ANA flight transfer from Frankfurt-Tokyo, carry on pickyness?
May 14, 2019, 10:51 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 123
ANA flight transfer from Frankfurt-Tokyo, carry on pickyness?
Hi,
First time off travelling by ANA to Japan and the route goes with transfer through Frankfurt, same terminal AFAIK. I have never had any problems with carry on luggage, maybe because I only travel with a medium backpack (35 L).
I have heard that Lufthansa and staff on German airports are quite picky with carry-ons, measuring and weighing at the gates and force checking.
What are ANA gate staff like? Or maybe it's Lufthansa that handles the boarding in Germany?
It's not that I carry an over sized bag or plan to get warranty of "safe passage" or so. While unpacked it is within regulations but can be quite "puffy" on the thickness side if packing too much.
First time off travelling by ANA to Japan and the route goes with transfer through Frankfurt, same terminal AFAIK. I have never had any problems with carry on luggage, maybe because I only travel with a medium backpack (35 L).
I have heard that Lufthansa and staff on German airports are quite picky with carry-ons, measuring and weighing at the gates and force checking.
What are ANA gate staff like? Or maybe it's Lufthansa that handles the boarding in Germany?
It's not that I carry an over sized bag or plan to get warranty of "safe passage" or so. While unpacked it is within regulations but can be quite "puffy" on the thickness side if packing too much.
May 14, 2019, 4:40 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,155
ANA departs from the B gates in Frankfurt, and Lufthansa short haul can arrive anywhere in A, B or Z (if non Schengen) it can be quite a walk even if technically the same terminal.
I just did 6 Lufthansa group short haul and two ANA long hauls to/from/around Germany Thursday to Sunday. No one ever checked a single piece of carry on anywhere. And the Lufthansa short haul flights had people carrying items in way past size allowance. Though give credit to the crews, they were very efficient in protecting overhead locker space for emergency exit rows and business class, optimising the packing of the over head bins, and forcing people to have items under the seat in front of them.
Lufthansa seems to have very fancy sizers with built in scales for carry on at each gate. I do wish they would force all passengers to be subjected to size and count restrictions, but that is another story. But for all my flights they were not in use at all
I just did 6 Lufthansa group short haul and two ANA long hauls to/from/around Germany Thursday to Sunday. No one ever checked a single piece of carry on anywhere. And the Lufthansa short haul flights had people carrying items in way past size allowance. Though give credit to the crews, they were very efficient in protecting overhead locker space for emergency exit rows and business class, optimising the packing of the over head bins, and forcing people to have items under the seat in front of them.
Lufthansa seems to have very fancy sizers with built in scales for carry on at each gate. I do wish they would force all passengers to be subjected to size and count restrictions, but that is another story. But for all my flights they were not in use at all
Last edited by CPH-Flyer; May 15, 2019 at 12:08 am
May 15, 2019, 12:06 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,721
Same experience here: believe it or not, LH is actually pretty relaxed about hand-luggage and everything within reason gets on board.
Recently, they announced that they would be stricter, but it hasn’t affected me yet. (there is a separate thread)
Recently, they announced that they would be stricter, but it hasn’t affected me yet. (there is a separate thread)
May 16, 2019, 12:47 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
LH, these days, seems to be much more relaxed about carryons but remember that the rules does exist and can be enforced if the flight is heavily packed with bags. Oh 2 of my 5 LH short haul flights I saw an agent look about before boarding for large bags to arrange gate checking. If that were to happy request they check it through if that works for you.
May 16, 2019, 2:23 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,155
LH, these days, seems to be much more relaxed about carryons but remember that the rules does exist and can be enforced if the flight is heavily packed with bags. Oh 2 of my 5 LH short haul flights I saw an agent look about before boarding for large bags to arrange gate checking. If that were to happy request they check it through if that works for you.
May 19, 2019, 11:38 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,721
For the CRJ flights all larger carry-ons are usually put on a cart at the aircraft door during boarding and handed back to you at the bottom of the stairs at your destination. No need to wait for the at the belt. Actually very handy.
May 20, 2019, 12:47 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,155
True, it is not quite as drastic as when your bag is gate checked on main line.