flight and so many of us missed our planes (21 people missed our flight alone). Once we got to the passport control desk, the actual check took 2 seconds, so I really have no idea why we were in line for so long. Then, the signage to get us to 2D was just terrible. We got totally lost and ended up in a sealed glass area, with no way out and had to track back. Standing in the customer service line later, trying to find another plane to take us home, we discovered many others (who had also missed their planes!) had the same experience. The woman at Customer Service was friendly and helpful, the only positive note in this abysmal experience. If you must travel through CDG, one hour for transit is NOT enough. I would estimate that two hours minimum is required. Better signage, and more efficient passport control (more desks open and better organised lines) would really help the situation too. I travel a lot, and have never missed a plane because of inefficient transit - a sad first for CDG.

Paris CDG Airport review by F Ormiston

6 September 2007  Customer Rating :

We had a 2 hour connection time in CDG, and had been through checked, so all we had to do was get ourselves across terminals. We found our new terminal easily, following clearly marked signage. However once in the terminal (2D), we were surprised at how little there was to do. There was a small number of shops and only 2 cafes which were expensive and really not very appealing. There was little seating, and we were lucky to get a seat at all. Once we were called to our gate area, boarding was quick and well done. One return it was a similar situation, but with slightly more to do in 2F. Staff were helpful and fast tracked us through security on the return when time was slightly more tight.

Paris CDG Airport review by F Choong

6 September 2007  Customer Rating :

I always make sure I have at least 2 hours connecting time before getting on the next plane. Below this time, you run great risk of missing your flight or not having our luggage with you. The 45min minimum connecting time is a miracle and I advise to spare more time for the following reasons: the buses run clockwise from around CDG2 and could take a lot of time during peak time and also because of renovation of the collapsed terminal 2E. Secondly, immigration could be very slow, so leave it plenty of time. People who manage to get on the next flight during a 45 min connection are those of Air France/KLM Elite PLus who get personal escort. If you are not part of it, or travelling on a different airline, you can be 100% sure to be put on the next flight, which could be up to 24h if you miss a long haul flight. As usual, make sure you have at least 2 hours and things will be fine.

Paris CDG Airport review by Norman Clark

2 September 2007  Customer Rating :

Great airport, but the amenities and efficiencies in CDG are harder to find these days due to the massive renovation and expansion of the airport. Try to avoid it for connections -- especially inter- line connections -- of less than 2 hours. Even if you make it, your luggage might not. These days going short distances can take amazingly long. Two points of good news about CDG: The airport staff are great at helping passengers navigate the maze that the airport has become due to the construction; and it's temporary and really is going to produce a much better airport.

Paris CDG Airport review by A Sevin

25 August 2007  Customer Rating :

I just read latest comments from travellers using CDG. I agree that there are always significant weaknesses but it is also fair to say that a lot of improvements have been initiated. Terminal 2E will be fully re-open in 08 and it is important to highlight that a new satellite is very close to open. Terminals and parkings are now linked by an automatic train every 8 min and free. This is since June 07. Agree that is difficult to find it, because lack of signs [I found one information doc,in French!] Terminal 1 is better than before - was not difficult! Important to remind then that we pay for using CDG - just check ticket price!

Paris CDG Airport review by R Mocha

29 July 2007  Customer Rating :

Functionally, the worst airport I have ever seen. I had 50 minute for transfer from terminal 2B to 2E. The transfer required taking a bus from the plane to 2B, another bus from 2B to 2E, and a train to get to the gates 90+. I was running whenever possible and it took 50 minutes. The gate was closed when I arrived. 90 minutes is an absolute minimum, assuming no major waiting lines. Attitude of most of the personnel somewhat unpleasant. Long lines to service counter (25 minutes), fairly incompetent (75 minutes to re-book). Could not call home: in the new terminal 2E only 3 payphones, which do not accept any credit card and do not allow to use the calling card I got from Air France. Internet station takes euro coins and one cannot use any credit cards. This came as not a very big surprise after everything all problems with Ai France before the flight: incorrect answers when calling Air France call center, electronic check-in malfunctioned (checked in one leg only), multiple changes of seat assignment (3 out of 4 legs, one leg twice). A lesson to myself: avoid Air France and avoid CDG.

