What about long layovers at airports? - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

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What about long layovers at airports?
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Posted by: DKatz

I don't know if this has already been addressed, but if it has, my apologies for the repeat.

I'm leaving for Russia next week and my flight arrives at the Frankfurt airport at 9:00 a.m. The flight out to Samara leaves at 10:00 p.m.

I checked the airport's website hoping I'd find something like I did in Hawaii. A part of the airport where you can rent a room by the hour and it just had a bed and a shower.

Has anyone ever had a long layover in an airport like that and what did you do? I'd prefer not find a place to sleep in a corner, and would like to arrive not dead tired and smelling like a locker room.

Any advice? They have places at the airport that can help? Anyone ever have the airline help them out?

Thanks!

Posted by: Pin Boy

maybe someone can help if you tell the airline you're flying?

pin boy

Posted by: blucatz

I met my Lady in Moscow at 11am and our flight out to Egypt wasn't until 9am the next day. We just went sight seeing and had dinner then just found 2 seats next to each other at the airport and settled in for the night. Look on the web for some sights in Frankfurt and do a little sightseeing yourself, or go have one of them famous German beers...LOL. You will be surprised how fast the time goes by. Also, your connceting flight, is it a different airline, in a different terminal, do you have to claim and re-check your luggage, go thru customs? If so, that will eat up allot of your time, so it will go by before you know it.

Posted by: DKatz

Ooops. Duh. Thanks.

Air Canada from Montreal to Frankfurt (the itinerary says "Lufthansa operated by Air Canada), then Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Samara.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKatz

Ooops. Duh. Thanks.

Air Canada from Montreal to Frankfurt (the itinerary says "Lufthansa operated by Air Canada), then Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Samara.

Make sure you check with them to see if they are gonna check your luggage on thru to your destination. I flew Delta all the way to Moscow and back and if I wanted to check my bag in Moscow, I would have had to re-claim it and check it again at JFK even tho it was the same airlines. I just carried it on board with me, didn't want the hassle.

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKatz

Ooops. Duh. Thanks.

Air Canada from Montreal to Frankfurt (the itinerary says "Lufthansa operated by Air Canada), then Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Samara.

I would check with the airlines or the airport the layover takes place in, most of my layovers have been 9-10 hours in Moscow with a change from the International terminal to the domestic terminal, and I can tell you with 100% certainy there is no accomodations for long layovers at the domestic terminal. Had a 7 hour layover in Poland (Warsaw) but did not look into any accomodations there, but I think there might be.

Send a PM to Raspberry he might be able to provide some info, he is in the travel buisness.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Here you go D-Katz. It lists a bunch of hotels around the frankfurt airport, even a sheriton inside the airport.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=fr...op=mss&ei=UTF-8

Are you bringing back your fiancee? Looking forward to meeting you in Vegas this summer.

Posted by: blucatz

GTR, My lady is trying for a tourist visa for a Sept. visit (she has a good chance of getting one), we are only a 4 hour drive south of you......hint, hint.

Posted by: Raspberry

Air Canada has a peculiar rule of not allowing bags checked to final destination, IF they are NOT issued on the same itiniary, and not on the same book of tickets(or virtual "book" e-tickets).

So, if the tickets were bought separately, thru check-in of baggage is NOT allowed....and you must pick up and re-check. Even if both tickets are on Air Canada.

On a code-share, most likely on the same "book" so should be OK.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

I'd love to meet up somewhere Blue, but she has so many friends and girls she went to college with and she wants to meet up with them first. Maybe we can make a stop in Ohio on our way to New York to visit one of her college friends!

Posted by: Pin Boy

gonna move this thread to the travel section.

Posted by: AkMike

Man! I wouldn't even consider hanging around the airport for that amount of time. Find an english speaking cabbie and take a tour. Have a beer or three, try some "weistworst" or bratworst with them. Frankfort is a cool own. Enjoy the adventure!

Posted by: I/O

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKatz

A part of the airport where you can rent a room by the hour and it just had a bed and a shower.

You can rent most anything by the hour in Frankfurt and I am told they usually provide a bed and shower also. Just ask around the airport bars.

Choose your travel clothes carefully, take a cab or walk tour, sponge up and take a shave in the plane toilet an hour or two out from desto and you'll look OK for your "Lovely" when you arrive. If you're not a good sleeper, take some mild sleeping pills with. They work wonders for me if I get bored with airports. It's amazing how comfortable a pill makes those airport chairs.

I/O

Posted by: EasyTarget

Dkatz: Been through Frankfurt numerous times....The airport has some areas you can stretch out, but not that comfy. You could buy a 1-day pass to Luftansia's (or another airlines) premier club lounge and if they are not too busy they may let you sleep in there the whole. Normal restriction is no more then 3 hours in advance of your flight time.

The hotel inside the airport is expensive, but if you want to sleep I would recommend it. Better to make advance reservations with a different hotel -- tell them about your check in / check out times, and you should be ok. You might also want to try youth hostels in the area.

Samara is an ok city, there isn't too much to do there. Right along the Volga so it can be cold. Brrrrrrrrr.

Posted by: Raspberry

Now, Munich in mid-winter, is a whole different story......they are perhaps the only airport that has an ice skating rink set up. It's in the plaza between the two terminals....

Posted by: AkMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Now, Munich in mid-winter, is a whole different story......they are perhaps the only airport that has an ice skating rink set up. It's in the plaza between the two terminals....

And Munich has a wonder huge beer hall right downtown.. Fantastic Oompah music if you like that sort of thing. I didn't so I had a few more beers.. (Can you tell I drank beer back then?)
Oh Yah try the Yaeger Schnitzel, (hunter steak similar to chicken fired steak sort of.)

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Did the music sound better with the more beer you drank?

Posted by: deccie

The last time K and I passed through Frankfurt we stayed here:

http://www.steigenberger.com/aw/Ste...ort_Hotel/~zkj/

It was well worth it as when we left the next day we were fully refreshed and the breakfast was one of the best I have had in a hotel.

K also liked the fact she could go swimming in the hotel pool.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Now, Munich in mid-winter, is a whole different story......they are perhaps the only airport that has an ice skating rink set up. It's in the plaza between the two terminals....

I love Munich any time of the year. If Ksenia could get a visa to Germany just a little easier we would go there FAR more often. Especially since Lufthansa fly from Muscat.

We are currently planning on going back there again. I know a three star hotel very close to the Marienplatz. It's a little run down but the price and the breakfast more than make up for that. The beds weren't that good but better than one apartment we had in Baden Baden.

Posted by: AkMike

LOL, I forget.. It was a heck of a time!

Posted by: Raspberry

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkMike

Funny that you mentioned Yager Schitzel......I had a pretty good version of it at the airport, of all places. I think this was at Frankfurt that has the good restaurant.

Posted by: deccie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Funny that you mentioned Yager Schitzel......I had a pretty good version of it at the airport, of all places. I think this was at Frankfurt that has the good restaurant.

Munich airport has several good restaraunts inside the entrance.

Posted by: Texas Proud

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Didn't you have to go through customs at JFK? If so... that is why you had to retrieve you bag and recheck....

Posted by: DKatz

Thank you all for the feedback. I've got a week to decide and appreciate the choices. All of which sound much better than crawling into a corner and trying to sleep for 13 hours.

Posted by: stevo

Even if you don't manage to find a hotel or check your bags straight through you could leave them in the left luggage - they have lockers at all major German railway stations. Going swimming somewhere might be a good way to freshen up, although lugging a towel around with you could be a bit of a pain. Of course you need to check out the beer and sausages etc. Although it's going to be quite a long day if you can't sleep on planes!

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud

Didn't you have to go through customs at JFK? If so... that is why you had to retrieve you bag and recheck....

Yes, I did go thru customs at JFK, but after having my bag opened and gone thru 2 times at SVO (everyone had to do this, even the locals flying), flying the same airlines, I don't understand why they could not just take it off the plane and put it on the other one. Sounds like Homeland Security BS to me. I will have to admit tho that the security checks at the US airports isn't nothing compared to the checks at SVO. My bags were x-rayed 5 times, I walked thru the metal detectors 4 times and my bags were opened and gone thru 2 times, and that was just to get to the gate.

Posted by: freebird

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Air Canada has a peculiar rule of not allowing bags checked to final destination, IF they are NOT issued on the same itiniary, and not on the same book of tickets(or virtual "book" e-tickets).

So, if the tickets were bought separately, thru check-in of baggage is NOT allowed....and you must pick up and re-check. Even if both tickets are on Air Canada.

On a code-share, most likely on the same "book" so should be OK.

As I understand that it is only if you stop at a US airport that you will have to re-check your bags. {and Air Canada} If he is flying Lufthansa he should not have to do that in Frankfort.

DKatz, check out online for interesting things there, and if there is a subway that goes to the airport. I had 6 hours free in Amsterdam coming back KLM from Kiev, the airport was great. There are lockers to put some baggage in {I left my hand luggage or laptop} and just took my camera. The subway went right from the airport to central Amsterdam, I took a canal boat tour and had lunch. I don't know if or when I will ever be back in Holland, so I'm glad I went.

It will probably be easier to sightsee on the way over, if you have a night flight from the US you can get some rest before you land in Europe. The return flights usually leave Europe during the day, and it is light all the way back so it's harder to get rest

Also had 10 hours in Moscow, but no visa so I couldn't do the same.

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by freebird

Also had 10 hours in Moscow, but no visa so I couldn't do the same.

Question about that. If you land at SVO2 where all the international flights come and go, but have to go to SVO1 for a domestic transfer for a flight, do you still need the visa or can you go between the 2 terminals without one?

Posted by: freebird

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

I would think that you would have to have a visa, because if you are transferring to SVO1 you must be flying into a Russian city as your final destination right?

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Yes, a visa is required if you leave the airport. I have heard of a few people that got hassled anyway, they were in Moscow without a visa but were only there to change planes at the international airport. One guy ended up paying the policeman money to stop hassling him.

Posted by: Chillidog

Quote:

Originally Posted by blucatz

Blu,

You deffinitly need the Russian Visa!!!! For two reasons

1) you are leaving the airport, going thru baggage (you have to collect your bags-they will not be transfered for you) and passport control, and will be on actual Russian soil.

2) if you are transfering to the domestic terminal this would also mean your flight destination (this flight) would also be conducted fully within the Russian country and soil.

It is not like walking from one terminal to another, you actually leave the airport grounds, and theoretically could go anywhere you please in Moscow or the countryside if you wish. Take a taxi and tour the city between flights, there is nothing stopping you once you step outside the International complex

Posted by: blucatz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chillidog

I know about leaving the grounds, SVO1 is 15km away from SVO2. I kinda figured you would need a visa. I already had one so that question never crossed my mind. Somebody reading this thread will have their answer to this question now.

Posted by: Cheburashka

Steps in Frankfurt:

1. Put all carryon baggage in a locker. Have only money and documentation on you.

2. Check with airlines customer service to make sure checked baggage has been transferred to right airlines/flight. (cover your a$$)

3. Find the least corporate taxi driver that you can find outside. Hopefully somebody that looks like he is an independent.

4. Hire him for _____ hours. Tell him you have a ____ hour layover and you want to see something that no American tourist has ever seen. If you want to eat tell him to take you to a restaurant or beer garden that is off the beaten path. Taxi guys are connected and know places that only locals are aware of.

5. Make sure to say this word when describing the place: �aus-ge-sike-net�. That is an old German expression that means �groovy�. He will laugh, and then take you to someplace that is hidden, very cool, and frequented by locals.

6. Eat, drink, and dance both the Polka and the Flying Dutchman with a gorgeous blond Fraulein.

7. Make sure he gets you back to the airport on time.

8. Sleep on the flight. The movies are too stupid to watch anyway and you should have finished your book on the US-FRA.

Or you can do what Expedia says.