Frankfurt Airport Connecting Flights

[gxchan]

It has been 20+ years since I was in Europe last so I feel like a complete newbie gearing up for our upcoming Med cruise. So if this question is dumb or silly, please forgive me.

Our flight home is on Lufthansa from Barcelona to Frankfurt. In Frankfurt we change to a United flight that is scheduled 1 hour 10 minutes after we are due to land from Barcelona. The airlines say this is a legal connection and that we will have to complete a second check in with United in Frankfurt. Apparently, this can't be done in Barcelona. Is it really possible to land, deplane, get to the United counter and check in and back to board within 45-50 minutes? (I assume the Lufthansa flight would land on time but take at least 10 mintues to deplane and then we would need to be on board the United flight 5-10 minutes before take off.)

I looked at the layout of the Frankfurt airport terminal and Lufthansa and United are in the same terminal but it is huge and serves many other airlines, as well.

Any help you can provide will be appreciated. Thanks,

[AZjohn]

Hi gxchan,

I would suggest you post your question on the Cruise Critic “Cruise Air” forum:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128

I found out with my United flight to Frankfort and then changing over to the Lufthansa flights my bags could get checked all the way through. I just had to supply my e-mail receipt to the agent at the check in counter with my flight details. United and Lufthansa are partner airlines and should easily work together.

Good luck,

John

[gxchan]

John,

 

Thanks I will post it there, too. Glad to hear Lufthansa and UA work well together.

[HeinBloed]

Hello,

 

they are co-partners in Star Alliance.

 

You will get your boarding pass already in Barcelona.

 

But you are arriving in Schengen-Terminal and arrives mostly in 1A - if you are lucky to get bussed: 1B.

 

United and most US-airlines start MOSTLY from more secured 1C-Terminal part.

 

You have to do immegration

You have security check (min. 2 times)

You have one ID-check

 

before you get to your gate.

 

Therefore hurry up. You will make it but you will not have much time to do shopping.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[gxchan]

Hello,

 

they are co-partners in Star Alliance.

 

You will get your boarding pass already in Barcelona.

 

But you are arriving in Schengen-Terminal and arrives mostly in 1A - if you are lucky to get bussed: 1B.

 

United and most US-airlines start MOSTLY from more secured 1C-Terminal part.

 

You have to do immegration

You have security check (min. 2 times)

You have one ID-check

 

before you get to your gate.

 

Therefore hurry up. You will make it but you will not have much time to do shopping.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

 

HeinBloed,

 

Thank you! Lufthansa said I couldn't get the board passes in Barcelona but that made no sense to me. Do you think I could do the on-line check in while on the ship the day before and print out the boarding passes there? I haven't traveled internationally in ages and just don't know what the protocols are anymore.:o

[HeinBloed]

HeinBloed,

 

Thank you! Lufthansa said I couldn't get the board passes in Barcelona but that made no sense to me. Do you think I could do the on-line check in while on the ship the day before and print out the boarding passes there? I haven't traveled internationally in ages and just don't know what the protocols are anymore.:o

 

You cannot do it online but at the counter you should get both.

 

You should be able to do it online seperately. Just try it.

 

1. United - sometimes if it is booked as one voyage and did already Lufthansa you cannot do anymore the connecting flight on United.

24 hours ahead of departure time in Frankfurt

 

2. Lufthansa

23 hours ahead of departure time in Barcelona

 

Is your LH flight on UA number or LH number? If on UA-number you need to ask for Lufthansa's six-digit alphanumeric booking code. They will tell you on the phone if you tell them that you want to do online check-in.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[gxchan]

You cannot do it online but at the counter you should get both.

 

You should be able to do it online seperately. Just try it.

 

1. United - sometimes if it is booked as one voyage and did already Lufthansa you cannot do anymore the connecting flight on United.

