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Frankfurt Airport opens seven new security control lanes in extension Hall A

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Frankfurt Airport opens seven new security control lanes in extension Hall A
New Security Control Lanes in A Extension.

The German Federal Police (Bundespolizei) and airport operator Fraport AG have opened a new aviation security checkpoint at Frankfurt Airport (FRA). Featuring seven control lanes, the additional checkpoint has been installed in a purpose-built extension to Concourse A at Terminal 1 – after only six months of construction.

Kerstin Kohlmetz, President of the Federal Police Office at Frankfurt Airport, inaugurated the new security checkpoint on July 24. She was joined by Dr. Stefan Schulte, executive board chairman of Fraport AG; and Jasper van Gend, Head of Market, Europe North & East at screening technology provider Smiths Detection. The new security lanes were previously tested in a one-week trial phase.

At the inauguration ceremony, Kohlmetz pointed out the excellent cooperation between the Federal Police and Fraport: “The opening of the new security control lanes in extension hall A is the result of joint efforts by Fraport and the Federal Police to minimize waiting times for passengers at checkpoints, while also maintaining consistently high security standards.”

Fraport CEO Schulte explained: “Thanks to the new control lanes, considerably more passengers can now pass through security control in Concourse A, resulting in shorter waiting times. All partners involved in this project worked very hard to ensure that the extension hall would be ready during the busy summer peak. Let me extend my special thanks to everybody involved! Completing such a construction project within just six months is certainly not something that can be taken for granted.”

Jasper van Gend of Smiths Detection underlined: “This beacon project for Smiths Detection demonstrates what public-sector clients and industry can achieve together within a short period of time, when acting with the necessary flexibility and efficiency. The Frankfurt Airport solution is also a blueprint for other German gateways, where similar solutions are currently being tested or planned. We are pleased about the successful cooperation achieved at all levels during this project.”

By building the extension to Concourse A, Fraport has created the necessary space and infrastructure for the new security lanes implemented by the Federal Police, as the responsible government agency. An initial version of the technology for the new checkpoint has been in trial use at FRA since November 2018. The configuration of the new checkpoint offers more flexibility and faster security screenings. Thanks to the new lane structure, more passengers can present their hand luggage for inspection at the same time. Moreover, individual travelers can pass by other slower passengers within the same lane. The lanes also provide more space for analyzing X-rays and for carrying out manual checks, which are conducted by staff members of security service companies on behalf of the Federal Police.

From October, the final construction phase of the extension hall will begin. During this phase, the new security lanes will be removed and redeployed at other existing checkpoints in FRA’s two terminals. When construction is completed, extension hall A will go back into operation in time for the 2020 summer season.

The German Federal Police currently operate 186 security control lanes at Frankfurt Airport, nine of which feature the new configuration. Over the next few years, the new lane configuration will be gradually rolled out throughout FRA’s terminals – including at the future Terminal 3, which is currently under construction.

MEDIA CONTACT: Iris Becker, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany, Telephone: +49 69 690-31581, E-mail: i.becker@fraport.de , Internet: www.fraport.com , Facebook: www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport

FRA sets new single-day record of over 240,000 passengers

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In June 2019, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) served almost 6.6 million passengers – an increase of 3.4 percent year-on-year. Aircraft movements climbed by 1.4 percent to 45,871 takeoffs and landings. 

Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) expanded by 1.7 percent to some 2.8 million metric tons. Only cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) dropped by 4.7 percent to 174,392 metric tons. This was mainly due to the weak global economy and the fact that two public holidays (Whit Monday and Corpus Christi Day) fell in June this year compared to May last year. 

At the start of the summer school vacation in the states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, FRA set a new daily passenger record on June 30, when 241,228 travelers passed through Germany’s largest gateway (surpassing the previous record of 237,966 passengers from July 29, 2018). Fraport AG’s executive board chairman, Dr. Stefan Schulte, commented: “Despite the very high passenger volumes at the start of the summer holidays, operations were stable and much smoother than in the previous year. This proves the effectiveness of the measures taken by us and all partners involved. Over the next few weeks, Frankfurt Airport will continue to be very busy.” 

