Sophie Bauer
Writer on air travel & airport procedure
Sophie Bauer writes about terminals, security, hand luggage and arrival routes at Germany's major airports. She checks details directly with the operators.
Articles by Sophie Bauer
Departure & Security
BER Airport Departures: Terminal 1 or 2, security without a slot, and a detour-prone journey
Departing Berlin BER in 2026: the three airlines that check in at Terminal 2, why Terminal 5 is gone, evening-before bag drop, CT scanners instead of BER Runway, the 2.5-hour rule and this autumn's rail engineering works.
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Departure & Security
Düsseldorf Airport Departures: one hall, three piers, three security checks
Departing Düsseldorf Airport: the central check-in hall, the checkpoints at piers A, B and C, DUSgateway, the SkyTrain from the long-distance station, the S11 and U80, and how much time to allow (as of 2026).
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Departure & Security
EasyPASS in Germany 2026: Who Can Use the Border eGates and How They Work
EasyPASS in 2026: EU passport holders from age 12, eight airports with 255 eGates, EasyPASS-RTP for US, UK, Korean, Taiwanese and Hong Kong travellers — and where the EES fits in.
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Frankfurt Airport Arrivals: Terminal 1 or 3, Baggage, Customs and the Way Out
Arriving at Frankfurt Airport in 2026: where you land now Terminal 2 has closed, how passport control, baggage reclaim and customs work, and how to get onward from Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Departure & Security
Hamburg Airport Departures: two terminals, one security check, one slot
Departing Hamburg Airport: which airlines check in at Terminal 1 or 2, the central security checkpoint in the Airport Plaza, Slot & Fly, evening-before check-in and how much time to allow (as of 2026).
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Departure & Security
Power Banks on a Plane in 2026: Cabin Bags, Watt-Hours and Which Airlines Ban Using Them
Power banks on a plane in 2026: cabin baggage only, two at most, the 100 and 160 Wh thresholds — and which airlines ban charging on board, from Lufthansa to Ryanair and Wizz Air (as of September 2026).
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Departure & Security
Sports Equipment on a Plane 2026: Skis, Bikes, Golf Bags and Surfboards — Fees and Rules at Five Airlines
Flying with sports equipment in 2026: what skis, bikes, golf bags and surfboards cost at five airlines, the size and weight limits, how a bike must be boxed, and where the oversize desks are at Frankfurt and Munich.
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Stuttgart Airport Arrivals: level 2, two halls and three ways into the city
Arriving at Stuttgart Airport in 2026: baggage reclaim and exits in Terminals 1 and 3 on level 2, customs and EES, pick-ups with 8 free minutes or an hour on P0, S2/S3, the U6 since 2021, the N8 night bus and taxis.
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Departure & Security
Turkish Airlines Hand Luggage 2026: 8 kg overhead, 4 kg under the seat, and the AJet exception
Turkish Airlines hand luggage 2026: a 55 × 40 × 23 cm cabin bag up to 8 kg plus a 40 × 30 × 15 cm personal item up to 4 kg, two bags in Business, domestic flights, and why AJet's Basic fare no longer includes a cabin bag (as of September 2026).
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Departure & Security
Wizz Air Hand Luggage 2026: 40 × 30 × 20 Free, a Trolley Only With WIZZ Priority
Wizz Air hand luggage in 2026: a free 40 × 30 × 20 cm bag up to 10 kg, a 55 × 40 × 23 cm trolley only with WIZZ Priority, what Priority costs online and at the airport, and what awaits at the gate (as of September 2026).
Sophie Bauer25 September 2026
Terminals & Getting Around
Frankfurt Airport Terminal 2: Closed Since June 2026 — and Where Your Flight Goes Now
Frankfurt Airport Terminal 2 closed to passengers on 9 June 2026. What became of Concourses D and E, where your airline moved, what still runs at the building, and when it returns.
Sophie Bauer24 September 2026
Departure & Security
Condor Hand Luggage 2026: Sizes, the 8 kg Rule and the Full Fare Matrix
Condor hand luggage 2026: 55 × 40 × 23 cm since 1 May, eight kilos for case and bag combined, Economy Zero from €9.99 — plus gate charges and the reservable overhead bin. As of 2026.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Departure & Security
easyJet Hand Luggage 2026: Sizes, 15 kg and the €70 Gate Fee
easyJet hand luggage 2026: a free 45 × 36 × 20 cm bag at up to 15 kg, a paid 56 × 45 × 25 cm large cabin bag, €70 at the boarding gate — and why a better seat no longer buys you a second bag. As of 2026.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
The Airports
Hotels at BER Airport: Which Ones You Can Actually Walk From
Hotels at Berlin Brandenburg Airport: the two houses on the Terminal 1 forecourt, the Schoenefeld and Waltersdorf ring, napcabs in the station, shuttle costs and park-sleep-fly compared.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Departure & Security
Frankfurt Airport Departures: How Much Time You Actually Need
Departing from Frankfurt Airport: booking a free FRA SmartWay security slot, realistic queue times, and how early to arrive for Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 (as of 2026).
