50 minute layover in Munich

[Denversail]

I'm flying to Rome in September and my layover in Munich is only 50 minutes. Is this enough time? I'll be flying business class so will be first off plane. I also figure at that point I'm so close to Rome that even if I miss my connection it won't take long to catch another flight. It also seems to me with all the flying time that they are less likely to be late than a domestic flight, is this true? Should I be concerned?

[MeHeartCruising]

Is your arrival in Munich a flight from the United States or somewhere in Europe (specifically, a Schengen country)?  If arriving from the US, you will need to clear passport control upon arrival before you can connect to the flight to Rome.  So, that could make it quite tight, depending on the lines at passport control.  If you are arriving from say, Madrid, then it would be just like connecting domestic flights in the US.

 

I'm not sure if you will be required to gather your luggage to pass thru customs or not.  I think you might.  This would also slow you down as you'd have to re-check it.

 

Some of our European experts should be along shortly to chime in with confirmations.

Edited November 13, 2023 by MeHeartCruising

[CruiserBruce]

MUC is a very efficient and well designed airport, but I would still be a bit worried about an international to domestic 50 minute connection, as you need to go through Passport Check. The thing in your favor is that long haul international flights tend to be early, but no guarantees!

 

Ah, the old "I'll just catch another flight". Why do you think the next flight will have open seats?

 

By the way, this is usually discussed on the Cruise Air board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/77-cruise-air/

[Denversail]

33 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

MUC is a very efficient and well designed airport, but I would still be a bit worried about an international to domestic 50 minute connection, as you need to go through Passport Check. The thing in your favor is that long haul international flights tend to be early, but no guarantees!

 

Ah, the old "I'll just catch another flight". Why do you think the next flight will have open seats?

 

By the way, this is usually discussed on the Cruise Air board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/77-cruise-air/

I think other flights will have open seats due to other people missing connections. I would also think because I'm in business that I would get some kind of rebooking priority. I do see a few other flights with longer connections but they are $300-400 more. I'm a risk taker so will likely just leave what I have and see what happens. If things go wrong I'll just chalk it up as part of the experience. 

 

Thank you for the tip on the forum. I noticed that one but assumed it was when booking air through the cruise. I can see I was wrong and I should have posted there. 

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, Denversail said:

I would also think because I'm in business that I would get some kind of rebooking priority. I do see a few other flights with longer connections but they are $300-400 more. I'm a risk taker so will likely just leave what I have and see what happens. If things go wrong I'll just chalk it up as part of the experience. 

Are you flying Lufthansa or another Star Alliance like United? Lufthansa offers a great ground service in Munich with private passport control and private cars between aircraft. While normally reserved for their First Class passengers I have been able to utilize it twice in Business purely because I called and asked them about a tight connection. Drove me to the First Class terminal to quickly do passport and then literally drove me to the gate of my connecting flight on the tarmac. 

[MBP&O2/O]

.... and if they close the gate 30mins before departure?🤔😵‍💫

[Denversail]

15 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

Are you flying Lufthansa or another Star Alliance like United? Lufthansa offers a great ground service in Munich with private passport control and private cars between aircraft. While normally reserved for their First Class passengers I have been able to utilize it twice in Business purely because I called and asked them about a tight connection. Drove me to the First Class terminal to quickly do passport and then literally drove me to the gate of my connecting flight on the tarmac. 

I am flying Lufthansa. How soon before your flight did you call?

[CruiserBruce]

54 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

.... and if they close the gate 30mins before departure?🤔😵‍💫

30 minutes before on a domestic? That would be unusual for domestic, in my experience. 15 minutes is more common. And the plane is usually aware of connectors and their status.

[CruiserBruce]

2 hours ago, Denversail said:

I think other flights will have open seats due to other people missing connections. I would also think because I'm in business that I would get some kind of rebooking priority. I do see a few other flights with longer connections but they are $300-400 more. I'm a risk taker so will likely just leave what I have and see what happens. If things go wrong I'll just chalk it up as part of the experience. 

 

Thank you for the tip on the forum. I noticed that one but assumed it was when booking air through the cruise. I can see I was wrong and I should have posted there. 

Elites get priority in these cases, not a standard Business fare. Otherwise, its first come, first serve, generally.

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, Denversail said:

I am flying Lufthansa. How soon before your flight did you call?

I called them once I was ticketed. I had a full fare Business Class ticket. They provided the ground service free of charge because of my status with United at the time and brought me to a private passport control and then drove me to the next flight where I boarded via the stairs next to the jetway. It could be that they charge for this if you don't have the status (I was Global Services with United at the time). 

 

Munich also has a VIP transfer service and VIP terminal which sounds similar (not run by Lufthansa like what I experienced but a private company). Its pricey-- a transfer is like 500 Euro-- but it would guarantee you the quick trip across the airport. 

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, princeton123211 said:

Its pricey-- a transfer is like 500 Euro-- but it would guarantee you the quick trip across the airport. 

 

OR the OP could just book a flight with a longer connection time for the $300-$400 mentioned above. 

[new_cruiser]

On 11/13/2023 at 5:35 AM, MeHeartCruising said:

I'm not sure if you will be required to gather your luggage to pass thru customs or not.

Munich (and Europe in general, at least Schengen countries) doesn't require collecting checked luggage to go through customs. The US is the only place I've had to do that. 

 

50 minutes is still very tight. Munich is a lot better than Frankfurt but still. IIRC, MUC has some "remote gates." You deboard the plane down stairs to a bus that takes you to the terminal. That really slows things down. It's very common for the big ocean crossing planes to use these gates. 

 

On our recent flights from the US to Italy through Frankfurt, both flights at Frankfurt used remote gates.

[steamboats]

Munich is the most efficent airport in Germany. They guarantee a connection time of 30 min (including baggage).

 

You only have to go through passport control when you change from the international area to the Schengen area (which is one floor down). For connecting flights there is a separate passport control. And for short connections there might be a transport waiting for you to get you to the new gate and a separate passport control (you usually will be collected at the gate and go by van to the conncting flight).

 

And even when you don´t catch your connection LH will automatically rebook you on the next flight to Rome. And there are more than one flights to Rome per day.

 

So not really a need to worry. You might check which is the next connection to Rome.

 

steamboats

[Lancer1568]

Is this connection part of one itinerary or did you book a flight to Munich and another flight to Rome?

If it is all part of one itinerary, then your connection time meets the airlines minimum connection time so it should be doable under normal circumstances and your luggage can be checked all the way to Rome.  They don't go out of their way to book people into connections that they expect to be impossible.  Also, the airline will help you get rebooked if the connection cannot be made.  

 

Of course, if you booked two separate flights, it may be difficult because you will have to get your luggage, leave security and check in again.

[Denversail]

10 hours ago, Lancer1568 said:

Is this connection part of one itinerary or did you book a flight to Munich and another flight to Rome?

If it is all part of one itinerary, then your connection time meets the airlines minimum connection time so it should be doable under normal circumstances and your luggage can be checked all the way to Rome.  They don't go out of their way to book people into connections that they expect to be impossible.  Also, the airline will help you get rebooked if the connection cannot be made.  

 

Of course, if you booked two separate flights, it may be difficult because you will have to get your luggage, leave security and check in again.

It was booked as one.

[princeton123211]

3 hours ago, Denversail said:

It was booked as one.

Then you're totally fine if its one itinerary. Like I said above, they'll spring to action and drive you across the tarmac if things get really tight.