In the January-to-June 2019 period, more than 33.6 million passengers traveled via Frankfurt Airport, representing a 3.0 increase on the previous year. Aircraft movements were up 2.1 percent to 252,316takeoffs and landings. MTOWs also rose by 2.1 percent to almost 15.6 million metric tons. Cargo volumes slipped 2.8 percent to approximately 1.1 million metric tons. 

Across the Group, airports in Fraport’s international portfolio largely performed well during the first six months of 2019. At Slovenia’s Ljubljana Airport (LJU), traffic increased by 3.4 percent to 859,557 passengers (June 2019: up 6.7 percent to 188,622 passengers). The two Brazilian airports of Porto Alegre (POA) and Fortaleza (FOR), combined, registered traffic growth of 8.5 percent to some 7.4 million passengers (June 2019: up 0.6 percent to around 1.2 million passengers). 

Lima Airport (LIM) in Peru saw traffic surge by 6.2 percent to some 11.3 million passengers during the first half of 2019 (in June: up 7.9 percent to about 1.9 million passengers). The 14 Greek airportsreported combined growth of 2.7 percent to approximately 10.9 million passengers (June 2019: up 2.1 percent to around 4.5 million passengers). 

At the two Bulgarian airports of Burgas (BOJ) and Varna (VAR), overall traffic contracted by 12.9 percent to some 1.4 million passengers in the first six months (in June: down 12.4 percent to 858,043 passengers). Following the strong growth of the past three years, BOJ and VAR are currently experiencing a phase of supply-side market consolidation. At the Turkish Riviera, Antalya Airport (AYT) served about 13.2 million passengers – a gain of 8.1 percent (June 2019: up 10.0 percent to just under 4.8 million passengers). Traffic at Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg, Russia, jumped 10.3 percent to almost 8.8 million passengers (June 2019: up 3.8 percent to approximately 2.0 million passengers). In China, Xi’an Airport (XIY) grew by 6.2 percent to 22.9 million passengers (June 2019: up 4.3 percent to about 3.8 million passengers).

MEDIA CONTACT: Torben Beckmann, Fraport AG, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany, E-mail:  t.beckmann@fraport.de , Facebook:  www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport

Fraport to Deploy FlightAware Predictive Technology at Frankfurt Airport

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Fraport AG will begin using real-time predictive runway arrival times, so called ‘ELDTs’ (Estimated Landing Times) delivered via FlightAware’s Firehose feed as an additional data source in the further optimization of airport operations at their home base of Frankfurt Airport. Fraport is one of the leading managers in the global airport business with activities at 30 airports worldwide. Offering the world’s largest flight tracking data platform, FlightAware is an industry leader in digital aviation solutions. The partnership gives Fraport access to precise, predicted runway arrival times, aircraft positions and flight status from FlightAware.

Operations at Frankfurt airport
Operations at Frankfurt airport

FlightAware’s ELDTs are optimized by machine-learning models, which are the premier product of the company’s state-of-the-art predictive technology program announced earlier this year. The models are based on statistical analysis of flight tracks and timestamps of hundreds of thousands of flights and are capable of identifying the key influencing factors determining the prediction of flight events in real-time. Fraport will integrate the data into their operational tools and analytical platforms to optimize airfield efficiency and ground personnel allocation at Frankfurt Airport.

“FlightAware’s innovative predictive technology will take Fraport’s operational excellence to the next level,” said Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm, Fraport AG’s executive board member for aviation and infrastructure. “We are gaining a powerful real-time tool for advancing our Frankfurt Airport operations – benefitting both our airlines and passengers. Ultimately, we are reinforcing our commitment to ensure all passengers have a ‘good trip’ via Frankfurt Airport,” stressed Prümm.

With more direct routes than any other airport in the world, Frankfurt Airport plays a critical role in connecting passengers traveling through Europe. For the current summer timetable, the airport is served by 94 passenger airlines flying to 306 destinations in 98 countries worldwide. A total of 137 intercontinental destinations are available via Frankfurt – underscoring its role as a leading hub in the global air transportation system. In addition, Frankfurt Airport is handling an average of 1,500 flights per day – more than any other European airport.