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Arriving at BER Airport: One Level, Two Exits, Two Terminals
Arriving at Berlin BER in 2026: baggage reclaim on level E0, eight belts in Terminal 1 and three in Terminal 2, the station two levels down, the FEX to Hauptbahnhof in 23 minutes — and the meeting point almost everyone gets wrong.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Departure & Security
Strikes, Delays and Cancellations: What You Are Actually Owed
EU air passenger rights under Regulation 261/2004: compensation of 250, 400 or 600 euros, the three-hour threshold that comes from case law, care owed even during a strike, and why an ATC walkout counts differently from an airline's own staff.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Departure & Security
Food in Hand Luggage: What Gets Through Security — and What You Cannot Bring Home
Food in hand luggage 2026: why yoghurt, soft cheese and honey count as liquids at security, how the baby-food exemption actually works, and which foods the EU bans on the way back in.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Delayed and Lost Baggage: The PIR, the Deadlines and What the Airline Actually Pays
Your case never came off the belt. What the PIR does and does not do, why seven days and twenty-one days decide everything, when a bag legally counts as lost, and what sits behind the ceiling of 1,519 Special Drawing Rights.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Terminals & Getting Around
Connecting at Frankfurt Airport: What the Minimum Connection Time Leaves Out
Minimum connecting time at FRA: Fraport calls 45 minutes achievable, Lufthansa has sold nothing under 60 at its own hub since 2025. What really eats the gap between gates, and who pays when you miss the connection.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Departure & Security
Flying With a Dog or Cat: Eight Kilos, the Microchip and the Cabin-or-Hold Question
What a dog or cat may weigh in the cabin, the point at which the animal has to travel in the hold, why snub-nosed breeds are excluded, what the EU pet passport actually requires — and where animals are handed over at Frankfurt and Munich.
Sophie Bauer17 September 2026
Departure & Security
Excess Baggage Fees 2026: What an Overweight Case Really Costs
Excess baggage in 2026: why the same case costs double at the desk, where the 23 kg, 32 kg and 158 cm limits sit — and when repacking or shipping beats paying.
Sophie Bauer24 August 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Arriving at Hannover Airport: Three Terminals, One Arrivals Level
Arriving at Hannover Airport in 2026: Terminals A, B and C share one arrivals level, plus baggage claim, customs and the S5 to Hauptbahnhof in around 17 minutes.
Sophie Bauer19 August 2026
Terminals & Getting Around
Long Layover at Frankfurt Airport: Leave or Stay in the Terminal?
Six hours to kill at FRA: when a trip into the city is worth it, when you should stay airside, and the honest time arithmetic for passport control, security and baggage.
Sophie Bauer19 August 2026
Departure & Security
VAT Refund at the Airport 2026: Getting German Tax Free Right
German VAT refunds explained: who qualifies, why 50.01 euros per receipt matters, why customs comes before bag drop, and what actually lands in your account.
Sophie Bauer19 August 2026
Departure & Security
Backpack as Hand Luggage: Personal Item or Cabin Bag?
Backpacks as hand luggage: when one counts as a free personal item under the seat, when it counts as a full cabin bag, which styles cause gate trouble, and how to pack them right.
Sophie Bauer17 August 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Munich Airport Arrivals: Two Terminals, Two Levels
Arriving at Munich Airport in 2026: Terminal 1 on level 4, Terminal 2 on level 3, baggage claim centralised across 14 belts, the new Terminal 1 pier open since April 2026 — and the route through customs.
Sophie Bauer16 August 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Düsseldorf Airport Arrivals: Two Stations, Three Terminals
Arriving at Düsseldorf Airport: which terminal serves which airline, how long baggage takes, and why there are two different railway stations.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
Departure & Security
Eurowings Hand Luggage 2026: BASIC, SMART and BIZclass Compared
Eurowings hand luggage 2026: dimensions for the small bag and the cabin case, what BASIC, SMART and BIZclass actually include, plus a comparison with Lufthansa and Ryanair. As of 2026.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
The Airports
Frankfurt Airport 2026: Which Terminal, Which Route, How Much Time
Frankfurt Airport 2026: Terminal 3 is open and Terminal 2 shut. Which airline flies from where, how to move between T1 and T3, and how much time to allow.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
The Airports
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport: 120 Kilometres from Frankfurt
Frankfurt-Hahn airport is 120 km from Frankfurt. Coach times, fares, driving routes — and who the Hunsrück airport genuinely suits before you book that cheap seat.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Arriving at Hamburg Airport: From Gate to City Centre in 40 Minutes
Arriving at Hamburg Airport: central baggage reclaim, the S1 to the main station in 25 minutes, taxi fares — and the train split that catches people out.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
Departure & Security
Liquids in Hand Luggage 2026: The 100 ml Rule Still Applies — Mostly
Liquids in hand luggage 2026: the 100 ml rule still applies, with two litres on CT lanes at Frankfurt and Munich. Exemptions, duty-free and the transfer trap.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
The Airports
Munich Airport Visitors' Park: What Is There and What It Costs
Munich Airport visitors' park: the one-euro viewing hill, three historic airliners, playground and minigolf, plus how to get there and the S1 train split.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
The Airports
Parking at Frankfurt-Hahn: Three Surfaces and the 60-Minute Rule
Parking at Frankfurt-Hahn airport: P1, P2 and P3 with walking times and weekly rates, the height limit in the multi-storey, and the check-in deadline since Nov 2026.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
The Airports
Parking at Munich Airport: The Minutes You Have to Budget For
Parking at Munich Airport: which car park serves Terminal 1 and 2, how long the shuttle and the walk really take, and when to leave home for an early flight.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
The Airports
Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1: Parking, Entrances, Levels
Parking at Frankfurt Terminal 1: the P2 and P3 entrances, the tunnel into the terminal, the 2.10 m height limit, where the pay machines are and the booking deadlines.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
Departure & Security
Departures at Stuttgart Airport: Four Terminals, One Booked Slot
Departing from Stuttgart Airport: which terminal, when you need to be there, and how to book a free time slot for the security check in advance.
