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PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  16 August 2010 by Viraf Khan   (Hong Kong)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Used CDG to transit from HKG to BRS. While the incoming flight from Hong Kong used the aerobridge, the flight to Bristol required a ten minute bus drive on the tarmac to reach the plane. This after having to first get my bearings, locate a map of where I was, obtain my connecting gate number, locate the new gate again on the map, figure out how to reach there, then take an internal train within 2E to change gates. As several users of CDG have pointed out earlier, signage is confusing, and a simple matter of arriving at one gate and getting to the next, even within the same terminal, is a trip itself. Also, until 1030am the only food available inside 2E restricted area are sandwiches and pastries. Tip for those using CDG for transit - don't, unless you have at least 3 hours, anything less and either you or your baggage or both will not be on the connecting flight.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  15 August 2010 by Astrid Knoblauch   (Switzerland)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Always problems at CDG! You leave the plane, there's no flight information screen in the first place, little staff and its always cold! They make you walk very long distances (which you have to run otherwise you miss your connection!!), just to get on a bus - which is not coming frequently enough. In the gate you run again long distances. Staff rather chat than being effective at security control. Signage is confusing, getting around no fun - missing connections seems to be common.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  9 August 2010 by John Oram   (UK)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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The poor reviews of CDG are the correct ones. I flew there on 7 August only because I was taking advantage of the promotional fare on Air France's A380. I was apprehensive and right to be so. Although more light reaches the upper level, the terminal lower level is gloomy. The walking distances are unbelievable; we took a shuttle train within 2E and still had considerable walks in the same terminal and, subsequently, from baggage claim to RER station. Baggage arrived at a carousel other than that advertised on the plane's information screen. I did not see any master screen to direct one to the correct carousel. Ticket machines on the cluttered station concourse were difficult to spot but do take 'foreign' credit cards which they used not to (a long time ago). I get the impression that to use CDG you need to be French and certainly able bodied.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  5 August 2010 by G Phoebus   (USA)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Charles de Gaulle airport is dirty, gloomy and filled with homeless people in the public areas. Most bathrooms are filthy and the grounds aren't much better. The organization is a complete mess. I'm French and I have a hard time finding my way around it. I can only imagine how foreigners might fare! I cannot believe we pay huge airport fees as part of our tickets for the privilege of struggling in airports like this one. On top of it all, try making it through Charles de Gaulle Airport without being held hostage by one of the personnel strikes. They have them pretty much every week, which adds chaos to confusion! Avoid CDG like the plague, London and Amsterdam combined with low-cost European airlines will get you where you need to go, even in provincial France, under much better conditions.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  29 July 2010 by P Smith   (Canada)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Transferring within Terminal 2 (2D to 2F). The terminal is architecturally interesting but not practical: waiting areas are too small, washrooms are small and hard to find, departure boards only show flights for the next hour or so which leaves you constantly guessing, and signage is poor. I arrived from a transatlantic flight and had a hard time figuring out where to go to make my connection. On the plus side, the food is decent and the shopping is OK. There are better airports for European transfers.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  22 July 2010 by Patrick Jordan   (Ireland)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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21 July, arrived early for my evening flight to Dublin as there was strike action by air traffic controllers, and I wanted to allow extra time in case of additional crowds. I was pleasantly surprised to note that there was no crowds, so used the time to have an excellent meal at airport restaurant. Prices reasonable for an airport restaurant. I was very annoyed to find a lengthy queue for passport control. Only one of the two available booths was operating, and when we finally arrived at the booth, the official was too busy with his mobile phone to take more than a cursory glance at our passports. So much for security, let alone customer service. Paris is a lovely city with much to offer, but if leaving is so troublesome, it would deter visitors.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  3 July 2010 by F Dellera   (Italy)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Terminal 1 at arrival and departure, both times a revolting experience. Barely made it to my flight after needing 4.5 hours from Paris Gare du Nord to my departure gate - Schenghen flight. The so-called architecture of this airport is an insult to those passengers that have to use this disgrace of a labyrinth that should be demolished and rebuilt from scratch. The tiny and crowded walkways, the redundant direction displays contradicting each other, the feeling of being buried alive in a nuclear shelter, even the lack of shops! Staff was outrageous at best, witnessed several members of check-in the staff snapping at confused Asian tourists. Once you get through the security controls, be ready to stand in line for up to 20 minutes for a bottle of overpriced water at the single bar. Need to use the restroom? Too bad there's a flight boarding in front of it- the gate has been strategically located right between the exit of the security controls and the beginning of the queue, with only a few dozens of chairs available. I will never use this airport again.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  2 July 2010 by K Lloyd   (UK)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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The staff were unfriendly and unhelpful, pushing everyone out of the way with a queue barrier and I was also pushed into the crowd by the woman moving a security computer. The airport looks outdated and the staff are unfriendly - I was shouted at by a cleaner in the toilet and had to use the mens. We were not called for our flight and there is nothing to do or see in the airport and we only realised the flight was leaving when everyone was boarding as we hadn't been called. Booarding was a free for all with no effective system.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  29 June 2010 by A Jones   (UK)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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The place is an homage to aesthetic design but does not work in practice. Everywhere takes an age to get to. Getting from outlying lounges to the railway station is a nightmare. The food range is terrible and pokey subterranean cafes close by the departure gates are laughable serving a poor range and poor standard of food at ridiculous prices. French cuisine - you should hang your head in shame. Customer friendly - no. The place is too warm especially in the summer months. If you have less than 1hour 30 minutes to get from one plane to another you have no chance with immigration / security. Even if you make your plane, chances are your luggage will not.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  15 June 2010 by N Barber   (USA)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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I flew from Chicago to Tel Aviv via Paris. Since Air France was having problems at O'hare the flight was delayed, and I missed the connecting flight to Tel Aviv. I had to pass seven hours at CDG Airport, but found it to be clean and employees very friendly. I was given a free card to call my family in Israel to tell them I was coming on the next flight, as well as a voucher for food. I wasn't happy about having missed my connection, but this wasn't the airport's fault. On my way back to Chicago I had very little time to make my connection and the line at the security checkpoint was long, but it went pretty fast. What irked me a little bit was that just before entering the plane my bags were turned inside out and checked again - this after I had just gone through security. What could I have possibly accrued during the several minutes between here and there?

