PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  27 June 2009 : by M Fukuda   (Japan)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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I never imagined such a complicated airport like CDG. It was my first time to fly from Osaka to Munich via Paris. I asked one of the staffs there which gate I should go, for there was no information about my next flight on the nearby departure screens. But what is the worst thing in CDG is definitely that only a few staff can speak English and they are very rude. I can't speak French, and I reckon it caused me some troubles. I was so tired after 12 hours flight, and although I managed to reach the departure gate in time, the plane had already gone. They left just because the passengers were full, I mean all boarded except me! Consequently I had to stay in Paris overnight because the flight was the last one of that day.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  27 June 2009 : by B Holdstock   (Australia)

Customer Rating :  5/5

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Flew from Perth, Australia to Paris onto Tel Aviv - entered and exited via Terminal 2 E. Was very impressed with what I saw. It was 6am the first time around. I enjoyed a coffee, croissant and walked around the shops. I thought the architecture, lines and design of the new buildings were outstanding. I easily found my way around. Helpful staff were waiting to point people in the right direction. The same can be said for returning 5 weeks later. I had a small dinner of a drink and sandwich - under 10 Euros. Once again walked around and had a good snoop at the shops. Some were closing as it was nearing 10 o'clock. The toilets were clean and large. After reading so many bad reviews I was fearful of landing in Paris. I felt I had to say thanks for a smooth transfer. Staff at security were friendly. Exit Tel Aviv then you have something to complain about !

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  23 June 2009 : by G Dowty   (USA)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Transiting from Copenhagen through Paris was like being in a cattle call. The mob scene at the additional security check was frightening with literally thousands of people fighting their way through completely disorganized and chaotic non-lines with at least 12 abreast trying to make it through 3 security stations. The very few staff that could be seen were totally nonchalant and unconcerned. I echo the previous post about amenities in 2E. Few sanitary facilities, food or other resources. Stay away from this airport if at all possible.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  14 June 2009 : by K van Rijn  (France)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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As a frequent user of Charles de Gaulle Airport and most of it's terminals, my 3 year experiences. This airport is only an international airport by number of flights - not by standard or comfort. CDG is a confused disarrangement of buildings of different eras - from formerly futuristic, but now totally outdated and dark Terminal 1 to undersized Terminals 2 and shanty-like Terminal 3. Somehow randomly connected, inconsistently signposted, during late hours frighteningly deserted, during rush hours incredibly overcrowded, passengers in transit should take more than the usual time for this little adventure. Moreover, absurd organisation and bad planning bother travellers. Person checking tickets before ticket machines and counters are available, insufficient number of seats, running out of food at snack bars, bad distribution of passengers to security control, control of the stream of passengers by acclamation, and much more bad experiences. The worst of all is that travellers cannot count on any improvement as there are no major comprehensive works, rearrangements or reconstructions in sight - building a new airport in a different locality seems to be the only solution.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  10 June 2009 : by Michael Orridge  (France)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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Live in Paris and fly out regularly. RER B is so unreliable that I'm forced to leave a good few hours before the flight meaning that I'm either too early and sat around waiting (if there's no problems) or have to sprint through the terminal (if the RER decides in characteristic fashion to wait between stations for an unspecified length of time). Major complaint with the airport itself is the design of T2, if you're cautious about the time and go though security ASAP you'll find that there's very little on the other side, sometimes just a cafe and some toilets - sometimes not even toilets (cue screaming children who need the loo and are unable to go). Food offerings at the airport are also limited, the whole thing could do with some colour on top of the bare concrete, and the systems dont ever seem to work that well (eg not enough passport checkers at peak times, a PA system that isn't loud enough meaning that you can't hear if your flight is being called whilst you're waiting for security).

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  1 June 2009 : by S McMillan  (USA)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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Upon arriving at the airport is the lack of signage. Although terminal 2 was clearly marked, there was no indication of what airlines were in a specific terminal. It was only after we asked the driver that we determined what terminal to get off at. (We were flying American.) Inside the terminal things were no better. Although the monitors displayed where to check in for our flight, there were at least three different signs pointing three different directions for where we needed to be. (One pointed to a wall.) Check-in itself was quite efficient. There was only one restaurant near our gate and the food choices were singularly uninspiring. (The AA lounge wasn't much better - fortunately, we didn't have long to wait.) Despite the fact there was an available jetway, they transported us to our aircraft by bus. This is far from a world class airport.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  20 May 2009 : by Pete Crowman  (Romania)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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It is old, disorganized, mis-signed. I followed the signs to terminal 2A, and then got stuck at a dead end. I was staring at a huge sign with arrow <- for terminal 2a, facing a boarded up hallway entrance. No other sign indicating how one was supposed to route to the terminal. I was helped by an Air France employee who took me down stairs through the personnel only section. We passed some police, and he was like "no problem, he's with me." We cut under the airport drive through an employee only parking garage, some more zones and then I was delivered through a back entrance to Terminal 2a. Another soldier asked me if I was going to Tel Aviv (I wonder, do Tel Aviv passengers often appear from back entrances?), and then instructed me to go down a dark hallway. Ended up in 2a. The AA lounge is nice, but the airport as a whole needs to be much better if it is going to compete in the Eeuropean hub category.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  20 May 2009 : by Peter Lee  (Singapore)

