Frankfurt airport

I just returned from a trip last week and experienced similar "busing to the tarmac" in Naples and Lisbon. I was also wondering if thsi is the airports solution to needing more gates? Instead of building new terminals just get several bus's and some stairs to walk up to the plane. Has to be cheaper than building the terminals? I agree it takes more time and thank goodness it was not raining!!

New? Buses between plane and gate has been common there for years. The airport recommends a MINIMUM 45 minutes between flights (assuming they are on one ticket). Common sense would increase that to 60-90 minutes to allow for delays. It's always a good idea to check out the website of airports you are unfamiliar with before flying in for the first time. I think we've had bus service about half the time.

In the last several years I have flown through Frankfurt several timesvia United connecting to Lufthansa or Lufthansa connecting to Lufthansa. All had tarmac to bus to terminal.

All had stressful connections with that reality plus long lines at passport control even though I had up to 2 hours. I avoid that airport if I can.

I did not experience this in Frankfurt last year from Venice, through Frankfurt to Montreal. Flying through Munich to Venice a few years ago I did have to get on a bus, also the got on a bus Rome to Munich. Have also had to get on more than one bus at Heathrow many years ago. All different airlines. I think it has more to do with the airport than the airline.

Frankfurt is my favorite airport to connect through--many times over the past 12 years, on United and/or Lufthansa, and I think only once was I put on the bus to get to another terminal. Last trip through there twice was in May and it seemed my connecting gates were very close to the plane I exited from--I think sometimes it just happens, and for that reason I usually plan no less than a 2 hr connection, 3 seems ideal especially if I'm just starting my trip.

We flew from SEA to FRA on Condor, connecting to a flight to Munich on Lufthansa (one ticket) in June. We had about a 2.5 hour layover. When we arrived in FRA, we did have to take a bus to the terminal. It was a full flight, but there were no problems getting everyone on to busses. The ride was less than 5 minutes. We made it through immigration and to our next gate with an hour to spare.

I’ve also experienced this in Madrid. I don’t think it has anything to do with the airlines. Probably more to do with not enough gates to accommodate all the planes.

If you need any assistance during boarding/deboarding (wheelchair, etc), ALWAYS allow for more time for your connection. And be prepared by being familiar with the layout of the airport so you know the best way to get between your gates (bus, tram, etc).

I've flown in to FRA seven times since 2000, and I do remember being bused from the tarmac one or two times, but early on, not since at least 2004 at the latest, certainly not since they finished the new Z wing.

I think one of the reasons for being bused was that the aircraft was large (747) and they didn't have enough wide gates to accommodate all of the large aircraft. I thought that that had been mostly solved by the new Z wing, which has wide gates to accommodate large, international flights.

Back in 2013 on our very first trip to Europe, when we landed in Frankfurt, we did not land at the terminal, but had to bus over to it. Luckily we were catching a train to Trier after the flight so did not have to run to catch another flight. But then, due to a bomb concern, the train was cancelled and had to get a different ticket and train. We stood there for a half hour, waiting for the first train that never came, the German speaking announcements were going over our heads, but a kind German man helped us with his iPad to find a different connection. Unfortunately, it was the “milk run”, but we got to Trier eventually. Definitely have never forgotten that first trip!

I was also wondering if thsi is the airports solution to needing more gates?

Charles, it's not at all uncommon at many (most?) European airports. In some cases, there are definitely too few gates to support the operation, but the airport may not have the real estate to expand. At others, they seem to choose not to build for the small percentage of times that they might need all that capacity. And they have airstairs that are covered, for when it rains.

Sounds like CDG!

At FRA, we were bused to our Delta flight to JFK three weeks ago. We were assigned a gate when we arrived at FRA.

When I flew to FRA last October, our Delta flight was not assigned a gate so we had to sit on the aircraft & wait 35 minutes for buses to the terminal.

We made connections in Frankfurt returning home from Israel 4/2023. American AIrlines couldn't get the plane promptly boarded, and we were 90 minutes late leaving. When we got into Dulles, we'd missed our flights home and no seats were available for two days. Ended up flying into an airport 200 miles from our home airport and having to rent a car to get home.

We will avoid Frankfurt Airport in the future. Not impressed with the place.