OK, I saw the other thread asking about the connection time in Munich. So, for my own peace of mind...
In May, we fly Condor Air inbound YVR-FRA, FRA-BER and outbound BUD-FRA, FRA-YVR. All are on one ticket each way.
Our connection times in Frankfurt are 1hr 45 min inbound and 1hr 25 min outbound.
We currently plan on carry-on, but a checked bag is always possible.
Do we have enough connection time on each way, with customs and any new biometric entry requirements, etc.?
Thanks, as always.
I think the minimum legal transfer used to be 45 mins but that is probably not doable any more. You need at least an hour or 90 mins, because you will be going through passport control and security when you get to Frankfurt, in both directions. On the way in you will be OK, and on the way out it might be tight but you will make it if you hustle.
Lavandula
I’d say it’s 50-50 with Frankfurt, but I’d go for it
I myself would be worried about the return flight. If your Budapest flight is in any way tardy or you end up at one of those "gates" that they bus you to the terminal, you may not make it. Is there another Vancouver flight that day? If not, I'd make sure to have travel insurance that covers a missed flight home, even if Condor takes care of you it could be a couple days until you can get seats on a flight home. But I'm not a gambler so YMMV.
We already bought our tickets. Fingers crossed. These are regularly scheduled almost daily connections for Condor so I assume that they knew what they're doing when we booked. I would not mind if we get stuck an extra day or two on the way home, but my wife needs to work on the Monday. LOL.
Four years ago, we flew into Frankfurt on Lufthansa. We had 2.5 hours to connect to Barcelona and were not worried. We got picked up from our plane by a bus on the tarmac. But for some reason, the bus driver kept going in circles. We passed by the same terminal 3 times. It was like that scene in "European Vacation" ("Look kids. It's Big Ben!"). Then they unloaded us and we stood around in a room for 10 minutes before they reloaded us on the bus and took us for a final ride to our arrival terminal. Some other passengers had less than an hour to make their connecting flight and were frantic.
I travel from Vancouver to a European destination on LH every year. I know one goes through passport control, but I don't remember ever going through security again.
You’ll be on that bus again… that’s the worst part, at least when you are in the airport you can walk fast. my worst experience was when I, ahem, enjoyed too much verdicchio my last night in Italy and made the mistake of wearing sweats on a uncharacteristically warm German spring day. That bus ride was looong y’all!
You should be okay. Checked baggage will be routed all the way through. You have to go through Customs inbound, and as along as you have the ESS done there shouldn't be an issue. Outbound you have security on arrival for the first flight, no need to do it for the second leg.
