Topic: Charles De Gaul Airport (CDG)

[johnnypd]

What do you make of terminal 5 rob?

LAX is a bit grim, looks very 70s, is crowded, not enough facilities, hardly any shops. to top it off theyve just installed a new gate for BA and it is smaller than a bus stop, total mess. if you ever fly there id recommend virgin as they avoid the international terminal altogether and land with the domestic planes.

Houston airport is an odd one, ridiculously spread out (everything's bigger in texas!) but the people are dead nice. they also have a fox news store, selling fox news memorabilia with 20 screens playing bill oreilly dvds. weird.

[LooneyToonArmy]

the best airport in the world is Changi in Singapore - it's fantastic - but they measure themselves against Schipol which is the 2md best major airport int eh world

Of the MAJOR airports its a toss up between Heathrow,  LA and Schermetyevo as to the darkest pit

agreed. Of the other major airports I`ve been to Seoul`s airport is fantastic also, very well designed and clean unlike LHR. Tokyo Narita is not that good surprisingly. Detroit`s is $hit

[Mowen]

I love the way that CDG is in brackets in the title, as if no-one would know what Charles De Gaul Airport was without it.

[ChezGiven]

Seeing as i spend half my life there, i should be all over this thread. I'm not because its about as interesting as waiting in line at aformentioned s***-hole.

[Rob W]

What do you make of terminal 5 rob?

LAX is a bit grim, looks very 70s, is crowded, not enough facilities, hardly any shops. to top it off theyve just installed a new gate for BA and it is smaller than a bus stop, total mess. if you ever fly there id recommend virgin as they avoid the international terminal altogether and land with the domestic planes.

Houston airport is an odd one, ridiculously spread out (everything's bigger in texas!) but the people are dead nice. they also have a fox news store, selling fox news memorabilia with 20 screens playing bill oreilly dvds. weird.

Not too bad - if they'd built it 20 years ago it would have been worldbreaking -  a couple of things aren't righ tho'

one is that sometimes when you try and pass security at the north end, which is where all the UK internal flights go from, they send you down to the other end of the terminal to pass security there (I just lurk around until they start letting folk use it again and rush them)

and there is no moving walkway , either landside or airside so it's a bloody long walk there AND back

the eateries are rank - the BA lounge is OK mind

Put baggage through a couple of times and it works OK so far; changing terminals is not wonderful timewise but that's a problem just about anywhere

PS if you want  a spreadout airport try Dallas Forth Worth - there's a six lane highway through the middle of the terminal area...............

[johnnypd]

What do you make of terminal 5 rob?

LAX is a bit grim, looks very 70s, is crowded, not enough facilities, hardly any shops. to top it off theyve just installed a new gate for BA and it is smaller than a bus stop, total mess. if you ever fly there id recommend virgin as they avoid the international terminal altogether and land with the domestic planes.

Houston airport is an odd one, ridiculously spread out (everything's bigger in texas!) but the people are dead nice. they also have a fox news store, selling fox news memorabilia with 20 screens playing bill oreilly dvds. weird.

Not too bad - if they'd built it 20 years ago it would have been worldbreaking -  a couple of things aren't righ tho'

one is that sometimes when you try and pass security at the north end, which is where all the UK internal flights go from, they send you down to the other end of the terminal to pass security there (I just lurk around until they start letting folk use it again and rush them)

and there is no moving walkway , either landside or airside so it's a bloody long walk there AND back

the eateries are rank - the BA lounge is OK mind

Put baggage through a couple of times and it works OK so far; changing terminals is not wonderful timewise but that's a problem just about anywhere

PS if you want  a spreadout airport try Dallas Forth Worth - there's a six lane highway through the middle of the terminal area...............

yeah i thought the security for connecting domestic flights was pretty farcical. its a basic design flaw really, there's only one security point for everyone coming through on a connection, and no space for people to queue, so they have to stand in a narrow corridor that fills up quickly. then you put your bags on an automated conveyor belt, and if you're not through security in time you have to wait a few minutes for it to come back round through the system again, or for it to get stuck in the tunnel and for the whole system to a grind to a complete half as staffers try and dislodge your luggage.

also too much emphasis on posh stuff - 3 or 4 caviar & lobster cafes, expensive jewelry and designer labels, but the provision for things like pharmacists and news agents is actually worse than in the old terminal.

[Nobby]

both of them are a sight better than LHR

LHR > CDG

[LooneyToonArmy]

one of the worlds worst airports ranked alongside airports of Baghdad, New Delhi and Dakar

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4032

[ChezGiven]

I've flown from CDG 22 times this year alone.

CDG is far from the worse airport in France, the new 2G terminal is one of the most efficient i have travelled through. I also love Air France as the service, food, stewardesses are the best on any carrier in the EU. Lufthansa has the nicest planes, but the food is s***.

One of my favourite airports is Copenhagen on account of the lush fish restaurant.

[LooneyToonArmy]

I've flown from CDG 22 times this year alone.

CDG is far from the worse airport in France, the new 2G terminal is one of the most efficient i have travelled through. I also love Air France as the service, food, stewardesses are the best on any carrier in the EU. Lufthansa has the nicest planes, but the food is s***.

Are you with their frequent flyer  program (Flying Blue?).......used to fly AF alot but the charges for their `free` award tickets are fkin ridiculous now, one of the worst around I reckon so I`ve switched my business to Star Alliance with BMI or LH whenever I can.

