Travelling to Italy with layover in Frankfurt, Germany
 

My first flight is within the US so I'm not concerned about it but my second one is from Philadelphia to Frankfurt operated by US Airways. Then my connecting flight to Italy is operated by British Midland Airways. This is my first time out of the United States and I would just like to know how everything is going to work. What do I do when I get off of the airplane in Germany? Am I going to know where to go? Should I ask somebody on the plane to help me navigate?(stewardess?) Do I need to get my luggage and check it again because it's a different airline? I wish I could just take carry-on but I'm staying for a few weeks and it wouldn't be possible! I would appreciate A TON of information because I'm terrified!

No need to be terrified. Airports in Germany work just as they do in the US; in the case of Frankfurt, probably more efficiently.

First, check your bags through to your final destination.

When you exit the plane follow the crowd and look for signs for transiting passengers. Look for the displays that give departure information for your next flight. You will probably have to go through passport control and then through security again to get to your departure gate for Italy.

It is so easy you'll wonder why you worried. Just remember...if you can find your gate in Philadelphia you will be able to find your gate in Frankfurt.

BTW - if for some reason you cannot check your bags through to Italy then reclaim them at baggage claim, go through security, and then find your gate.

Thanks a ton! It definitely calmed me down quite a bit! Are the chances of me being able to check my bags to Italy good or bad? Will passport control & security slap me in the face or will I have to look for it? Thank you for the help (:

BMI and Lufthansa are both Star Alliance partners so you should be able to check you luggage to the final destination.

I travel thru FRA often, with the latest one this April. Unlike the previous poster, I find FRA layover to be more of a hassle. It is a huge airport with very dynamic gate assignment process. The continuing flight gate assignment in FRA printed on a boarding pass in the U.S. has never been correct. Asking a ground crew more than one hour before the departure at FRA would gave me correct info about 50% of the time. The only gate assignment I could trust is what appears on the digital display - but not until about one hour before the departure. Concourse A/B, B/A transfer is time consuming and requires carry-on luggage security check. If you flight is really tight, the Lufthansa staff could help you get expedited to your connecting flight. Once the ground staff tells me it is concourse B/A, I would move to that concourse but don't trust the gate number until I actually see it displayed on the screen. Depending on who you ask and where, you will be told to use a tram or a people mover to do concourse A/B transfer. Both are right answers.

Regarding carry-on only, you will get many postings on this. Many folks here travel only with carry-on luggage even for multiple week trips. The amount of luggage is less to do with the length of the trip but rethinking what you actually use (not what you thought you needed) and selecting the content that meets your need without adding to the bulk. It does not mean wearing the same thing everyday.

So pretty much there are "concourses" and within the concourses are the gates, correct? So I just need to know which one I am at and then from there check the digital screen for my gate number? As long as I can check my bag through to Italy I won't be worried. I'm really not sure I could fit all of my things in a carry on size bag. Thank you for the help!

Here is a plan view of FRA, http://tinyurl.com/4yrttuy.

Both airlines are Star Alliance so your luggage will be checked through (pay attention when it's getting tagged to make sure it has the correct airport code). Just find your connecting gate when you arrive.

<< Will passport control & security slap me in the face >>

You won't have to look for it. They will both be between you and where you want to go. Just as you can't get to your departure gate for your first flight w/o going through security.

Don't worry about things that will become evident when you get there.

Something has me puzzled and perhaps you could clarify - why are you only concerned about Frankfurt? You're not concerned about security and finding your gate in Philadelphia and your originating airport or upon returning from Italy. And you're not concerned about finding passport control and your bags in Italy or Philadelphia (upon return)?

What you should be worried about is that you know the airline and flight number of your connecting flight.

BMI does not fly from Frankfurt to anywhere in Italy so you will have difficulty finding your flight without the correct info.

My guess is it's a Lufthansa flight operated by CityLine or some other regional carrier. It might be a US Air code share, but chances are the plane will have a Lufthansa livery.

I've flown by myself before within the United States and I know how our airports work so that's why I'm not worried. And I'm not as worried about Italy just because I know I have time and I don't have to worry about a connecting flight or anything.

I rechecked my itinerary and it's BMI operated by Lufthansa.

Thanks for explaining. All airports I've been to work the same way (although some are better than others).

If you're flying into Philadelphia and connecting to another flight in the US you will have to get your bags and then recheck them as Phila. will be your port of entry to the US. You go through passport control and customs at the airport that is your port of entry.

Looks like you're all set. Have a great trip.

Okay so when I come back I'm going right from Italy to Philadelphia then another flight home. So I'm going to have to get my bags in Phili & recheck them? And I have to go through all of that there? I didn't know that, thank you!

Although I have not done this at PHL, I have done the return to U.S. with a change at several other U.S. airports. The process worked like this:

1. The luggage back to U.S. should still be tagged to your final destination. If it gets tagged incorrectly PHL as the final destination, you will have a problem. PHL should be an intermediate airport on the luggage tag.