“Traditionally, our data has been used to understand past or present events. Fraport’s use of our ELDTs is an important step for us and demonstrates our ability to predict future events,” said Daniel Baker, FlightAware Founder and CEO. “This will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the more than 70 million passengers traveling through Frankfurt Airport each year.”

FlightAware is a digital aviation company and operates the world’s largest flight tracking and data platform. With global connectivity to every segment of aviation, FlightAware provides over 10,000 aircraft operators and service providers as well as over 12,000,000 passengers with global flight tracking solutions, predictive technology, analytics, and decision-making tools.

FlightAware receives data from air traffic control systems in over 45 countries, FlightAware’s network of ADS-B ground stations in 195 countries, Aireon global space-based global ADS-B, and datalink (satellite/VHF) via every major provider, including ARINC, SITA, Satcom Direct, Garmin, and Honeywell GoDirect.

FlightAware’s HyperFeed® engine seamlessly fuses thousands of real-time, global data sources with FlightAware’s proprietary AI models and algorithms. Leveraging this data with FlightAware’s powerful, intuitive, responsive, and reliable web-based interfaces and APIs yields the world’s most comprehensive, capable, and useful flight tracking and digital aviation data platform.

One of the leading players in the global airport business, Fraport AG offers a wide range of operational and management solutions based on over 90 years of aviation expertise. Fraport’s portfolio of companies spans four continents with activities at 30 airports worldwide. In business year 2018, the Fraport Group generated sales of €3.48 billion and profit of about €506 million. More than 176 million passengers used airports around the world in which Fraport has more than a 50 percent stake during 2018. In its Mission Statement, Fraport places the focus on customers. The Group’s commitment to ensuring a “good trip” to all passengers and travelers is also reflected in the corporate slogan: “Gute Reise! We make it happen”. This commitment applies to all of Fraport’s business activities and services both at Germany’s largest aviation hub in Frankfurt and the Group’s airports worldwide.

At its Frankfurt Airport (FRA) home base, Fraport welcomed more than 69.5 million passengers and handled about 2.21 million metric tons of cargo (airfreight and airmail) in 2018. In Europe, Frankfurt Airport ranks first in terms of cargo tonnage and is the fourth busiest for passenger traffic. For the current summer timetable, FRA is served by 94 passenger airlines flying to 306 destinations in 98 countries worldwide. A total of 137 intercontinental destinations are served from FRA in the 2019 summer schedule – underscoring Frankfurt’s role as a leading hub in the global air transportation system.

Frankfurt Airport City has become Germany’s largest job complex at a single location, employing approximately 81,000 people at some 450 companies and organizations on site. Almost half of Germany’s population lives within a 200-kilometer radius of the FRA intermodal travel hub – the largest airport catchment area in Europe. FRA also serves as a magnet for other companies located throughout the economically vital Frankfurt/Rhine-Main-Neckar region. Thanks to synergies associated with the region’s dynamic industries, networked expertise, and outstanding intermodal transportation infrastructure, FRA’s world route network enables Germany’s export-oriented businesses to flourish in global markets. Likewise, FRA is a key gateway for companies wanting to access the huge European marketplace. Thus, Frankfurt Airport – which is strategically located in the heart of Europe – is one of the most important hubs in the global logistics chain.

www.fraport.com/   More news on FRAPORT https://www.eturbonews.com/?s=FRAPORT 

MEDIA CONTACT: Yi-Chun Sandy Chen, Corporate Communications Media Relations, Fraport AG, 60547 Frankfurt am Main, Telephone: +49 69 690-28779, y.chen@fraport.de

Fraport traffic figures – May 2019: Frankfurt Airport reports solid growth

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Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed 6.2 million passengers in May 2019, an increase of 1.4 percent year-on-year. The growth rate would have been one percentage point higher, if FRA had not been affected by a number of weather and strike-related flight cancellations during the reporting month. Over the first five months of 2019, FRA achieved passenger growth of 2.9 percent.