24 hours ahead of departure time in Frankfurt

 

2. Lufthansa

23 hours ahead of departure time in Barcelona

 

Is your LH flight on UA number or LH number? If on UA-number you need to ask for Lufthansa's six-digit alphanumeric booking code. They will tell you on the phone if you tell them that you want to do online check-in.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

 

I have both the Lufthansa and UA ticket locator numbers, so I'll try getting the boarding passes on line from the ship the night before we arrive in Barcelona. If not, I'll get both at check in in Barcelona.

 

You have are a great resource. Many thanks for all your help. My offer of information, assistance and a meal/drink if you come to SF stands.:)

[tak2]

FRA has a bizzarre way of placing their security check points. Not only are there often such check points btween Gates A and B, I have evn encountered such a barrier between my arrival B gate and my departure B gate. These of course pose additional burden to you in terms of making the connection, not to mention the plane sometimes cannot find a gate so it deplanes the passengers on the tarmac and they get bussed to gate A.

I've arrived at FRA from YYC 3 times in the past three years and encountered different numbers of check points. The smoothest one was last year when we arrived gate B21 and our connection gate was B24 (to Lisbon), a mere hundred feet away. What did not make sense was we did not have to go through any immigration, customs, security check! We beplaned from an international flight!

Bottom line: walk fast and be prepared for barriers! One hour should be enough to get from gate to gate.

[HeinBloed]

FRA has a bizzarre way of placing their security check points. Not only are there often such check points btween Gates A and B, I have evn encountered such a barrier between my arrival B gate and my departure B gate. These of course pose additional burden to you in terms of making the connection, not to mention the plane sometimes cannot find a gate so it deplanes the passengers on the tarmac and they get bussed to gate A.

I've arrived at FRA from YYC 3 times in the past three years and encountered different numbers of check points. The smoothest one was last year when we arrived gate B21 and our connection gate was B24 (to Lisbon), a mere hundred feet away. What did not make sense was we did not have to go through any immigration, customs, security check! We beplaned from an international flight!

Bottom line: walk fast and be prepared for barriers! One hour should be enough to get from gate to gate.

 

When you are arriving from Canada and continue to Portugal you are entering the Frankfurt the Schengen-area which means you are doing immegration for Portugal (and other European Countries) incl. security check etc.

 

When you entered later Portugal nobody checked your passport again because you did it in Frankfurt. For this comfort you pay the price in every first Schengen-Airport when you are transiting to another Schengen-country. It will happen to you in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Zurich, Vienna, Madrid and all other Schengen-Airports as well as in Frankfurt.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[iancal]

We had two tight connections through Frankfurt last summer. In both cases the plane was a little late landing in Frankfurt. We were met both times by a Lufthansa employee who escorted us into a small mini bus (we did not deplane at a gate attached to the terminal), drove us to the exterior or our next departure gate and escorted up the elevator to our the boarding area. Our bags did not make it to Rome but did show up on the next flight-2 hours later. The bags made it on the return trip. We fly Lufthansa frequently. Our experience has always been positive. Transfer time is reduced if your inbound plane uses a terminal gate however this is not always the case.

[Go-Bucks!]

Therefore hurry up. You will make it but you will not have much time to do shopping.

 

 

I agree. And don't stop at the wonderful massage spot where I got a great pedicure and massage while waiting for my flight home a couple months ago!! It was a perfect way to start a long, crowded flight to the US. :p

[gxchan]

We had two tight connections through Frankfurt last summer. In both cases the plane was a little late landing in Frankfurt. We were met both times by a Lufthansa employee who escorted us into a small mini bus (we did not deplane at a gate attached to the terminal), drove us to the exterior or our next departure gate and escorted up the elevator to our the boarding area. Our bags did not make it to Rome but did show up on the next flight-2 hours later. The bags made it on the return trip. We fly Lufthansa frequently. Our experience has always been positive. Transfer time is reduced if your inbound plane uses a terminal gate however this is not always the case.

