Finally, the day came! I arrived at Bostons Logan Airport 3 hours early as to find no lines. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised! With the help of my TSA status, I walked in the front door of the airport, checked my bag, and was through security in less than 15 minutes. I had plenty of time to grab an overpriced dinner at Legal Seafood next to my gate.
Prior to my flight, Lufthansa allowed me to bid on an upgrade to Premium economy which I managed to get. I figured the extra room would be nice on the overnight flight. The seat was a little roomier than the economy seats and had a little more leg room, but it was by no means luxurious. The plane had a configuration. Im an aisle seat fan, so I was a little disappointed to be in be assigned a middle seat. After sitting down, I had two people assigned to the same seat next to me, I was a little jealous when one of them got moved up to first class! In hindsight, I think I would have been to have paid to choose my seat ahead
The overnight flight was long, but uneventful. Despite most airlines having removed their mask requirements, Lufthansa held firm and was pretty strict ensuring that the passengers kept their masks on during the flight. I did manage to get a few hours of sleep prior to my Frankfurt arrival.
I had a 5½ hour layover in Frankfurt and it would be 3 hours to until I was able to meet my fathers flight. Having had 2 trips to Germany under my belt, I thought I would have no trouble navigating my way around the airport in Frankfurt. Upon arriving in Terminal B, I found it a bit overwhelming to figure out where I was going, especially since I was trying to kill some time until I had to meet my father. I fumbled my way around a bit and eventually figured out that I would have to make my way through a security checkpoint before being able to roam the terminal.
Even though it was only 6am, many of the shops were open so I had plenty to look at including a large store. I kept reminding
myself that I was about to spend two weeks in Albania and I didnt need anymore souvenirs from Germany. While exploring Concourse B, I saw a sign for showers. This was just what I needed after a long overnight flight on a cramped plane! When I entered the area, there was no attendant present, but after ringing a bell, the woman arrived within a minute. She provided me with a towel and facecloth and then directed me to a private bathroom with a toilet, sink, shower, & hairdryer. The warm shower and the ability to brush my teeth felt great and were definitely worth the €8! The only downside was the wet tile floor made it difficult to put my socks on. Other than that, I think that every airport should have this amenity!
While roaming around the terminal, I came across some private sleep pods. They were a small room with a bed that you could rent by the hour. I was hoping to grab two hours of sleep, but unfortunately they were reserved and I couldnt get in. I settled on grabbing a coffee and breakfast at a cafe right across from the gate my father was
scheduled to arrive at. After a leisurely breakfast, I walked over to my fathers arrival gate where they had Silent Chairs. The chairs have an arched backrest and glass panels to help reduce the noise. There was also a small table with a USB port for me to charge my phone. I plugged my phone into the outlet, set an alarm for 30 minutes, and closed my eyes. Within minutes, my Lufthansa app alerted me to the fact that my fathers gate had changed to Terminal Z. I quickly gathered my belongings and made the very long trip towards Terminal Z.
Prior to our flights departing, I told my Dad that I would be waiting outside of his gate when he arrived. Unfortunately when I arrived in the terminal, I found a passport check at the entrance to the area he was arriving. They were only allowing departing passengers in that area. I sent him a text, a WhatsApp message, and left him a voicemail letting him know where he could find me.
