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Lufthansa Express AirRail procedures [merged]

found this today:

Quote:

AIRail

Introduction
Starting with the winter schedule 2007/2008, the already established AIRail procedures for passenger and baggage handling will be changed. This document describes the changes to the rules and regulations for the acceptance of passengers and baggage connecting from/to the AIRail services as well as the handling of baggage irregularities which will become effective 05 November 2007.

1. Passenger and baggage acceptance

General For all train sectors, baggage will no longer be accepted and not be registered in the LH Check-in system; check-in will be limited to passenger acceptance only.

1.1. Train onto flight Departure station
Passenger check-in in Cologne (QKL) and Stuttgart (ZWS) will remain unchanged.
For passengers boarding the train in Siegburg, self service check-in will be available for the train and further connecting flights. Self service kiosks are located in the DB (German Rail) travel centre. Check-in deadline at all AIRail stations will be 15 minutes prior to departure. Baggage will not be accepted but will remain with the passenger.

Transfer station
Frankfurt

After arrival in FRA passengers continuing their journey on a flight shall proceed to the AIRail terminal at the long distance train station where baggage for the onward flights will be checked-in. After baggage check-in passengers will continue to their connecting flights.

On the train
Changes apply only for the train sector Siegburg-Frankfurt. Procedures for QKL-FRA and ZWS-FRA vice versa will remain unchanged.
After departure in Siegburg, the AIRail staff shall perform the following steps
again:
· Actively ask travellers if they are LH passengers and have them show you their boarding pass.
· Mark these passengers on the Passenger Name List provided by LH station in QKL.
· Collect the ticket coupon and handle it according to the standard procedure.
Passengers in Business Class (coach number 27) shall be asked first. Then passengers in Economy Class (coach number 26) shall follow.
For passengers that are not yet checked in and therefore do not have a boarding pass, please contact LH station in QKL via telephone for check-in and collect the ticket coupon.
Attention: for passengers with etix, please additionally collect relevant data and forward them to LH according to the standard procedure. These passengers must not be charged by DB.

1.2. Flight onto train
Departure station
At the departure station passenger acceptance for flight(s) and also for the respective train will remain unchanged. For baggage acceptance please observe that in order to have baggage automatically directed to the baggage delivery area in the AIRail terminal in FRA following steps have to be applied:
· accept the baggage for the flight
· issue a label up to the AIRail destinations QKL or ZWS.
Passengers to Siegburg must also receive a label to QKL.
Important:
when checking-in with PICTURES make sure to select “YES” in the thrucheck information pop-up to issue the baggage tag correctly.
· Inform the passenger that baggage has to be picked up and customs to be cleared in FRA at the AIRail terminal at the long distance train station.
Baggage will not be transferred onto trains!
· Use of “HOT” labels:
- for stations using manual “HOT” labels apply the “HOT” label to all baggage of passengers continuing with AIRail.
- At stations using the LH Check-in system the baggage tags will automatically be marked “HOT”.
Baggage labelled with destinations QKL or ZWS shall be loaded according to the “HOT”-procedure.

Transfer station
Frankfurt
Upon arrival in Frankfurt, passengers shall proceed to the AIRail terminal in the long distance train station in order to pick up their baggage and to clear customs. Passengers missing baggage or receiving baggage damaged have to contact the counter of the Lufthansa Baggage Tracing Service in the AIRail terminal.
Please see the following for handling of baggage irregularities.

2. Baggage Irregularities
FRA: baggage is delayed or damaged
Passengers reporting baggage missing or damaged upon arrival have to contact the counter of the Lufthansa Baggage Tracing Service in the AIRail terminal at the long distance train station in order to issue a report in World-Tracer. In this context it is not relevant if the passenger arrives with an LH or any other airline’s inbound flight.
· Please issue the WorldTracer report with a file reference QKLLH or ZWSLH.
Exception:
for passengers to Siegburg please issue the report with a file reference FRALH only.
· If the baggage irregularity is caused by another airline (e.g. OAL as incoming carrier), please charge any costs according to the known prorate procedures.

FRA: passenger does not pickup his baggage
If a passenger does not pick up his baggage in the AIRail terminal in FRA,
the following rules apply:
1. Final destination QKL or ZWS:
The passenger shall contact the office of the LH Baggage Tracing Service at his final destination QKL or ZWS. Should the counters not be staffed, the passenger will find the relevant contact information there. Please issue the WorldTracer report with a file reference QKLLH respectively ZWSLH.
2. Final destination Siegburg:
The passenger may exceptionally report the delay of his baggage by telephone at the LH Baggage Tracing Service in CGN airport (CGNSULH).
Please issue the WorldTracer report with a file reference QKLLH and the remark “Destination Siegburg” in free text.