Paris CDG Airport review by Simon Harrison

19 July 2007  Customer Rating :

My first time departing CDG terminal 1 and I found it a hellish experience. Aesthetically, not very pleasant on the eye and practically a bit of a nightmare to negotiate. We eventually found our checkin desk where the staff checked us in with, ahem, the typical French style of service. Then tried to find the way to our departure gate which proved difficult until we realized we were meant to take some kind of escalator/travelator to get there - I have never witnessed such a spectacle in another airport! Outgoing passport control was about the only thing that went fast and smoothly, for after this we finally hit upon the security check to get to our gate. Here the real fun really started. We joined a queue of passengers waiting to be screened which was almost at a standstill as only one checkpoint was open in spite of the number of outgoing flights. Eventually, a member of ground staff came round announcing that passengers for our flight to EMA could come to the front of the line as time was beginning to press. However, other passengers were not happy and kept pushing forward so we actually took longer to get through than if we'd have waited where we were in the first place. We just caught the flight in spite of this and one gate change! At one point, food and drink for the coffee shop behind security was given priority over us passengers. For France's principal airport hub, the place is nothing short of a disgrace!

Paris CDG Airport review by Elzbieta Sklodowska

19 July 2007  Customer Rating :

Our family of four travelled out of CDG, terminal 1, on July 16 2007. Since check-in is done for ALL Star Alliance carriers at one counter, the line was horrendous, and took about 1 hour and 20 minutes, with numerous people being pulled out of the line ahead of us, since they were about to miss their flights. Due to poor signage we ended up in baggage pick up area instead of satellite 2 for check in, and had to rely on the good will of an airport worker who led us through the maze back to passport control. To our amazement, only two booths were open, and the line to have your passport checked took at least 50 minutes, amidst total chaos. After that, another line, this time through slowly moving security, brought us to the gate, anxious and exhausted, 8 minutes before departure. Total time: 3 hours 22 minutes. Good luck!

Paris CDG Airport review by Paul Hanson

12 July 2007  Customer Rating :

CDG 2F. Interesting design but that's all that I can be positive about. Check in for Air France flights to UK is difficult to find due to UK being in non schengen area. Security was painless and reasonably quick. Once airside I was hoping for a reasonable selection of shops/restaurants as. Very dissapointed. There is a downstairs shopping centre where the shops seem designed only for Asian shoppers. Food is extremely disappointing. I went to the sandwich shop. Shockingly a simple ham/cheese sandwich costs 7euro. I know airports are expensive but that is a blatant rip off by anybodys standards. After that my flight was delayed by 2 hours with 3 different gate changes. The gates are easy to find.

Paris CDG Airport review by J Kemp

11 July 2007  Customer Rating :

Paris CDG - the ultimate travel nightmare. A simple check-in for a flight from Paris to Istanbul turns into an absolute nightmare of queuing up as if this were an amusement park - but just so not amusing!!! Terminal 2B - this terminal was designed by travel sadists. You must pass through passport control, with luggage, before checking in for the flight - so, there are queues which snake around, comprised of travellers and their luggage trolleys heaped on high, all trying to get to one of the two passport inspectors. On Wednesday, 4th July, this took 45 minutes. Then - queue up for check in/luggage drop-off. Business class on AF - one agent for all flights. Another 20 minutes. Forget about going to the lounge - which is pretty tatty anyway, as after check-in, you have to queue up once again to go through security clearance, which is specific to the departure gate. Again, a queue down the middle of the terminal of extremely anxious passengers all fearful of missing their flights -- of course, one security channel is open so this ordeal takes another 30 minutes. Having arrived at 8:30 AM for a 10:05 departure, already with a boarding card in hand as I had checked- in from home on-line, and travelling in business class, it took me one hour and half from the moment I stepped out the taxi until I had cleared security, to walk directly on to the plane. What a joke, and what a disgrace. Terminal 2B was designed in the 1980's by planners and architects who had no feel whatsoever for the evolution of air travel - the entire concept driving Terminal 2 is obsolete. This along with the unbelievably surly attitude of the ground staff, makes this airport one of the absolute worst in the industry, to be avoided whenever possible.

Paris CDG Airport review by Hans-Willem van der Waal

11 July 2007  Customer Rating :

I use to transit at CDG a couple of times per year, sometimes with my 9 month old daughter. Staff are much more helpful and accomodating if you travel with baby. Otherwise a hopless transit airport. The best advice I can give is never use the transit bus, neither on land nor on airside. The crossover from 2A/2C to 2F is fast enough if you leave the airport, ad cross at the TGV station. The ride on the bus is long, the driver never tells you at which terminal you are, the queues for immigration and security for transit passengers are often very long, and there is no understanding for transit passengers almost to miss their plane. I find it unbelievable that Air France still offers 50 mins transit time. Air France often delay their outbound ICA flights, when too many passnegers are still behind security.... Flights to Africa invariably leave from the tarmac, long ride, you often have to wait for the bus etc. Staff generally unfriendly, with some exceptions. Being demanding sometimes helps, I feel I have the right, because in the ticket there is some 70-100 euro included for CDG airport tax.

