N1003U

I note from the profile, the OP is *G. Is arrival use of the SEN lounges only allowed for M&M SEN?

NewbieRunner

Yes, I think so according to the lounge access rules.

Access to SEN lounge
Valid Senator Card and Lufthansa / Star Alliance / Codeshare partner* boarding pass for a same-day arriving / departing flight
Valid Star Alliance Gold Card and Lufthansa / Star Alliance boarding pass for same-day departing flight

YuropFlyer

He's flying UA in C, so he'll have access...

Always read the fine print

NewbieRunner

Yes, arriving on UA in C but not departing.

N1003U

That is true that UA/C have access to the Welcome Lounge, but I am not sure for the SEN lounge for a *G upon arrival (hence my question).

SEN are allowed to use SEN lounges on arrival (provided they can get back through security). I think other (non LH) *G will not perhaps be granted access. IF yes, that would be a great help for those non SEN *G who arrive too late for the WL.

N1003U

Of course, if the OP decides to do the long layover and fly to LEJ, then yes, with *G there will of be access to SEN lounges (and showers therein). But if terminating in FRA, I think NewbieRunner is correct.

NewbieRunner

I think the lounge access rules on lufthansa.com are pretty clear on this. I thought I'd read somewhere that if you arrive on LH metal you have access to the LH SEN/BIZ lounges but I may be mistaken. In any case the OP is arriving on UA metal so no access to the SEN lounge as an arrival lounge.

Hartmann

This is correct. I have flown UA C to both MUC and FRA with no onward connection and did not have access to the SEN lounges.

If I'm willing to double connect (I'll have to clear it with my wife, who will be traveling with me), I can do IAH-FRA-DUS-LEJ and still beat the train and later connecting flight. And it gives me 2 hours in FRA for a shower.

Thank you all for the help! Now to see if I can build in some time on the return to shop for Rimowa.

nature1370

Hi FTers,
I am flying next month FRA-HKG-SIN on Cathay Biz, and my returning flight is from SIN to FRA on LH Biz. My first concern is that whether or not I can have access to the LH Welcome Lounge based on my returning LH Biz Class flight. It seems it is possible according to the rules I have seen here, unless they change to a new rule recently.

Second, I also heard that Cathay has business with Rail&Fly German Bahn, and LH has AirRail with German Bahn. I am wondering if anyone here has experience using these services when flying with Cathay and LH flights. Thanks all for your time and help.

NewbieRunner

Yes, your arriving BP from SIN will give you access to the Welcome Lounge.

LH also has Rail&Fly though unlike CX it's not free for Business Class passengers. Check this page for information.
https://www.lufthansa.com/online/myp...d=1771075&l=en

htb

Just be sure that you are on a LH operated flight. LH9765 and LH9763 are not and would not let you access the welcome lounge. And of course the lounge must be open (not a problem for the LH operated flight LH779 which arrives at 6 am.

HTB.

UA-NYC

Lounge still open until 12:30, right? That seems to be the last "acceptance"...when do people start getting kicked out?

My flight will land at noon from JFK (or up to an hour early, per flightaware) likely in Z. Connecting not til 5pm, so a long layover, and looks like I'm going out of C14-C16 (RUH). Smart move to go to the WL first, as opposed to going straight to the C SEN lounge? I guess I'll cost myself an extra passport check each way...any other considerations?

econprof

They will tell you that the lounge closes at 12:30 if you arrive at 12:25, but they usually let me stay until 13:00.

The breakfast food is definitely better at the WL, but I'd say the showers at the SEN lounge in Z are now pretty comparable to those at the WL. Unless you land early and have a good hour to experience the WL, I think you'll probably be just about as happy in SEN lounge without the hassle...

I do wish they'd take into account when the late flight from JFK lands in calculating how late to keep the WL open. Without the WL, I'd be almost indifferent as to which airline I fly NYC-FRA. But the WL makes a huge difference in my productivity on the day I land.

N1003U

The official policy, so far as I can tell, is still last entry at 12:30. At least that is what LH says on the website.

My historical experience was that the receptionist at the welcome lounge was very forgiving about letting folks in even a bit after 12:30 when, for example, LH405 arrived late. My personal admittance record is about 12:50.

However, in the past year to 18 months, LH seems to have become a lot more strict with Welcome Lounge admittance. The last time I showed up just before 12:30, I was admitted, but told very gruffly, that the lounge "closes" at 12:30. When I asked what "last admittance 12:30" means, I got a cold stare and a repeat that the lounge closes at 12:30. I had a quick shower, and was glared at while I wolfed down a boiled egg and a couple of strips of bacon; I was back out in the Terminal by shortly before 13:00 (I think there was one person after me). While I was in the shower (between about 12:25 and 12:45), the lounge staff did start to break down the buffet, but they left most of the main breakfast items (eggs, cheese, meat, toast, müsli, milk, etc.) standing until the last couple of us guests had eaten...

You almost certainly won't be welcome to lounge around very long in the "welcome" lounge if you show up near 12:30, but you should be able to grab a shower and breakfast there. The intent of the lounge is to give terminating passengers a comfortable place to shower and eat breakfast, and not as a transit lounge, so if you arrive late, you will be treated accordingly.

That leaves you at about 13:00 (practically, counting security, passport control, and boarding) with about 3 hours to kill before you have to board your on-going flight. Not much time to go into Frankfurt via the S-Bahn, but that is an option (there is a thread around here somewhere on that topic) or wandering around the shops in Terminal 1 before heading to your gate. The C-Pier lounges are not much to get excited about, and the C-Pier is about as boring as FRA gets. If you are a low-maintenace type (happy with standard LH BIZ/SEN lounge offerings, a newspaper, and a marginal internet connection), you can while away a couple of hours in the C-Pier lounges quite easily.

If you are easily bored, I would consider alternative lounge accommodations. See one of the FRA connection threads in this forum for suggestions, such as here, where there is a great overview at the start of the thread from NewbieRunner of all of the fun things to see and do in airport at FRA, and what your connecting lounge options are).

econprof

That's about my experience in the WL lately.

My comments regarding the SEN lounge are for the new one in the Z wing, which is nicer than the one in the C wing.