Paris CDG Airport

Apart from being packed onto a bus every time you arrive from the UK, you get close to the passport control area fairly quickly (20 minutes or so). However, this is where the problems set in. It is not clear at all who goes where (e-control, EU, Non-EU) and there is a severe lack of control/direction given by staff. There is lots of queue-jumping, which goes completely uncontrolled and unpunished (again due to lack of staff). At the passport control, despite there being at least 30 booths, there was 1 or 2 members of staff for non-EU, and only 1 for EU citizens. There was 1 EU only desk, which seemed to be reserved for French passports, but only when the individual decided that she was working. Consider this when there were in excess of, I would estimate, 5,000 people in the three queues. There were verbal and almost physical altercations breaking out in the queues due to the lack of staff, disorganisation and confusion, and although it is bad every time, this time, despite it being January, it was much worse and seems to be getting worse every time. Something needs to be done, especially considering this is a major airport. We would travel to Orly, however, if there is one of the air traffic strikes (or other strike, which do seem commonplace in France) then they usually cancel those airports first and leave flights to CDG, so we aren’t prepared to take the risk. Arrival is simply a total shambles, there is no hiding from this, and when you should be enjoying the start of your trip, it really takes the enjoyment away. If you can avoid it, then do so until it changes and they have more staff and are better organised. Regarding the return trip, let’s just say it is much easier and more pleasant to get out than it is to get in!

The queue for the VAT refund is very messy, and not properly organized. The machines break down and the queue line is not clear with many tourists in groups cutting in. The immigration queue is also very long, not only because of the huge number of people, but the officer serving my queue was chatting with another officer, thus efficiency was degraded.

✅ Verified Review | I arrived 90 minutes already checked in and with no hold luggage before my flight and yet such was the cumbersome inefficiency of this monstrous airport that I missed my flight. The problems are manifold. Sprawling cumbersome illogical layout with poor signage. Sent to auto passport readers which didnt work so had to re-queue. Only half the passport lanes open leading to massive queue. Another queue for security, and ad hoc shifting of the queue meaning that people behind me ended up in front. Treated as if the delays in security are passengers fault by rude security officials. Crammed output side on security meaning trays can't be reached thus time lost. The stock answer to "where is" seems to be "just there". The only saving grace was that Air France put be on a later flight without charge.

✅ Verified Review | Arrived at Paris CDG airport well before the departure time. After getting our boarding pass we waited in passport control for so long that we missed our flight. Had to buy new tickets to get home. The staff were rude and very unhelpful. We were sent to 3 different counters (45-1hr wait on each) before we received some help. It was the worst experience of my life at a European airport - ignorant staff and clearly lacking in manners. So disappointed.

✅ Verified Review | Well upon arrival to the airport there was not many signs to help guide you on where you need to go. It was my first experience of flying to this airport or Paris it's self and found it hard to get help for the trains and transport. On the way back the first security check was horrendous. The security staff were extremely rude from the start. Hurrying you up and rushing you. Yes I understand that there has to be some sort of urgency but that was beyond a joke. I ended up geting flustered and dropping my luggage. But also the way they deal with luggage flinging it through the trays. Maybe they should treat people with a little bit more respect and common descency. This will be the first and last time I use this airport!

✅ Verified Review | My advice to anyone booking their next trip: avoid a layover in CDG at all costs! I arrived from Toronto on my way to Munich on the 3rd of January - admittedly a heavy travel day - with what I thought was time to spare for the transfer. There were odd bottlenecks in the transit hallways, however, which cost time. The 1st security check was chaotic in the extreme with my belongings being filtered through the x-ray machine along with other passengers' beside me. Asking for directions to my next gate became an adventure of misinformation, of 5 people questioned I received 5 different answers. Upon exiting the bus to terminal 1 our passports and boarding passes were checked by a grumpy employee for whom everything seemed so easy there was no need to explain. Passport control was fine and I had thought to be finally through to my gate - only to be greeted by a 2nd full security check. A number of passengers whose flights were boarding (including mine) asked to be let through or let ahead however there was no help whatsoever from personell. "I'm sorry, you will just have to wait" - what, to watch the gate which is not 10 feet from here, close? The incompetence at that 2nd security check was hard to imagine and I had to bully my way to the front of the line and onto my plane. With stress levels at their maximum and the feeling I had left 10 years of my life (and possibly a few belongings) behind me in the airport. I vowed never again to book a transit through Charles de Gaulle.