 

Thanks! Your experience is giving me confidence we will make our connection. It would be great to have an escort, it would help keep my kids and their bfs in line! They are all teenagers and have a tendency to lollygag around. :rolleyes:

 

I agree. And don't stop at the wonderful massage spot where I got a great pedicure and massage while waiting for my flight home a couple months ago!! It was a perfect way to start a long, crowded flight to the US. :p

 

O.K., what a minute! They have a place where I can get a pedi and massage? Maybe I'll be the one lollygagging around.:D

[Judith02]

I spoke yesterday to someone from Lufthansa to check on our July flight. We fly to Frankfurt, deplane, and then board a flight to Venice with about a one hour layover. They told me that we will be flying into and out of the same terminal and will not have any problems -- no checking in, no security line again, etc. Our luggage will be ticketed straight through. Having had connection problems all over Europe and the US at one time or another, I always worry. Anyone who has been to Frnakfurt flying both sides of a connection on Lufthansa, is this information correct?

[HeinBloed]

I spoke yesterday to someone from Lufthansa to check on our July flight. We fly to Frankfurt, deplane, and then board a flight to Venice with about a one hour layover. They told me that we will be flying into and out of the same terminal and will not have any problems -- no checking in, no security line again, etc. Our luggage will be ticketed straight through. Having had connection problems all over Europe and the US at one time or another, I always worry. Anyone who has been to Frnakfurt flying both sides of a connection on Lufthansa, is this information correct?

 

No - partly. I guess you are flying in Miami - Frankfurt - Venice

 

Same terminal: yes - but three concourses.

 

Flights from Miami may arrive at 1A, 1B and 1C

but flights to Venice may start from 1A or 1B.

 

You do not have to check-in again - that's correct. Normally you should get your boarding pass already in Miami.

 

No security line - that's incorrect. When you move from Non-Schengen Area (flights from the US) and you change to Schengen-Area (flights to Italy but also also Spain, Greece, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway) you have immegration. There will be a line. Depending where you arrive you might also have security check again. If you arrive at concourse 1B you will definately have security before you reboard to the Schengen part. If you arrive at 1A it depends to the gates if you might have or not.

 

Your bags will be checked through to Venice.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[tak2]

Thanks for your clarification on the intricacies of FRA. But I still do not understand how I could walk from B21 upon arrival from Canada to Gate B24 WITHOUT going through any passport inspection, nor customs or security check. Was it a mistake that they let an overseas arrival use a gate meant for a Schegen area flight?

[HeinBloed]

Thanks for your clarification on the intricacies of FRA. But I still do not understand how I could walk from B21 upon arrival from Canada to Gate B24 WITHOUT going through any passport inspection, nor customs or security check. Was it a mistake that they let an overseas arrival use a gate meant for a Schegen area flight?

 

Sorry - I believe everything but this - but I was not with you.

 

You cannot change from Non-Schengen-Area to Schengen-Area without having Passport Inspection.

 

B21 is in Non-Schengen Area

B24 is also in Non-Schengen Area

 

see map here: http://www.lufthansa.com/cdautils/mediapool/media_521510.pdf

 

So if you move from B21 to B24 there is no immigration.

 

Normally you arrive B21 or B24 and need to walk upstairs to immigration and go downstairs to the other gates in Schengen-Area.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[gxchan]

We had two tight connections through Frankfurt last summer. In both cases the plane was a little late landing in Frankfurt. We were met both times by a Lufthansa employee who escorted us into a small mini bus (we did not deplane at a gate attached to the terminal), drove us to the exterior or our next departure gate and escorted up the elevator to our the boarding area. Our bags did not make it to Rome but did show up on the next flight-2 hours later. The bags made it on the return trip. We fly Lufthansa frequently. Our experience has always been positive. Transfer time is reduced if your inbound plane uses a terminal gate however this is not always the case.

 

Did you alert someone about your tight connection time? I'm wondering how to get an escort. Did they just show up at the gate and how did they find you?

