When flying from the US (and checking luggage) to Italy via Germany (Frankfurt), when arriving in Germany, do we:
1) need to pick up luggage
2) need to go through Immigration in Germany
3) need to go through security in Germany
We have a tight connection and want to make sure we know what we're doing! Never had
Thanks!
No, yes, maybe
No, yes, and yes since you will be outside of security once you go through immigration. If the line is long and you have a short connection, generally there is a line somewhere just for your situation. Look for it or ask.
Assuming you are doing this on one through ticket then the above are correct.
You will go through immigration (entering the Schengen area) in Germany. Your luggage will go through customs (walk through the green channel) in Italy. No immigration in Italy as you are already in the Schengen Area.
If you have two independent tickets, you likely cannot check your luggage through, and will have to pick it up in Germany and then check in again for the second flight. This will take a lot longer and your connection is guaranteed.
I think that Chris F means to say not guaranteed in the last sentence of the post above.
JHK, I think you are correct.
"since you will be outside of security once you go through immigration."
I'm not absolutely sure on this because I have always terminated in Frankfurt when coming there from the US, but I think, as long as you don't change concourses (gate areas), that you can stay inside security. Every time I've flown into the A concourse in Frankfurt, immigration has been directly under the gate, and I think that after clearing immigration, I could have returned to the secure area of the concourse. Of course, that was on Lufthansa, within the same concourse. If you change concourses or terminals, all bets are off.
For passengers on flights that are leaving soon (about 30 min), FRA has created security and immigration fast lanes. There will be a board at the lane indicating the flights for which passenger can use the lane.
