Jul 29, 2013, 5:44 am
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:
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:
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
I’m 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.
I’m 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.
- 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
I’m 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.
I’m 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.
The FRA F/HON First Class Terminal FCT FAQ
Aug 1, 2016, 8:28 am
#3616
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According to your profile you're a member of Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, and SNCF Grand Voyageur Plus, and you post extensively in the Air France forum. Is it really "silly" to guess that your are French or live in France?
Aug 3, 2016, 7:24 pm
#3617
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YUL
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I think you are being disingenuous. For many, first-class travel is a rare treat, an occasional highlight in a year of humdrum travel. Others might only experience uber-premium travel as a component of a special trip: an anniversary or honeymoon.
Under those circumstances it's hardly surprising that passengers are determined to savour the trappings that go with the first-class experience. And the FCL's uniqueness puts it firmly at the top of the those trappings.
It seems just a tad graceless for one over-familiar with luxury travel to deprecate the aspirations and enthusiasms of less fortunate travellers.
Under those circumstances it's hardly surprising that passengers are determined to savour the trappings that go with the first-class experience. And the FCL's uniqueness puts it firmly at the top of the those trappings.
It seems just a tad graceless for one over-familiar with luxury travel to deprecate the aspirations and enthusiasms of less fortunate travellers.
I will also make a point of using the lounge for a few hours as I never fly first class on my routes. So yes, in the end , it will probably just ending being a " very good lounge" compared to the thousands of business class lounges
Aug 7, 2016, 7:14 am
#3618
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,836
If I were a member of several frequent traveler programs for companies doing business in the Ukraine, and I posted extensively in Ukrainian airline forums, your comparison between me guessing that you're French and you guessing that I'm Ukrainian would at least have some relevance. But it doesn't. @:-)
According to your profile you're a member of Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, and SNCF Grand Voyageur Plus, and you post extensively in the Air France forum. Is it really "silly" to guess that your are French or live in France?
According to your profile you're a member of Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, and SNCF Grand Voyageur Plus, and you post extensively in the Air France forum. Is it really "silly" to guess that your are French or live in France?
The question is not whether the assumption is smart or not.
The question is whether making assumptions is a good basis for then poking (a gentle) joke at someone. When you're not certain of the underlying fact but have to make assumptions and your assumption turns out to be wrong the joke is between weird and offensive.
For instance, it is OK to poke at someone's obvious French behaviour when you know the person is actually French. If you only assume that because the person speaks French but turns out to be Canadian then the "joke" about that person's supposedly French behaviour is not only not funny but just looks like an erratic comment from a weirdo. Even if you put a smiley.
In other cases it may be worse, congratulating someone or making baby-related jokes because a person has a belly and you assume the person is pregnant when in fact that person has a pathology which causes a blown belly is just offensive. Even if you put a smiley.
As I said, I wasn't offended by your comment, it just looked weird and the smiley didn't make it less weird either. All good, no harm done!
Aug 9, 2016, 7:47 am
#3619
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,016
Apologies if I haven't been clear. Let me make another attemp to express the distinction.
- For an airport lounge and a way to pass through an airport, as an alternative to using overcrowded terminals it is absolutely top notch and I appreciate being able to use it.
- Compared to the FCLs in A and B and compared to other ways I could spend my time I fail to see what is so special about the FCT that it merits a longer walk or spending more time at the airport.
We are traveling again this September and will be carrying the same camera bag; and, our obvious choice is the FCT.
Aug 9, 2016, 10:20 am
#3621
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,836
We visited FCL A and thoroughly enjoyed this very well appointed lounge. The biggest problem was reaching there from a C gate on arrival from the USA. My wife had an ankle injury and so we decided against a walk to the FCT. That was a big mistake in retrospect. The transit security check took an abysmally long time; they made us take every piece of camera equipment out of the camera bag to manually inspect, but not before having to wait ~5min (which seemed like an eternity) before a security person could be assigned for this inspection. Not to mention that there weren't any priority lines for F. We burned just over 30min just in this pointless security activity when we could have easily walked to the FCT even at a leisurely pace.
