Perhaps the only true advantage of the 4+ hour layover we have in Frankfurt was that I got to go lounge hopping around the various facilities that Lufthansa has here. I’m continuing to compile data and photos for my lounge guide and this trip is a prime opportunity for gathering a ton of information. I’ve hit five lounges already and can think of about five more still on the itinerary.
So after settling in to the Senator Lounge in the B gates, taking a shower and having a beer I ventured off in search of the Tower Lounge, one of the newer and nicer lounges at the airport. I was in the transit area and so is the Tower Lounge. It really shouldn’t have been a problem at all. But the pseudo-security guard working at the entrance to the SkyLine train connecting the terminals decided it should be. Apparently only flights destined to the USA are departing out of the high A gates in the morning hours. And apparently only passengers destined for such flights are permitted in that area. At least that’s what the guard kept saying. I tried reasoning with him but was thoroughly unsuccessful in such efforts. His answer did not change: Is Not Possible.
So I was left with two choices. I could give up and head back to the B lounge or I could enter Germany, walk over to those gates and try again directly. I chose option B.
The border guard didn’t seem to understand my explanation of just wanting to “walk around on my long layover” but stamped the passport anyways. There wasn’t much he could do to deny me. And then, 15 minutes later, I was explaining to the guy checking boarding passes that I just wanted to visit the lounge. Through security and through passport control again. Two stamps in under 20 minutes. Another boarding pass check and another explanation that I was headed towards the lounge and another pair of eyes rolled.
But I didn’t mind all that much, as I was past all the gatekeepers and finally able to make my way to the lounge. And it is just as nice as I remember it from the party back in November. Hard to believe that was only six weeks ago.
Other than truly free borders like Italy/Holy See I’m not sure that I’ll ever best this for a shortest trip ever. I suppose I’ll have to keep trying though.
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A good excuse to pass the upstairs (from A26) security checkpoint (right in front of the Tower Lounge) is ‘I have a connection leaving from the B/C gates and I have to catch the train’.
I also passed the checkpoint without showing a boarding pass several times already 🙂