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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

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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The FRA F/HON First Class Terminal FCT FAQ

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Old Jun 14, 2023, 12:47 am
  #5806  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, Oneworld Silver
Posts: 779
Originally Posted by worldclubber
Seems to go both ways. Checked into a big Zurich hotel the other day and asked at reception: English or German? And she said “English please”, although her name tag sounded as German as Bratwurst.
Hmm... In Switzerland you can, I suppose, contrast that with the old days of SR (I know you’re talking about a hotel not an airline) when all the employees had to be at least proficient- maybe fluent- in German, French and English... Plenty spoke Italian and other languages too.

I guess it’s a question of the now well-known staff shortages... I would just hope that the day returns when the languages spoken by employees in a work position are set, and all employees in that position speak them. AFAIK in ZRH that should start with German (Swiss or not), and then it’s hard to see how English isn’t on the list these days.
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Old Jun 14, 2023, 2:23 am
  #5807  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
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Originally Posted by thbe
Walking to arrival level A of terminal 1. Leaving the terminal to the left. 5-10 minutes from door to door.

If walking is not an option, you can take a taxi. Maybe 5 minutes or less, depending on traffic.
The taxi drivers "love" you for the 500m trip
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Old Jun 14, 2023, 2:24 am
  #5808  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Originally Posted by FlyerLX
Hmm... In Switzerland you can, I suppose, contrast that with the old days of SR (I know you’re talking about a hotel not an airline) when all the employees had to be at least proficient- maybe fluent- in German, French and English... Plenty spoke Italian and other languages too.

I guess it’s a question of the now well-known staff shortages... I would just hope that the day returns when the languages spoken by employees in a work position are set, and all employees in that position speak them. AFAIK in ZRH that should start with German (Swiss or not), and then it’s hard to see how English isn’t on the list these days.
I was surprised, too, that German wasn't a requirement at a Zurich hotel. But, well, I offered a few languages and she picked English.
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Old Jun 14, 2023, 9:11 am
  #5809  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
Originally Posted by Unterwegs
If you have lots of luggage it might be easier to check in at T1 and then walk over to the FCT.
Yes, but that‘s not the same.
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Old Jun 15, 2023, 12:56 am
  #5810  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: ZRH
Programs: LX M&M
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by chris63
Yes, no problem, all about being together on the same departing flight, in your case ex ZRH
OK, so my friend is following me to FRA all on the same flights in Y. Our second flight to FRA is still operated by Swiss, however he has a LH Codeshare flight number in his ticket. Shouldn't be a problem to join me into GVA FCL?
​​​​
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Old Jun 15, 2023, 1:09 am
  #5811  
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Originally Posted by lx343
OK, so my friend is following me to FRA all on the same flights in Y. Our second flight to FRA is still operated by Swiss, however he has a LH Codeshare flight number in his ticket. Shouldn't be a problem to join me into GVA FCL?
​​​​
As long as your entitled to FCL access then you can guest someone on the same flight, codeshare makes no difference.
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Old Jun 15, 2023, 1:10 am
  #5812  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: ZRH
Programs: LX M&M
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by chris63
Yes, no problem, all about being together on the same departing flight, in your case ex ZRH
OK, so my friend is following me to FRA all on the same flights in Y. Our second flight to FRA is still operated by Swiss, however he has a LH Codeshare flight number in his ticket. Shouldn't be a problem to join me into GVA FCL?
​​​​
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Old Jun 15, 2023, 1:11 am
  #5813  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: ZRH
Programs: LX M&M
Posts: 318
Originally Posted by chris63
As long as your entitled to FCL access then you can guest someone on the same flight, codeshare makes no difference.
OK thanks
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Old Jun 24, 2023, 1:03 pm
  #5814  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 36
Apologies if this is clearly articulated elsewhere, but I haven't seen this necessarily spelled out. If I am arriving at FRA in First on LH and I'm connecting on a separate reservation that is also LH, I would have access to the FCT, right? And I would be able to invite a travel companion with me as well, correct?

Many thanks in advance.
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Old Jun 24, 2023, 1:14 pm
  #5815  
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Originally Posted by rdukrk
Apologies if this is clearly articulated elsewhere, but I haven't seen this necessarily spelled out. If I am arriving at FRA in First on LH and I'm connecting on a separate reservation that is also LH, I would have access to the FCT, right? And I would be able to invite a travel companion with me as well, correct?

Many thanks in advance.
No, that is against the rules, you are entitled to FCL arrival access based on your inbound BP, FCT is a departure terminal & you would not be in F at that point
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Old Jun 24, 2023, 1:50 pm
  #5816  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 36
Thanks so much for the quick answer. I would still be able to invite a travel companion into the FCL, right?
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Old Jun 24, 2023, 10:34 pm
  #5817  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: EDI, CGN, NYC
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Posts: 973
FCLB open?

I’m arriving in LH F from JNB next week with a connection to EDI. Did the FCLB open on time? Or should I go to the FCT?

LH website still seems to talk only about the First Class area in the SEN lounge in B, hence my question.

I have a five hour layover so going to the FCT would be feasible.
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Old Jun 24, 2023, 11:29 pm
  #5818  
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Originally Posted by rdukrk
Thanks so much for the quick answer. I would still be able to invite a travel companion into the FCL, right?
If they were on the same F flight as you
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Old Jun 24, 2023, 11:31 pm
  #5819  
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Originally Posted by econprof
I’m arriving in LH F from JNB next week with a connection to EDI. Did the FCLB open on time? Or should I go to the FCT?

LH website still seems to talk only about the First Class area in the SEN lounge in B, hence my question.

I have a five hour layover so going to the FCT would be feasible.
FCL B has been open for some time now & there are good reports about it in this forum

Amazing they are unable to update the lounge listings….
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Old Jun 25, 2023, 3:47 pm
  #5820  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 36
Originally Posted by chris63
If they were on the same F flight as you
Thank you!
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