Paris CDG Airport review by E Gleeson

6 July 2007  Customer Rating :

Charles de Gaulle Airport is a nightmare if a traveler is connecting to another flight. Due to all the problems we encountered trying to get from one terminal to the other, we missed our flight to Marseille. Had to wait in the terminal for six hours for next flight out. Our car rental closed in Marseille because we were supposed to arrive early in the day. One wonders if CDG airport officials realize the problems travelers incur from trying to get through this airport? I am partially handicapped, and found that having to deplane down steep steps and then go back up these steps is very difficult. Passengers have to stand for a long, difficult bus ride to the terminal. A sea of people descends upon the passport control with only a few people manning the checkpoint booths. If you have any questions on how to find your terminal, etc. you will find little assistance. Suffice it to say I will never fly into CDG again. My one piece of advice for anyone who does, and is making a connecting flight, is to allow at least three hours between connections. You may get lucky and not need that much time, but you will not know that fact until you get there. Better yet, find another airport!

Paris CDG Airport review by William Benson

3 July 2007  Customer Rating :

Terminal 2B - British Airways. First time through CDG and I hope very much that it will be the last. It is depressing, shabby, badly organised and unfriendly. I couldn't wait to see the back of it. The only positive thing I can say about it is that Heathrow is even worse, which I didn't think was possible.

Paris CDG Airport review by Raoul Xemblinosky

3 July 2007  Customer Rating :

Pleasantly surprised by CDG. Transferred from 2B to 2E midmorning, nearly a three hour layover. I was prepared for the worst. Signage was confusing but the maps helped me decide to skip the airside bus and walk to 2E. No long lines at passport control at 2B or 2E, terminal crowded but not unnavigable. 2E was big and confusing but staff was very helpful even if I did get extra questioning three times when they found I was traveling from Russia. Staff was also proactive in trying to help people with short (1 hour or so) layovers. Airside beverages and food at 2E are hideously expensive, but the bus ride from 2E to gate E86 wasn't too bad. Just hilariously long... turns out gate E86 is in Luxembourg (just kidding). Gate to gate, the transfer from 2B to 2E took almost two hours; I could have made better time had I needed to. I wouldn't willingly fly through CDG again - Dusseldorf is a better alternative - but I won't freak out if I get do get routed through CDG. Neither should you.

Paris CDG Airport review by Peter Gleeson

22 June 2007  Customer Rating :

Used CDG terminal 2C, whilst small for the passenger loads everything functions well, airline staff, customs and security are friendly. However on the cheaper side of the airport (non Air France) at terminal T1 I can only say I agree with most of the passenger comments. Old, dingy , dirty and unfriendly "a disgrace to la Belle France"

Paris CDG Airport review by M Larsen

20 June 2007  Customer Rating :

Having transferred once in CDG I must admit that I found it to be the worst airport I have ever set foot in. Just getting from the plane from the terminal took around 20 minutes as we needed to be bused as the plane was parked far from terminal. Needless to say other planes were in the same situation and we were actually in a traffic jam on the way to the terminal. Entering the terminal I found it to be very very poorly signed. The walk from one terminal to another was very long, but nothing compared to the line for the security check. Getting through the security check to around 50 minutes. Everything here is very inefficient, staff unpolite. Allow at very least 90-120 minutes if you need to transfer here. I will not recommend anyone to use this airport unless there is no other option. Next time I will rather pay more for my ticket than transferring here.

Paris CDG Airport review by K Veersamy

20 June 2007  Customer Rating :

Pleasantly surprised by CDG T2F and 2C. Transit between flights went smoothly, with some time to spare, and good range of shops and restaurants. Had anticipated a bad time, as only 1 and half hour transit time, but all went fine. Well signposted and ground staff helpful. Bus transfer airside painless.