Aircraft movements in May 2019 climbed by 1.0 percent to 46,181 takeoffs and landings. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) expanded by 0.8 percent to about 2.8 million metric tons. Cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) slightly grew by 0.6 percent to 185,701 metric tons.

Most of the airports in Fraport AG’s international portfolio also reported passenger growth in May 2019. Slovenia’s Ljubljana Airport (LJU) recorded a 1.8 percent increase in traffic to 170,307 passengers. The two Brazilian airports of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA) registered combined traffic of over 1.1 million passengers, also up slightly by 1.1 percent. In Peru, traffic at Lima Airport (LIM) rose by 8.0 percent to 2.0 million passengers.

The 14 Greek regional airports served about 3.1 million passengers overall, slipping by 1.9 percent year-on-year. This slight decline can largely be attributed to the bankruptcy of a few airlines – with other airlines, over the short term, only partially making up for the capacity loss. The busiest airports in Fraport’s Greek portfolio included: Thessaloniki (SKG) with 606,828 passengers, down 0.4 percent; Rhodes (RHO) with 599,993 passengers, down 5.1 percent; and Corfu (CFU) with 347,953 passengers, down 2.0 percent.

After a phase of very strong growth over the past three years, the Bulgarian airports of Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ) are currently experiencing the

June 14, 2019 ANR 18/2019

consolidation of flight offerings, resulting in an 18.3 percent drop in traffic to 270,877 passengers. At the gateway to the Turkish Riviera, Antalya Airport (AYT) received about 3.6 million passengers, a gain of 3.3 percent. Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg, Russia, advanced by 8.4 percent to about 1.7 million passengers. Traffic at Xi’an Airport (XIY) in central China reached almost 4.0 million passengers, up 5.1 percent.

MEDIA CONTACT: Torben Beckmann, Fraport AG, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany, E-mail:  t.beckmann@fraport.de , Facebook:  www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport

Passenger volume climbs at Frankfurt and most of the Group airports

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Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed more than six million passengers in
April 2019, a gain of 5.1 percent year-on-year. This noticeable
increase can also be attributed to the Easter traffic, which occurred
completely in April 2019 due to the later Easter holidays this year
(compared to 2018). FRA posted a 3.3 percent increase in total
passenger during the first four months of 2019.

Aircraft movements in April 2019 climbed slightly by 1.8 percent to
43,683 takeoffs and landings. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights
(MTOWs) rose by 1.6 percent to about 2.7 million metric tons. In
contrast, cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) fell by 6.0 percent
to 178,342 metric tons – due to weaker global trade and the later
occurrence of the Easter holidays.

Most of the Group airports in Fraport’s international portfolio
recorded growth in April 2019. Traffic at Slovenia’s Ljubljana
Airport (LJU) remained almost unchanged, increasing by 0.1 percent to
157,992 passengers. With combined traffic of about 1.2 million
passengers, Fraport’s Brazilian airports in Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto
Alegre (POA) saw traffic climb by 12.1 percent.

The 14 Greek regional airports achieved a 7.2 percent jump in traffic
to a total of 1.4 million passengers. The busiest airports included:
Thessaloniki (SKG) with 523,498 passengers (up 0.3 percent), Rhodes
(RHO) with 228,921 passengers (up 16.3 percent); and Chania (CHQ)
with 168,911 passengers (down 12.9 percent).

Serving 1.8 million passengers, Peru’s Lima Airport (LIM) advanced by
7.3 percent in the reporting month. Bulgaria’s Burgas (BOJ) and Varna
(VAR) airports reported a 14.6 percent drop in traffic to 106,205
passengers. At the gateway to the Turkish Riviera, Antalya Airport
(AYT) received 2.2 million passengers, representing growth of 16.0
percent. Russia’s Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg’s (LED) grew by
6.0 percent to about 1.4 million passengers. Traffic at Xi’an
Airport (XIY) in central China reached 3.8 million passengers, up 4.0
percent.

