Originally Posted by
washingtonian_2017
Hi,
I have a IAD-FRA-ATH (all LH J) with a short connection time of about 90 minutes. Do I have to clear security in FRA again? with the short connection time, will I be able to use SEN lounge for a quick shower? I would arrive at the Z gates and ATH flight would be from A gates. Which lounge would be the least crowded during 0530-0600 time frame.
thanks
You will not have transfer security, but you will have to clear passport control.
Both A and Z Senator lounges have showers. I rarely use them (only when I arrive long-haul too late for the Welcome Lounge). There is sometimes a wait for a shower in the SEN lounges, due to limited number of shower rooms (maybe 3 or 4?), and the ability of staff to clean and turn around for the next guest.
90 minutes is not a very long connection to stop for a shower (even if you are very quick about it), but I suppose is doable if your arriving flight is on time, and there is a free shower room with no waiting.
What I would do (more experienced users of shower rooms in SEN A/Z lounges, please speak up, as I am not an expert here):
If your flight is early, or on-time, I would go to the Z SEN lounge and see if there is a wait for a shower. If no wait, I would take a very quick shower and then head to A via passport control and to your gate. If there is a wait in SEN Z, I would go directly to SEN A (get through passport control) and see if there is a shower available in A within a reasonable time. In either case, if you stop for a shower, there will be little time left for breakfast, so I would either eat on the arriving flight, or plan to grab something very quickly before heading for the gate, or wait for whatever sumptuous short haul tray is presented on the flight to ATH.
Another alternative is to head directly to SEN A upon arrival (removing the risk of getting caught at passport control), and if the wait for a shower is more than a few minutes in SEN A, enjoy coffee/breakfast in SEN A and then shower when you arrive in ATH.
In any case, a 90 minute transfer is to me cutting it close for a shower stop, and it will probably only work if your flight is on time or early, and there is no waiting for a shower room (in other words, if all goes nearly perfectly). I would not depend on getting a shower in FRA given the scheduled connection time, but it might work out for you.
Good luck.
Probably the worst scenario is to have a delay in Z getting a shower and then not have enough time to get through passport control to your gate in A. If you have bad luck and get stuck behind a crowd at passport control (if you have a non-EU passport, the risk is higher), you might be delayed as much as 20-30 minutes.