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Old Jul 29, 2013, 5:44 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: supine
Do I have entitlement to access the First Class Terminal (FCT) in FRA?
- Yes, if you are departing from FRA on a flight operated by LH/LX/OS, and at least one of the following is true:
  • The class of service on your departing flight from FRA is F.
  • You have arrived on a confirmed F segment on LH or LX metal, on the same day, even if the ticket of that F segment is different from the ticket of the segment from FRA.
  • You will be departing on a confirmed F segment on LH or LX metal, on the same day from a connecting station, and the ticket of that F segment is the same ticket as the segment from FRA. Separate tickets means you are not entitled to FCT access.
  • You hold HON status.
  • You are invited as a guest by someone who meets the above criteria, and you meet the requirements of a guest as discussed later in this FAQ.


But the LH website contradicts the above:"Access to the First Class Terminal at Frankfurt Airport is only possible with a confirmed same-day departing First Class flight on Lufthansa or SWISS. HON Circle Members may access the First Class Terminal with a same-day departing flight on Lufthansa, SWISS or Austrian Airlines. Access to the First Class Terminal is not permitted for arriving passengers."

- The above has been on the web site for some time, and does not appear to be the actual policy, as many here attest from personal experience.

What are the opening times of the FCT?
- 0530 to 2200 daily

Where is it located?
- About 200 metres to the west of Terminal 1

If arriving in FRA on a LH operated flight in F, will I get a car transfer from the arriving flight?
- Ordinarily, no. However, if you hold HON status, you're arriving / departing from an apron position and your onward flight is operated by LH / LX / OS, LH aims to send a car to meet you from your arriving aircraft. See for more info. NB If you do get the car service on arrival, you will be driven to the main arrivals area and not the FCT, as this does not offer immigration and customs facilities for inbound passengers.

How do I get to the FCT in FRA?
- The First Class Terminal at Frankfurt is located close to Terminal 1. You can reach it by car via the access road to Terminal 1: the entrance to the First Class Terminal is off this road, approximately 200 metres before you get to Terminal 1. When arriving on public transport, the First Class Terminal is only a few minutes walk from Terminal 1.

Locations of Lufthansa lounges at Frankfurt Airport

The FCT is a departure terminal/lounge and is not meant for transfer pax. Transfer pax can use the FCLs located in the main terminal building which offer the same amenities as the FCT. There is no transfer or shuttle to the FCT. You can walk to the FCT, though.

If on departure level take the escalator down to arrival, walk out of the terminal and turn left. You will pass the bus shuttles to the airport hotels and taxis. Cross the street - whilst waking under the access road above to departures - you will see taxi divers' coffee shop to the right - and more taxis parked to your left. You will see the First Class Terminal across the street. Cross the street in front of the coffee shop, turn right and the First Class Terminal is on your left. Go through the automatic doors and take the elevator to the main reception area.

Pictorial guide may be found here.

If the FCT is not meant to be a transfer lounge then why do some people use it as such?
- Aside from the experience, there are practical reasons for you to consider using the FCT for a connection:
  • If you have a long layover, the FCT will be less crowded than the FCL B (but more crowded than the even newer FCL A by A13).
  • If your connection requires clearing passport controls, it is faster to do it at the FCT where you will surrender your passport upon admittance and get it back moments before you are driven to your plane. Presumably if immigration has questions they will deal with it while you are lounging in the FCT versus waiting until you depart for your plane. Note that permanent residents of the USA who are heading back to the USA from FRA or a connecting airport should also surrender their green card, but gently but firmly request it be returned quickly. The German immigration people don't need your green card, and LH only needs it to enter into the passenger record, so there is no reason why your personal assistant cannot return it to you soon after.
  • You do not have to waste time walking from the FCL to a gate position that is potentially more distant from the lounge than your arriving gate, or worse yet, is actually a bus to a plane parked at an apron position in the middle of the tarmac. You will leave the FCT after boarding starts and a driver will take you to the plane wherever it is.
  • If your plane is parked at a jetway, you will be whisked to the front of the line of pax boarding in the jetway, saving even more time.
  • If your connection requires going through security, you are guaranteed to have a much faster and gentler screening at the FCT than going through security in the main terminals, and if you are carrying valuables, the FCT checkpoint eliminates all angst about theft or forgetting them.


