Lufthansa First Class vs. Swiss First Class
Oct 2, 2015 | 5:16 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,098
Oct 2, 2015 | 1:41 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak; GM with hotels; Waymo; Honda crv; iOS
Posts: 36,641
Lufthansa First Class vs. Swiss First Class
Was the Excellent food rated at 8/10 because of "limited" selection? I'm curious what would have created a higher food score.
I'm a bit disappointed that the LH FCL agent was so determined to not allow access! It feels alarming and rude. Did the agent recognize that you had just flown in C so should at least be allowed into the Business lounge? Other pax may have felt afraid to go to FCL or fct if they were less aware of their access rights.
I look forward to the lx F report. Thank you for these TRs!
I'm a bit disappointed that the LH FCL agent was so determined to not allow access! It feels alarming and rude. Did the agent recognize that you had just flown in C so should at least be allowed into the Business lounge? Other pax may have felt afraid to go to FCL or fct if they were less aware of their access rights.
I look forward to the lx F report. Thank you for these TRs!
Oct 2, 2015 | 2:00 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,098
Was the Excellent food rated at 8/10 because of "limited" selection? I'm curious what would have created a higher food score.
I'm a bit disappointed that the LH FCL agent was so determined to not allow access! It feels alarming and rude. Did the agent recognize that you had just flown in C so should at least be allowed into the Business lounge? Other pax may have felt afraid to go to FCL or fct if they were less aware of their access rights.
I look forward to the lx F report. Thank you for these TRs!
I'm a bit disappointed that the LH FCL agent was so determined to not allow access! It feels alarming and rude. Did the agent recognize that you had just flown in C so should at least be allowed into the Business lounge? Other pax may have felt afraid to go to FCL or fct if they were less aware of their access rights.
I look forward to the lx F report. Thank you for these TRs!
Oct 2, 2015 | 2:11 pm
#20
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 30,428
Lucky I knew exactly where it was however what this shows is that Lufthansa ground staff do not always know the rule. To summarize:
Access to FCT (Lufthansa First Class Terminal) = Same day arriving or departing Swiss or Lufthansa First Class ticket to any LH or LX airports.
Access to FCT (Lufthansa First Class Terminal) = Same day arriving or departing Swiss or Lufthansa First Class ticket to any LH or LX airports.
According to Lufthansa's official policy the FCT is a departure terminal and if you ask any LH employee they will usually tell you that transfer passengers do not have access to the FCT. However, this rule has not been enforced and as far as we know nobody has reported being turned away as a transfer passenger meeting the above criteria.
To quote from LH's lounge access rules
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.
Oct 2, 2015 | 2:25 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,098
Lufthansa First Class vs. Swiss First Class
@NewbieRunner you raise a good point. I checked with both LH call centre and the staff at the FCT and both said if you had an arriving flight you had access. what is clear is that the rule is not clear 
Oct 2, 2015 | 2:35 pm
#22
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 30,428
The rule (as written down) is clear. The interpretation isn't. In the LH forum we advise that 'transfer passengers are not arriving passengers'.
FCT staff of course know the rule is not enforced. You were lucky to get call centre staff who knew how the rule worked in reality.
FCT staff of course know the rule is not enforced. You were lucky to get call centre staff who knew how the rule worked in reality.
Oct 2, 2015 | 3:58 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PLAT,PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Gld,Hyatt Disc,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 11,021
The rule (as written down) is clear. The interpretation isn't. In the LH forum we advise that 'transfer passengers are not arriving passengers'.
FCT staff of course know the rule is not enforced. You were lucky to get call centre staff who knew how the rule worked in reality.
FCT staff of course know the rule is not enforced. You were lucky to get call centre staff who knew how the rule worked in reality.
In any event, a fun TR so far. Looking forward to the LX review and comparison!
Oct 2, 2015 | 4:17 pm
#24
Senior Moderator, Moderator: Community Buzz and Ambassador: Miles & More (Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and other partners)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 150km from MAN
Programs: LH SEN** HH Diamond
Posts: 30,428
So let me see if I understand the rule and a scenario under which it's not typically enforced, since it could pertain to a trip my wife and I might take next year: LIS (LH J) - FRA (LH J) - MUC (LH F) - YVR. If I understand this correctly, under the rule we could not access the FRA FCT. But under typical practice it would be allowed?
Oct 2, 2015 | 4:50 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PLAT,PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Gld,Hyatt Disc,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 11,021
I don't want to turn this into another FCT FAQ thread (which already exists in the LH forum) but provided your FRA-MUC flight is on the same day as your MUC-YVR flight it will be within the written rule because you will be on "a confirmed same-day departing First Class flight on Lufthansa or SWISS".
Oct 7, 2015 | 1:10 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA PP, DL PLT, Bonvoy LT Titanium, HH LT Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 13,367
This is not entirely accurate. In addition to the conditions mentioned (or holding HON Circle status) you have to be departing on Swiss or Lufthansa in order to gain access to the FCT.
According to Lufthansa's official policy the FCT is a departure terminal and if you ask any LH employee they will usually tell you that transfer passengers do not have access to the FCT. However, this rule has not been enforced and as far as we know nobody has reported being turned away as a transfer passenger meeting the above criteria.
To quote from LH's lounge access rules
According to Lufthansa's official policy the FCT is a departure terminal and if you ask any LH employee they will usually tell you that transfer passengers do not have access to the FCT. However, this rule has not been enforced and as far as we know nobody has reported being turned away as a transfer passenger meeting the above criteria.
To quote from LH's lounge access rules
Oct 8, 2015 | 9:01 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 11,592
The rule (as written down) is clear. The interpretation isn't. In the LH forum we advise that 'transfer passengers are not arriving passengers'.
FCT staff of course know the rule is not enforced. You were lucky to get call centre staff who knew how the rule worked in reality.
FCT staff of course know the rule is not enforced. You were lucky to get call centre staff who knew how the rule worked in reality.