Frankfurt Main Airport

I've suffered more stress and missed more flights at this dump than all other airports combined and I've been commuting weekly on business for more than 20 years. My recent trip: Plane lands and taxis for 20 minutes to some remote outfield. Can't find any steps to get off the plane. Eventually they find 1 set so front passengers can get off. A bus arrives but it isn't big enough for all passengers. 40 minutes after landing you embark on the drive to the terminal itself and after 10 minutes in the bus you enter the labyrinth of tunnels under the terminal building only to come to a complete halt in a traffic jams. Stagger off the bus with only 8 minutes of your 1 hour connecting time left. Left to negotiate a series of steps and corridors back to the gate you just passed in the bus. Tunnel of Missed Connections runs for about 1km between A and B gates. To get to it you can wait for the inadequate lifts or carry your bags down about 8 flights of stairs before running. Another security check with huge queues and another passport control. Missed connecting flight. Lufthansa don't fly direct anywhere anymore so if you pick them you'll suffer Frankfurt too.

I arrived with the ICE from Cologne and thought I would have enough time to work a little before departure. But then I had to pass security in Terminal 1 which is centralized for the A-gates. It took me 27 minutes even though the line was not extremely long and they do a good job in queue management by channelling passengers to the various check lines. Also I always feel that the air is good and it feels a little too hot - anyway not a comfortable atmosphere. This time I was lucky departing from gate A18 which is not too long of a walk. On other occasions I had Gate 42 and this took a really long walk.

Great Airport modern clean lots of shopping possibilities clear signs and friendly staff. However very long walks and often no moving walkways.

Missed connections seem to be more common at FRA than at other airports of this size. Signage was good in some places extremely poor in others but other notifications are sorely lacking. I experienced a gate change with no announcement made over the PA nor at the original gate (they admitted they only indicate this in the electronic system which you must walk up to and enter you flight number or scan your boarding pass) and hence missed the boarding call. They claimed they called my name throughout the airport but I doubt it was throughout since it is incredibly difficult to miss the loud announcements. Security staff as previously mentioned were anything but courteous. Long distances and multiple checkpoints make short connections nearly impossible between airlines. Free Wifi is only available if you have a mobile phone that has international roaming allowing you to receive an SMS message. Clean bathrooms and premises decent food choices (though pricey as all airport food is) but if you're trying to make a connection then choose another airport.

I arrived early morning from Miami and I had some extra time at the airport. A terminal one is very big and walking distances may be very long. Passport control between Schengen and non-Schengen areas was a breeze as I was the only passenger in the whole area. Arrival gate was of course some Z-gate far away and I followed signs to my next flights departure gate. Quiet border control but I had almost the same distance to walk back to Lufthansa lounge and then back to the gate. Always look for signs carefully as they may be a shorter route but it was a refreshing trek after a long flight.

Having had a disastrous experience on my last trip to Africa connecting through the Paris CDG airport (the security personnel were the worst that I have ever encountered) I decided to try this time the Frankfurt airport. I was very pleasantly surprised. The airport was very well labelled so it was no problem finding the terminal for my connecting flight. The security lines were quite short the personnel manning these were very pleasant and helpful. The bathrooms were extremely clean and the food stalls had lots of interesting things to try. Frankfurt takes my vote over Paris or London for connections through Europe.

My experiences of FRA mirror those of Jan Willems see post dated 27 Feb 2013. I travel through FRA almost monthly and while I can forgive the poor layout of the airport and expensive food the security personnel are the worst I have seen. As Jan said of security; "horrible attitude slow intimidating no consideration for travellers on tight connection. I don't expect to be treated like a celebrity but a minimum of respect and decency would not be outplayed". There is nothing I need to add to that! All other staff have been friendly and helpful but the security personnel definitely need some training to remind them they are dealing with ordinary people going about their business not convicts in a prison.

USA to FRA on 23 February 2013 FRA is an unholy mess. Flight landed 5 minutes early plane then taxied for many minutes before unloading passengers onto tarmac at remote part of airport. We then boarded buses for trip to terminal which took many more minutes. Unloaded at terminal B had to go through full security scan then. Once through had to navigate many corridors to find our departure gate. Everything took far too long and we missed our flight. Airport itself is worn and tired bathrooms very small and old limited food options past security. Everything about airport was worn and dingy.

Recent transit through Frankfurt excellent security helpful friendly and professional even though I needed additional screening they provided a plastic bag so my liquids would not be confiscated passport control fast and efficient. Duty free very expensive but there is a cheap grocery store stocked with chocolate and other German foods at the normal prices downstairs near the rail terminal. Showers are expensive at €9 and restaurants are very costly. Overall I don't mind Frankfurt for a connection.

Passing through FRA nearly every month while in general just OK security staff is just the worst I came across globally. Especially the small team checking entry from non-Schengen into Schengen close to gates B1-12 have a horrible attitude slow intimidating no consideration fro travellers on tight connection. I don't expect to be treated like a celebrity but a minimum of respect and decency would not be outplayed.