The FRA F/HON First Class Terminal FCT FAQ

Oct 4, 21, 11:45 pm - Wikipost

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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, even if the ticket of that F segment is different from the ticket of the segment from FRA. For example, if you were to fly FRA-MUC in Y or J, connecting on the same day to an ex-MUC flight in F on LH, you would be 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.

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Aug 8, 22, 12:44 pm

#5476

NYC1

Join Date: Jun 2000

Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.

Posts: 2,057

Quote:

Originally Posted by mationsbuds

Hey guys, I'm flying into FRA on QR and flying out on LH F - intending to exit the terminal to check out the FCT, but wanted to check if prior to doing so, I would be able to also check out the F lounges in the main terminal itself? And if so, if there are any recommended F lounges to visit? Thanks much!

Yes, You could go to the LH First Class Lounge by the A gates but I suspect that you'll be arriving in the C area with QR and you'll have to go through security (in addition to passport control, which you'll have to do anyway) and then security again when you go to the FCT.

Aug 8, 22, 8:48 pm

#5477

chris63

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV

Programs: LH HON***,UA,BA.EK Gold,AV.

Posts: 6,834

Quote:

Originally Posted by mationsbuds

Only FCT & FCL A are currently open, QR flights arrive in B, you need to follow the signs to A, which means exiting B via passport control & then go through transfer security to enter A, when you leave the FCL A you just follow the exit sign walk outside the A exit & turn left for FCT, FCL A is close to the A exit.

Obviously you need a 2 hr plus connection time on the ground for that to be even feasible.

Aug 9, 22, 9:45 pm

#5478

FlyerLX

Join Date: Aug 2011

Programs: Star Alliance Gold, Oneworld Silver

Posts: 436

Surprising that FCL B is still closed. Given that they’re not opening it at peak times like August, is there a chance that it’s closed permanently?

Aug 9, 22, 10:12 pm

#5479

chris63

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV

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Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyerLX

Surprising that FCL B is still closed. Given that they’re not opening it at peak times like August, is there a chance that it’s closed permanently?

Good question, what they told me is it’s down to cost & FCT & FCLA can comfortably meet the demand, after complaints from F NS transit pax they opened SEN B F corral…..

Aug 10, 22, 2:09 pm

#5480

vantage03

Join Date: Aug 2014

Location: London | Sydney

Programs: LH HON, QF CL, SQ PPS, VA TCL, EK Gold, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, WoH Globalist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyerLX

Surprising that FCL B is still closed. Given that they’re not opening it at peak times like August, is there a chance that it’s closed permanently?

Is it surprising? I think it’s totally on-brand… unfortunately.

I can’t see FCL B ever opening again, at least not in the next few years. LH management seem to toot their horn about being a transit airline, except when it comes to premium pax, where they really only seem to care about DACH based customers.

In an ideal world, I do think they should chauffeur from FCL A to B via passport control if they don’t want to staff and operate a lounge though, but then there are capacity issues on the chauffeur front too…

chris63 and EJJBHX like this.

Aug 10, 22, 2:25 pm

#5481

NYC1

Join Date: Jun 2000

Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.

Posts: 2,057

They have a captive audience and will take maximum advantage of that.

Aug 10, 22, 8:25 pm

#5482

chris63

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV

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Posts: 6,834

Quote:

Originally Posted by vantage03

Turning the A lounge into A & Z like MUC with passport control in the lounge would make more sense, if it can be done in MUC it could be done in FRA.

Aug 10, 22, 8:30 pm

#5483

SFO777

FlyerTalk Evangelist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by chris63

Turning the A lounge into A & Z like MUC with passport control in the lounge would make more sense, if it can be done in MUC it could be done in FRA.

Totally. But then that would require some intelligence and creative thinking by LH suits.

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Aug 10, 22, 8:42 pm

#5484

NYC1

Join Date: Jun 2000

Location: NYC -- UA 1K; SPG Platinum; HH Diamond.

Posts: 2,057

…and extra money — they’d probably have to cut a deal with the airport/police for the passport control — and I’m sure they’re not looking to do that,

Aug 10, 22, 8:51 pm

#5485

chris63

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV

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Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC1

…and extra money — they’d probably have to cut a deal with the airport/police for the passport control — and I’m sure they’re not looking to do that,

They already have the lounge space, one Border Policeman is a lot cheaper than reopening FCLB, they do it at MUC, of course that’s in a nice well run airport.

Aug 11, 22, 2:10 am

#5486

supine

Join Date: May 2018

Location: FRA

Programs: LH SEN

Posts: 604

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris63

Turning the A lounge into A & Z like MUC with passport control in the lounge would make more sense, if it can be done in MUC it could be done in FRA.

While great for A <-> Z that still wouldn't be a total win for those flying out of B as there is no secure path from Z to B (absent the mysterious bus, if you can find it and it's running).

FRA's labyrinth nature really makes all of this much harder than it needs to be.

chris63 and EJJBHX like this.

Aug 11, 22, 2:19 am

#5487

Unterwegs

Join Date: Sep 2000

Location: Stuck on this planet - mainly in STR and LAX

Posts: 4,773

After connecting in FRA a few times lately in MUC today. Immigration in the F lounge, easy and logocal to navigate. Service in the F lounge (only the one in the main terminal open) more or less at pre-Covid levels. FRA Terminal 1 is a tear down / rebuilt case. And they should take an example of AF at CDG - transport by car to and from the F Lounge.

chris63, SFO777, MichielR and 1 others like this.

Aug 11, 22, 3:45 am

#5488

chris63

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV

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Quote:

Originally Posted by supine

I thought you could take the skytrain from B to Z ?

They could just drive pax going to be from FCLZ, after all it’s what they did from the B lounge.

Aug 11, 22, 3:47 am

#5489

chris63

Join Date: Nov 2006

Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Unterwegs

MUC is Heaven compared to the Hell that is FRA & while the MUC FCL is good, it’s not the Satellite…. F lounge

MichielR likes this.

Aug 11, 22, 3:59 am

#5490

supine

Join Date: May 2018

Location: FRA

Programs: LH SEN

Posts: 604

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris63

I thought you could take the skytrain from B to Z ?

You can but it's outside security. 😩

chris63 likes this.

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