flying_fozzy

Seems that both the Open Skies & airberlin Lounge in DUS have been closed. No idea if this is for the long overdue refurb (unlikely) or if this is related to current events (more likely). Alternative is the Hugo Junkers lounge, so plan accordingly with security and passport checks from B-C

swiss_global

The airport website confirms the temporary closure of the Air Berlin Lounge (C gates): https://www.dus.com/en/services/lounges .

However, the Open Sky Lounge is still listed as open. But I don't know if (eligible) AB pax are admitted? The Oneworld website isn't listing the Open Sky Lounge at all (but still lists the now closed AB lounge).

Hugo Junkers Lounge (near B gates, Schengen) is still listed for all Oneworld airlines departing from B gates, including AB.

Also the Etihad Website now refers all pax to the B gate Hugo Junkers Lounge.

TPJ

But it is pretty much the same lounge - Open Skies to the right and AB Lounge (ex BA Exec Club with some BA 1990's furniture left ) to the left... I think there was (is?) a common Reception Desk for both lounges.

Rami Tamimi

Just arrived on CX from HKG and got escorted to C gates (Transit Without Visa) ,flying onwards with S7. My transit is 9 hours (7 remaining) and found the lounges closed.

Caught an AB employee and she just says sorry and does not even help with advice.

I guess the EK lounge does not accept any paid in admissions?

This is really really annoying...

mxr

Same for me here transiting through ARN. Not as bad as you with 9 hours but I was not admitted to the contract lounge flying to TXL on AB. Slightly different situation but similar case. Outright rejection

PS @ Rami Tamimi, did you happen to visit Pier F last night?

seawolf

Off topic, but how did TVOW at DUS worked? Airline had to make arrangements? Who escorted you? Thanks.

geosch

I previously witnessed at TXL that a passenger flying from LHR to PEK via TXL, apparently without a Schengen visa, was asked to identify himself upon leaving the aircraft (BA at that time) and then was escorted (I guess by ground staff) to probably the appropriate departure waiting area of his onward flight to PEK (most likely on HU).
As you know, TXL was not built with international transfers in mind.
Why self-guided international transfers should not work at DUS, I don't know.

seawolf

There are no non-Schengen corridors between Piers A, B, and C @ DUS. Unless both non-Schengen flights operate out of the same pier, those requiring TWOV would require special arrangements.

Rami Tamimi

You are quiet correct here:

According to the Timatic, the inbound airline has to notify the airport about the upcoming transit pax (CX wise this only applies for DUS) , the check in folks in HKG did not know about it, but were very grateful when I pointed this out because we would all be in trouble had they not notified DUS.

The whole check in process took over 30 min, they admitted they have never been in this situation before, but they did behave very professionally. A scan of my passport was taken along with the connecting flight info.

Onboard, the SP told me she got a message from the ground saying that there will be some assistance for me after landing, but she did not know what the situation exactly was. After landing, she asked her colleague to take me to the front door and explain the situation to the local CX staff.....none of that was needed because there was already a CX ground staff member waiting with my name sign on the jet bridge and he was fully clued up on the situation.

The guy took me through security and explained that we are waiting for DUS security staff to escort us to another terminal. 10 minutes later we got into a car and drove to Terminal C, where I was left to on my own.

I think CX was really good in handling this ....the CX guy indeed went above and beyond for another pax ( going to UK on Flybe on a mainland passport and with baggage only checked in to DUS). The issue is that CX parks at A gates (Lufthansa territory), so if you are connecting onwards to LH, it should be fine ( I have done a few International connections LH>LH in DUS) ,but if connecting to EK, BA etc - you need an escort.

Would I do a DUS transit without visa again? Not unless the price was really really good. Yes,it is doable, but DUS is a miserable airport when it comes to non Schengen areas ( PS: same applies to Lufthansa transit in Termianl A, the airside area is horrible with only one caffe). You would not want a very short connection there (took me 50 minutes to get back airside) and you would not want a long one either because in C, there are only 2-3 food options and they are quiet expensive from what I saw.

Rami Tamimi

TXL transit without visa is a whole different story... Immigration is just before the gate, so there is not much "airside" area to keep you in. They have recently organised a special transit lounge ( a very small room),where TWOV Pax are escorted to and from their gates directly ( so you never step your foot in the terminal). AFAIK, it was restricted to AB flights only, but I am not sure. In any case, your airline has to notify the authorities in TXL.

DUS transit is fine, as long as you are transitting within the same pier (not sure about B though, because I heard that immigration is just next to the gate) and its quiet quick (my 1 hour transits with LH were very efficient in the past), but if you are not on the same ticket you have to inform your inbound airline at check in.

seawolf

Met at the gate and transferred to other terminal by car? Sounds like the VIP treatment LH offers for their F passengers at FRA and MUC without the lounge and the luxury automobile.

Thanks for sharing your experience on how TVOW works at DUS.

Rami Tamimi

Met at the gate by the CX rep, taken thru security and handed to DUS security staff who took me and a another pax to terminal C. It was nice indeed, but the lack of a lounge was really annoying.

geosch

DUS and especially TXL should have very few non-Schengen transfers (even less so with the foreseeable demise of AB).

Germanfflyer

Interesting since you can stay airside between A,B and C the terminals are connected with pedestrian bridges.

I assume they did this because it is a long walk...A to C will take you a good 20 minutes to walk as it is kind of winding....

Rami Tamimi

I think they did it because they don't want me to be in the Schengen Area, even if I am escorted.