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Faris A.

Need some advice on flying through Europe

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Hi guys, I will be flying to Toulouse to send my sister off for her studies at the end of this month. We've chosen Lufthansa to get there but since this is my first time flying to Europe and having connecting flights, I have some questions that really need answers.

 

1) How does transfer at SIN work?

2) Is Frankfurt a difficult airport to transit?

3) Is my flight from TLS - FRA considered as a domestic flight or international flight?

4) My connection to catch my flight back to Singapore is only 55 mins. Is this sufficient time?

 

This is my routing.

 

KUL-SIN-FRA-TLS-FRA-SIN-KUL

 

The short Singapore hop will be served by SQ for departure and MH on return while LH will handle all the euro flights. Sorry if this a bit long as the furthest I've travelled is Japan so this is all a bit new for me. Hope to hear from you guys soon. Thank you :)

 

 

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You sould be given your boarding passes to your final destination at KLIA. But at times, this may not be the case, so you might have to pick up your Luthansa boarding passes at the transit desk in Changi. This happened to me once. I was on KUL-SIN-FRA-VIE flights. The KUL-SIN section was by MH and KLIA could only issue me the boarding pass to SIN, and I had to go to the Luthansa transfer desk to pick up the boarding passes for the remaining sectors.

 

When you arrive FRA, you will go through immigration first before you could conenct to your departure gates for all Schengen flights, and this would be your case for your flight to TLS. It is not a difficult airport, straightforward, just follow the sigs to your depatrure gate. You might have to check the screen at FRA for your departure gate to TLS. There might be a bit of walk :)

 

As for your return flight, it should be ok for 55 min transit flight at Changi. I have done it with 45min transit time, and it was transit in between T2 and T3. Should you miss your connecting flight at Changi to KUL, no worries - you will be put on the next flight - that also happened to me once.

 

Hope this helps

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Thanks for the fast reply! :)

 

Ok sounds simple enough but since my first sector is on SQ, do I check in at the SQ counters or LH counters? Yes, I've read somewhere that people said the best thing to do was to just follow the signs at FRA. So I dont have to pick up my bags and check back in? After immigration im back in the departure gates? Finally, the 55 min transfer is at FRA to catch my FRA - SIN flight and not at Changi. Ill arrive from TLS at FRA with only 55 mins to catch the next flight. I feel like im cutting it too close.

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Hi guys, I will be flying to Toulouse to send my sister off for her studies at the end of this month. We've chosen Lufthansa to get there but since this is my first time flying to Europe and having connecting flights, I have some questions that really need answers.

 

1) How does transfer at SIN work?

2) Is Frankfurt a difficult airport to transit?

3) Is my flight from TLS - FRA considered as a domestic flight or international flight?

4) My connection to catch my flight back to Singapore is only 55 mins. Is this sufficient time?

 

This is my routing.

 

KUL-SIN-FRA-TLS-FRA-SIN-KUL

 

The short Singapore hop will be served by SQ for departure and MH on return while LH will handle all the euro flights. Sorry if this a bit long as the furthest I've travelled is Japan so this is all a bit new for me. Hope to hear from you guys soon. Thank you :)

 

 

 

1) SIN has many transfer counters - LH in SIN should be in Transfer E , in terminal 2. SQ KUL should be able to give you boarding passes though. Go to T2 Transfer E if you don't get them. SQ KUL should also be able to tag through to TLS, but if they don't - follow the steps below in B) and c)

 

2) Fairly easy, if you know where you're going - Your Longhaul LH flight will likely arrive at T1 Z (maybe B or C - doesn't matter).

a)You'll need to clear immigration IN FRA, regardless.

b)If your bag is tagged through to TLS, you clear customs in TLS by exiting via the "arrival outside the EU",

c)If your bag isn't - you pick it up in FRA, recheck it, and clear in FRA. When you arrive in TLS, you exit via the "arrival from within the EU" lane.

 

3) TLS is within the Schengen Zone. Your flight will not have passport controls on either end. Call it "domestic"

4) 55 is plenty. MH is also in Transfer E, T2 in SIN.