Paris CDG Airport review by D Hadfield

14 June 2007  Customer Rating :

Dingy and uninspiring. Poor facilities. Inadequate seating for waiting passengers. Staff rude and unhelpful. The worst airport it has been my misfortune to travel through. Thank Heaven for Eurostar

Paris CDG Airport review by M Edwards

7 June 2007  Customer Rating :

Perhaps the worst major international airport in the world. I agree with many of the comments here about the lack of efficiency, the difficulty associated with connections, and the dirty, cigarette-stench that seems to ooze from the walls. One major problem is the dis- connected design of the terminals, and the need, therefore, for passengers with tight connections to go through security a second time. Of course, the security lines are typically long and are manned by only a few people. Air France is an excellent carrier with excellent service, and they deserve a better hub airport than this one. The airline really needs to focus with the French government on getting this airport into the 21st century. It has a long way to go.

Paris CDG Airport review by Philippe Bopp

6 June 2007  Customer Rating :

The worst major airport I know. The old part of terminal 2 (A-D) is a disaster, there are not enough seats for waiting passengers at the gates. Terminal 2F (2E collapsed due to poor design) is not much better. Terminal 1 is below any description. By all means try to avoid!

Paris CDG Airport review by Mark Wadham

24 May 2007  Customer Rating :

Terminal 3. One hour and sixteen minutes to check in and pass security. The flight was subsequently delayed by 14 passengers blocked at security. The check in clerk had obviously received inadequate training. He frequently knew nothing and had to ask his colleague thus delaying 2 queues of checking-in passengers. He even had to ask if a passenger travelling to Spain could do so on a UK passport!!! Two improvements at T3 however - it no longer has a stench of smoke thanks to the new smoking regulations in France, and the travel retail shop has changed operators and is now much better stocked.

Paris CDG Airport review by Steve Craddock

22 May 2007  Customer Rating :

Many travellers report connection difficulties at CDG. We regularly fly from Australia to Nice to visit our daughter, who lives there, and so we have put up with the Charles de Gaulle nightmare more than we care to. The Air France internal connecting flight chosen by the software each way is scheduled with an impossibly short time for the extended walk and drive between the International and internal terminals. This has caused us a pathetic and agonising 5 or 6 hour wait at Paris to get on a local flight after the long trip from Australia. In our opinion, travellers should check connection times very carefully. The booking agent will say "that's the flight they recommend" but let me assure you, it takes 50 to 70 minutes at least to make the trek and get through security, and the 30 or so minutes they recommend is physically impossible. It seems to me we imagine all international airports have a vaguely similar geography, conceptually. We imagine they will have a generally open domestic area and concourse, and a more cut-off international area. On stopovers we understand that we will remain in the separated concourse of the international area, at say, KL or Singapore or wherever. CDG is totally different. When you leave the secure international area to get a domestic flight, there is a concourse area you can walk around, but the huge glass-roofed domestic departure and arrival hall itself is separated from the domestic concourse by security. The French won't queue, the staff are slack and bored, and so there is huge, angry ruck at any time to get through the security checks into the hall. No-one makes any attempt to group people by the departure time of their flights, so every day, hundreds miss their connecting flights (and, as I said, lose their luggage). In the other direction, if, like us, you are flying into Paris Air France from, say, Nice, and flying back Air France to Australia, you never enter the main international terminal of the airport. You walk long corridors, wait in mysterious small secure spaces, wait for a trip on a navette (bus), and walk again to the departure lounge, all completely within the Air France section. This obscure process takes at least 50 mins, and involves asking for directions repeatedly. Trust me — any recommended internal Air France flight connecting with Air France to Australia will arrive after boarding for your next flight begins. You cannot make the lengthy walk and drive before the flight leaves. How different our experience at Singapore, where you can expect to be stopped by a pleasant staff member with a clipboard as you walk off the flight, who asks about your next flight, tells you the time till your flight, and gives the simple directions to get you to the next departure lounge just along the concourse. Coming back the last time, I changed my flight at Nice, and needless to say the Nice Air France staff sneered at me. Nevertheless, several others passengers had done the same, and they endured the 3 hour wait with me. It's better than missing a flight home!

Paris CDG Airport review by I Mottram

1 April 2007  Customer Rating :

SOU-CDG-SOU same day travel. Paris CDG terminal 2F is a travesty. Architecturally interesting but a farce in all other respects. The arrivals is fairly smooth unless you are arriving on a prop plane in which case you will be bussed for 15 minutes to and from your plane after spending 20 minutes taxiing around the airport. Exit the arrivals area and the signage is so poor that it's hard to find the car rental locations. It's on the concourse between terminals 2E and 2F fwiw. However, arrivals is nothing compared to the abysmal experience that is departures. Kiosk check in works fine, unless you're flying AF in which case it won't accept any other FF card other than Flying Blue. Once airside the shops are limited although I don't consider that to be a problem. The biggest disappointment is the food available. Two pathetic fast food restaurants in the lower ground area which offer microwave meals and sandwiches which are of poor quality and grossly overpriced. I will avoid this airport in the future at all costs.

