Why? Really don`t be afraid about the luggage. They will check it thru and 99,9 % you won`t have a problem. I doubt they will let you take more carry on with you as theire is no relevant risk to loose your luggage.

Also agian: I did some flights with Air Belin and know many people who did Connection flights. I never heared about lost luggage. If you search you will find reports from every airline. I did a Research and coudn`t find a significant lost luggage reports for Air Berlin. Mostly it`s also a problem of airport.

The majority of baggage problems reported on AB happened at TXL, which is operating way beyond designed capacity and was slated to be closed years ago, so necessary infrastructure improvements have not been readily forthcoming. You should be fine at DUS.

Flying AA Dus to ord in May. Can you provide more detail on your last sentence. Like to be prepared.

AA check-in at DUS will ask you security questions such as did you pack your bags? Did anyone ask you to carry anything? etc. AB DUS departures to US does not ask you any questions. Only AA DUS departures.

So really nothing out of the ordinary from flying US airlines back home from lots of other places. I can deal with the questions. Im guessing it doesn't add too much time to the process.

Confirming my expectation
 

Hello,

I'm connecting in DUS in July. I am hoping that someone can confirm what I should expect and perhaps offer any tips or alert me to any issues I may need to anticipate.

I'm arriving on DL from ATL. I then connect to 4U flying to KTW. I have 3 hours so I expect that will be plenty of time.

My understanding is that I will arrive Pier C and will need to clear border and passport control. My DL carry on (TravelPro rollaboard) will be too large to carry on 4U so I will need to check it. I see that 4U operates out of Pier A but I am not clear whether I will need to leave the secure area to check my bag with 4U.

Any insight or suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

If you need to check in luggage you have to leave the secure area anyway and walk landside to terminal A. There would be of course the option to gate check in if they tell you it is too big.

There are connecting walkways airside between all terminals now, but I am not sure anymore, how the transit is done in your case. SInce flights from the US are considered safe, there would be no need to levae the secure area, other than this might be necessary in the way the transit passengers are guided.

I would stay airside and have the gate check it if they insist.

If you are on time I would consider going landside and recheck the bag at the 4U counter. I am unsure if 4U is prepared to do gate check bags, this is not something so usual in Germany, let alone with a low cost carrier that still focus a lot on point to point.

If you have a tight connection though, that may be the way to go. Also check in online and print your boarding pass for the 4U flight, this will avoid discussions.

On this thread, may I ask a question along the same lines as the original question? It never occurred to me while booking a flight that passport control is required. So we are flying American Airlines into Dusseldorf, arriving 7am. We have to get our luggage, get through passport control and get to an Air Berlin flight by 8:45. Is this possible or should I rebook Air Berlin for a later flight right now?

Assuming the flight with Air Berlin is on the same ticket / PNR than the flight with American, than there will most probably no need to re-check your luggage (unless you have to for personal reasons). Luggage will usually be checked to the final destination if crossing the pond in Eastern direction.

Just FYI - that not all long haul AB flights arrive in Pier C. Just had JFK-DUS arrive in Pier B. We got off and had to wait 5 minutes for the Bundespolizei to show up to staff passport control.

Passport control is very efficient at DUS, and is unlikely to be the deciding factor in making your connection; the bigger concern is whether your incoming flight is typically delayed. Are you flying AA ORD-DUS, or the AA codeshare on AB JFK-DUS?

Flyinng AA into DUS, and last minute adding AB to MUN
 

I am landing this Saturday on a AA from coded flight, at 7:00am. I am thinking I am going to add a leg and fly the 8:20 am into MUN. If I check my bag on AA, can I retrieve it, inside of security and then walk from Pier C to Pier B (assuming MUN flt departs from there), clear immigration etc in the 1:20 layover I have. I know everyone asks this, but I cannot check my bags through, i have to physically get the BIG checked bag from the US. Assuming I can gate side check with AB

You have to leave security to check your bags. 1:20 is doable, but it´s risky.