2. Fill out a customs declaration form on your flight to U.S.

3. Upon landing in U.S., go through immigration with custom declaration form and passport.

4. Pick up your luggage from carousel.

5. Proceed to customs with your luggage and the custom declaration form.

6. There should be a conveyer belt/cart to drop your luggage. This is why your luggage must be tagged to your final destination, not PHL.

7. go thru TSA screening to get to your departure gate.

Yes, you have to go thru all these.

That just really confused me, haha. What is this customs declaration? I'm feeling like a need a little more help than the internet... :(

kirstenleigh, when you return to the U.S. you need to fill in a customs declaration which asks you questions about goods you are bringing home with you. The crew on the plane will pass these out during the flight for you to fill out and sign. There will be a limit to how much liquor/cigarettes you can bring in and also a limit on dollar value of goods you are bringing home with you. You may have to pay duty if you exceed the limit.

I'm not sure what the U.S. limits are as I am a Canadian but I'm sure you can Google it or ask your travel agent if you are using one. It's nothing to worry about, but good to be prepared.

You got some good answers to your questions about Frankfurt airport and I just want to reassure you that you will be fine.Your luggage will be checked through all the way to your final destination.

I was just in Frankfurt airport in April and it was no problem, the airline had agents who guided us to the passport control and then onto a bus to go to our terminal.
When we transited through on the way home from Venice our flight was late so we asked the flight attendant and she told us the quickest way to get to our gate.
Everyone is helpful, just pay attention and if in doubt ask an airline employee.

I hope you have a fantastic trip!

Just as it might be too obvious to get mentioned:
Signs at Frankfurt airport will be always also in English.
So getting from Gate X to Gate Y is no different than changing gates at any US airport.

Some airport layouts make changing gates / concourses easy, other airports have grown over the years into a somewhat less user-friendly facility. Frankfurt airport is more the latter.

Step 1
Get of plane, check monitors for departure gate.

Step 2
Follow signs to departure gates. You will automatically channelled thru passport control and security control.

Achtung:
Gate numbers are not unique in Frankfurt amongst concourses. For example: There is Gate A20 as well as B20 or C20, and so on. So the letter is as important as the number to find the proper gate.

Check this website for more infos on transfers at FRA
http://www.frankfurt-airport.com/con...transfers.html
Or print out this little guide:
http://www.frankfurt-airport.com/con....file/file.pdf

The Customs Declaration has nothing to do with the Frankfurt airport (or any other airport). It is a US government form that you fill out on the plane, hand in with your passport, have it returned to you with the passport, and then hand it in after you pickup your bags. Have a pen with you on the plane.

You do not have to list every souvenir tee shirt and post card you bought - only the big ticket items. You can say misc souvenirs and give an amount. You have an $800 allowance, although the alcohol and tobacco allowance is minimal and is part of the $800. Just don't declare any Cuban cigars!

You'll already know about letter/number gates as you will have just been transferring in Philadelphia.

Again, don't stress about things that will become very apparent.

Thank you all for the help! I'm still quite nervous but I'll keep researching and asking around!

"I'll keep researching.."

Are you not satisfied with the info provide here? What additional info are you looking for?

Philadelphia airport is worse than Frankfurt airport, but you'll do fine in both airports. Just don't get too stressed.

check your bag through to your final destination in Italy.

Deplane in Frankfurt, follow the signs - in some airports there are separate signs for "Transit Passengers", so follow those signs.

Going through Immigration and Customs is like going through the checkout at a grocery store. Just make sure you have your papers handy.

Once you are allowed into Germany, go through and find your departure gate just like you would in the US. No big deal, as someone has already written, the signs are also in English.

Have a fine trip! Italy's a great country!

I don't know what additional info I'm looking for I just want to make sure that I know what I'm doing and how to do it. All this is very very helpful I just want to be extra prepared!

If you know what you're doing and how to do it you're taking all the fun and adventure out of travel. Some of my favorite travel memories are of doing it wrong and bumbling through without a clue. Getting lost and seeing some of the most wonderful sights and having a great time.

You're going to have to accept you will never know everything about where you're going and learn to relax. Maybe you'll discover this on your own.

Well I don't really feel like getting lost all by myself in a foreign country and missing my flight. I just want a general plan of how things are going to work so I'm less stressed out...

You won't get lost in the airport, relax and enjoy your trip.

"I rechecked my itinerary and it's BMI operated by Lufthansa."

"Operated by Lufthansa" is the key information -- it is a codeshare flight (ticket sold by one airline as if it operated the flight, but actual travel is on the equipment of another airline), so be sure you know the Lufthansa flight number as well. You are going to be looking for a Lufthansa gate, not a BMI gate.