Paris CDG Airport review by David Chown

20 March 2007  Customer Rating :

Terminals 2A to 2D at Paris CDG all meet in the centre, there are escalators and lifts as the passage is at basement level. Much quicker to walk than take the bus unless you have mobility problems. Terminal 2F is a good ten minutes walk though, past the rail station. 2A to 2D have an acute shortage of seating areas, even in the departure lounges it is a bit limited. The whole thing, less modern 2F, is dated, scruffy and crowded. But compared with Terminal 1, it's paradise!

Paris CDG Airport review by Lois Holloway

20 March 2007  Customer Rating :

If you have to transfer from terminal 2D to 2E, allow LOTS of extra time. It's under construction. We missed a connecting flight a couple weeks ago. It's a long walk between the terminals, and they have extra-early boarding because you're taken on a long bus ride to the ariplane.

Paris CDG Airport review by Bill Gustafson

20 March 2007  Customer Rating :

My wife and I will be transfering at CDG in April, arriving at terminal 2E on AF from Lisbon and departing 2E on Delta, with about 1hr 20 min connection time. I transferred at CDG a few years ago and almost missed my connection; as I recall the airport was confusing and chaotic. I'm trying to be prepared for the experience this time, and have read some comments that upon arrival from Lisbon we should go through immigration as though we were staying in France and then walk from 2d to 2e, as this procedure avoids one security line, although I guess there is one waiting at 2E. If anyone could tell me the fastest way (and procedure) to get from 2D to 2E it would be greatly appreciated. I do remember from my last experience that the buses should be avoided if possible.

Paris CDG Airport review by Mats Genberg

7 March 2007  Customer Rating :

I have travelled through and to CDG a number of times during the last years. And one thing that is obvious is that French officials only go to places where they can fly AF or codeshare partners. If not - they would have to use T1. It is a disgrace! T2 on the other hand is the reason there is no national outcry over T1 - the french only ever see T2 and think that things are OK. It is quite decent actually. Last time we flew we (family of 4) came in late from CPH connecting to LAX via this temporary Terminal they use for high-security countries (US, Israel and Algeria) and the service was fantastic! Direct vans. Superb staff that joked with my kids etc. I will still rate it as poor, since T1 is so bad.

Paris CDG Airport review by Paul Turner

28 February 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

From touching down from Birmingham to reaching the stand took 20 minutes. It required a further 15minutes to reach terminal 2f. Having read about security queues for transit passengers I left the terminal and walked to 2c. It took 10 minutes at a fast walk. Another 15 minutes and I was through security. The only potential problem was that out of three security desks, only one was open. On my return journey I decided to try the infamous bus transit from 2c to2f for comparison. Maybe I was just lucky but the bus took no more than 10 minutes and the security check about 5 minutes. Perhaps CDG have got the message at last?? The gate signage within 2f left me bemused. It took 15 minutes to find Gate 41. It is well hidden on the ground floor, not on the first floor as initially indicated.

CDG Airport by Kuhan Kandiah
26 January 2007

I always thought of CDG as a unique airport but when I actually got there, it was one of the most unfriendly and confusing airports I have been to. The terminal, although just next to us and a stone's throw away, took us an hour to get to. The ground crew at the terminal we landed on were so unfriendly and refused to answer us in English on where the UA counter was. They just spoke to us in sign language as if we were illiterate. After reaching the UA terminal, we discovered that some passengers on our MH flight were also taking UA to a different destination. But they took just 10 minutes to get there and not the hour we took like a merry go round stopping by to get directions from unfriendly people at the airport. The UA transit counter staff were very nice and friendly to us and thats about the only good thing I can say about CDG. CDG will not even be on my last choice of transit airports in the future.

Paris CDG Airport review by Bernard Condon
19 January 2007

CDG terminal one is a disgrace. Dark, dreary and in very poor repair. The check in area is an impossible mess with queues snaking around corners with bags and carts blocking every turn. Just inside the security check the building has no proper facilities with very few shops and cafes etc. Once one goes further into the satellites then the opportunities decrease even further. No sparkling duty free shop or top fashion outlets and this is Paris after all! One shudders to think of a long delay in this desert. It provides the amenities one might expect in a regional airport in China. The lounge areas are hidden deep in the interior with no natural light and require long badly signposted journeys to locate. This building was a bold statement decades ago but it is now the architectural equivalent of the bouffant hairstyle - it reminds of an era style forgot.

