hch

I know this is a person preference but I'd do the WL any time unless the connection time is to short. The SEN lounge breakfast still is a sad joke unfortunately, while the one in the WL is really nice. No idea why LH can't offer some scrambled eggs and some bacon in their main lounges at least.

hch

He will clear customs both in Frankfurt and in Hannover. In Frankfurt only for his cabin baggage, and in Hannover for his checked luggage, although I'm pretty sure they could still cause problems for some drugs or live animals smuggled in his cabing luggage there

2Ruse

be sure to tell your brother that the walk to the WL (which is great by the way, so well worth the little shlep) may be farther than he expects - as the previous posters have indicated, it's past all the customs and immigrations formalities, almost as if he is going to leave the airport - of course if he winds up outside, he's gone a bit too far!

treppenlaeufer

>5hrs layover in FRA to get to HAJ?! Other than LH050 leaving at 0940 for the quick jump to HAJ, next time your brother may also consider getting a train from FRA - would get him into Hannover for around noon time, way before the currently booked flight will even depart from FRA.

Wx4caster

I told him such, but he will have 3-4 bags each filled up to the 70 lb limit, so he wanted to minimize movement. Once it comes off the conveyor in HAJ, a van will be there to meet him.

SO, back to the lounge... I actually just changed his ticket to first class on LH419. According to the LH website, FC passengers have access to the FC lounges for same-day departing and arriving flights. With 5 hours to spare, does that mean he can walk over to the first class terminal? And if so, does he still have to trudge back through the regular terminal for the connection, or will they have any way to transport him to his connecting gate? Thanks again!

Ahh, I think I just found the footnote that answers my own question - No access for arriving/transfer passengers. Given that, Is the Welcome Lounge still the best to use, or is there an accessible First lounge that would be better? Mahalo.

econprof

There's an FCL in the Z wing that he should be able to use. Much better than the WL. Not sure about the ride to his connecting flight, though...

HNL1K

What is "nicer" vs more suitable: FCL or WL? What happens to our luggage should we go for FCL?

econprof

Not sure what you mean. If you have a connection, your luggage will be forwarded to your final destination. If you don't have a connection, then you need to go to the FCL before going airside. Your luggage will wait for you downstairs at the baggage claim.

Both options are "suitable," if by that you mean permitted. Personally, I'd go to the FCL any time it was an option. The WL has made an enormous difference to me in being able to schedule things on the day I arrive. But the FCL is so much nicer...

NewbieRunner

If he is arriving in F and connecting on LH to HAJ he has a choice of the FCT or the FCL. Arriving F passengers transferring to LH/LX/OS flights can use the FCT despite what the footnote might say and they will drive them to their flight. However, there is also a new FCL in Pier A where your brother's flight departs from. So he has a choice.

The FCT and FCL are much nicer than the Welcome Lounge.

Wx4caster

Thank you NewbieRunner - I was just catching up on your excellent thread on navigating FRA, very helpful!!

BTW, I'm going to trust your sage wisdom and experience on the admittance rules for connecting passengers (Int'l first arrivals connecting to domestic business). I've now read more than a few reviews that say it isn't allowed.

NewbieRunner

I don't know where you read these reviews but there hasn't been any report on FT of anybody being turned away from the FCT after arriving in F.

Check this thread as well.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...-fct-faqs.html

Hartmann

I was planning on flying IAH-FRA-LEJ on a GPUed (upgraded with certs) UA flight in December but the connection time to the LEJ flight is terrible (6 hours). So instead I will be terminating in FRA and just taking a train but I would like to have a shower before departing.

Per the footnote on this page: http://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/Lounge-types-and-access I should have access to the Welcome Lounge being a UA business class customer. The IAH-FRA flight arrives at 11:45am, will the Welcome Lounge still be open? Does the policy of allowing business class UA passengers access still apply?

Edit: I see that the lounge takes its last admission at 12:30pm. I assume that if for some reason my flight is delayed (weather) that I will not have any options for a shower at that point.

YuropFlyer

Exactly - also if there are queues, or you've for any other reason to wait a bit, it might cut it really close - and from some other users review, they'll really tell you to hurry up when you arrive after 12am, certainly after 12.15am..

And given German Rail isn't really known to be on time very often, I would strongly suggest you actually book the add on to LEJ, as the train ride takes +/- 4 hours even if on time + you take some of the 6 hours in the lounge with a shower you would have done anyway + you safe money for not having to buy the rail ticket.

N1003U

Yes, as UA C pax you still have access to the WL.

The 12:30 "last entry" time used to be pretty soft, but the recent experience of some here is that closing time is getting more strict, so if you are late, you may be out of luck.

+1. The lounge attendants do seem to be getting more impatient these days at closing time...but it varies.

I am going to disagree here. While The Bahn is not always a model of punctuality, they aren't so bad, either (outside of the summer holiday season).

There is a direct ICE from FRA FernBf to Leipzig Hbf that leaves around 1pm, and another at about 3pm. The scheduled travel time is 3:44. Taking a quick glance at the DB website (which is not always so user-friendly), there seems also to be a direct train (IC) just after 2pm that is a bit cheaper and has a travel time of 4:06. Depending on whether you want to travel first or second class, and which particular train you want, the tickets are at present between 50 and 100 Euros. But all the trains seem to be direct, so you don't have to worry about a transfer and/or missing it.

Depending on your final destination in LEJ, you might find the train a great alternative compared to a 6-hour layover. It only takes 15 minutes to walk to the train platform from the WL (a bit less if you are a brisk walker)

NewbieRunner

If you decide to travel by train and are too late for the Welcome Lounge there are showers in various parts of the airport. Probably the most convenient one will be at Terminal 1, Public Area B Departures, Shopping Boulevard across from "TUMI". The cost is €6/$8.