Customer Rating :  1/5

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This is one of the worst airports I have ever been to - the only one to lose my baggage in a 3 hour transit! Facilities are dreadful, prices unrealistic, and all round service with a frown.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  14 May 2009 : by E Grossman

Customer Rating :  1/5

Avoid at all costs if you have any photographic equipment. While they have an x-ray, they seem to lack an understanding of its use and have you unpack all of your gear onto trays - what is the point to have the x-ray I ask. They do not use the explosive residue swab system for densely packed bags. Rude and arrogant, uncaring staff who could care less that you have your expensive gear laid out all over the place - bottom line, fly through a technologically savvy country and avoid Paris CDG Airport..

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  5 May 2009 : by William Read

Customer Rating :  2/5

Arriving from Havana, passport checks consisted of two armed police officers standing in a corridor attempting to look at passports; they gave mne a cursory glance only, there was certainly no electronic validation. Hardly adequate for 400 people arriving from Cuba! A bottle of alcohol purchased at Havana Airport was confiscated en route to check in for my connecting flight to Birmingham. The polite official said that this happens all the time especially with UK citizens flying in from Mauritius, the Seychelles and Cuba; he blamed the airports in these holiday destinations for selling the alcohol! He accepted that it weas a nonsense that the passengers on the flight HAV - CDG had taken these "dangerous" bottles of drink on board the 9 hour flight without problems, but were now at great risk boarding the short 1 hour flight to BHX. I was of course free to buy exactly the same alcoholic drink at CDG - and carry it on board my flight to BHX. Lesson - buy any alcohol in Cuba, and pack in your suitcase to avoid confiscation, or avoid CDG if at all possible.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  1 May 2009 : by Richard Dalgleish

Customer Rating :  2/5

The only reason to have a long connection time here is that if you don't, you will probably miss it. Very difficult to move from one terminal to another and the fussiest security I have come across. Long queues, indifferent signage, poor lounges but Terminal 2E is nice once you can find it!

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  23 April 2009 : by Tom Kingsway

Customer Rating :  3/5

There is no doubt that this is a poorly run facility. Recently took a flight to Toronto from CDG, and despite having numerous gates unoccupied for 2-3 hours, they thought it best to park a large 400 passenger jet across the tarmac, forcing passengers to take a bus, which took 20 minutes. I can understand if this were a small jet, but when trying to shuttle 400 people across an airport, its too much. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Air France terminals are beautiful, but I cannot say the same about the others. One other issue I have is the number of (or really the lacking of) customs staff to process passengers. It takes so long to go through this process because often times, there are only 2 or 3 customs staff processing hundreds if not thousands of passengers arriving or departing. Security is slow as well. Shops are nice, the duty-free shops have a lot of things to offer, but everything else is just so unpleasant.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  23 April 2009 : by T Mozumder

Customer Rating :  3/5

Flew through CDG terminal 2F in April 2009. The architecture of the terminal building is cool. Access to Paris is also good. The terminal itself was functional.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  9 April 2009 : by D Holland

Customer Rating :  3/5

Flew in and out of this airport this week. Luckily only carrying hand luggage and no transfers. CDG is quirky. The signs, the satellite tunnels, lack of toilets, shops, lack of food. I wouldn't want to be delayed too. On the plus, airside assistance super quick on arrival In Terminal 2B - I found loos with plastic disposal covers. I like the way that security is centred on each small number of gates - eg mine was 10-18. Made it quicker. Beware though there is not much to do once inside. However internet access is 2 euro for about 15 mins and you can play play station as well, but those two facilities might not be available at every set of gates. Word of warning. If you are getting the RER B from Central Paris to Terminal 1, getting off at the Terminal 1 stop will actually leave you at terminal 3 (you don't have a choice) and you will need to get CDGVAL to Terminal 1 but be careful what direction you are going. It will say on the side of the train. (T1 px) (T2 px). I had to cross over to get the right one.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  6 April 2009 : by Nick Biskinis