 

In KUL, check in with SQ, not with LH.

Edited by Suzanne Goh

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1) SIN has many transfer counters - LH in SIN should be in Transfer E , in terminal 2. SQ KUL should be able to give you boarding passes though. Go to T2 Transfer E if you don't get them. SQ KUL should also be able to tag through to TLS, but if they don't - follow the steps below in B) and c)

 

2) Fairly easy, if you know where you're going - Your Longhaul LH flight will likely arrive at T1 Z (maybe B or C - doesn't matter).

a)You'll need to clear immigration IN FRA, regardless.

b)If your bag is tagged through to TLS, you clear customs in TLS by exiting via the "arrival outside the EU",

c)If your bag isn't - you pick it up in FRA, recheck it, and clear in FRA. When you arrive in TLS, you exit via the "arrival from within the EU" lane.

 

3) TLS is within the Schengen Zone. Your flight will not have passport controls on either end. Call it "domestic"

4) 55 is plenty. MH is also in Transfer E, T2 in SIN.

 

In KUL, check in with SQ, not with LH.

Thank you very much Suzanne. Your post has answered most of my questions but I have a few more.

 

1)The 55 min connection time is at FRA not SIN. Is it enough time to get off my plane from TLS and on to the LH 778 flight to SIN?

2) If I need to re check in my bags at FRA. Do I need to get a transit visa?

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55 min in FRA is ok.

No need visa for Malaysians for Schengen.

If your bags are tagged all the way to KUL from TLS, then there is no need to recheck in your bags. On your return sector, you will arrive from TLS at FRA in the Schengen "domestic" gates - make your way to the departure gates outside of EU, and you will go through immigration before you arrive at the "international" gates.

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55 min in FRA is ok.

No need visa for Malaysians for Schengen.

If your bags are tagged all the way to KUL from TLS, then there is no need to recheck in your bags. On your return sector, you will arrive from TLS at FRA in the Schengen "domestic" gates - make your way to the departure gates outside of EU, and you will go through immigration before you arrive at the "international" gates.

Well I guess that answers my questions. Thanks for the swift answers everyone. Hopefully everything will go smooth, cant wait to get on the LH A380 :D

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2) Fairly easy, if you know where you're going - Your Longhaul LH flight will likely arrive at T1 Z (maybe B or C - doesn't matter).

a)You'll need to clear immigration IN FRA, regardless.

 

In addition to what Suzanne said, LH 778/779 usually arrives/departs from the A+ pier (gates Z50-69), whilst your TLS will usually depart from the A gates (even if you are bussed to your aircraft, it usually leaves from the A gates). So 55 mins is sufficient.

 

A and Z gates are in the same pier (A is Schengen gates whilst Z is non-Schengen but on the upper level). e.g. Z51 is the same gate as A51, only difference is that Z is on the upper-level.

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FRA airport is very efficient. The only problem is security checks - I don't remember if you have to go through the checks in a domestic -international transfer (domestic-domestic there is no need) but if you think you are going to be late and the queue looks long, look up at the screen before entering the queues as it will show which flight's passengers can go to the fastrack queue. If your flight is not listed, then you know by their calculation you still have time...

 

Be prepared to walk a lot at FRA though.

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FRA airport is very efficient. The only problem is security checks - I don't remember if you have to go through the checks in a domestic -international transfer (domestic-domestic there is no need) but if you think you are going to be late and the queue looks long, look up at the screen before entering the queues as it will show which flight's passengers can go to the fastrack queue. If your flight is not listed, then you know by their calculation you still have time...

Indeed. FRA is much better than CDG/LHR for transfers (and security).

 

You don't have to go through security for Schengen to non-Schengen, only passport control. For non-Schegen to Schengen, I think it depends where you arrive from - I was dumped into post-security Z gates arriving from the U.S. whilst I was dumped into exit only level arriving from ICN.

