Trip Reports - 45 mins minimum connecting time in FRA is ridiculous!

Not exactly a trip report. But I had the dubious pleasure of making a connection at FRANKFURT airport today. LH 787 arrived from Singapore 10 minutes late. 6.55am instead of 6.45 am. Which means that my 45 minutes connection for the London flight has been reduced to 35 minutes. LH 4644 due to depart at 735am! It took the 747-400 another 8 minutes to taxi to Area C Gate 8 and my connection to London was at Area A Gate 52. And luck would have it - I was stuck at the last row of a full flight. (I was travelling on an award and with my aunt , and yes, I was in economy (never again on LH if I can help it) ) Now why is that in Frankfurt airport, you get army/police personnel checking your passports and tickets as you are in the aerobridge and not at immigration/customs? That took out another 10 minutes. Then the long walk to the SkyTrain. Thank goodness the station was reasonably close to the deaprture gate. LH personnel at the airport are soooo cool about your connecting flights - not too worry they say...Ha!

We made the connecting flight (along with 10 other passengers from the same arrival flight) but surprise, surprise, upon arrival at Heathrow, we find out that our luggage didn't make it. To add insult to injury, LH didn't even bother putting the bags on the next flight to London which was to arrive at 10am but LH baggage services said that it wwould arrive at 2pm. The woman at the counter was very apologetic but she knew that the 45 minute connecting time is very very tight especially at Frankfurt in the early mornings. Obviously this happens all the time!

I wonder how on earth Frankfurt airport gets voted as one of the best in Europe. It is so confusing and I have been through that airport several times. Imagine a first timer - and there were a few from Australia!

The delayed check-in luggage was not mine but my aunt - still, I had to hang around till she sorted out the formalities.

I might do a trip report on the wonderful LH economy class service. But for the meantime, I'll be here in London till end of the month if anyone cares. Hey - what happened to spring? It was 2 degrees Celcius this morning!

Celestar:

From your postings here and elsewhere I'd say you had an 'irritating' trip. A 45 minute connection time in Frankfurt seems very risky. It's hardly the smallest and least complicated of airports. I've had stay at the Sheraton there, courtesy of LH missing an LH to LH connection (and only JUST missing it - arrgh).

Tell us about LH in economy. And what were you doing in the back of the plane anyway? You seem like a person who should be able to get upgraded quite often. (unlike me...)

Celestar: I would kick up a massive fuss, and demand to know why on earth they didn't place your bag on either the British Airways or British Midland flights?

Where are you staying in London? I am there every day this week.

Nick

LH economy is not fun, let me tell you guys. Anyway, it's an award ticket so I shouldn't complain too loud though on my return next week I am giving ourselves 2.5 hours for connection via Frankfurt this time.

Nick - I have my house in Pimlico. Where I can be a slob all day....and much needed R&R.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck!

Odd, I have made quite a number of tight connections on LH flights through FRA, and every time I was either escorted from the plane to the next flight, or, when we landed at a remote parking area, taken in a small shuttle bus to the next flight.

I am a 1K on UA, (Star Alliance Gold) but I do not think that this was a status related issue - there were loads of Y as well as C class passengers in this shuttle bus. I believe it is actually a service that LH provides in cooperation with the FRA airport authorities.

I totally agree that FRA is not an easy airport to manoeuver though! Much prefer AMS - at least there is only one terminal there, and the shopping is much much better!

I have also had problems with too short connecting times. I try to get on earlier flights, to no avail, all the while being assured that a 55 minute connection should pose no problems. Of course then the outbound invariably arrives 20 minutes late and you know you're going to be on maximum stress alert as you work out all the possible scenerios in your head. You finally arrive at the connecting airport, and as luck would have it, you've got to dash from concourse A to concourse Z at break-neck speed, go through the cursory customs line only to discover that the gate has been moved. You finally make the gate, then you've got to have the usual chat with the polite security person who asks all the requisite questions while wondering if that sweat pouring off your brow is indicative of nervous guilt or the marathon you've just run. Finally you're on the plane...euphoria...until you notice there's someone sitting in your reserved premium seat with a boarding pass that looks identical to yours, "I'm sorry sir, I guess the gate agent gave away your seat because of your late arrival." Grrr. Some whining, ranting, grovelling and crying from all involved parties, and to the victor goes the...prized premium seat assignment you so coveted when you first requested it it 90 days prior. Ah, isn't flying fun! Oh, and did I mention the checked baggage? Of course, it arrives 2 days later.

[This message has been edited by flyme2 (edited 04-21-99).]

[This message has been edited by flyme2 (edited 04-22-99).]

When checking in, you usually get the boarding pass for your connecting flight. If that is done properly, they will hold your seat til the last minute.

If you are connecting to another airline, they might not be able to issue the connecting boarding pass. But to prevent problems, I always ask them to send a message to the connecting airline to let them know I'm coming and to save my seat. Works for me.