 

Thanks,

[HeinBloed]

Did you alert someone about your tight connection time? I'm wondering how to get an escort. Did they just show up at the gate and how did they find you?

 

Thanks,

 

With Lufthansa you tell it the flight attendents.

 

They arrange everything for you. Sometimes they take you for landing to front seats just to make sure that you can debark with the First and Business Class Passengers.

 

If you are entitled for escort due to tight connection time an agent will be there and displays your name on a white board and will take care of you. Maybe there will be vehicles like you know from Golf and they will speed up your transfer. If you are bussing you get a seperate vehicle for you.

 

If you need to go through immigration you may also find an extra-line showing all short connections. Only if you have a boarding pass for these flights you can use this immigration line.

 

If you fly First Class there will be a Porsche Cayenne or Mercedes-S-Class or 700-er-BMW waiting for you at the gate to take you to the First Class Terminal or a First Class Lounge or directly to your next flight (with a short stop at immigration).

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[gxchan]

HeinBloed,

 

Thanks, again!

 

Happy Cruising:)

[iancal]

We did not alert anyone. The flight attendant came to us just prior to landing and advised us to go to the Lufthansa personnel when we deplaned. Did so, took our name, re-checked our baggage claim, and then drove us to our departure gate. Check your United ticket...with some luck you may be fortunate enought to be on a code share operated by Lufthansa.

[gxchan]

I wanted to come back and let you know how things turned out. I got off Voyager on Sunday using express walk off and was at the Barcelona airport and sitting at my gate by 7:15 a.m., 3 hours before I was due to board my flight to Frankfurt, which was due to leave at 10:40. That was o.k., I prefer being early than late. :) The LH flight out of Barcelona left a full 40 minutes late, although we pulled away from the gate 5 minutes early. When we landed in Frankfurt the fun began.

 

We deplaned about 1:15 p.m. at gate A65 and had to get to gate C9 by 2 p.m., almost as far apart as you can get. LH took all of us making the connection (and another one) off to the side and escorted us via bus to a special passport control station setup for us (there were about 45-50 of us between the two connecting flights). Then we reboarded the bus and went to security where we were taken to the front of the line--the lines were very long and people weren't happy we were cutting in. Then it was a sprint to our gate, it felt like over a half mile from security. We were boarding the plane at 2 p.m. :)

 

Although both LH and UA said the 70 minutes would be a legal connection and plenty of time, they would have been wrong. There was no way any of us could have made through passport control, security and the distance between the gates in 70 minutes. So, thank heavens we were so late leaving Barcelona!:D:D

 

BTW, I printed my boarding passes out on the ship which worked out really well b/c when I got to the Barcelona airport the line for check in was half the length of the terminal, literally. I was told at baggage drop off it was good I printed my UA boarding pass out b/c LH wouldn't have been able to do it.

 

The cruise was great fun and everything worked out at the end but next time I'm going to keep at least 2 hours between flights if I connect in Frankfurt.

 

Thanks so much for your help and advice. Happy cruising!

[tak2]

Sorry - I believe everything but this - but I was not with you.

 

You cannot change from Non-Schengen-Area to Schengen-Area without having Passport Inspection.

 

B21 is in Non-Schengen Area

B24 is also in Non-Schengen Area

 

see map here: http://www.lufthansa.com/cdautils/mediapool/media_521510.pdf

 

So if you move from B21 to B24 there is no immigration.

 

Normally you arrive B21 or B24 and need to walk upstairs to immigration and go downstairs to the other gates in Schengen-Area.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

 

Believe it or not, this happened.

Because of my experience of layers of barriers, I was particularly alerted to the time constraints. To not have to go through passport inspection was a pleasant surprise, but also makes me worry about the security.

 

One time, 3 years ago, the staff at the Lufthansa Business lounge taught me a short cut to bypass the security check point and that also made me wonder about how secure the system was.