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When check in at SQ counter in KUL, let them know about your routing and show them your reservation ticket. Since you are travelling on LH, you can check in your flight all the way to TLS and the boarding pass can be printed out until on last sector as SQ and LH are on the same alliance. Your LH sectors will be printed on SQ boarding pass but dont worry, it is still acceptable, just make sure the flight number is correct. You cannot choose the seat on LH sectors flight as the seat was controlled by LH and you can only change the seat later on at LH transfer desk at SIN and they will printed you the new boarding pass.

 

Your check in luggage also can be tagged until TLS but bear in mind to show your luggage tag receipt at LH transfer counter or at departure gate so LH could update your bag into their system.

 

The same process applied for your return flight. Check in bag can be tagged until KUL but when arriving at SIN you have to check in at MH transfer desk for the boarding pass. Again, give the luggage tag receipt to MH update into their system.

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I am surprised no one mentioned this (including me). Why not just check-in online? That way you don't have to wait at the transfer desk. Or use the LH app and check-in from your phone. LH probably has one of the most bug-free OLCI platform. I've never had any problems with it before.

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I am surprised no one mentioned this (including me). Why not just check-in online? That way you don't have to wait at the transfer desk. Or use the LH app and check-in from your phone. LH probably has one of the most bug-free OLCI platform. I've never had any problems with it before.

I bought my flights from LH website for KUL-SIN-FRA-VIE . I could not check in online. Maybe because it involved MH for the KUL-SIN sector. I had to check in at MH counter in KLIA then collect my BP at LH transfer counters at Changi. I could only select my seats during the booking process.

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Hahah all the hantu came out to answer. Yeah they are all correct- anyway for what it's worth ... I actually don't really like the airport. Huge , efficient but otherwise somewhat boring.....

 

 

... Unless I can board the plane via a German car instead of the air bridge.

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Now I wonder which German car ... :)

Dunno. I'm not Good with cars :) but when they drive around I can see lots of airplanes. That's why I like boarding via the German cars method. That and one or two other things ....

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I've never transited at Frankfurt, but at Amsterdam Schiphol it is very smooth. Upon arrival from Asia, no need to collect luggage if yours is already tagged straight to final destination. No need to go through immigration checks unless you're planning to get outside of the airport. Just follow the signs and head to your boarding gate.

 

55 mins transit should be sufficient, but you wont have time to take a stroll and look around. Need to head straight to the boarding gates, especially if they really enforce you to be there 30 mins prior to departure. There may be security checks that slow you down.

 

Whenever I do transits overseas, I prefer to select longer transits so I can enjoy the foreign environment. A 6-hour Schiphol transit would be enough for me to go outside, take a train to Leiden/Den Haag, walk around gardens, sit at a cafe sipping tea, and train back.

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.. Unless I can board the plane via a German car instead of the air bridge.

I like FRA more compared to CDG and LHR (LHR requires security for everyone, including those from EU) and the German car ride is just the cherry on top 😁. I do like collecting rubber ducks tho.

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well, I don't know the budget is important or not, also I don't know FRA (transit airport) is mandatory, why you don't check out Turkish Airlines, or MH code share flight to TLS via IST with Turkish Airlines ? Turkish Airlines flights from KUL to TLS has IST transit airport as KUL-IST-TLS. 5.5 hrs waiting time in IST. You maybe check it if you wish.

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Thanks for replying everyone. I didn't expect to get so many great answers. I'm pretty sure I can check in online with all my sectors except the final SIN - KUL on MH. So no worries on that part, just a bit nervous transiting for the first time. :p

 

well, I don't know the budget is important or not, also I don't know FRA (transit airport) is mandatory, why you don't check out Turkish Airlines, or MH code share flight to TLS via IST with Turkish Airlines ? Turkish Airlines flights from KUL to TLS has IST transit airport as KUL-IST-TLS. 5.5 hrs waiting time in IST. You maybe check it if you wish.

 

We did look into that. It would have been nice to have a long layover at IST but TK was one of the more expensive options. LH was the cheapest at the time of booking.

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