Frankfurt Airport
About
With 64.5 billion passengers in 2017, Frankfurt Airport is the biggest airport in Germany, the fourth biggest in europe and the 13th biggest in the world. 99 Airlines fly from Frankfurt to 311 destinations in 97 countries. In 2017 there were over 475.000 aircraft movements which range from a small business jet to an A380.
Due to a night flight ban the time of operation starts at 5am and ends at 11pm. Without night flights, all 2.2 billion tons of airfreight carried to Frankfurt by about 20 cargo airlines (and the pax carriers) have to be moved during these 18 hours.
Four runways ensure a smooth operation. The latest addition is the "northwest-runway" (25R / 07L) which started operation in 2011.
ICAO-Code: EDDF
IATA-Code: FRA
Operator: Fraport AG
Planespotting
Visiting the largest airport in Germany becomes more popular every year. No matter if you're a planespotter or you just want to see some airplanes soaring into the skies, Frankfurt is a wonderful spot to see a large variety of airplanes.
I want to give you a few tips and hints for your journey to FRA:
- Airport Tours: Fraport offers 45 min. airport tours, where they show you the apron. If you have absolute no interest in specific aircrafts or airlines you should definitely book a tour (infos here). But if you are a planespotter then you will be disappointed. It is a tour where you will see 90% Lufthansa airplanes and nothing special.
- Runway poker: That's what I call it...Frankfurt has four runways and no matter how the statistics are, every flight can land different than the day before. The best way to ensure you will see a specific aircraft is to ask Fraport on facebook. Otherwise you may stay at the wrong spotting point. Down below you will find a table where you may see which airline.
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What is important to know about Frakfurt ?
- Well the first rule is: No A380, 747 or MD11 on the "northwest-runway" (25R / 07L).
- Second (how it should be, sometimes it is not): What comes from north, lands on the "northwest -runway", what comes from south, lands on 25L / 07R. Important: DFS (our german ATC controller company) often sends airplanes from north to the southern runway and opposite !
- The third rule is: Lufthansa gets served first. Imagine two aircraft waiting for their takeoff. One is a Lufthansa aircraft, the second isn't. In 95% of these cases, the Lufthansa plane will take off first ! Second example: Two aircraft are in approach. One Lufthansa from LHR and Qatar from DOH (yes they fly over the Czech Republic), both come from the north. In 80% off all cases Qatar will land on the southern runway.
- Drive by car: Frankfurt has so many spotting locations and runways, the best way to see everything is to rent a car to drive with around the airport to spot airplanes. It's the most time efficient way because busses and trains are unreliable.
FRA Runway Operation*
*No guaranty for any changes during operation ! Flights can land/takeoff on different runways !
Terminal 1: T1
Terminal 2: T2
Cargo City North: CCN
Cargo City South: CCS