[ChezGiven]

I've flown from CDG 22 times this year alone.

CDG is far from the worse airport in France, the new 2G terminal is one of the most efficient i have travelled through. I also love Air France as the service, food, stewardesses are the best on any carrier in the EU. Lufthansa has the nicest planes, but the food is s***.

Are you with their frequent flyer  program (Flying Blue?).......used to fly AF alot but the charges for their `free` award tickets are fkin ridiculous now, one of the worst around I reckon so I`ve switched my business to Star Alliance with BMI or LH whenever I can.

I've got an AF goldcard, i fly transatlantic with them 3-4 times a year and their business class is superb. I'm a locked-in customer though because of where i live and work. I'm in star alliance just hardly ever use it.

It's around 20,000 miles for a flexi return to Newcastle, that is quite expensive i suppose.

[LooneyToonArmy]

I've flown from CDG 22 times this year alone.

CDG is far from the worse airport in France, the new 2G terminal is one of the most efficient i have travelled through. I also love Air France as the service, food, stewardesses are the best on any carrier in the EU. Lufthansa has the nicest planes, but the food is s***.

Are you with their frequent flyer  program (Flying Blue?).......used to fly AF alot but the charges for their `free` award tickets are fkin ridiculous now, one of the worst around I reckon so I`ve switched my business to Star Alliance with BMI or LH whenever I can.

I've got an AF goldcard, i fly transatlantic with them 3-4 times a year and their business class is superb. I'm a locked-in customer though because of where i live and work. I'm in star alliance just hardly ever use it.

It's around 20,000 miles for a flexi return to Newcastle, that is quite expensive i suppose.

the miles needed aren`t really the issue but it`s the fuel surcharges that that AF add as part of the `taxes` on the award tickets that other carriers don`t do. To fly to the US return it would cost you 50k miles  plus 175 euros with AF/KL........ but on another carrier`s FF program, in particular the US carriers it costs you 50k miles but only $50 taxes. I`m thinking if I switched to Northwest Airlines` program (who are partners of AF) I can take advantage of the low taxes for award travel.....rather than with Flying Blue and their extorniate charges.

With the miles I do have I try to use them in C or F Business or open ended returns in peak season......never waste them for short haul euro flights.........mind I agree about AF`s Business class like.....canny

[ChezGiven]

I've flown from CDG 22 times this year alone.

CDG is far from the worse airport in France, the new 2G terminal is one of the most efficient i have travelled through. I also love Air France as the service, food, stewardesses are the best on any carrier in the EU. Lufthansa has the nicest planes, but the food is s***.

Are you with their frequent flyer  program (Flying Blue?).......used to fly AF alot but the charges for their `free` award tickets are fkin ridiculous now, one of the worst around I reckon so I`ve switched my business to Star Alliance with BMI or LH whenever I can.

I've got an AF goldcard, i fly transatlantic with them 3-4 times a year and their business class is superb. I'm a locked-in customer though because of where i live and work. I'm in star alliance just hardly ever use it.

It's around 20,000 miles for a flexi return to Newcastle, that is quite expensive i suppose.

the miles needed aren`t really the issue but it`s the fuel surcharges that that AF add as part of the `taxes` on the award tickets that other carriers don`t do. To fly to the US return it would cost you 50k miles  plus 1750 euros with AF/KL........ but on another carrier`s FF program, in particular the US carriers it costs you 50k miles but only $50 taxes. I`m thinking if I switched to Northwest Airlines` program (who are partners of AF) I can take advantage of the low taxes for award travel.....rather than with Flying Blue and their extorniate charges.

With the miles I do have I try to use them in C or F Business or open ended returns in peak season......never waste them for short haul euro flights.........mind I agree about AF`s Business class like.....canny

I've only everr used AF's FF system. I travelled to France on eurostar for over 3 years so i know their system; 3 business class London Paris return = 1 free standard class return, no extra cost. Its a very good FF programme too.

Never had to compare them before really, i'm in France though, choice of carrier isnt really an option in Europe. I flew United a couple of months ago and the trolly dollies were in their 50's and the "flat" seats were a disgrace.

Thanks for the tip on short haul though, i've used them a couple of times for weekend breaks to reduce the cost. Probably not the best idea.

[Rob W]

you should try Northwest - the American Aeroflot (shudder)

[Adam^]

Just found this

9. Paris Charles de Gaulle, France
Why? CDG is on the verge of becoming the worst airport simply because it is suppose to be a first class airport worthy of a first class city. Instead, even third world nations would reject it. The citizens of France are astonished and ashamed of its poor state. Reasons: dirty, ugly, rude staff, inconvenient, expensive food, plastic seating with armrests, steel benches, noise, mean security, high air-conditioning, homeless people, "What a dump", dogs p*ss and s*** on the floor

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/bestof.htm

I'm off to israel in a few weeks, so I either have to go through CDG to get there during the day, or go through Schip and get there at 00:20. I'm really tempted to go through schip like.

[johnnypd]

it's not that bad, depends which terminal you use really and if you have to switch between terminals which can be a big hassle. the terminal that looks like a spaceship made out of concrete with the escalators crisscrossing on the inside is a horror.

[Rob W]

that was the first one - won lots of prizes..... but several times I've followed the herd and finished out in the street without passing Immigration OR Customs  - then you have a hell of fight to get back in to get your luggage

[ChezGiven]

You cant blame the Alzheimers on ADP.