Paris CDG Airport review by Nick Biskinis
19 January 2007

How France, with a strong history of 'Les Grands Projets' and transport infrastructure development managed to conceive such a dismal airport devoid at every level of practicality is a mystery. The RER (suburban metro) station for CDG Terminal 1 is situated far away from the actual terminal necessitating a further bus journey, which is inconvenient for passengers. The Terminal 2 complex (in every sense of the word) was part of a grand design that went wrong. The Terminal is not one but a clusters of mini-terminals (called Halls in France) called 2A, 2B etc. Trouble is that with the exception of 2F they have limited gate capacity so that not many planes can use each 'Hall. Furthermore this means some of these Halls are situated far apart. The result is transferring within these terminals either requires a farirly long walk (and you cannot use the luggage trolleys beyond one of the mini-terminals) or else have to wait for one of the inter-terminal buses. Yet often the road is cluttered with traffic as cars/buses do not have enough space to park next to the terminal for dropping off passengers. So the inter-terminal buses themselves are often delayed. Paris CDG is trying to remedy this with a new inter-terminal railway - Roissyval - but that keeps being delayed (i notice that under the advert proclaiming an opening date of 'August 2006 someone wrote 'In God we trust'). Much of the Terminal 2 complex has dated badly and inside is cluttered. In some respects CDG Terminal 2 looks like a grandiose version of Heathrow, but with all the drawbacks of lack of space and concrete ambience. Terminal 2F is the only part of the airport that is genuinely well-designed and pleasant to use. Not surprising that Air France is trying to consolidate as many of its flights there as possible. Paris CDG is a mess, and you have to assume that the airport's growth is propelled by its one trump card which is large runway capacity. But long-term the poor organisation and lay-out of Paris CDG will harm Air France's obvious ambitions to be the leading transfer airline. Paris CDG could have been a great airport had it stuck to a more rational vision of unified Terminal buildings and properly situated transport hubs for rail and bus. You get the impression that somewhere along the way rationalism was jettisoned in favour of an over-amibitious vision that got lost in the concrete jungle. It is ironic that countries often have bad airports because they are obsessed with presenting the right image. What this means is that they forget the basics of an airport as mode of convenience and instead go for architectural excess that proves impractical down the line with compromises to fit the 'vision'. Instead airports should be kept as rational as possible and as convenient in lay-out. When this is established then you can embellish a terminal stylistically. Airports like Amsterdam, Munich, Athens prove the point. As Paris CDG will no doubt expand, you hope that when they build new terminals they learn from their mistakes. Errors in planning cannot be rubbed out, other than with a bulldozer.

Paris CDG Airport review by J Rundo
20 December 2006

Nobody has mentioned what I find to be the worst thing about CDG: the poor lighting: I usually return home to Milan with a flight in the evening and I find it so miserable in the semi-darkness of CDG - let alone those "subterranean" cafés where everything is finished by 800pm.

Paris CDG Airport review by J Bertani
27 November 2006

Frequently transiting in CDG I agree it is not passenger friendly place. Waiting in the landside can be very boring due to the non existence of shops there. Terminal 2ABCD are just not up to date to accommodate so many passengers and flights. As previously suggested, in order to avoid massive lines at the transit security desks, go out through immigration at the arrival and take a short walk to your terminal of departure. That will make your life easier especially at peak hours.

Paris CDG Airport review by J Kemp
21 November 2006

Nothing is either easy or pleasant about CDG, regardless of the terminal you happen to be using. I am a frequent traveller based in Paris and have no choice but to use this facility, and I must say that amongst the major airhubs in the world, CDG is by any measure the worst. I have written my critique of this facility in these columns before, and 6 years on, if anything, things have gotten worse. Check-in, particularly in 2A/B/C/D is beyond chaotic, particularly at peak travel times. There is literally not enough room to queue, and getting through security on time is a virtual nightmare. There are no priority channels, and in any event there are too few channels, period. In the terminal itself, again regardless which one of the 7 terminals you may be in, seating is poor, toilets tend to be filthy and few in number, and restaurants and coffee shops definitely lacking. Staff tend to be unhelpful and unpleasant, and give the impression that they could not care less, whether they are selling a € 100 bottle of perfume or a packet of chewing gum. Obtaining information can be very challenging, and if you don't speak French, either buy a dictionary or pray. If you are connecting in CDG, forget the dictionary, just pray! If you can avoid CDG altogether, you'll be a happier person for doing so.

