Transfer at FRA - help needed
 

Hope this is the right forum for these questions. I've booked a J reward flight with Qantas (actually travelling CX) from HKG to FRA.. I then need to connect with BA to LHR. My CX flight lands at 6am and I am looking at purchasing a BA flight that departs at 7.25am.

Two questions:

1. Will CX be able to tag my luggage through to LHR so that I just have to go to the transfer desk at FRA and pick up our boarding passes for the BA flight

2. Will the 1hr 25 min connection time be enough...and what happens if CX is delayed and we miss out flight

The next BA flight is at 11.20am so I would much prefer to get on the earlier one. I've never had to transfer to a different airline like this before so any other things I may need to know is appreciated.

Thanks.

CX can tag your luggage to LHR at HKG if you show them your BA ticket. They may be able to issue boarding passes for BA, but probably not. Presumably BA FRA-LHR is a separate ticket. If you miss the BA flight, for whatever reason, it is your problem and how BA treats you depends on what fare you paid. Worst case you have to buy a new ticket (at full fare); BA is somewhat prone to do this on restricted fares. By buying a separate ticket you are absorbing the risk of being late for the flight. FRA is a huge airport and I think CX and BA are at opposite ends (so it takes about 20 minutes just to transit the airport, never mind any processing time). This year winds have been high, making westbound flights an hour late (and eastbound an hour early). Your chances of making the connection at 1.5 hours is about 10% in my opinion (and I often book such tight connections), and I would book a later flight.

thanks for your help and advice number_6

If I recall the CX flights arrive at FRA T2 where the BA flights also leave from. If you can get your luggage checked all the way through then you should be okay with 1:25h transfer time.

T2 is much easier to handle at that time than T1. Just be aware that BA has additional security screening before its T2 departure gates air-side, in a morning that can be a busy place to be.

If you cannot check your bags all the way to LHR then you will need to allow yourself a minimum of 40 mins from claiming your bags to getting on BA metal.

I'd say this is more an issue about the CX flight, if it's often late to arrive, then you could have a problem...I've no information regarding this particular leg but usually they should build even the strongest head wind sparetime in schedules..In normal conditions = CX flight leaves on time, 1h25m is more than enough @FRA, especially if you get your luggage tagged through...anyway I'd say the above mentioned 10% chance of you to make it sounds too low estimate to me...

CX arrives in T2 and BA leaves from T2.
If you check your luggage thru 15-20 min from deplaning to the new gate should be plenty of time.
Even if you need to pick up your luggage you should be able to make it in 40 min easy.
So it all depends if and how long the CX flight is delayed. I used this flight a few times in the last 2/3 years and it was never late, sametimes even 30 min early.

thanks for all the advice. I'm taking the later flight after all as the price on the early one has gone up dramatically anyway. that leaves about 5 hours at FRA...is there a lounge we can use to have a shower? we are flying in CXin J but only going on with BA in Y unfortunately...any ideas?

The AC is outside of security and has showers and is open during the hours that you are there. That is the best of the Oneworld lounges and probably the only one that you would have access to at FRA. It is upstairs above the AA ticket counters (across from the walkway to the Sheraton hotel). If you don't have Oneworld status, you cannot access any lounge based on arriving in CX J. The hotel does sell day rooms (but expensive, it would be over USD 100 for a few hours).

The CX lounge is open for arrivals in FRA and also has showers. When traveling in F you can use the lounge when arriving (it is in the departure area close to the gates) - this was at least true a few month ago. Not sure about J, but i would assume they also let you in.

Thanks guys...i shall be trying to talk my way into somewhere that is for sure :)

Maybe there's no need to talk your way into it; this post indicates that arriving CX J/F pax are actually entitled to use the lounge.