Transiting at Frankfurt T1

[Gerry Lawlor]

I will be flying DUB-FRA-SFO with Lufthansa on each leg. The changeover at FRA is relatively short and I am coming from a non-Schengen country. I am therefore wondering if the inbound A321 uses a jetway in T1 and if it is necessary to go through both passport control and security before reaching the outbound A380 gate in the same terminal. I have had some not-good experiences with connections in Frankfurt in the past on being bussed from planes parked on the apron but I think that was probably Aer Lingus.

No worries on the return leg as the lay-over is quite long. On that score does anyone know if PE SLF can pay for access to the LH lounge?

Any words of encouragement will be appreciated.

[PAXboy]

For you to buy access to the Luft lounge? No. Check the main FRA website and search for lounges. They may have paid for access lounges. Also, some loyalty and credit cards may give you access.

[alserire]

From Ireland and travel through FRA a few times a year with LH. Yes to passport and security. I've no idea why but they make you do security again. They don't if you are doing intra Schengen. PAssport obviously makes sense if coming from outside Schengen

I never had a problem with Frankfurt till it all went wrong on me last week. EI always on the apron but the LH A321 often, but not always, uses an airbridge. Last week it didn't. So landing on the distant runway ten minutes late, a fifteen minute taxi in, plus a bus ride along with passport and security (by far the quickest part of the whole transfer) meant an hour wasn't enough. There was a flight an hour later to where I was headed so I was ok but somehow I doubt there's an LH plane to SFO an hour after your one.

It depends which departure from DUB you're on. If it's the early one you should be ok but the 12.10 p.m. has been running late a bit recently depending on the day.

If your connection time is an hour or less then it'll be touch and go I'm afraid. I mentioned to the gate supervisor of my second flight last week that LH probably needed to stop selling anything under 90 minute connections from non-Schengen countries through FRA and she agreed. It clearly happens a lot.

[RevMan2]

Both legs LH? If so, the cabin crew DUBFRA will be aware of any degraded connections and their departure gates and the arrival gate staff should be standing by to get you to the SFO gate if it's critical.

[alserire]

RevMan2 I was told the same last week but it didn't come close to happening. In fact the cabin crew told me nothing. No one waiting for me. No one to direct me to the gate bar the screens. And they lost my bag when they transferred me onto the later flight and I didn't get it back until the next day in Italy.

I've been through there a dozen times in the last few years and I'm a big fan of LH in general and up to last week it was fine but when it did go wrong it went wrong spectacularly.

Hope it works out for you but if the transfer time is an hour or less the flight from DUB needs to be on time. I'm through there again in August but I've two and a half hours between flights, which should be fine

[Gerry Lawlor]

Thanks for the comments so far.

Yes, both flights are with LH. It is the early morning LH 983 departure at 0555 from DUB so thats about 1h 40m changeover time in FRA. Given the very early departure I am hoping for an arrival on time and then changeover should be OK.

Of course if we miss it then the probable option is a UA codeshare that day which is not a nice thought.

BTW a very good PE deal from LH, admittedly booked well in advance - significantly cheaper than the alternatives including BA.

[alserire]

Originally Posted by Gerry Lawlor

Thanks for the comments so far.

Yes, both flights are with LH. It is the early morning LH 983 departure at 0555 from DUB so thats about 1h 40m changeover time in FRA. Given the very early departure I am hoping for an arrival on time and then changeover should be OK.

Of course if we miss it then the probable option is a UA codeshare that day which is not a nice thought.

BTW a very good PE deal from LH, admittedly booked well in advance - significantly cheaper than the alternatives including BA.

If it's the 05.55 and you have 1hr 40m changeover time then you'll be fine. The early LH from Dublin is rarely, if ever, late. Likely to get an air bridge too in FRA as the early departures are all gone. I'd say you'll be fine.

[philbky]

Originally Posted by alserire

If it's the 05.55 and you have 1hr 40m changeover time then you'll be fine. The early LH from Dublin is rarely, if ever, late. Likely to get an air bridge too in FRA as the early departures are all gone. I'd say you'll be fine.

Sorry but that certainly isn't always the case. Booked on the 05.55 A321 from Dublin at the end of August last year to connect with Houston A380 departing at 10.00 local. Departed Dublin on time and landed fifteen minutes ahead of gate time at 08.35 on the remote runway. Fifteen minute taxi with a couple of stops on the way to the furthest remote stands from the terminal. Five minute wait to get on first bus. I assume the taxiway stops and the delay in the bus finding the aircraft was due to a ground handling cock up. Bus dropped at A gates entrance, our departure from Z54.

My wife and I were 64 and 68 respectively but are both regular travellers and physically fit. There followed a fifteen minute hike up and down stairs with a short trip on a train, security (thankfully without long lines) a wave of the passport and we arrived at the gate to find boarding more than half complete.

Compared to the alternative using BA over LHR T2 to T5 transfer, this was more frenetic but LH is so much better than BA.

[Espada III]

I have done non-Schengen to non-Schengen transfer at FRA following an evening arrival several times and never missed a flight. 'Usually' there are people to assist the short transfer passengers and once we were taken from the incoming plane direct to the outbound plane by bus. I have heard of one story where Lufthansa failed to look after a goodly number of people all transferring from one flight to another following a delay in arrival, but most often the case is far better than that.

[Mark in CA]

At Frankfurt it seems you never know where they're going to park your plane, gate or tarmac. Travel light and wear running shoes! Missed my connection at CDG from SFO last month with only a one-hour window after inbound flight delayed and had to stay overnight. Good luck.