MEDIA CONTACT: Torben Beckmann, Fraport AG, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany, E-mail:  t.beckmann@fraport.de , Facebook:  www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport

Fraport Traffic Figures March and First Quarter of 2019: Growth Trend Continues

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Fraport

Passenger traffic rises at Frankfurt Airport – Fraport’s Group
airports worldwide largely report positive performance
In the first three months of 2019, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) served
almost 14.8 million passengers – an increase of 2.5 percent
year-on-year. Aircraft movements rose by 3.0 percent to 116,581
takeoffs and landings. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs)
climbed by 2.9 percent to some 7.3 million metric tons. Only cargo
throughput (airfreight + airmail) declined by 2.3 percent to a total
of 527,151 metric tons, reflecting the worldwide economic slowdown.
In March 2019, Frankfurt Airport recorded year-on-year traffic growth
of 1.4 percent to about 5.6 million passengers. This increase was
achieved despite the fact that, in March last year, traffic was
additionally boosted by the earlier timing of the Easter school
holidays, falling in April this year. Aircraft movements climbed by
2.1 percent to 42,056 takeoffs and landings, while accumulated MTOWs
grew by 2.8 percent to about 2.6 million metric tons. Cargo
throughput remained almost level compared to March 2018, rising by
0.2 percent to 202,452 metric tons.
Across the Group, the airports in Fraport’s international portfolio
largely performed well in the first quarter of 2019, even though the
different timing of the Easter holidays had an impact on some
airports serving tourist destinations. Ljubljana Airport (LJU) in
Slovenia closed the January-to-March period with an increase of 4.0
percent to 342,636 passengers (March 2019: up 3.0 percent to 133,641
passengers). In Brazil, the two airports of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto
Alegre (POA), combined, welcomed some 3.9 million passengers, posting
a gain of 11.9 percent (March 2019: up 8.3 percent to approximately
1.2 million passengers).
Fraport’s 14 Greek regional airports served some 1.9 million
passengers overall in the first quarter of the year – an increase of
8.2 percent (March 2019: up 1.1 percent to a total of 713,045
passengers). The busiest airports in Fraport’s Greek portfolio
included Thessaloniki (SKG) with around 1.2 million passengers (up
20.3 percent), Chania (CHQ) on the island of Crete with 153,225
passengers (down 0.4 percent), and Rhodes (RHO) with 151,493
passengers (down 18.1 percent).
Lima Airport (LIM) in Peru advanced by 3.7 percent to some 5.5
million passengers (March 2019: up 2.2 percent to about 1.8 million
passengers). Combined traffic at the two airports of Varna (VAR) and
Burgas (BOJ) on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast slipped by 5.8 percent
to 203,606 passengers (March 2019: down 9.9 percent to 74,102
passengers). Antalya Airport (AYT) in Turkey posted a 5.8 percent
gain to more than 2.7 million passengers (March 2019: down 0.1
percent to nearly 1.1 million passengers). St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo
Airport (LED) in Russia grew by 14.7 percent to about 3.6 million
passengers (March 2019: up 16.3 percent to approximately 1.3 million
passengers). Almost 11.3 million passengers passed through Xi’an
Airport (XIY) in China in the first three months of the year,
representing an increase of 8.0 percent (March 2019: up 3.7 percent
to nearly 3.8 million passengers).

Travel News | eTurboNews

Fraport and Deutsche Bahn to Test Artificial Intelligence at Frankfurt Airport

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The robotic head smiles at the passenger and greets them: “My name is FRAnny. How can I help you?” FRAnny is an expert on Frankfurt Airport, and is able to answer a wide range of questions – including the correct gate, the way to a specific restaurant, and how to access the free Wi-Fi.

The robotic concierge is a cooperative project between Fraport AG, the operator of Frankfurt Airport (FRA), and DB Systel GmbH, Deutsche Bahn’s dedicated IT service provider. Travelers at major transportation hubs, such as airports and train stations, are very often in need of guidance. In these scenarios, digital assistants and robots can support human personnel by fielding routine inquiries, thus enhancing the customer service offering. A six-week trial at Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s largest aviation hub, will help evaluate FRAnny in terms of functionality, customer acceptance and its practical usefulness in everyday situations

FRAnny is based on an artificial intelligence and a cloud-based voice-user interface (VUI) that can be deployed in a variety of forms – including in chatbots, voice assistants and robots. This digital customer service system was developed by a team of Deutsche Bahn IT experts. Using data drawn from the airport’s information system, FRAnny is able to understand and answer questions relating to travel, airport facilities and more. In addition to providing flight information, FRAnny is well versed in small talk and can communicate in German, English and seven other languages.