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  7 June 2010 by A Stroh   (Germany)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Definitely the worst European airport I have come through. Signposting is fine, everything else is terrible. It's incredible that they board a number of intercontinental flights out of 2A-D which is the worst part of terminal two - no A/C, not enough seats, hundreds of people have to queue where all other pax need to pass to find their gates, etc. 2E+F are a little cleaner, more modern and slightly more comfortable. 2G is a joke, they should call it terminal 4, since it has nothing to do with the terminal 2 building. Security procedures are slow. It's a kind of lottery how much time it will cost and if the airport staff is able to communicate in English. Meanwhile, it's guaranteed that nobody will assist you in a friendly manner - except for some airline staff if you're lucky. Shopping and food is very poor in any concourse.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  1 June 2010 by M Guillemard   (France)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Terminal 2D is obsolete, flows are confused (arrival and departure passengers flows mix in the terminal), no air conditioning and it was very hot on the end of May, pity the poor passengers that will fly in July. Not enough room, not enough toilets, safety check is long, very few eating possibilities in the terminal, and the waiting rooms (after safety) are crowded, with no shops, not enough seating. The ceilings are low, building is not clean at all. Boarding bone by Bus. When we came in, we had to wait for more than 30 minutes to get our baggage. Flew from 2E also, it is slightly better.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  11 May 2010 by Natalija Hveckovica   (Latvia)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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The worst airport I've seen. We used Terminal I. Never ending queues. It took us more than two hours to check-in. Afterwards we were such in a hurry that my daughter left her shoulder bag and a mobile phone before the passport control. We were asking for help of the airport staff to get it back. Nobody did anything to help us. Neither we were allowed to leave the security- check area and go and pick up the bag. Although we finally spent a while at the security check (another experience I just don't want to remember). One of the CDG emploees told us to forget about the bag and there was no chance we get it back. Have never seen such unfriendly attitude. It's a pity this is the only way for us to get to Paris.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  10 May 2010 by Daniel Smit   (Netherlands)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Transfer from 2E (arrival from JFK) to gate 2F (departure to AMS) lasted more than 45 minutes only walking & doing, safety & customs procedures (20 minutes) excluded! How can both Air France as KLM give me only 60 minutes within their schedules to transfer?

