Connecting flights --- Am I leaving enough time?

JumpShivers

I plan to travel to Albania with my OH in June. We have to fly to Tirana via Frankfurt.
Lufthansa seems to give the most reasonable fares.

We have a layover of two hours.
Is that enough?
If the flight is late leaving Dublin will they wait in Frankfurt?
Will our bags go straight from one plane to the next?

coylemj

Your flight reservation is on one ticket so your bags will be checked through from Dublin to Tirana and as you will not be changing terminal and you will be in Lufthansa's home airport with two hours to make the transfer, you won't have any problem.

If there is a delay in Dublin and you're late arriving in Frankfurt, they will not wait for you but Lufthansa will sort you out, you won't be abandoned.

JCX BXC

JumpShivers wrote: »

I plan to travel to Albania with my OH in June. We have to fly to Tirana via Frankfurt.
Lufthansa seems to give the most reasonable fares.

We have a layover of two hours.
Is that enough?
If the flight is late leaving Dublin will they wait in Frankfurt?
Will our bags go straight from one plane to the next?

2 hours would be sufficient, even in the event of a slight delay on your DUB flight. The flight in FRA won't wait for you though, they will book you on another flight should you be horrifically delayed. Your bags will go straight to Tirana should you book it on the one ticket.

Enjoy!

JCX BXC

JumpShivers wrote: »

I plan to travel to Albania with my OH in June. We have to fly to Tirana via Frankfurt.
Lufthansa seems to give the most reasonable fares.

We have a layover of two hours.
Is that enough?
If the flight is late leaving Dublin will they wait in Frankfurt?
Will our bags go straight from one plane to the next?

2 hours would be sufficient, even in the event of a slight delay on your DUB flight. The flight in FRA won't wait for you though, they will book you on another flight should you be horrifically delayed. Your bags will go straight to Tirana should you book it on the one ticket.

Enjoy!

JumpShivers

Carnacalla wrote: »

2 hours would be sufficient, even in the event of a slight delay on your DUB flight. The flight in FRA won't wait for you though, they will book you on another flight should you be horrifically delayed. Your bags will go straight to Tirana should you book it on the one ticket.

Enjoy!

If I do miss the DUB-FRA flight for whatever reason or it becomes delayed and they book me onto the next FRA-TIR flight will they take my bags off the earlier flight so they won't be sitting there in Tirana for hours waiting on me?

Thanks for replies so far. :P

JCX BXC

JumpShivers wrote: »

If I do miss the DUB-FRA flight for whatever reason or it becomes delayed and they book me onto the next FRA-TIR flight will they take my bags off the earlier flight so they won't be sitting there in Tirana for hours waiting on me?

Thanks for replies so far. :P

I think the European law is that your bag cannot be on a flight without you being on it. I could be mistaken though

coylemj

JumpShivers wrote: »

If I do miss the DUB-FRA flight for whatever reason or it becomes delayed and they book me onto the next FRA-TIR flight will they take my bags off the earlier flight so they won't be sitting there in Tirana for hours waiting on me?

You and your bags will always be on the same flight so if you arrive late in Frankfurt, so will your bags. There are no circumstances under which your bag will arrive anywhere before you.

Since Lockerbie, the passenger and the bag(s) have to fly together so for example if you check in a bag and then fail to board, the bag has to come off the plane before they fly.

First Up

JumpShivers wrote:

We have a layover of two hours. Is that enough? If the flight is late leaving Dublin will they wait in Frankfurt? Will our bags go straight from one plane to the next?

If you leave Dublin on schedule you will have loads of time. As you arrive from and depart to non Schengen countries you will have only a short walk between gates with no passport etc. queues.

BattleReady

JumpShivers wrote:

We have a layover of two hours. Is that enough? If the flight is late leaving Dublin will they wait in Frankfurt? Will our bags go straight from one plane to the next?

JumpShivers wrote:

I plan to travel to Albania with my OH in June. We have to fly to Tirana via Frankfurt. Lufthansa seems to give the most reasonable fares.

Have you ever tried someone like opodo.com. they have some fantastic rates through all the airlines, and usually offer the best connection s.

coylemj

First Up wrote: »

As you arrive from and depart to non Schengen countries you will have only a short walk between gates with no passport etc. queues.

I've never heard of a 'sterile' zone in a Schengen airport for transiting non-Schengen travellers. In all probability the OP will have to show his passport when arriving and departing.

Disgruntled Badger

You are in safe hands with Lufthansa. Really nice airline, streets ahead of Aer Lingus, never mind Ryanair. If anything goes wrong, delays etc, they'll look after you, so no need to worry. Sometimes, but not always, you pay a little more to go with the full service airlines compared to the low cost airlines but it is always worth it. So even better that they were the cheapest.

If you are a little stressed about it just
check in online the night before and prebook your seats. (free of charge) makes life easier when you get to the airport. just give yourself plenty of time to allow for security. 60 mins before departure is enough, though some give it 90. Just double check when you drop the bags at check in that they've checked the bags through to your final destination.

You need about 40 mins to connect comfortably in Frankfurt but you'd do it in 20 at a push. So you'd have to have a really bad delay to misconnect. if that happens the bags could end up following you on the next flight. For that reason don't pack anything you must have on arrival, medicine, legal papers, wedding dress etc. Or something of significant value; e.g. jewellery. Keep it with you in your carry on luggage.

Have a great trip ;-)

JCX BXC

Disgruntled Badger wrote: »

60 mins before departure is enough,

Ohh no I really wouldn't chance 60mins. All it takes is a delay parking your car and at security before having to fork out several hundreds for new flights.

Disgruntled Badger

Carnacalla wrote:

Ohh no I really wouldn't chance 60mins. All it takes is a delay parking your car and at security before having to fork out several hundreds for new flights.

Absolutely. 90mins is best, if you have the time, or you don't know the airport gates etc so you are not stressed. My elderly parents give it 2 or 3 hours bless 'em. Though I think they do that only as they are then forced to have to kill time in the bar lol.

I am the opposite. I travel 3 or 4 times a month for work. Usually the 6-7 am flights. I hit the long term Red car park 60 mins before departure. no hassle parking. 10mins to terminal. 10 mins at security. (fast track) 5-10 mins to the gate. I usually have time to grab a paper and an espresso. Chill while everyone boards and stoll on when the queue is gone. My Boss hates travelling with me, stresses the crap out of him....lol

;-)

First Up

coylemj wrote:

I've never heard of a 'sterile' zone in a Schengen airport for transiting non-Schengen travellers. In all probability the OP will have to show his passport when arriving and departing.

I have been through Frankfurt dozens of times. Flights from and to non Schengen countries are in the same terminal. There may be security checks (that may involve a passport check) but you don't pass through immigration because you are not entering or leaving the Schengen area.

There are maps of the airport available on their website.

JumpShivers

What if Lufthansa delays or postpones or cancels the Dublin to Frankfurt leg of the journey, what happens?

Will they book us onto an earlier or later flight?

JCX BXC

JumpShivers wrote: »

What if Lufthansa delays or postpones or cancels the Dublin to Frankfurt leg of the journey, what happens?

Will they book us onto an earlier or later flight?

Depends on the situation and whether it was planned in advance or not, but usually later.