Paris CDG Airport review by L Thiry
17 October 2006

I often travel between Detroit and Paris, and I always dread the time I must spend at CDG. Horrible is too kind of a word to describe this place. Way too busy, poorly organized, dirty are words that describe it well. Bathrooms tend to be dirty, and I have even experienced trying to wash my hands in a bathroom that had no functioning running water. Very inaccessible for elderly, physically challenged, or people travelling with small children. Deplaning is done with the antiquated staircase that hooks up to the plane. This is followed my a long, crowded, bumpy bus ride. The convenience of having the TGV station right inside the airport is a plus, but it too poses problems for those with mobility problems, or those simply burdened with luggage. There is limited elevator access down to the station level (I think there are only 4 elevators--not adequate during busy travel periods.). Your other choice is to take escalators. Not easy with several large bags. Last time I flew out of CDG they incorrectly posted the gate number for Detroit, then neglected to inform the passengers. We had to ask several people, and I think they changed our gate about 5 times before getting it correct. I don't know who designed this place, but they certainly neglected the architectural rule of form following function. The most unfunctional passenger unfriendly airport I've seen--unfortunately it's the only international airport in France, and it will continue to be an unpleasant part of my life.

Paris CDG Airport review by Jochen Iwan
15 October 2006

I'm frequently using CDG as transit airport with AF for flights from Zurich to Asian destinations. I flew 5 times this year via CDG and 3 times my luggage went lost. Even I got the luggage back within 1-2 days later I cannot understand how this can be and how AF can offer to the customers flights with 1 hour transit time only, When you have to change the terminals, 2 hours would be the minimum time which is required to pass the overloaded security checks and to drive with the packed transit buses to your transit terminal. May be a useful hint to save time on transit at CDG: Instead of queuing at the sometimes impossible long lines at the security checks in the transit ways you can pass the immigration and after the arrival hall you go up to the departure hall where the queues are normally in an acceptable length.

Paris CDG Airport review by Martin Thomsin
30 September 2006

The worst airport terminal (2B) I have ever visited. Signage is apalling, especially upon arrival where you haven't a clue where to go to find immigration. The RER is not sign-posted until you are practically at it and once you are there you can't buy a ticket at the machines with notes or non-French credit cards (you only find that out after queuing for 15 minutes.) You then join the enormous queue for the ticket-office. To check-in you have to pass through passport control first which could confuse many and I was refused entry without a hard copy of my e-ticket. Just what is the point of an e-ticket one wonders. And once you check in there are approx 10 seats for the entire travelling public, unless you go straight through to the departure lounge where there are no services. Total and utter chaos.

Paris CDG Airport review by Jeremy Irwin-Singer
27 September 2006

We were unlucky enough to travel through this airport on our way to Madagascar. The flight in was fine, but that was where it ended. Designed in the '60s and '70s, it has these so called "Satellites" which contain the gates. This means walking distances are huge, signage is difficult to read, the building is damp and is littered with rubbish. The central circle of Terminal 1 has no room for expansion, so terminals 2 and 3 are miles away, by bus, which is infrequent and badly signed. We ended up going around our plane twice. We only found out after we came back that Terminal 2A is Terminal 2 Satellite A. This information would have been helpful, but was nowhere to be seen. On our way back, we missed our connection, due to the stupid busses. Again we travelled around our plane, and even saw it leave. There were no toilets anywhere; one couple with their infant son were forced to let him pea in a flower pot, because there were no toilets in the departure gates! Finding a restaurant was another problem, the food tasted foul, and was located miles away from where the departure gates were. Terminal 1 (I think) where the baggage reclaim is has stupid people movers which interweave each other to get around the central dome, with zero signposts, so we could not collect our baggage easily. We were relieved when we got back to Heathrow, as it was a thousand times better. Avoid at all costs.

Paris CDG Airport review by Peter O'Brien
6 September 2006

CDG is under extensive renovation. You should give yourself at least 2 hours for connections. On a recent flight from PHL to Rome on AF with a connection in CDG we missed the connection. Problem is that we parked on the apron and were bused over to a transfer terminal and then reboarded another bus to our terminal. As you can imagine the unloading of full transatlantic flight takes time and the buses wait until they are filled to bursting point. Other than that the airport is clean and airy and I found the shops and amenities adequate.

