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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 Oct 14, 2010, 12:42 pm
  #811  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Originally Posted by SmilingBoy
The FCT is not on Google Maps Satellite View, nor on Bing Maps Aerial View. However, it is included in the Bing Maps Birds eye view. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to provide a direct link to the bird's eye view. To see the FCT, go here:

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.asp...style=a&lvl=19

The FCT has been built on the parking lot (the map is roughly centred over where the FCT entrance is situated now). Now pan to the right a bit so that you are over the main terminal building. You can now activate bird's eye view. Turn the viewing direction 180°, and you can see the FCT (you may have to move a bit again so the FCT comes back into view). It is a square building with a half-round extension to the North of it, which is used as drop-off zone.

GPS coordinates: 50.049945 (North), 8.564320 (East)
In post 547, I answered my own question about where the FCT is located. I also have an areal map showing it. If you're driving to it, be sure you don't get stuck in the, what I like to call, "inner-loop of wasted time." You won't be able to reach the entrance.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/14178796-post547.html

Last edited by uiucsb; Oct 14, 2010 at 1:02 pm Reason: added link to post
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Old Oct 14, 2010, 12:58 pm
  #812  
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Post no longer needed.

Last edited by NewbieRunner; Oct 14, 2010 at 1:26 pm
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Old Oct 19, 2010, 3:44 pm
  #813  
 
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Lh f: Cdg-fra-ewr

I have a 3.5 hour layover in FRA. Arriving in LH J and departing in F. I know similar subjects have been addressed before, however, I've been unable to find a thread that addresses my specific question: Given my itinerary, upon arrival in FRA, if I go to the new FCL in B (from many of the prior posts, that appears to make the most sense for me), can I count on being driven to my gate (wherever the LH 744 to the US depart from), or do I run the risk of having leave the lounge early enough to make the flight? Similarly, should I just go to the FCL in A? I could frankly care less about the "Experience" of being driven to the gate, however, I would like to avoid having to worry about leaving the FCL too early to go through passport control, etc. From what I've read, the only way I can be guaranteed of no crowds or lines is to walk to the FCT, which is something I am prepared to do given I have 3.5 hrs at the airport. I know FRA is a less than simple airport to navigate, so I am turning to the experts for help. Please let me know what my best option is. Thanks.
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Old Oct 19, 2010, 3:55 pm
  #814  
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I'd decide depending on where your CDG-FRA flight arrives? I'd guess it would be at an A gate. Therefore the FCL A sounds like a good option, as EWR will also (most likely) depart from A. However, if you arrive at the lower A gates (11 to 15), I'd walk over to the FCT.
If you arrive at gates >26, the FCL A is just up the escalator.
Not sure if there is the secondary security scrum, but this can be avoided via FCT. (my usual option)

On second thoughts, if you have 3.5h...just walk to the FCT!
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Old Oct 19, 2010, 4:08 pm
  #815  
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Originally Posted by Rambuster
If you arrive at gates >26, the FCL A is just up the escalator.
Not sure if there is the secondary security scrum, but this can be avoided via FCT. (my usual option)
The FCL A is in Schengen so you will have to go through passport control to get to the departure gate though it shouldn't be a big deal.

If the CDG flight arrives in A, it's definitely not worth going all the way to the FCL B. It would be just as quick to walk to the FCT.
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Old Oct 21, 2010, 8:14 am
  #816  
 
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What about having a sticky:
What is the best lounge for my flight from .... / arriving at Gate and leaving for .... / departing from gate .... if I have a same day F flight on LH/LX and a leaving on LH/LX?

I volunteer to contribute. The answer is a bit long.....
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Old Oct 23, 2010, 6:56 pm
  #817  
 
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Arriving on Continental from EWR, then going FRA-DXB, I have a 5hr connection, wondering how I'd get to the First Class Terminal? I'm excited to see it, especially if it means car service to tarmac.

Would going to the FCT require going through immigration and security again?
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Old Oct 24, 2010, 9:12 am
  #818  
 
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Originally Posted by Ysitincoach
Would going to the FCT require going through immigration and security again?
Yes, you have to enter into Germany, as the entrance of the FCT is completely landside. Passport check for departure and security check will be done at the FCT.

Otherwise, you can visit the FCL B, which has the same service levels as the FCT.
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Old Oct 24, 2010, 4:26 pm
  #819  
 
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If a friend is flying confirmed F class out of FRA and I am flying LH C class to a different destination, would he be able to guest me into the FCT in FRA? or will I have to be on the SAME flight as my friend?
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Old Oct 24, 2010, 4:30 pm
  #820  
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Originally Posted by globaltrotter
If a friend is flying confirmed F class out of FRA and I am flying LH C class to a different destination, would he be able to guest me into the FCT in FRA? or will I have to be on the SAME flight as my friend?
You will have to be on the same flight.
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Old Oct 24, 2010, 6:31 pm
  #821  
 
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Originally Posted by rorschi
Yes, you have to enter into Germany, as the entrance of the FCT is completely landside. Passport check for departure and security check will be done at the FCT.

Otherwise, you can visit the FCL B, which has the same service levels as the FCT.
Once technically in Germany is it a pain to then get to the FCT? Once leaving passport control.
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Old Oct 24, 2010, 11:57 pm
  #822  
 
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Originally Posted by Ysitincoach
Once technically in Germany is it a pain to then get to the FCT? Once leaving passport control.
Depends on the amount of hand luggage and the weather.

You have to leave the terminal on either departure or arrival area and walk between 300 and 700m depending on where you exit the terminal.

Sometimes it is quicker and more efficient to do the walk, triggers for me are where my feeder arrives and the connecting plane departs. If I arrive at A or Bus Gates and leave from B or C I most definitely do the walk to the FCT.

If I arrive A Schengen and depart from B non Schengen, I will use FCL A.

If I arrive at C and depart from B or A it depends on the amount of pax around me. In the last instances I decided to leave and walk to the FCT.

Never was picked up in C and driven to FCL B so far.

It is quite sad, that for a Hon or an F class pax leaving the terminal can be the most efficient way to connect in FRA.

That is why I prefer MUC and ZRH and even DUS over FRA. It is actually always my last choice when I do the booking.
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Old Oct 25, 2010, 10:51 am
  #823  
 
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Has anyone gained access to the FCT when arriving on a F class flight with a connection flight in C class? I know the rules say no, but I was wondering if people were turned away if they walked all the way to the FCT and the agent "felt bad" let them in anyway?

any experiences???
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Old Oct 25, 2010, 4:14 pm
  #824  
 
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Another question is if I was flying Turkish airlines C class from IST to MUC and then LH C class from MUC to CDG, could I be allowed entry to the FCL in MUC, if my friend was going to be arriving in MUC (from ORD) in First Class and I was his "guest"? He will also be departing from MUC to CDG in C class on the same flight as me.
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Old Oct 25, 2010, 4:21 pm
  #825  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Originally Posted by globaltrotter
Has anyone gained access to the FCT when arriving on a F class flight with a connection flight in C class? I know the rules say no, but I was wondering if people were turned away if they walked all the way to the FCT and the agent "felt bad" let them in anyway?

any experiences???
again this forum is little different from others, search function would have answered your question...

if you arrive on LH F in FRA and have a connecting flight on LH/LX/OS in either C or Y class you do have access to FCT, you have to walk there by foot
read some of the other postings and see if its wise to walk over to FCT...it all depends on your arrival/departure gates
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