camljr Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 If we are flying into EU from the US, and have a layover in Frankfort, Germany, on the way to destination (Barcelona, Spain), I understand we must clear customs in first entry country (Frankfort). Will our checked bags transfer to the next plane, or do we have to retrieve them from baggage claim to go through customs, and then haul them to the next departure gate??? We have less than 2 hours layover to accomplish this. Please help, first time EU cruisers here, appreciate any help or advice you can give! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 You wouldn't have to clear customs again after Frankfort since both Germany and Spain are in the Schengen zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camljr Posted March 25, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 25 minutes ago, smokeybandit said: You wouldn't have to clear customs again after Frankfort since both Germany and Spain are in the Schengen zone. I know that part, the question I need the answer to is: Will our checked bags transfer to the next plane, or do we have to retrieve them from baggage claim to go through customs, and then haul them to the next departure gate??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan79 Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 You will have to ask the airlines this question. This is just a RC fan forum and anything you are told here about the customs processes of any nation should NOT be relied upon under ANY circumstances. Eamon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 I've had to both pick up luggage and had it checked through on European flights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 It depends. Assuming you're booked on a through ticket (i.e. with the same airline or airlines that have an agreement such as American and Iberia), your bags would be checked through to Barcelona. You would not have to collect them in Frankfurt. On arrival in Frankfurt you would go through immigration (passport control) but not customs. On arrival in Barcelona you collect your bags and go through customs (but not immigration, since you did that in Frankfurt). However, if you are booked on two separate tickets or with airlines that don't have an agreement, then you will have to clear immigration, collect your bags, clear customs, re-check your bags and go back through security, but you wouldn't have to do either immigration or customs again. Under certain circumstances (such as a visit by the Pope, an international summit or an imminent terrorist threat) EU member states are allowed to tighten their border controls and in those cases you could conceivably have to go through immigration again on arrival in Barcelona so you should be prepared for the eventuality, although these occurrences are very rare. SebagoSue, ChessE4 and Pattycruise 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted March 25, 2023 Report Share Posted March 25, 2023 When we changed planes in Frankfort for Barcelona, we had to make sure and follow the signs for passengers with connections. You don't want to exit to baggage claim unless you are instructed to do so. Villageidiot 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camljr Posted March 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 4 hours ago, FionaMG said: It depends. Assuming you're booked on a through ticket (i.e. with the same airline or airlines that have an agreement such as American and Iberia), your bags would be checked through to Barcelona. You would not have to collect them in Frankfurt. On arrival in Frankfurt you would go through immigration (passport control) but not customs. On arrival in Barcelona you collect your bags and go through customs (but not immigration, since you did that in Frankfurt). However, if you are booked on two separate tickets or with airlines that don't have an agreement, then you will have to clear immigration, collect your bags, clear customs, re-check your bags and go back through security, but you wouldn't have to do either immigration or customs again. Under certain circumstances (such as a visit by the Pope, an international summit or an imminent terrorist threat) EU member states are allowed to tighten their border controls and in those cases you could conceivably have to go through immigration again on arrival in Barcelona so you should be prepared for the eventuality, although these occurrences are very rare. Thank you for the very clear and comprehensive explanation... Luckily, I am booked through to Barcelona on the same airline. (Lufthansa). I appreciate the information. you have relieved some anxiety about not knowing what the procedure is... THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaMG Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 4 hours ago, camljr said: Thank you for the very clear and comprehensive explanation... Luckily, I am booked through to Barcelona on the same airline. (Lufthansa). I appreciate the information. you have relieved some anxiety about not knowing what the procedure is... THANKS! Glad I was able to help. Note what @ChessE4 said too, as that's important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonOasis Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 FionaMG is correct. I work for a major airline here in Chicago that partners with Lufthansa. When you arrive in FRA you need to follow the signs for passengers in transit, and since you are coming from the US you will clear immigration in FRA your first point of entry into the Schengen zone. It is very easy at FRA there are signs in several languages all over the place so it is nearly impossible for you to get lost make a wrong turn if you are reading and following the signs for passengers in transit. After clearing immigrations proceed to your next departure gate to BCN. I'm not sure how long your layover is at FRA but if you have a long layover (several hours) make sure you remain within the secure in transit area you can't leave and go explore Frankfurt if for example you have 6 hour layover. You must remain in the secure in transit area of the airport. Upon arrival at BCN you will