I have a one way nonrefundable, nonchangeable ticket from Venice to Paris CDG on Air France and then a separate booking later that day on Air France from Paris CDG to New York JFK. Originally I had left plenty of time on my layover - a little over 4 hours - to allow time in case Air France would not check the bag all the way through and I had retrieve the bag from baggage claim at CDG and then recheck, go through security, passport control, etc. Air France has now cancelled my later CDG-JFK flight and booked me on a flight 2 hours earlier so now my layover is down to 2.5 hours. It is the last flight of the day so there is not an option to change to a later flight (and I prefer not to spend the night in Paris). I cannot change the Venice flight. I will have at least one checked bag. Air France tells me that the gate agent in Venice may in their discretion check the bag through to JFK. The official minimum connection time at CDG is 1.5 hours so assuming the Venice leg is not delayed, I may be able to catch the connection with 2.5 hrs even if I have to recheck the bag but it will be a stressful race to do so. I’m a SkyTeam Elite Plus member so if anyone knows if that will help with priority lines at CDG please let me know. Anyone have any experience with this situation?
Posted by
Redwood City & Uppsala Sweden
656 posts
I would think that AF is the same as Star Alliance & will let you check the bag through, but I'm not an AF user. And since Air France changed your flight, it's no longer a 'non refundable, non changeable' ticket. Call them if you have another flight preference, it's their screw up and you don't have to take what's offered if it doesn't work for you.
You also have a right to compensation for the flight cancellation under EU law, you can file now for it, I took double the compensation from SAS for a cancelled flight in December, for credit on their airline within a year, it was a surprising amount of money.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Unfortunately since the change was made on a separate booking/PNR, the flight change has no bearing on the nonchangeable nature of my Venice to CDG ticket which was on a separate booking. The AF agent confirmed that it remains nonchangeable.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11191 posts
. Air France tells me that the gate agent in Venice may in their discretion check the bag through to JFK.
That is probably the best answer you will get. Hopefully you get friendly ticket agent. No way to know until you are there.
The official minimum connection time at CDG is 1.5 hours
Is that for a single ticket transfer? Or does that apply to DIY separate ticket journeys as well? ( I did not do research to see if there is a distinction. I suspect there is)
At this point you have to compare the cost of a planned overnight in Paris and the cost of changing the CDG-JFK leg. vs. the cost of an unplanned overnight and new ticket purchase if the 2.5 hrs isn't enough time. (in case the VCE-CDG flight is late)