I am looking at the flight options for my December trip to Paris. Once flight has us arriving at the Munich airport from Charlotte, NC and our flight to Paris departs 35 minutes later. Should this be ample time to make it to the next flight?
I find it odd that they'd have the two flights so close together if it wasn't possible, but I'm slightly concerned. That schedule does not allow much time for delays or any other unforseen issues.
Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I think that's awfully close, even if everything goes perfect. And, since you will be entering the Schengen Treaty Zone you will have to go through Passport control. Also, I've been on several flights to Europe from the U.S. that were delayed an hour. However, if you are arriving early in the day, there should be more flights from Munich to Paris, and if there is a delay, the airline SHOULD accommodate you. Ask them. I would presume you are flying USAir :( ? Unfortunately, I don't think USAir has any of their own flights from Munich to Paris.
It would help if you gave us your flight numbers. Munich airport does have a website, and they will show gate numbers for the flights. If you are arriving and leaving from Terminal 2, it's basically a walk down a long hallway between gates, rushed but impossible, particularly if the gates are not to far apart. If you're coming in to T2 and leaving on T1, no way.
The flights are actually on Lufthansa. I checked on the Munich airport site and both flights are in T2.
There is another Lufthansa option that gives us a bit more of a layover. I think I feel more comfortable with that option.
Mainly, I was concerned with being able to get through security and any other checks and board our flight within such a short time frame.
Oh, the flight from Charlotte to Munich is LH 429 and the flight from Munich to Paris is LH 2228. Both do appear to be in T2, but still, 35 minutes is pretty tight.
Thanks!
Unfortunately, they don't put gate numbers on the schedule. The gates might be pretty close.
I've never changed flights in Munich, but I have flown out twice. As I recall, you go through security on the first floor of T2, and then go up escalator to the second floor, which is entirely with security. If you are changing planes in T2, you shouldn't have to go through security again. Lufthansa, it appears, has flight to Paris about every two hours.
I agree that 35 min is a bit short. you do have to clear customs. Unless you are in the front of the plane and run when you get off to get through customs, I'd worry about making the next flight. Can you check to see if you can change to a later connecting flight?
As you mentioned, you are worried about delays...your flight could arrive late, then that 35min window could shrink to 20 min.
This itinerary is offered by the airline and isn’t cobbled together by a novice traveler, so they must have reasonable assurance that the connection time will be okay. Both legs are on Lufthansa equipment instead of codeshare…that might help. It wouldn’t take much of a delay, however, to put your connection at risk. Depending on a variety of factors, airlines can and do hold planes sometimes when there are delays (but I wouldn’t count on it). It feels pretty tight to me, but I’d probably go for it if I really liked the itinerary, especially if there are other flights to Paris later that day. If you really don’t care, I might suggest selecting another itinerary that has more time for your connection for peace of mind. You could call Lufthansa and ask a few questions…gates can change at the last minute, but they should be able to give you an idea regarding the normal proximity of the gates in Munich for these flights. I wish I could provide more color around connections in Munich, but I’ve only flown in and out of that facility. It’s an easy airport…smaller than FRA, newish, and easy to navigate.
Elizabeth,
I was looking at a short connection at MUC earlier this year (did not end up booking it). Munich airport has a minimum connection time of 30 minutes at terminal 2.
Go to the Munich airport website and do a search on connecting time. You will find a page with all the high tech features explaining why they are able to have such a short minimum connecting time. This includes special procedures when flights are delayed such as driving to the plane to pick up connecting passengers. Here is the link:
http://www.munich-airport.de/en/consumer/aufenthalt_trans/airportStop/fastTrans/index.jsp
I'm all for not spending a lot of time in airports, but I usually try to allow a little more time. I've never had that tight of a connection.
In my opinion, Munich is one of the best airports in Europe for connections, so if any airport can manage this it is Munich (although I am still not sure that I would book this tight ... it depends on the other options).
If you stay with the existing connection, and you can't make it because the flight arrives late or you are held up in passport control, I'm sure Lufthansa will put you on the next flight to Paris.
However, if you reschedule now to a later flight, and your flight from Charlotte arrives early or you breeze through passport, and you are sitting there watching your original flight leave and have to spend 2 hours waiting for the next flight, you'll probably regret rescheduling.
I think you should stay with the original schedule. However, do notify your flight attendant about the tight transfer time.
Thank you all for your advice and suggestions!
Wow, second person to post about this issue with 35 minute connection times in Munich. Crazy.
Yes, the airline will take care of you if it's they're fault you miss the connection, but that's too close a call for me personally.
My last flight to Munich had me sitting on the tarmac in Heathrow for 3hrs waiting to take off.