Fraport and Deutsche Bahn have been jointly exploring the potential of artificially intelligent, voice-based customer service systems since 2017. The first pilot took place at Frankfurt Airport in spring 2018 using FRAnny’s predecessor: the four-week field trial was very successful. After approximately 4,400 interactions, 75 percent of passengers rated their exchange positively. Based on the feedback received, both the artificial intelligence (AI) component and the robot’s user interface were further improved. The more recent trial underscores both companies’ commitment to ongoing innovation in artificial intelligence and robotics. Moreover, it puts the implemented improvements through their paces under real-world conditions.

In June, the AI-based service is to be tested at Berlin central rail station – which has approximately 300,000 travelers and visitors every day. Human customer service agents at Deutsche Bahn’s information center will receive smart support from FRAnny’s sister, SEMMI.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Easter School Holidays ring in busy travel season at Frankfurt Airport

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With the Easter holidays around the corner, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is preparing for this year’s first travel peak. Germany’s largest aviation hub expects to welcome up to 215,000 passengers daily – particularly at the start of the Easter school holidays on the weekend from April 12 to 15. The busy travel season will continue also after the Easter holidays. During summer, more than 240,000 passengers are expected to pass through the FRA global aviation hub on peak days, thus reaching similar levels as last year. Passenger volumes are not expected to decline noticeably until October, when Frankfurt Airport switches to the winter flight schedule.

Five tips for a smooth airport experience

Passengers should should therefore follow a few key pieces of advice when preparing for their journey. Each individual passenger can contribute to avoiding unnecessary delays and ensuring a stress-free travel experience at the counters and security checkpoints in the terminals.

  1. Check in online: Passengers can usually check in online 24 hours before departure on their airline’s website. This saves time at the check-in counter.
  2. Arrive early: Passengers should be at the airport at least two and a half hours before departure and make their way to the security check immediately after dropping off their luggage. Once having passed the security checkpoint, passengers will find a wide range of amenities and leisure experiences to choose from, including FRA’s Movie and Gaming Worlds, yoga rooms and play areas for children, as well as shops and restaurants.
  3. Take as little carry-on luggage as possible: Your carry-on luggage should only contain items that are essential during your journey on the plane and at the airport. Carrying light luggage is the best way to ensure a relaxed airport experience. It also saves time at the security checkpoint and when boarding the plane. Packing correctly also helps reduce stress. Therefore, travelers should check their airline’s luggage rules and allowances before starting their trip. The airline will provide details about the size, number and weight permitted. Aviation regulations specify what is allowed in each piece of luggage.
  4. Stow liquids and electronics correctly: Particular attention must be paid to liquids and electronic devices. Batteries, e-cigarettes and power banks must be transported in carry-on luggage. Liquids in carry-on luggage must be stored in individual receptacles of up to 100 ml each in a resealable, transparent plastic bag with a maximum volume of one liter per passenger. Electronic devices and liquids must be presented separately at the security check. Security checks can be sped up considerably by packing everything so that it is quickly accessible and easily restowable.
  5. Book parking online: Booking parking online early is strongly recommended for passengers traveling to the airport in their own car. It is also cheaper. In addition to arriving two and a half hours before departure, we recommend that passengers allow a few minutes’ additional time for traveling between the parking structure and the terminal.

“Following these travel tips and the luggage regulations will help each person have a more enjoyable airport experience,” explains Fraport AG’s General Manager Aviation, Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm. “This will also positively contribute to smooth operations and the overall situation at our airport. Nevertheless, Frankfurt Airport – like all other travel hubs and routes – will be very busy in the summer months, especially during vacation periods. We are preparing for this as effectively as possible with additional staff and adjustments to our infrastructure. Yet, longer waits can still be expected on peak days. Our aim is to keep waiting times as short as possible. To achieve this, we rely on the cooperation of passengers and our partners on site, as well as airlines and government agencies.”

