Review: Air France Lounge Frankfurt Airport

Hi Ben,

Great post. I love the blog! My thoughts on the armed guards are that they were perhaps there since this was a flight to Paris? It may sound superfluous, but I'm sure France, being in a state of emergency and having had to divert several flights since November 13 due to bomb threats etc, would like as much additional security as possible. As far as guards walking around the terminal in general, it's a very Central European thing. You'll never see it in Northern Europe as far as I'm aware.

I never give much thought to machine-gun toting officials. I give them as much attention as I do to the vendors at newspaper kiosks.

Only Jim Beam RYE? Who says the french don't know American Whiskey? LOL.

To be fair, their armed guards in security are much better trained and disciplined than average US police officers - usually French/British/German military background. And they don't jump to their guns as often as our cops do, so I'd imagine few have actually ever used their gun on this job.

Lol the guns at the Frankfurt airport weren't loaded when I have seen them. So you can feel "safer"

Machine guns are mostly a reaction to recent terrorist attacks, some people call it a security theater (especially as the first time they showed up in France they weren't loaded), but it is a bit of a deterrent.

Serious firepower in European airports isn't so new. For some background (and some excellent television) check out the French-German production of "Carlos" (2010) about Carlos the Jackal, including attacks at Orly and OPEC HQ in the 70s.

Not mentioned, but there is no restroom in the Air France Lounge.

Since the November attacks in Paris, the federal police roaming the terminals at german airports (and also some major railway stations) is equipped with a machine gun. Before November this was only true for the guards at the security checkpoints. The extra security for french flights and buildings was requested by the french government. I think that's the reason for the armed guard in the gate area.

While you were feeling uncomfortable, I assume that the main purpose of having officers carry machine guns is to actually make people feel safe, especially nowadays in ISIS infested Europe.

Being based in Tel-Aviv whose airport is one of the most threatened and secured for that matter, but without any visibly armed officers inside the terminal, I would assume it doesn't really serve any real purpose. While on that matter, TLV is also very unconventional these days by allowing liquids through security without restrictions, so I would assume the pain of taking our water bottles and toothpaste away in most airports, is completely uncalled for.

"Not mentioned, but there is no restroom in the Air France Lounge."

That's something I've never understood airlines doing for their premium lounges. Especially at airports like this where it's possible lots of people who use the lounge are transiting. Where would they go if they wanted a shower?

"Perhaps a fairer comparison would be to the Japan Airlines Lounge Frankfurt or Air Canada Lounge Frankfurt."

And...which would you say is the best? And how do they all compare to the Lufthansa Senator and Business class lounges?

The sub machine guns have been there a long time.
I remember being in the toilet next to the dorian gray night club when bang bang bang on the door.
It was german military asking if i had drugs.
They werent interested in the fact i was in there with another man.
They both smiled at me when they realised what was going on.
This was 1989.
They left and banged on the next door.

You guys will all hate my but that's probably an automatic rifle, from what I can see of the barrel. Please don't mistake them for machine guns.

And seriously? No Bathrooms? Who thought of that as a smart decision?

"What I do know is that being around people with machine guns in public spaces makes me sort of uncomfortable. Not that I was actually scared, but I’m just not a fan of people with machine guns standing around me."

If it's any consolation, this is how non-Americans feel wandering the streets of US cities. The difference is the European guards are less likely to open fire.

Not sure why some are thinking this has to do with the Paris attacks. European airports have had machine-gun toting officers for a long while now - at least for as long as I can remember. The only variations between airports and countries from what I've seen is the ratio of machine-guns to handgun-only officers.

As @Nola noted, they're typically military and well-trained; have extremely likely never drawn their weapons, much less used them; and as @Christy noted, they're typically not loaded. If they are, they're loaded with less-than-lethal ammunition.

No worries. Eventually our own TSA will no doubt try having their non-law-enforcement non-officers carry toy guns to go along with their fake badges as well.

I am surprised that you think police armed with machine guns is a European thing. It is fairly common to see heavily armed police officers in NYC for example (or even military in uniform at Penn Station).

@ Chris -- I'm not saying machine guns in general are a European thing, but rather machine guns at airports past security are a European thing. I see the value of it in a city or in a train station, where there's not otherwise a security checkpoint and a high risk of attack. But I just don't see the point past a security checkpoint in a low risk area. The only area behind security where there's a risk is on the plane, as I don't recall there ever being an attack at an airport past security (rather I've only heard of them either before security or on planes themselves).

The shooter in the 2013 lax incident was shooting people inside terminal 3.

Regardless the Guns I saw in Europe at the airports weren't loaded. The terrorists know they aren't loaded but the average European doesnt so it's all a show to make the masses think there's security.

For the love of God stop calling them machine guns. Just call them rifles, because that's what they are. If you don't know anything about guns this is your safest bet. I suppose you could've called them fully automatic assault death machines and scare a bunch of people that also don't know anything about guns, but I digress. Please stick to what you know best, and what you already do very well.

Lucky, please stop using the word "upon". You use it in almost every post. "Upon" might sound fancy, but it's not, it's archaic. In all instances it can be replaced with "on".

@Andrew J: It's not as annoying as the unnecessary "ofs" - it's not that big of an airport, it's not that good of a seat, it's not that nice of an airline, etc.

My pragmatic + realistic take: instead of guarding the passenger area, guard the crew and maintenance staff areas instead! Much easier to sneak contraband that way.
Regardless, my trust level with a properly trained security officer >> some jamoke in certain areas of the US

You did mention the train from terminal one tto terminal two but failed to mention the extremely rude staff. In February I arrived at terminal two and was berated by a disgruntled greeter or whatever he was. His job was to supervise boarding of these trains. I am quite experienced, this was my 30th arrival at FRA but my first greeting. I am following up with a formal complaint to FRA authorities. Not only was he rude and abusive but when he saw me speak to a Ploice Officer in the train he sent a friend to sit there.
You should also note that with the NOT FREE luggage carts you need to abandon one when you board the train and then pay again after the train.

Not to get too technical but that looks like the muzzle of a HK MP5, which would be a submachine gun. It fires the same bullets as a handgun, not a rifle, and is usually set for 3 round bursts. Seeing them makes me more curious than nervous, as long as its operator is well trained. Plenty of places in Las Vegas where you can try one BTW.

It's the same here in Scandinavia at the larger airports. And honestly, I do not mind. Norwegian police has killed TWO people between 2002 and today. I trust them in what they do.

Is it me or are some (most?) of these lounges are lit far too brightly? This one looks like it'd be painfully bright at 5:30am.

Higher powered weapons at European airports aren't anything new.

I went to London to celebrate the millennium and there was a large show of force with large guns as I got off the plane at LGW. I joked with one of the officers that I realised I was from America, but I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome. Without missing a beat he said they were doing their best to bring me the comforts of my home country. He then mentioned that there were members of the Taliban on the flight before mine and they wanted to let them know the Brits were well aware of their presence. Kind of eerie looking back.

I'm with you Lucky on this one -- whenever I see a large # of police, especially with body armor & larger guns, I assume the area is naturally unsafe. Probably my American roots showing on this one, but I feel LESS safe with a large number of police around.

The armed security doesn't bother me one bit. Sadly even in stores here in Kansas City it's common to see an armed security guard or off-duty police officer.