claim your bags and proceed through customs. If you have nothing to declare going through customs is generally the same process like here in the States you grab your bags and proceed to the exit marked Nothing To Declare. However if you have something to declare by all means declare it, because the EU just like the United States is strict and has a zero tolerance policy. The time to declare something is before they pull you out of line for random luggage inspection not as they are going through your bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Hoosier Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 36 minutes ago, JasonOasis said: I'm not sure how long your layover is at FRA but if you have a long layover (several hours) make sure you remain within the secure in transit area you can't leave and go explore Frankfurt if for example you have 6 hour layover. You must remain in the secure in transit area of the airport. Dare I ask what happens if someone doesn't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckruetze Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 33 minutes ago, BMW Hoosier said: Dare I ask what happens if someone doesn't? Nothing happens. Both Spain and Germany are part of Schengen. If you feel like visiting downtown Frankfurt go for it. Arriving from the USA you would go through the passport check and then either exit/luggage return OR transit. If your luggage is checked all the way to Barcelona (easy to check on your luggage tag you can not get your luggage in Frankfurt so just walk out and had to the town. However: Plan at least 30 minutes to get to downtown Frankfurt (if you are fast and know what train to take and what train ticket you need for that) or longer. Plan at least 30 minutes to get back. Beginning of March I was on a work trip in Frankfurt and departed on a domestic flight normal work day, no special holidays or anything like that. I had a business class ticket so security took me ONLY 32 minutes. If you fly Economy - good luck. Also Frankfurt is big, so you might walk 20+ minutes after security to your gate. There is the option to book a time slot for the security https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en/airport-guide/check-in-and-luggage/fra-smartway.html (I have never done that so I don't know how well it works). Bottom line, nothing will happen, it is perfectly fine to go and explorer Frankfurt but I would be back at the airport a minimum of two+ hours before your flight if you don't know Frankfurt airport well and if it is at the start of local school holidays I would add extra hours. BMW Hoosier 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlantix2000 Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 41 minutes ago, BMW Hoosier said: Dare I ask what happens if someone doesn't? You would have to go through full security to get back in and since you're in a foreign country, you probably wouldn't have a way to skip the line (TSA Pre-Check or other). The bigger concern is your luggage. If they know you've left the secure area, your luggage is now considered abandoned and they have to worry you're a terrorist trying to get unaccompanied luggage onto a plane. So anything from it gets on the plane to it gets the bomb squad called could happen. That could lead to an interesting conversation when you try to come back through security. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckruetze Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 15 minutes ago, Atlantix2000 said: You would have to go through full security to get back in and since you're in a foreign country, you probably wouldn't have a way to skip the line (TSA Pre-Check or other). The bigger concern is your luggage. If they know you've left the secure area, your luggage is now considered abandoned and they have to worry you're a terrorist trying to get unaccompanied luggage onto a plane. So anything from it gets on the plane to it gets the bomb squad called could happen. That could lead to an interesting conversation when you try to come back through security. The part about the luggage is not true. 1. They do not know, there is no way to know as there is no check at the exit. 2. It is perfectly valid and leave the airport on connecting flights in Europe. While not for Frankfurt I have even seen adverts for European airlines suggesting to do it. Instead of a direct flight fly via XYZ and spend a day in XYZ. I have done that a lot of times but never in Frankfurt. If you won't make it back on time however your luggage will not fly without you for security reasons but until that time there is no problem at all. BMW Hoosier 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 32 minutes ago, ckruetze said: Also Frankfurt is big, so you might walk 20+ minutes after security to your gate. ^^This X 10^^ Frankfurt is linear, meaning you walk from one end to the other. You walk and walk and walk. Horrible airport Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckruetze Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 22 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: ^^This X 10^^ Frankfurt is linear, meaning you walk from one end to the other. You walk and walk and walk. Horrible airport Agree, it is horrible. I guess it depends on how fast you walk. Also for some walks you could use the train inside the terminals and for another area there is a shortcut underground tunnel. But if you walk slow then yes, Frankfurt is no fun. Unless you fly Lufthansa First class, then you get to use the dedicated First class terminal and you don't have to walk, they drive you with a nice car right to your airplane. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 34 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: ^^This X 10^^ Frankfurt is linear, meaning you walk from one end to the other. You walk and walk and walk. Horrible airport It's bad, but not nearly as bad as Heathrow though. Though actually I guess I can't compare the two since I didn't ever connect in Frankfurt as that was my final destination all 3 times I flew there. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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