Passengers can find all the travel tips and a lot more useful information at frankfurt-airport.com and via the Frankfurt Airport app.

Leave your winter coat at the airport

During the Easter holidays, the popular Winter Coat Storage Service is available for the last time this season at the luggage storage service. For 50 euro cents per day, down jackets and thick coats can be left at the airport, while their owners enjoy their vacation in the sun.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Easter School Holidays ring in busy travel season at Frankfurt Airport

by

With the Easter holidays around the corner, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is preparing for this year’s first travel peak. Germany’s largest aviation hub expects to welcome up to 215,000 passengers daily – particularly at the start of the Easter school holidays on the weekend from April 12 to 15. The busy travel season will continue also after the Easter holidays. During summer, more than 240,000 passengers are expected to pass through the FRA global aviation hub on peak days, thus reaching similar levels as last year. Passenger volumes are not expected to decline noticeably until October, when Frankfurt Airport switches to the winter flight schedule.

Five tips for a smooth airport experience

Passengers should should therefore follow a few key pieces of advice when preparing for their journey. Each individual passenger can contribute to avoiding unnecessary delays and ensuring a stress-free travel experience at the counters and security checkpoints in the terminals.

  1. Check in online: Passengers can usually check in online 24 hours before departure on their airline’s website. This saves time at the check-in counter.
  2. Arrive early: Passengers should be at the airport at least two and a half hours before departure and make their way to the security check immediately after dropping off their luggage. Once having passed the security checkpoint, passengers will find a wide range of amenities and leisure experiences to choose from, including FRA’s Movie and Gaming Worlds, yoga rooms and play areas for children, as well as shops and restaurants.
  3. Take as little carry-on luggage as possible: Your carry-on luggage should only contain items that are essential during your journey on the plane and at the airport. Carrying light luggage is the best way to ensure a relaxed airport experience. It also saves time at the security checkpoint and when boarding the plane. Packing correctly also helps reduce stress. Therefore, travelers should check their airline’s luggage rules and allowances before starting their trip. The airline will provide details about the size, number and weight permitted. Aviation regulations specify what is allowed in each piece of luggage.
  4. Stow liquids and electronics correctly: Particular attention must be paid to liquids and electronic devices. Batteries, e-cigarettes and power banks must be transported in carry-on luggage. Liquids in carry-on luggage must be stored in individual receptacles of up to 100 ml each in a resealable, transparent plastic bag with a maximum volume of one liter per passenger. Electronic devices and liquids must be presented separately at the security check. Security checks can be sped up considerably by packing everything so that it is quickly accessible and easily restowable.
  5. Book parking online: Booking parking online early is strongly recommended for passengers traveling to the airport in their own car. It is also cheaper. In addition to arriving two and a half hours before departure, we recommend that passengers allow a few minutes’ additional time for traveling between the parking structure and the terminal.

“Following these travel tips and the luggage regulations will help each person have a more enjoyable airport experience,” explains Fraport AG’s General Manager Aviation, Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm. “This will also positively contribute to smooth operations and the overall situation at our airport. Nevertheless, Frankfurt Airport – like all other travel hubs and routes – will be very busy in the summer months, especially during vacation periods. We are preparing for this as effectively as possible with additional staff and adjustments to our infrastructure. Yet, longer waits can still be expected on peak days. Our aim is to keep waiting times as short as possible. To achieve this, we rely on the cooperation of passengers and our partners on site, as well as airlines and government agencies.”

Passengers can find all the travel tips and a lot more useful information at frankfurt-airport.com and via the Frankfurt Airport app.

Leave your winter coat at the airport

During the Easter holidays, the popular Winter Coat Storage Service is available for the last time this season at the luggage storage service. For 50 euro cents per day, down jackets and thick coats can be left at the airport, while their owners enjoy their vacation in the sun.

