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Lufthansa Austin to Frankfurt

Austin airport, still sort of third world looking in the ticketing area. Security areas rather poorly designed and ques too small with lines bleeding out into ticketing.

Lufthansa desk clerks, very nice (sounded like Texans). Opened 3 hours prior to the flight. I checked a bag this time. My basic economy didn't come with a checked bag so I had to pay $75 extra + $40 for a Walmart throwaway duffel bag. Still, ticket was several hundred cheaper.

TSA agents, first time I ever thought they were asses. The machine was eating shoes and they didn't want to retrieve them for the passengers. Oh, I have Global Entry and i put the number in the reservation but my boarding pass didn't have precheck so I had to do the long line.

Agents at gate very nice. Still left late because plane not fuled, then baggage loading delays. But agents started checking boarding passes and lining people up in the gangway so boarding would go a little faster.

Lots of announcements about carryon restrictions, but no checks.

Despite this being the busiest summer on record, the flight was about 2/3 empty. Still, being Basic Economy I was Group 6.

When I checked in on-linr I checked my seat to see of I had anyone next to me. Nope, all 3 seats mine. Double checked at the ticket counter. Still had 3 seats.

After takeoff I put the arm rests up, put a blanket on the seat that would get my shoes, stretched out and watched a few movies and slept.

I should have slept through the meals. Its not that they were bland, they were actually bad. Terrible garbage.

Arrived about on time (9:45 advertised flight time .... I think they pad it 30 min so they are late less often). Got off plane, into terminal, down stairs to a bus, then a very long drive to Terminal One.

Passport control wasn't bad, but I screwed up and, when asked, said I would be in Budapest 3 months then had to find my wallet for my residency card. Clerk wasn't amused, and I don't blame him. I know better.

From landing through passport control was 45 minutes then figure not less than 5 minutes to the next gate. So you can do a 1 hour layover here, and I have, but not easy and all has to go perfect.

Now sitting at gate waiting for the next flight.

Posted by
4825 posts

Not fair with all the extra seats…. Maybe I should start flying out of Austin instead of DFW. My flight last month was full. Oh, wait, I said I wasn’t going to fly Lufthansa again. 🤣

Posted by
3485 posts

I’m amazed to hear about so many empty seats!
It’s great to be able to lie down in Economy!

Posted by
14980 posts

As I always fly Basic Economy, I end up, obviously, in the last "Group" be it Group 6 which I am sure has happened .

This time with United out of SFO to FRA on 5 June on a packed flight, I was assigned to Group 4, with absolutely no overhead bin space left at all, landed prior to 10 AM, ca. 20 mins to the scheduled arrival. No line, no passengers waiting at Passport Control, just waited to be called. Basically, a perfunctory chat in answering the questions.

Posted by
997 posts

Hey Mr E, thanks for the detailed trip report.. but weren't you one of the people who said Lufthansa was almost your least fav airlines?! If you have a longer layover in Germany, consider getting the automated gate entry clearance. You don't need to have residency in a Schengen country. It did require exiting security, hunting the dang office down which was poorly signposted, but I was in & out of the Border Police office in 5 minutes. I did it on a 3.75 hour layover on the day before the 3-day May day weekend, and still I was back through security with 1.5 hours to spare. Some tips on how to find that office are below-

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/got-easy-pass-german-automated-gate-entry-april-2023

Posted by
20223 posts

Ahhh, the residency requirement was because I exceeded the Schengen 90 in 180. Otherwise took 3 minutes at passport control.

Can't stand Lufthansa. But I fly cheapest available and right now that is Lufthansa.

Posted by
465 posts

I should have slept through the meals. Its not that they were bland, they were actually bad. Terrible garbage.

My family flew Lufthansa 2 years ago and the food we were served is now a bit of an ongoing family joke. The “breakfast” snack was truly the worst thing we’ve eaten, and none of us are picky. 😆

Glad to hear the flight itself went well and that you has plenty of room.

Posted by
997 posts

Ahhhh that makes sense, sounds like you had a decent flight despite the dislike! Well, I've been through FRA when passport control for 'others' (i.e. US citizens) was a 45-min wait, which is why I went to the hassle to get a multiple entry clearance that allows me to use the automated gates. My passport doesn't expire until Nov 2029, or I wouldn't have bothered as it's linked to passport. (PS, I have Swedish residency, but this multiple entry clearance is open to all US citizens, and a few other countries.)

Posted by
20223 posts

Sandancisco, and thanks for the link to the Germsn version of global entry. I was surprised I couldn't use tge automated gates in Frankfurt, because the gates in Amsterdam accept US passports. Still, if I had my residency card out it would have taken 3 minutes.

FRA to BUD

Almost a full flight and a lot of Americans. Two months ago there weren't many, now they are everywhere. No food for Basic Economy on the 90 min flight. Okay, a piece of chocolate and a bottle of water.

Americans obey rules and instructions better than most and staid in their seats waiting for their boarding number to be called. I've done this before and strolled to the check point about the time the flight attendants said Groups 1 through 8 now boarding. Cause it looks like a gate, but its not. You end up on a bus for a very long drive to the plane. Hint: wait till the bus is full, then get on.

Uneventful flight. In Budapest the exit to Baggage Reclaim is poorly marked. Follow the crowd or head in the direction of Gate A12.

Uneventful baggage claim.
Uneventful taxi ride home 11,350 forints ... its gotten expensive. Use to be maybe 8,000 not 3 years ago.

Spent the night visiting friends. Unpacked this morning and doing laundry. Later groceries.