How many guests am I permitted in the FCT?
- One, assuming a lower cabin class and that they will be travelling on the same flight as you. If they also are confirmed to travel in F, they too will be entitled to a guest, meeting the same criteria
- Anyone with a confirmed segment in F is also entitled to bring in their spouse/partner and/or children, provided they are departing on the same flight, irrespective of the cabin class they are travelling in

Im arriving on LH/LX/OS C and departing TG/SQ/etc. F, do I get in to the F terminal?
- No, but you will have access LH Senator (Star Alliance Gold) Lounges which are designated as First Class Lounges for Star Alliance carriers.

I'm arriving on TG/SQ/etc. F and departing on LH, Swiss, Austrian C do I get in to the FCT?
- Not unless you hold HON status, otherwise you will have access LH Business Lounges unlesss you hold Star Alliance Gold status and access to LH Senator (Star Alliance Gold) Lounges. Certain airlines (e.g. SQ) have arrangements for arriving F passengers to access LH Senator Lounges regardless of their status.

Im arriving on any carrier in any cabin class and departing same day on LH/LX F do I get in to the FCT?
- Yes.

I'm arriving on LH / LX F and departing same day on another carrier in any cabin class, will I have access to the FCT?
- Yes, if your onward flight is operated by LH, Swiss or Austrian Airlines Group. Otherwise, you will only have access to the LH First Class Lounges or (if eligible) the lounge of the airline operating your onward flight.

What is the minimum connect time between flights in order to use the FCT?
- 90 mins is recommended, however some have observed that 60 mins is acceptable, while others still have got away with just 20 mins. Bear in mind, if in transit, that you will need to factor in the time between arrival and departure

Do I need to tip the staff in the FCT?
- According to LH policy, FCT staff are not allowed to accept gratuities.

What's the food like in the FCT?
- Well above the standard of anything you might expect from any airline in the air, a cut above lounge food of any other airline and equivalent to a smart restaurant in any major city

VAT Refund
- Yes, but there is a $75 trip fee and CC refund only.

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Old Dec 28, 2011, 5:51 pm
  #1726  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Originally Posted by NewbieRunner
Both the airport Sheraton and Hilton are linked to T1 so there's no shuttle to the terminal. The Park Inn is a little further away.

If you have luggage to check in and would rather not haul it to the FCT you can check it in at the main terminal and walk to the FCT.
Originally Posted by LufthansaFlyer
1. Same itinerary for both legs? if so, no problem for FCT in FRA and of course the FCL in ZRH. Key is that departure in F is same day.

2. You'd be surprised but see if a taxi will take you, but....

3. If you take shuttle to T1, its barely a 5-10 minute walk to FCT.

Happy travels! Glckliches neues Jahr!
Thanks everyone!
BiH
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Old Dec 29, 2011, 1:31 pm
  #1727  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Am flying UA 900 in 1st SFO-FRA. Connecting to Air dolomiti FRA-VRN in business (z fare) (no first class on plane). Do I get access to 1st terminal?
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Old Dec 29, 2011, 2:31 pm
  #1728  
 
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Originally Posted by mastoidbone
Am flying UA 900 in 1st SFO-FRA. Connecting to Air dolomiti FRA-VRN in business (z fare) (no first class on plane). Do I get access to 1st terminal?
i am not being mean but i have to say it, if you had read the first post of this thread you would have gotten the answer!

to answer your question: you will NOT be able to use either the First Class Terminal or First Class Lounge...your flight is on UA, having said that am not sure if you would be able to even use the SEN lounge in FRA since your arriving flight is on UA first and connecting flight in business, if you have *A Gold you are good for the SEN lounge

Last edited by divjan; Dec 30, 2011 at 12:12 pm
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Old Dec 29, 2011, 8:53 pm
  #1729  
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Originally Posted by mastoidbone
Am flying UA 900 in 1st SFO-FRA. Connecting to Air dolomiti FRA-VRN in business (z fare) (no first class on plane). Do I get access to 1st terminal?
No access to the First Class Terminal or the First Class Lounge as divjan pointed out but as an arriving UA F passenger you will have access to the Welcome Lounge in FRA.
NewbieRunner is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 12:46 pm
  #1730  
 
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JFK fra in f to cdg in c

Flying JFK FRA in F on LH. Connecting to Cdg in C on LH. Just wanted to confirm that I will have access to FCT.
Does anyone know where flights from JFK normally arrive, and where flights to cdg normally depart?