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  10 May 2010 by Ian McNulty   (Denmark)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Transfering from 2D to 2F on a Sunday mid-morning - fine. Inbound and outbound were both Air France flights. Walked between the two - signposting worked OK for me. Didn't look for transfer bus. Passport queue when going into 2F, but I was in "business" line so was quicker than would have been otherwise. Only one immigration booth open though! Business lounge in 2F was full - no seats available. Gloomy place. Flew back into 2E on a Saturday afternoon, no queue for immigration - several officials on duty. Walked to 2D - signposting OK. Business lounge far better, located at level above main concourse - lighter, more relaxing than that in 2F. No shower facilities - having just flown in from Brazil I felt as though I needed one! Lady at desk said that shower facilities only available in 2C lounge. Security through to boarding gate areas - slow, could definitely be more efficient/effective. Boarding area concourse crowded - insufficient space for all passengers.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  4 May 2010 by Erich Koller   (Switzerland)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Arrival in CDG terminal 1 (star alliance) was okay as we arrived within Schengen area and had no passport control to go through and travelling only with hand luggage. The real problems started on departure. Swissport as the handling agent for Swiss was extremely unfriendly, staff a mixture of rudeness and total incompetence. Security executed by another company also could have done a better job with processes that are definitely 3 years behind up-to-date standards. Shops are overpriced and facilities could have been cleaner. All this combined with an outdated airport layout of terminal 1 (nobody's fault) and with recent renovation work done that shows no real positive effect makes this wonderful city of Paris a place to visit rather by train than air, especially when you travel within Europe.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  2 May 2010 by N Sutherland   (UK)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Arrived at 2C and departed 2B the next day. Immigration was OK but had to wait 45 minutes for bags at 8pm. Shuttle to an extremely expensive Airport Hotel was OK as was the return. 2B is a dreadful terminal with uncomfortable seating, an incomprehensible sound system and toilets your couldn't get your luggage trolley into. In Departures Duty Free seemed OK on selection and price, but the restaurants/bars were very basic and quite expensive. The Gate Areas weren't air conditioned (or it wasn't working) and although it wasn't a particularly warm day the atmosphere was stifling and very uncomfortable. Not a good experience - it's been a few years since I've been through CDG and hopefully it'll be at least that long again before I have to use the place.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  21 April 2010 by N Farlinghand   (Canada)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Arrived at terminal 2F, departing from the same terminal. We unloaded and had to go through security again to get to the departures concourse - strange. Security was very slow. Terminal airside with lots of room, but not enough bathrooms were available. Food limited and was very expensive. On the return, we had to change terminals from 2C to 2F. Our bags were checked through, and bus transfer was quick and easy. Security this time was much faster at terminal 2F. This time, the Friday morning was busy, and huge lines of people at gates took up all the walking space in the terminal, which I thought would burst with all the people! Staff were fine, but didn't go out of their way to make anyone feel welcome. I think if you're connecting on Air France, the key airline at CDG, you are fine, as they seem to rule this airport!

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  13 April 2010 by J Richter   (USA)

Customer Rating :  3/5

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Arriving in Paris was easier then departing. Terminal 2A is hard to maneuver through, Finding the American Airlines Ticket counter was hard. I was a wheel chair passenger so getting through the lines was easier then having to walk through them, my partner was walking behind us. Getting through customs was easier then I thought. The distance to the gates is very long. All the gate area's are closed till 1 hour before boarding. I was taken by the American Airlines Admirals club so I was able to do a little last minute shopping. The airport seemed clean but very congested. The gate areas seemed very old and outdated.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  7 April 2010 by A van Werven   (Netherlands)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Having seen many airports big and small, this is definitely the worst. To be avoided at all costs. It's dirty, chaotic, terribly inefficient with the longest queues I've been in, toilets are hard to find and often cleaned simultaneously (so you can't "go" anywhere for a while), interesting shops/eateries/bars are either rare or absent, airport staff and store employees are unfriendly. PA announcements are in French and English but the English version is often incomprehensible. On the upside, baggage handling seems relatively efficient. Probably the best thing about this airport is leaving to never ever return.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  28 March 2010 by C Hillaire-Marcel   (Canada)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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CDG airport takes the lead in Europe with respect to its total indifference to passengers. Connections between terminals are simply a nightmare for passengers with short transfers, disabled people, parents with children, aged people. Current practice: you are supposed to arrive terminal 2F, but for some obscure reason, you arrive terminal 2E, then are asked to use a narrow metallic staircase at the extremity of the gateway, then take a bus that, following a maze-course, will drop you at terminal 2D. From where, if you have a connection you may have to return to 2E on foot (shuttle buses might have a quite low frequency between terminals !), or even worse, use another bus to reach an obscure terminal 2G right in the middle of nowhere.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT customer review :  28 March 2010 by Brian Smith   (Japan)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Connecting was rather difficult as there is lots of walking, but unlike other posts, I found the signs to be adequate in getting you in the right place, and they have machines stationed all over that you scan your boarding pass and it tells you what terminal you are supposed to get to. Security lines understaffed and long. If you're a business class passenger, you can get through them fairly quickly with preference. The food was overpriced inside the terminals, inter-Europe flight gates in 2F were crowded and many via bus gates, and toilets are downstairs and hard to find. When I left directly from Paris, I found terminal 2E nice. It was crowded and check-in lines were long, but through security the terminal was large, airy, and had enough shops and eating options to occupy time until departure.