Expedite baggage
Expedite baggage (RUSH) to final destinations QKL or ZWS are not allowed to be forwarded on the AIRail trains but by flight(s) only.
Handling in FRA
Delayed baggage or baggage not been picked up by the passenger shall be sent back to “Halle Mitte” (FRA SO/G) for further processing.
Attention:
Baggage to QKL or Siegburg shall be forwarded to CGN airport via MUC or HAM. Do not send such baggage to DUS.
In exceptional cases (e.g. high amounts of baggage), the already established standard procedure for ground transport (“Bodenersatzdienst”) may be applied.
On the train AIRail staff shall actively ask all passengers if they have picked up their baggage in FRA.
If not, staff shall inform the passenger about the following:
· Destination QKL / ZWS:
The passenger shall be asked to contact the LH Baggage Tracing Service counters in QKL or ZWS himself in order to report a baggage irregularity. Should the counters not be staffed, the passenger will find contact information for the LH Baggage Tracing Service at CGN or STR airport.
· Destination Siegburg:
Passengers de-boarding in Siegburg shall be asked to contact the LH Baggage Tracing Service at CGN airport.
Telephone number for QKL/Siegburg passengers: 02203-957-269
Telephone number for ZWS passengers: 0711-948-4737.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliver2002 (Post 8596725)

found this today:

So the benefit of using the train is gone... I liked it, because I didn't have to worry about my luggage, but now it's bull...

interesting !
Does that mean one get a boardingpass in Siegburg at the checkinn mashine ?
But the coupon still has to be QKL-FRA. Or is there another code for Siegburg ?

I always knew it, AIRRAil stinks.

So in the future, I need to schlep my 46 kg for my TATL on the train to FRA before check in?:mad:

Another good reason to fly to MUC and connect there...

I don´t think it is that bad - I usually took the train from FRA to DUS. In order to get my luggage back, I had to leave in QKL, pick up my luggage and take the next train. Or schlepp it through the whole airport in FRA...

Again and again: LH invents some new and good service, and then after a few years, cuts the service step by step and turns it into a bad joke.

This is the most hilarious airline memo I have come across. Nobody will ever be able to make sense out of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ulev (Post 8598176)

This is the most hilarious airline memo I have come across. Nobody will ever be able to make sense out of it.

Quite! I can just imagine the fun at outstations like PEK, MAA, LOS etc trying to figure this one out!

What's that? The WOLF plays Mehdorn?
The Mehdorn algorithm:
sub-rev-demanded service >
1. cut down service >
2. less demand >
3. go to 1.

That is ridiculous. What is the logic behind? Cutting costs at QKL and ZWS? DUS longhauls?
It is interesting how strong LH's monopoly is. The CO nonstop flight CGN-EWR (and the LTU/AB thing ex DUS) obviously did (does, resp.) not touch them at all.

Minimum connecting time train - transatlantic flight

Hello,

so, coming from a transatlantic flight connecting onto Airrail obviously is no problem, you just take the next train in case you miss yours.

However, I got a 69 minute connection from Airrail to my UA transatlantic flight. Where do I have do drop off my luggage? Will this be in the check in "T" at the railway station or do I have to proceed to the checkin counters in the main terminal (as it would be the case today when arriving by "normal" Deutsche Bahn and connecting to a Transatlantic flight).

If the latter would be the case - will the minimum connecting times be updated, as I doubt this connection would be doable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by A340-600 (Post 8608555)

The Check-in "T" is a well-kept secret. Have not seen any long queues there. This may change now...

Quote:

Originally Posted by A340-600 (Post 8608555)

However, I got a 69 minute connection from Airrail to my UA transatlantic flight. Where do I have do drop off my luggage? Will this be in the check in "T" at the railway station or do I have to proceed to the checkin counters in the main terminal (as it would be the case today when arriving by "normal" Deutsche Bahn and connecting to a Transatlantic flight).

I don't think UA particpates in the T checkin service:
http://www.airportcity-frankfurt.de/...ernbahnhof.htm

Hello,

I talked to Lufthansa Airail staff in ZWS (Stuttgart main station). They said, LH is discussing to cut down the luggage service with Airail like described in the first post.

But at the moment the staff in ZWS has no new instructions about baggage handling of Airail on the 5th Nov. They don't know what will happen on the 5th Nov.

So, perhaps there was made a decision in the higher management levels, but this decision is still internal. But this sounds a bit strange.

Best regards,

taigatrommel

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliver2002 (Post 8608842)

I don't think UA particpates in the T checkin service:

I don't think the T check-in service allows you to check-in for US-bound flights. (In fact, I've been lectured about this numerous times when I show up there with my US passport.) Does this mean that someone coming off the airrail bound for the US must lug their luggage all the way into the main terminal? And wait on the main terminal line? This could make a 69 minute connection very difficult, especially if not *G or premium class.

Quote:

Originally Posted by andymell (Post 8609641)

:td::td::td: