Sheraton Hotel at Frankfurt Airport

[WIDuckHunter]

Just fyi, I got an email from Lori at Travel Express yesterday, telling me that since I'm traveling with firearms, I won't be allowed to leave the Airport. Bad news -- a few hours of sleep at the Sheraton at the Frankfurt airport is out. Good news -- my son and I are wheels up for our first African safari in 3 days!!

 

[Red Leg]

Wow. That's bad news. The airport is located on the airport, so I assume they are really saying you have to stay behind security?

 

[mdwest]

Thats a recent change.

Last june I had a 12 hour layover in Frankfurt while in transit to Jo'berg. We (wife and I) traveled with our rifles.. We left the airport and went into town for about 8 hours and had a very nice time..

And as recently as late March of this year my wife went back to Limpopo, using the same route, and did the same thing.. She left the airport and went into town to get a meal, check out a museum, etc.. She was traveling with her .308 and had no problem at all..

 

[BRICKBURN]

Dave, were your firearms checked all the way through on one airline?

I had to change airlines and there was no baggage handling agreement, so I had to pick up my firearms. Thankfully, the Police were willing to hold my bags so I could hit the hotel.
Although it was a few years ago.

Perhaps, the Police might be willing to hold @WIDuckHunter firearms?!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Wow. That's bad news. The airport is located on the airport, so I assume they are really saying you have to stay behind security?

The Germans think of everything!.........

 

[postoak]

I would like to know the answer to the question Brickburn asked. If your bags are checked all the way through you can for sure leave the airport (at least you could when I did it on May 9th).

I flew into terminal 1 from Houston and after going through Border Security I was out in the outer hall. I walked about 100 yards to the left, and walked outside and there was nothing there but an unmarked building across the street. This turned out to be the Sheraton. If I had walked down another 100 yards or so inside there would have been a concourse across the street with an interior entry into the Sheraton.

You can see the layout here:

 

[Red Leg]

I would like to know the answer to the question Brickburn asked. If your bags are checked all the way through you can for sure leave the airport (at least you could when I did it on May 9th).

I flew into terminal 1 from Houston and after going through Border Security I was out in the outer hall. I walked about 100 yards to the left, and walked outside and there was nothing there but an unmarked building across the street. This turned out to be the Sheraton. If I had walked down another 100 yards or so inside there would have been a concourse across the street with an interior entry into the Sheraton.

You can see the layout here:

View attachment 232151

Exactly

 

[postoak]

Oh, and if you want to book at the Hilton instead of the Sheraton, well it is a longer walk and harder to find. It is in the building marked ICE - Bahnhoff and you get to it by walking in the blue section, past the Sheraton another 100 yards or so, then turning right and walking another 100 yards or so. There are actually two Hiltons there, the cheaper Hilton Garden Inn and the regular Hilton. Their entrances are right next to each other.

 

[mdwest]

Our rifles were checked all the way through both times..

We did change airlines in Frankfurt.. We flew Lufthansa from DFW to Frankfurt, and then SAA from Frankfurt to Jo'berg.

Our flights were booked through United and both Lufty and SAA are United Code Share Partners though.. so checking rifles all the way through wasnt an issue..

 

[Red Leg]

That blows. You might give Gracy Travel a call and see if they have heard the same thing.

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

This is what my Frankfurt contact has said over and over again, so it'a s matter of how it is interpreted by those who enforce it when you arrive at the airport. I have had this rule enforced for clients that wanted to get a day room. WIDuckHunter will have bags checked through on the same ticket but I warned him that he may not be able to leave the airport.

"So you don’t need a permit if you are going to a hunting-trip / competition via Germany (travelling by airport Frankfurt) and don’t leave the airport and your weapons get checked through."

 

[postoak]

How would the border people know that you are leaving a firearm with the airline?

 

[sheephunterab]

There is a day room hotel in Terminal 1 that allows you to remain inside security. It's called My Cloud Transit Hotel. It wasn't cheap but well worth it on our 12 hour layover last month. We'd use it again. It's super convenient and quite nice.

 

[WIDuckHunter]

Wow. That's bad news. The airport is located on the airport, so I assume they are really saying you have to stay behind security?

Yep, that seems to be exactly what they are saying. Also, I should have mentioned that Lori at Travel Express is awesome. She answers every question you have quickly (and never gets annoyed with even your dumb first-timer questions (or at least she does a really good job of hiding it). I would highly recommend that anyone planning a hunt use her for their travel plans.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Well that is truly bad news.

 

[wesheltonj]

Get you a Priority Pass, available with some Credit Cards for "free" and lounge hop, if you can get to Terminal 2. Otherwise only one lounge in T1 and it has a 3 hour time limit. T2 has three lounges also with time limits of 2 or 3 hours. Will also come in handy at your African airport too.

 

[postoak]

Well, I'm going to ask again, how are the border and customs people going to know you have left a firearm with your carrier?

The MyCloud Transit Hotel at gate Z25 does look like an interesting alternative though.

 

[WIDuckHunter]

I had the same thought. Immediately followed by the thought that I'd rather not chance it and have storm troopers kicking down my hotel room door the day before my safari starts.

So, I guess I'll opt for trying to find one of the Leisure Lounges they apparently have with recliners around the airport, or break down and pay the fee to get into one of the airline lounges and get a shower.

 

[sheephunterab]

I had the same thought. Immediately followed by the thought that I'd rather not chance it and have storm troopers kicking down my hotel room door the day before my safari starts.

So, I guess I'll opt for trying to find one of the Leisure Lounges they apparently have with recliners around the airport, or break down and pay the fee to get into one of the airline lounges and get a shower.

The My Cloud Transit Hotel has private rooms with full beds and showers and internet...a much better option on a long layover than the lounges in my opinion. Lounges are great for a few hours but the private rooms are much better for layover in excess of 8 hours in our experience.

 

[sierraone]

This just sucks for you guys that go through Frankfurt. I have passed through there many times but without guns. It just seems the BS never ends. A few days ago it was Heathrow and now Frankfurt. I think you would have fewer problems if you were carrying a kilo of dope and class III weapons!