Paris CDG Airport

Terminal 2E Paris. I have never seen such an inefficient terminal as the 2E. Almost all reviews are very negative and I confirm these comments. The 2E terminal is overcrowded and to go to the gates one needs to take a train. The new building is OK but the check-in should take place in that new building. Arrival is a nightmare. It takes a long walk plus train to arrive at the customs. There is not a separation between ECG passport holders and other travellers. It takes a long time to pass customs. The airport found the solution; the delivery of the luggage is extremely slow. Arriving last Saturday it took 1 hour 20 before my priority luggage arrived. Will avoid this terminal.

Paris CDG is a complete abomination with no redeeming values in its favor. From poorly designed terminals (filthy facilities minimalistic architecture malfunctioning heating system) to atrocious food options (there is no diversity and they are constantly packed) from disgruntled security officers who make sarcastic (if not offensive) remarks to people to confusing signalling (it took me 30 minutes to find a taxi) nothing is right here. There are literally no signs written in a language other than French. With Paris being a global tourist mecca and given the phenomenal amounts of foreign tourists that pass through here one would expect staff members there to speak multiple languages. In short Paris CDG is pretty much the worst major European airport. If you want to witness every single negative stereotypes of France without actually visiting France look no further than this airport.

The CDG Air France terminals while modern and lovely and well-maintained have proved to be a nightmare on more than one occasion when transiting from one terminal to another. Corridors and distances are long with twists and turns very bad signage rail links and passages through duty free areas all through which one must traverse to reach your connecting gate. And this doesn't even count the fact that at some point in between these 'roadblocks' one will need to pass through immigration and security once again. My most recent connection was on October 14th arriving at CDG from Nice in order to connect to Chicago. I was met by an unimaginably long line for immigration which took nearly one hour to pass through. I had only 45 minutes to connect to my flight as my inbound from Nice was delayed. There is absolutely no attempt made to ascertain who has a crucially short connection. Its literally everyone for themselves and you are met only with a shrug form the queue monitors. I ended up running to catch the flight and the only reason I made it was because the plane was being held for connections. In short if you are making a connection forget about CDG unless you have hours to do so. If you are originating from there its better but one still must get there especially early. It really is a shame as the new Skyteam terminals are quite lovely. Unfortunately they were very poorly planned.

Changing planes in middle of night from regional to long haul. Half mile walk through bare concrete tunnels between gates with 1 hour connection to find having to line up for full security check. Only made connecting flight when gate supervisor realised his passengers had not appeared and came looking. With sole exception of gate supervisor there was no assistance from airport staff at all and passengers left to find own way. No assistance for passengers with walking difficulty no wheelchairs or trolleys.

This airport is simply worsening from year to year. The facilities are so scattered through the many different terminals that at the end you feel like you are traveling through a regional airport but with the inconveniences of a large airport such as long queuing times and very long walks for transit. I traveled with my 2 year old son last month arrived to terminal 2E from Taipei via Hong Kong and was transferring to a flight for Algiers. At CDG they refused to return the stroller to me at the Jetway citing regulations. Because the arriving flight was late I had to run carrying my son and backpack for a continuous 30 minutes to make the other flight in terminal 2F. Additionally when going through security there were numerous non-French speaking passengers in the queue and I was ashamed to witness how the airport staff were cracking jokes and making inappropriate comments in French on the appearances of some passengers. This airport and especially its staff is an embarrassment for France.

Horrendous. A line of 300+ people getting busier by the minute. There were 3 'officers' on duty checking passports one by one packing up and leaving just one person to check all these passports. Occasionally one of their associates would interrupt them so work would stop while they had a laugh. The atmosphere in the hall was tense I was expecting a riot at one point. The one person who was working was taking at least 3 minutes per person. The passport staff are incompetent here. They were actively trying to go slowly. At one point another operative came on duty and spent 5 minutes preparing taking off his coat cleaning his glasses sharpening his pencil etc. a lady clearly flustered late and stressed approached his window and was greeted with a tirade of abuse. No one is in charge. No one takes responsibility. Shame on you if you work in passport control here.

I just can't understand why people say it's so good. Arrived at Terminal 2E. Was a long walk to get to train let alone after the train. Around a 1.8km walk just to get to immigration and only one person working who was moody and not helpful at all. Getting to the baggage hall was easy but signs were unclear. People standing everywhere blocking everyone's way - that makes the airport worse. Bus transportation was close but then it was still a long walk to the bus stop. Luckily there was an information desk at the airport which helped us a lot.

Having read many reviews that reckon CDG is "the pits" I was more than surprised by the quick and speedy transit from plane to train on my recent (and first) visit). Disembarked at Terminal 1 at 0710 on a Sunday morning (9th Sep) after a flight from BKK. By 0730 I'd passed through immigration and collected luggage. Followed signs for shuttle service to RER station and was on a train heading to city by 0800. Any staff I dealt with (immigration and railway) were courteous and efficient.

I really don't know how anybody could complain about LHR after experiencing CDG 2E. The wait at security was very long but this was alleviating when they opened a new lane for "French Passports" (is this allowed in the EU). Still I had enough time to have a brunch before boarding my flight at about 10.00. But I was wrong! There are a myriad of chocolate shops etc. but the food court upstairs was shut. The only option was a pre-packed sandwich and to wait in line for over half an hour to pay. What on earth is the management playing at? If using 2E don't bank on being able to eat airside.

My first experience of this airport in transit LHR-JHB. My Air France e-ticket stated only breakfast served inflight with a 23.20 departure. Realising that Airport eateries are usually expensive decided I would try some French cuisine and have my evening meal at CDG. What a joke. Only snack bars and not even prepared to serve what was on the menu. Have what was already prepared and in the chiller or nothing. Very run down facilities and lots of non-working screens. Also very grubby stained and worn carpets seats etc. Had no problem with getting between terminals but agree distinct lack of signage. Other than Dar es Salaam perhaps the worst airport I have been through having said that in fairness was streets ahead of Dar.