MEDIA CONTACT: Fraport AG, Angelika Heinbuch, Spokesperson, Press Office, Corp. Communications, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany, Telephone: +49 69 690-28417, E-mail: a.heinbuch@fraport.de ,  Internet: www.fraport.com , Facebook: www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport

Summer Schedule 2019: Frankfurt Airport puts spring in its step

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New flight schedule to take effect on March 31 – Total flights expanding moderately

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) continues to strengthen its status as Germany’s leading international aviation hub. Starting on March 31, travelers will be able to fly from Frankfurt to a total of 306 destinations in 98 countries.

In this year’s summer season, the number of flights will increase moderately (by more than one percent) compared to last year. Seat capacity will also grow by between one and two percent.

European, domestic German and especially intercontinental flight offerings will all expand. A rise of between 1.5 and two percent of aircraft movements is expected in the intercontinental category, with seat capacity increasing by 1.5 to 2.5 percent.

New long-haul destinations

United Airlines will introduce daily services to Denver (DEN) in early May. Lufthansa will also offer a once-daily flight to DEN, while adding Austin (AUS), Texas as a new destination in North America. Cathay Pacific is increasing the frequency on its Frankfurt-Hong Kong (HKG) route, thus bringing the total to three services a week. Qatar Airways will offer more seats on one of its two daily flights to Doha (DOH), which will now be operated by an Airbus A380.

The intercontinental connections available from Frankfurt are marked by an impressive diversity, serving a total of 137 destinations. Lufthansa is continuing the new services introduced last winter to Cancún (CUN) in Mexico and Agadir (AGA) in Morocco. Condor will retain its flights to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia while stepping up the frequency to Phoenix (PHX) in the U.S., Calgary (YYC) in Canada, and Mombasa (MBA) in Kenya. Air India will also maintain its Frankfurt-Mumbai (BOM) route.

More connections to Turkey from FRA

Holidaymakers who wish to spend their vacation in Turkey have quite a few options to choose from: 11 airlines will now fly from FRA to a total of 15 destinations in that country, 15 percent more than before. They include a new service to Bodrum (BJV) by Lufthansa, which is also adding two other European holiday destinations: Heraklion (HER) in Greece and Tivat (TIV) in Montenegro.

Lufthansa will also continue flying to the new destinations it inaugurated last winter. Among them are Thessaloniki (SKG) in Greece, Trieste (TRS) in Italy, and Tromsø (TOS) in Norway. The airline is also adding more frequencies to Tirana (TIA) in Albania and Sofia (SOF) in Bulgaria, as well as Palma de Majorca (PMI) and Pamplona (PNA) in Spain. German leisure carrier TUIfly is strengthening its services from Frankfurt to Lamezia Terme (SUF) in Italy, Larnaca (LCA) in Cyprus, and Djerba-Zarzis (DJE) in Tunisia. In late March, Ryanair will add more services to Dublin (DUB), the Irish capital, bringing the total to 12 a week. Altogether, the total number of European destinations served from FRA will climb to 154, and within Germany to 15.

The impact on Frankfurt Airport of recent airline insolvencies is negligible. Flybmi will no longer be serving Bristol (BRS) in the United Kingdom and Jönköping (JKG) and Karlstad (KSD) in Sweden but because the aircraft used on those routes had only limited passenger seating their cancellation is only minimally affecting FRA’s total capacity. Nor are the failures of two other airlines, Germania and Small Planet Germany, having more than a very slight effect on total traffic.

Good preparation for a positive travel experience

The moderate growth in flight movements is fully in line with the expectations of Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport. To handle the increase, Fraport has been hiring more staff and allotting more space for additional security checks during the summer season. Nevertheless, passengers may still experience processing delays on peak days. They are therefore advised to check in online before leaving home, arrive at the airport at least two and a half hours before departure, and then head immediately for the security checkpoint. Travelers intending to drive to the airport and leave their vehicles there can book parking spaces online in advance. Passengers are also advised to observe the airlines’ rules on cabin luggage. Fraport recommends taking as few carry-on items as possible. Information and pointers on travel and carry-on luggage can be found at www.frankfurt-airport.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Dieter Hulick, Corporate Communications, Press Office, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany, Telephone: +49 69 690-66249, E-mail: d.hulick@fraport.de , Internet: www.fraport.com , Facebook: www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport