Flew MUC-TLV this week. I actually flew on LH but my question is relevant to LY too as in MUC they both check in from the same area - 1F and then ostensibly get bused to the main terminal. I typically fly HBO so expected to go straight to through the normal security and passport control, the normal duty free and then through the secondary security at the TLV gate.

This time as I checked a bag, I was told by the LH checkin people (same area where LY checks in) that I had to go through security in 1F and then take a bus to the main terminal where I'd come out on the other side of the secondary security. This meant no duty free, no lounge, and waiting in the dismal 1F with not even a place to get coffee only to get bused to the H gates to find that the lounge was outside security and a 10 minute walk - and they delivered us to the gate about 20 minutes before boarding.

Can this really be the case that you can't just walk back to the main terminal after checking a bag? In any case you'd have to go through two layers of security to get to the TLV gate so I don't get why they forced me to wait for half an hour in the dismal 1F for a bus rather than just letting me walk. I gather it's the same story for LY and LH but this experience really made me re-think paying a premium for a nonstop MUC - TLV flight. Seems like it would be better to connect through anywhere (even FRA) rather than endure this. Thoughts?

Hell indeed. I think that the only way is to connect via MUC, but avoid it as a start point. I even connected via VIE once to avoid this.

I just don't understand why it has to be so dramatically worse at MUC vs FRA