tight connection in FRA - suggestions?
 

I am doing SFO-FRA-FLR in a couple of weeks in C. Our connection in FRA is exactly 1 hour.

Little nervous about tight connection, but the agent said it was legal and doable.

Assuming all flights are on time - does anyone have any helpful hints about getting around FRA as quickly as possible?

Thanks in advance.

the Miles and More forum has lots of threads about FRA connection times.

My suggestion? RUN!

:D As a German citizen I strongly suspect that I can do the connection much more quickly than an American; I also walk very quickly. (I don't have any wait at passport control; non EU waits often look much longer)

One hour is very tight for me; I like to give myself enough time for a chocolate and cigarette break, personally.....

I've had a couple of very nervous FRA connections. You could also get stuck at a remote "bus" gate, which is not uncommon. Just follow the signs carefully. The few times I've been through FRA I've been rushed and focused on the next flight, so I've yet to get a good sense of the airport. (One "longer" connection which could have given me a short opportunity to visit the LH F Terminal turned into a remote gate situation (and a while to even decide we'd be at a remote gate), making the connection a very quick visit to the main terminal's LH F lounge instead.

My partner has an Irish passport. That might help him - but probably not me and my mother. Although I wonder if we could all blaze through on his passport? If not, at least he can skip the line.

Do we have to collect our luggage in FRA and then recheck it - or will it go directly through to FLR?

Thanks again.

Chad

it's definitely tight, but doable. i'll echo Eastbay1K and say focus carefully on the signs. i once had a 45 minute connection which i made--barely--but my luggage didn't. the upside of that was it met me at my hotel after a few anxious hours, so be aware that luggage could be an issue as well. i did get a good cardio workout that day...wear good walking shoes! (yeah, i realize you're a guy and this doesn't apply, but just in case you're not traveling alone. :))

Can't. Immigration will take joy in pointing out the line in which you belong. ;)

Belong?? ;)

Better to find out here rather than there.

I haven't had probems with lines at immigration but my last trip through FRA connecting to AMS I took a wrong turn and found myself having to go through security again. As others say, watch the signs...

What others didn't mention was where your connecting flight will be. If it's in the A gates, this will be a problem.

You can check your luggage through and you can hope that: (1) your SFO-FRA flight arrives either on time or early (if it's late, you have little chance of making any connection); and (2) you can ask other passengers to let you ahead in both the passport control and security lines and they will be helpful.

In any event, know the schedule for FRA-FLR so know your alternatives. If you miss your flight, go to the UA desk rather than the LH desk. UA will be more helpful in getting on alternative flights although you may have to press the issue. Good luck.

Thanks for all the quick replies.

We'll definitely watch where we are going (avoid leaving secure area).

There is a flight 2 hours later (tried to get that one - but no award space available).

Thanks again.

Chad

Just did this in Jan SFO-FRA-FLR with a hour connection. Our flight was on time - in fact, maybe a few minutes early. We walked quickly - stopped for coffee which ended up being useless because we had to clear security again and so had to dump most of it! We made it with a little time to spare. We weren't the last people on the connecting LH flight - it was about 3/4 full when we boarded.

As said earlier, it is good to know your options if you miss the connection.

If you miss your connection because your flight doesn't arrive on time to make the next flight, UA will get you on the flight 2 hours later if there is any space available. Make sure that they know your status as a 1K.

Good luck!

I wouldn't worry about the 1 hour connection. I did a 1:15 connection and had no problem making the connection with 40 minutes in the Lufthansa Lounge. LHR has an ongoing inefficiency contest while FRA and MUC are quite efficient.

You can check bags through. I wouldn't worry about immigration - it has never taken me more than 1 minute at FRA, and some of the immigration controls have a special lane for those connecting to imminently departing flights.