We are traveling again this September and will be carrying the same camera bag; and, our obvious choice is the FCT.
We are traveling again this September and will be carrying the same camera bag; and, our obvious choice is the FCT.
But that's the thing with Frankfurt, it all depends where you arrive and where you go to. Last week I arrived from the US at Z25, which is right next to a systematically under-used immigration counter - so I had one person in front of me in the EU line, which took about 10 seconds - and then walked along the A/Z pier to the FCL A lounge. To go to the FCT would have involved all those things, but then add another kilometre of walking, plus the - indeed relatively pleasant, but still existing - security check at the FCT. All that time it would have taken to walk to the FCT and go through the checks there I could have finished half my breakfast in the FCL A already.
But then, if your connecting flight leaves from a jetway position in A or Z, that means that from FCL A you still have to do some walking, which could mean as much as having walked to the FCT in the first place, so no advantage for the FCL. But if your connecting flight leaves from an open stand, you get the limousine also from the FCL, so it's advantage again for the FCL.
IN the end, it can be a bit of a headache, and everyone has his own rules. For some, always the FCT because they don't want to brainstorm whether it's open stand or not or security or not. For me it's FCL A or FCL B if I don't have to go through security. If security is involved, use the FCT. Others will use the FCT no matter what because for them it's "an experience" (=a positively positive experience rather than the least unpleasant way of doing something that cannot be avoided, which is to have to go through an airport before boarding a plane)
Aug 14, 2016, 2:47 pm
#3622
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: EDKA, STR, ZRH
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This is a mostly academic question for the maximization experts among you (not that I want to entice anyone to such a trick).. Last week, I was in the situation of having arrived at ZRH on LX F in the early morning, and then continued my journey via VIE (OS C, same ticket) to FRA (OS Y, different ticket) to arrive at FRA on the same day in the afternoon. This only occured to me later (and I would definitely not have used it), but when I'd have had another connecting flight from FRA that day, would I have been entitled to use the FCT (or any FCL) for that onward flight, based on my ZRH F arrival the same day?
Aug 14, 2016, 2:55 pm
#3623
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This is a mostly academic question for the maximization experts among you (not that I want to entice anyone to such a trick).. Last week, I was in the situation of having arrived at ZRH on LX F in the early morning, and then continued my journey via VIE (OS C, same ticket) to FRA (OS Y, different ticket) to arrive at FRA on the same day in the afternoon. This only occured to me later (and I would definitely not have used it), but when I'd have had another connecting flight from FRA that day, would I have been entitled to use the FCT (or any FCL) for that onward flight, based on my ZRH F arrival the same day?
Aug 14, 2016, 3:01 pm
#3624
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If your wife's mobility is still hampered on the next trip, contact FRA Care Services, they will assist (wheelchair, etc) to get her to (or very near to) the FCT threshold.
Aug 14, 2016, 3:01 pm
#3625
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
Yes, you would have had access.
Lounge entry rules:
Lufthansa First Class Lounge
First Class boarding pass for an arriving/departing LH/LX flight on the same day
It doesn't matter if it was on the same ticket or another (obviously, being another ticket you'd have to show a boarding pass as proof) - you've access to the FCL/FCT in that case.
Lounge entry rules:
Lufthansa First Class Lounge
First Class boarding pass for an arriving/departing LH/LX flight on the same day
It doesn't matter if it was on the same ticket or another (obviously, being another ticket you'd have to show a boarding pass as proof) - you've access to the FCL/FCT in that case.
Aug 15, 2016, 7:39 pm
#3626
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Aug 17, 2016, 4:56 pm
#3628
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The first photo is from the MUC F shower in October, plus a close-up of the product.
The second shower photo was from the FRA FCT in March. I did not take a closer shot as I did not use the shower. I don't recall the brand in the photo.
I will confirm that the other day in the FRA FCT shower, there were now 4 different coloured tubes. The pink was shower gel and did the job, but the quality was not the same. Thus, not worthy of a photo perhaps.
.