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Old Jul 20, 2017, 11:56 pm
  #1  
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Frankfurt

Arrived FRA this morning early. This is an ALERT! AVOID FRA if you are connecting. The security checkpoint is a disaster. They are going through nearly everybody's bags in detail, inspecting wires, little boxes, etc. For example, the little box of chocolates that United hands out in B- and F-class were gone through looking for who knows what. If you think US security is ridiculous, you have not seen anything - by far! This is German efficiency turned upside down. (..)

Last edited by FLYGVA; Jul 21, 2017 at 3:18 am Reason: deleted off topic comment and comparison
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 12:14 am
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(...)

Are you sure these security enhancements aren't driven by the U.S.? Just tonight I read an article that they now have 180 airlines complying with their new requirements.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some 180 airlines worldwide that fly directly to U.S. airports have complied with a first phase of enhanced security measures outlined in June and do not face any new restrictions, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday.

The U.S. directives no longer include any in-cabin restrictions on large electronics including laptops, DHS spokesman David Lapan said.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-idUSKBN1A51YP

Last edited by FLYGVA; Jul 21, 2017 at 3:18 am Reason: quoted deleted part
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 12:20 am
  #3  
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The hall monitor speaks.
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 12:25 am
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No, not driven by the US. I spoke with the manager on duty. He just grimaced then grinned sheepishly. This is every connecting passenger connecting through FRA. We arrived from ORD this morning.
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 12:35 am
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Maybe you had a bad day. I commute through FRA every single week. No problems, it all works quite well. I know this week some of the priority lanes were closed at the request of the Bundespolizei is response to specific threat levels, but that's about it.
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 12:46 am
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No, we went through the priority line. In total, over an hour to get through, half hour to get to the start of the process, then a half hour waiting for them to go through my wife's bag because of all the bags ahead of hers. They even objected to her mascara. But here is the absurdity. While they nagged about my wife's carryon and purse, my carryon and "European men's carryall" went through with my eyeglass cleaner in one and my iphone in the other with no problem. They were hassling other passengers for having iphones in their bags and not out like laptops. Heck, in the US TSA tells people to put their smart phones in their bags. It is a real mess. I used to avoid FRA because of all the construction and the horrible air systems. I love MUC so will go there in the future.
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 12:59 am
  #7  
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The new security procedures went into force July 19. LH has increased the checkin deadlines for all longhaul flights as a result. FRA & MUC are doing the increased scrutiny for all. This was the tradeoff for the laptop ban avoided. That said normally US & CA arrivals in FRA are considered clean and deplane directly into the concourse? Why did you end up in transfer security?
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 2:22 am
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It depends on the departure gate of the connecting flight. If departing from B or C to a non-Schengen destination (or D or E to anywhere) you have to go through transfer security.
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 3:27 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Jack Simpson
Arrived FRA this morning early. This is an ALERT! AVOID FRA if you are connecting. The security checkpoint is a disaster. They are going through nearly everybody's bags in detail, inspecting wires, little boxes, etc. For example, the little box of chocolates that United hands out in B- and F-class were gone through looking for who knows what. If you think US security is ridiculous, you have not seen anything - by far! This is German efficiency turned upside down.
I arrived this morning in FRA from China without any issues. Did you, however, just register to start that rant?

Last edited by Flying Lawyer; Jul 21, 2017 at 3:51 am
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 2:14 pm
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Originally Posted by Flying Lawyer
I arrived this morning in FRA from China without any issues. Did you, however, just register to start that rant?
OP gives the impression that he was connecting. Were you connecting or terminating at FRA?
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Old Jul 21, 2017, 10:26 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by FLYMSY
OP gives the impression that he was connecting. Were you connecting or terminating at FRA?
Connecting to DUS.
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Old Jul 23, 2017, 2:29 am
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Jack Simpson
Arrived FRA this morning early. This is an ALERT! AVOID FRA if you are connecting. [...] If you think US security is ridiculous, you have not seen anything - by far! This is German efficiency turned upside down. (..)
Take a statistics 101 class. Seriously. Generalizing from one observation is LOL.
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Old Jul 28, 2017, 4:02 pm
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Haven't been through FRA since 19th July but will have that pleasure on Sunday .

They've always been pretty thorough - every tissue and coin and bit of lint must come out of your pockets etc etc. I find it very annoying because I always misplace something afterwards, but that's the way it is.

They try to direct you into lanes according to what suits them which is also frustrating because I prefer to pick what I think will be the fastest lanes. But hey, that's airports these days.
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Old Apr 8, 2018, 10:42 pm
  #14  
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Absolutely the worst when I transited around the same time as OP in 2017. The guy spent 5 minutes digging through every bag meticulously - that is not an exaggeration. My colleague said that he got the same treatment on his last trip from the same security guy. He is the worst as we saw other passengers moving quickly through the other "non priority" lines with no problems. I said "so why didn't you say something as this cost us 15 minutes" (and in my case an almost empty bottle of saline that has been thru 100+ trips)?

Will be using FRA soon with along layover (plan to go into the city) so I will update on the current situation.
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Old May 24, 2018, 12:07 pm
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FRA security can be hit and miss. You can have those meticulous types who are extra slow, those who don't bother to learn English to communicate with international travellers, or those who are desperate to show you who's in power. Or a combination of all three. You can also have reasonably nice people properly doing their job (the majority of my encounters with FRA security personnel). The problem is that you never know until you get there, and that there is little consistency.
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