Paris CDG Airport review by Brian Murphy
26 August 2006

Recently flew a number of times during the month of August through Roissy CDG Terminal 2F. Thankfully the airport authorities appear at last to be addressing some of the shortcomings previously posted on this site. I was delighted to see that since August 1, 2006, smoking is now forbidden in the cafes downstairs in 2F airside. In addition, another recent addition is the placing of palm trees at the baggage arrivals area and just outside in the main arrivals area. This small touch has certainly taken the cold sting away from an otherwise dated and somewhat chilly terminal in atmosphere. Hopefully, the authorities will now continue to upgrade facilities in Terminal 2F and replace the tatty and old carpets and seat upholstery, which are a disgrace. One final comment for travellers in transit - if you are passing through security to gates F41-F46, from a connecting terminal prepare for a huge wait. The notice says 10 minutes - I spent closer to 30 minutes there yesterday, until such time as Air France took some initiative and called any passengers taking the Seoul and Dubai flights which were near final boarding and were able to fast-track them through a dedicated security line. Clearly, the airport needs to look carefully at this area of congestion.

Paris CDG Airport review by Paul Browne
21 June 2006

Recently flew BA in and out of CDG T2B and was somewhat apprehensive given the comments made here and on other message boards. Nothing could have been further from the truth! We were at Baggage Claim within 2 mins of walking off the aircraft and 5 mins after that we were outside getting into the Shuttle. Very helpful BA staff in the Baggage area organised our transportation too. On our return, checked in very quickly using the check-in machines but despite it being the busiest time of the day there was only one security guard on duty with 4 other unmanned desks. This slowed us down a bit but we had a couple of hours to kill, unfortunately in a mediocre Business Class longe shared by BA and AF. All in all, our 2 experiences did not mirror the bad press we had read.

Paris CDG Airport review by Ron Kuhlmann
10 June 2006

I had a poor opinion of CDG from last year and found that, if anything, I had been too kind in calling it horrible. Luggage claim for AA is a tiny area, virtually filled with carts and allowing almost no movement to retrieve bags or to exit once the bags are in hand. The corridors are cramped and ziggzagging along compares unfavorably to a cheap video game. Security and immigration on departure are exercises in contortions as no less than 5 empty wheelchairs squeezed through against traffic after delivering passengers to the gate. I find it incredible that they have no egress except to barge through against the lines. I love Paris and France but will avoid any more flights into, out of or through CDG.

Paris CDG Airport review by Bob Adamczyk
3 June 2006

I fly CDG at least 4-5 times a year. CDG is one of the busiest airports in the world. If you compare it to JFK or LAX (especially as a non- native speaker of English,try and find someone at JFK who speaks French, Croatian or Farsi ! ). You just have to approach the people with the right attitude, attempt to speak their language first, and act as if they might be able to help you, but don't make unreasonable requests or demands ! Terminal 2C was pretty crowded to depart from at midday in the past, but now that Terminal 2E has been reopened, some of the crowding has been reduced. I recently flew out of 2E on AF in April. The terminal was large, spacious and not overcrowded. Decent, fresh food was available at the boulangerie (not plastic-wrapped, 3 days old like in the US). The Air France lounge for AF and Skyteam Elite was large, spacious and had a good assortment of drinks, wines and sandwiches, all complimentary. Until the 2E departure gate area is reconstructed, passengers will still have to depart out of a temporary area via bus and be shuttled to their flight. If you are connecting,: don't consider it with less than a 2 hr connection.

Paris CDG Airport review by D Blomgren
24 May 2006

CDG Terminal 2E. The experience was close to inhumane. Passengers flying Delta from Paris were herded onto a bus like standing cattle. Then the bus pulls away from the "salon" and sits - this time for 40 minutes with the ventilation system turned off - while other buses are loaded. We had several elderly people nearly faint and the crowd started begging for air and to be set free. The driver is separated from the crowd by a glass window and does his best to ignore the passengers. The Delta flight crew did its best to calm the enraged crowd - they've grown accustomed to furious passengers boarding after the mistreatment on the ground at CDG. United uses Terminal 1. Others do as well. If you are traveling with elderly people or others who cannot easily climb many stairs or stand in a crowded bus for about an hour, or who simply prefer to breathe, we would recommend using those airlines and to avoid Delta and Air France for trips to Paris. At least until terminal 2E is fixed (which could be a year or so).