Customer Rating :  0/5

To R Pointida's point about introducing MAGLEV to Paris CDG. That would be prohibitively expensive. However, I was at a transport conference with SNCF and one official told me that the main priority is to improve the current RER B rail link. They want to give the train dedicated tracks so that the frequency will increase. Also planned is a renovation of the trains with more space for luggage and a more ambient interior. Flanking this is the CDG Express project; which would be a 20 minute High Speed train from Gare de L'Est. Tickets are projected to be 20 Euros single - which is way too expensive, and suspect SNCF see the RER upgrade (called RER+) as the way forward.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  21 March 2009 : by N Waughlock

Customer Rating :  1/5

This is the fourth time I fly via CDG to Rio from Stockholm. I know I should blame myself for continuing to use this worse than third world standard airport. But the flights are 300 euros cheaper and the connection 'theoretically' much faster than any other airline/airport combination from Stockholm to Rio. However, this might have been the last time. One can only marvel at the poor standard of pretty much everything at CDG. The rudest staff (even though I speak french fluently), the longest useless seeming corridors, toilets full of cigarette smoke, grotesque inefficiency, signage stopping suddenly with nowhere to go except 1 mile of false corridor, dirty, loud, not seating at all, no food stalls, poor shopping etc. What I mostly wanted to warn about is that your luggage will be delayed! It happened to me 7 out of 8 total flights (90%!). A rule, not an exception. Talking to staff at both Rio and Stockholm airport, they agree, the amount of lost and delayed out of CDG is shockingly large! It doesnt matter if your lay over is only 1 hour or 4-5, they still will not be able to bring your luggage to the next flight. So do not pack anything you are prepared to loose. Do not pack anything you need within the first 2-3 days of your trip (it takes that long for CDG airport to deliver an identified bag from Paris to Stockholm!!).

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  21 March 2009 : by Carsten Spannhuth

Customer Rating :  3/5

I forgot my mobile phone at the security control and realized this before entering the bus to the plane. An airport employee brought me to the landside lounge (where I initially suspected having left the phone), then to security control, where I obtained my phone. I was then driven individually to the plane (the bus had left in the meantime), arriving just when the last passengers entered it. All involved were quite helpful. Well done & many thanks. With all the negative comments re CDG airport, certainly often justified, the positive experiences also merit to be highlighted from time to time.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  13 March 2009 : by R Pontida

Customer Rating :  2/5

I never used the most recent terminals like S3 but I used parts of Terminal 1 and 2 and they are old. It's not a problem of old painting or a lack of upkeep, you can feel that the whole concept isn't accurate anymore. Everything takes more time than in a modern airport. Luggage claim is extremely slow. Transport to Paris is slow and expensive. Departures on the other side were never of a problem. The only thing I like is the high speed trains which make almost every French city (and, as said, also foreign cities) less than 3 hours of train away. I don't know of any other airport in the world being so "close" to so "distant" cities. If they could just keep the high speed train station, add a maglev to the city centre and build a new terminal completely independent of the existing ones, it'd be a nice airport. But for now, it's just a shame to me.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  10 March 2009 : by Rob Boyce

Customer Rating :  2/5

LHR-CDG-Beijing and return with AF. No problems on the way out, but security ridiculous on the way back despite only being a transfer. Full security check by a member of staff who was only really interested in talking to a colleague, and after this immediately stopped for a manual inspection by seperate staff. Job creation at its worst.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  27 February 2009 : by A Myers

Customer Rating :  1/5

The process to get through security and customs is unorganized and badly executed. The airport is confusing, spread out, in sorry shape. Prices are beyond absurd for the simplest things such as a small bottle of water. Directions are confusing with arrows pointing in every which direction for the same destination. This airport is to be avoided if at all possible.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  27 February 2009 : by Adam Farrell

Customer Rating :  1/5

Having flown through the excellent Terminal 2E last year, I thought that Terminal 2B would be at least better than T1. I was astonished at how BASIC it was. One bar / coffee shop to eat at once through into the departures area. Our BA flight to Heathrow was an hour late, not usually a massive inconvenience but dear God there's nought to do or see. Makes Terminal 2 at Heathrow look palatial. Once into the gate there wasn't even a toilet.

PARIS CDG AIRPORT review :  27 February 2009 : by A Hijmans

Customer Rating :  2/5

Terminal 2 looks like it was recently built but it is drab and, frankly speaking, soul- destroying if you happen to have to spend more than an hour there. There are very little facilities, almost no seats. On the positive side, the TGV station there makes CDG a reasonable (and competitively priced) option for passengers from as far afield as Amsterdam.