As much as I would like to, there is not a single nice thing I could say about this airport. I would pay to not have to travel through this place. Firstly, one would expect the employees in an international terminal of one of Europe's busiest airports to actually speak English, but this is apparently not the case. Secondly, we arrived from JFK with a 3 hour delay, therefore missing our connecting flight to Gothenburg. After having been sent to three different terminals by Air France staff, we were finally booked onto a flight through Copenhagen, although we later found out that this flight would not actually be taking place until the next day, and only after more complaining were we put up in a hotel. When then asking for our bags, we were told that because they had been placed in storage we would need to wait 1 hour for them, which turned into 3 hours after we said we were willing to wait (we later found out that our bags had been sent to Sweden without us). The airport staff were rude and acted as though all problems were a personal inconvenience to them, and made it very clear that they could not care any less about any of us getting to our destinations. What started out as a 3 hour delay ended up turning into 30. Additionally, I have never visited a worse planned or more confusing airport. The terminals are far apart, and the connections between them are difficult to understand and take a lot of time. Unless your layover is about 4 hours, expect to have to run or miss your flight.

✅ Verified Review | I was flying from Canada, and we landed at around a bit past 8 am as our flight from Toronto departed half an hour late. I was a bit nervous, as my scheduled connection time was 1 hr 55 min and I knew I had to run as fast as I could to have a chance of making my flight to Athens. I had no checked in luggage on purpose. When I ran to the passport control line, there were about 30 people in front of me, and only one passport control booth open serving both EU and non-EU passengers. In a normal airport, passport control should typically take 30 minutes at the most, but because there was only one booth open, I was standing in that line for >50 minutes. Passengers tried to ask them to find more personnel, and if there was anything they could do move the line along quicker, and they just didn't care (as if they enjoyed making us suffer). The staff made several announcements in French and nobody was willing to translate to English for me. Many people on my plane ended up missing their connections, and it was such a terrible experience.

Paris CDG continues to be the most disappointing airport in Europe. No clear signs, no service, no dining areas, personnel which by the mood send you into depression. Low ceilings, no proper lighting make you feel like in most unfriendly stations if the New York City metro stations.

✅ Verified Review | Our brief experience of CDG took place as we traveled from London to Warsaw with Air France. We were scheduled a transit of 1 hr 15 mins and I was mindful of any delays to our first flight so took the decision to travel with hand baggage only. Our incoming flight arrived early and parked at Terminal 2E's Hall L. We deplaned at 17.55, and took the short walk to Security. After going through we then had to queue for a few minutes at Passport Control. We then passed into Terminal F (at 18.05). This terminal consists of two spurs off the main concourse. Each spur has 16 gates. We arrived at our gate, F30 at 18.25. The main concourse has the retail units, while there are restaurants and coffee bars in the spurs. The overall feel is of an airport from the 70s. It was nostalgic for me (I remember air travel in the 70s when it was considered a luxury) but it's impractical in today's environment. There was so little seating by each gate, and with the increase in "hand-baggage only" travel, there are multitudes of trolley cases being wheeled around. Passengers were sitting on the floor, and it wasn't clear where one gate ended and another began. A very claustrophobic atmosphere, especially as some flights were delayed. The one thing I did like was the fully glass-walled walkways down to the aircraft. Far nicer to see your aircraft waiting for you instead of being herded down a lit corridor adorned with(I get that they may sponsor/pay for these jetties) HSBC posters. Fortunately our wait at the gate was only 30 minutes had we had to wait longer, it would've grown uncomfortable.