Thanks.
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Old Jan 2, 2012, 1:05 pm
  #1731  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Originally Posted by ekartash
Flying JFK FRA in F on LH. Connecting to Cdg in C on LH. Just wanted to confirm that I will have access to FCT.
Does anyone know where flights from JFK normally arrive, and where flights to cdg normally depart?

Thanks.
as long as cdg connection is same day, then no problem for fct.
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Old Jan 2, 2012, 2:19 pm
  #1732  
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Originally Posted by ekartash
Does anyone know where flights from JFK normally arrive, and where flights to cdg normally depart?
You can find this information here. JFK flights usually arrive in B or Z (or C if A380). CDG flights depart from A gates.
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Old Jan 4, 2012, 7:04 am
  #1733  
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How to walk to the FCT

I've finally put together a pictorial guide for those unfortunate people who have to walk to the FCT. Photos were taken at different times of year, hence trees have leaves in some and not in others. The last two times I walked to the FCT it was raining but as you will see you can walk under cover most of the way. From leaving the terminal through one of the last doors in A to the FCT took just under 5 minutes on foot with brief stops to take photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2628497...700727/detail/

P.S. An updated version (though not very different) may be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2628497...944600/detail/

Last edited by NewbieRunner; Sep 5, 2012 at 5:51 am
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Old Jan 4, 2012, 8:58 am
  #1734  
 
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Originally Posted by NewbieRunner
You can find this information here. JFK flights usually arrive in B or Z (or C if A380). CDG flights depart from A gates.
on arrival, do i have to clear immigration, and than walk to the FCT? or is there another way to do this?

thanks for the photos as well.
ekartash is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2012, 9:12 am
  #1735  
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
 
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Originally Posted by ekartash
on arrival, do i have to clear immigration, and than walk to the FCT? or is there another way to do this?
You will have to clear immigration on arrival anyway to enter Schengen whether you are going to the FCT or not. If you don't want to walk to the FCT you can use the FCL in A.
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Old Jan 4, 2012, 9:38 am
  #1736  
 
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Originally Posted by NewbieRunner
You will have to clear immigration on arrival anyway to enter Schengen whether you are going to the FCT or not. If you don't want to walk to the FCT you can use the FCL in A.
thank you. i will surely be using the FCT. i want the scotch and the car ride to the plane.
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Old Jan 4, 2012, 10:10 am
  #1737  
 
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Originally Posted by NewbieRunner
You will have to clear immigration on arrival anyway to enter Schengen whether you are going to the FCT or not. If you don't want to walk to the FCT you can use the FCL in A.
Which is what I am doing these days.
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Old Jan 8, 2012, 6:37 pm
  #1738  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Originally Posted by NewbieRunner
I've finally put together a pictorial guide for those unfortunate people who have to walk to the FCT. Photos were taken at different times of year, hence trees have leaves in some and not in others. The last two times I walked to the FCT it was raining but as you will see you can walk under cover most of the way. From leaving the terminal through one of the last doors in A to the FCT took just under 5 minutes on foot with brief stops to take photos.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2628497...700727/detail/
Well done! I take the same route, but always wondered whether it's possible to walk to the FCT on the upper level (I guess it's the Departures level).
PapaSmurf is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2012, 6:54 pm
  #1739  
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Originally Posted by PapaSmurf
Well done! I take the same route, but always wondered whether it's possible to walk to the FCT on the upper level (I guess it's the Departures level).
Yes, you can walk upstairs too but you have to be careful not to get run over as you will have to walk ca 300 metres on the road (no sidewalk).
I've done it once or twice but would probably not do it again.
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Old Jan 8, 2012, 9:36 pm
  #1740  
 
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Originally Posted by Rambuster
Yes, you can walk upstairs too but you have to be careful not to get run over as you will have to walk ca 300 metres on the road (no sidewalk).
I've done it once or twice but would probably not do it again.
Thanks. I'll stick to the lower level.
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