We will see what happens with the lounges now that the German gov. just imposed a hard lockdown. Hope the showers stay available.

My thoughts exactly seems to only be getting worse... :/

Hi All

Should have asked this earlier, I am flying LHR-FRA-JNB tomorrow and as I understand it on the LH website the Z lounges are closed in FRA. Does this mean I should be using the A lounge (landing at gate Z17 from LHR apparently) and then leave the lounge a little earlier than usual to make sure I have time to get through passport control?

Yes, use the A lounge, passport control from Z to A is quick & A to Z, it’s a short walk to A SEN lounge from the passport control

You'll be up for two trips through passport control (Z->A and A->Z) to get to a lounge with a ban on consuming food and drink and at most a to-go snack bag when you leave the lounge.

Alright, thanks for that, Yeah I know the lounge offering is pretty dismal currently.

Is it usual for LHR flights to land at Z gates? I thought they were mainly A and B

They should never be A as LHR is a non-Schengen origin (although I once was dumped straight into A on a flight from LCY that was so late it only just landed before the curfew).

B was common in pre-covid times but there has been some consolidation onto Z this year.

To use the airbridge UK inbound flights must use Z, B or C gates ( non Schengen )

Z is common for UK departure & arrival currently because of the massive reduction in flights at FRA.

Ahh, Thanks for all the info, first time flying LH so want to make it as smooth as possible.

Just an info point from today. The passport queues from A-Z were extremely long. We were lucky they opened up a new lane Lots of people were panicking about missing fights. Frankfurt is very busy at the minute. I would allow extra time to get through passport control A-Z, at least 20-3 minutes. The non-EU queue was even longer. Seems like lots of people flying home for holidays. Our flight to MEX is completely full - J class sold out, Y also looking pretty packed. To bear in mind when transferring in Frankfurt this weekend. Also, most shops are shut, and indeed the only lounge (as far as I could see) is around the central concourse near the A gates.

Good luck with the transfer!

Yeah not worth it really for the lounge - did the same yesterday and the lounge has nothing really at all apart from the kind of bizarre offering of takeaway sandwiches, pretzels coffee and water as you're leaving ... was quite crowded and really no point ... though having said that late at night on the Z concourse there was almost nothing open , there's more flights going from A so there's more retail/snack offerings and the Z-A and return passport control was deserted late last night so no real issue going through

Can you buy a “take-away beer” somewhere at the airport 😊?

So only the Senator A lounge is open presently? Were the showers open?

I'm landing in B and departing Z.

How about the welcome lounge? got 5 1/2 hours.

Quite a range of takeout option were open & duty free is ;)

B is open as well.