Sophie Bauer14 August 2026
Departure & Security
Hand Luggage Sizes 2026: What Each Airline Actually Allows
Hand luggage sizes 2026 compared: Lufthansa, Ryanair, Eurowings, easyJet, Wizz and Condor — plus the one case size that clears all six airlines.
Sophie Bauer12 August 2026
Terminals & Getting Around
Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1: Piers A, B, C, Z and How to Find Your Way
A layout guide to Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1: how Piers A, B, C and Z connect, which airlines fly from where, how the SkyLine links them, and where the lounges are.
Sophie Bauer11 August 2026
The Airports
Berlin-Tempelhof Airport: History, the Airlift and Tempelhofer Feld Today
Berlin-Tempelhof Airport: opened 1923, stage of the 1948/49 Airlift, closed to flights since 2008 — today Tempelhofer Feld, with a runway cycle loop, community gardens and terminal tours.
Sophie Bauer8 August 2026
Departure & Security
Airport Security Checkpoint 2026: How the Screening Process Actually Works
Airport security in Germany 2026: body scanners instead of arches, CT scanners that let laptops and liquids stay put, realistic queue times, and pat-down triggers.
Sophie Bauer5 August 2026
Departure & Security
Electric Toothbrush on a Plane 2026: The Battery Rules for Hand Luggage
Electric toothbrushes, power banks and e-cigarettes in hand luggage: watt-hour limits, loose versus built-in batteries and what happens at security (as of 2026).
Sophie Bauer2 August 2026
The Airports
Munich Airport Christmas Market: the Winter Market at the MAC-Forum in 2026
Munich Airport's Christmas and Winter Market: 2026 dates, the ice rink in the MAC-Forum, no boarding pass needed, and how it differs from a Christmas market in the city.
Sophie Bauer30 July 2026
Departure & Security
British Airways Hand Luggage 2026: Two Bags Included, Even on the Cheapest Fare
British Airways hand luggage 2026: cabin bag and personal item dimensions, why even the Basic fare keeps both pieces, and what applies flying from Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf. As of 2026.
Sophie Bauer27 July 2026
Departure & Security
Cologne Bonn Airport Departures: two terminals, one time-slot system, round the clock
Departing from Cologne Bonn Airport: which terminal your airline uses, how CGN Gateway works, and why planes still take off here in the middle of the night.
Sophie Bauer24 July 2026
The Airports
Berlin Brandenburg Airport: Terminals, History and Getting There
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER): Terminal 1 and 2, fourteen years of delays before its 2020 opening, 26 million passengers in 2025, and how to reach the city.
Sophie Bauer21 July 2026
Departure & Security
Lufthansa Hand Luggage 2026: The Cabin Bag, the Personal Item and the New Basic Fare
Lufthansa hand luggage 2026: cabin bag and personal item dimensions, how Light, Classic, Flex and Business differ, and what the new Economy Basic fare now costs. As of 2026.
Sophie Bauer18 July 2026
Departure & Security
Ryanair Hand Luggage 2026: The Free Bag, the Priority Upgrade and the Gate Fee
Ryanair hand luggage 2026: the free bag's dimensions, what Priority & 2 Cabin Bags really buys you, and why the gate fee is so steep (as of 2026).
Sophie Bauer15 July 2026
Departure & Security
Frankfurt-Hahn Departures: Ryanair's Strict Deadlines, One Small Terminal
Departing from Frankfurt-Hahn: online check-in is compulsory, the bag drop deadline gets stricter from November 2026, and the small terminal leaves little room for error.
Sophie Bauer12 July 2026
Departure & Security
Munich Airport Departures: Terminal 2 for Star Alliance, Terminal 1 for Everyone Else
Departing Munich Airport: Terminal 2 belongs to Star Alliance, Terminal 1 to everyone else. The new pier, security checks and how much time you need (as of 2026).
Sophie Bauer9 July 2026
Arrival & Baggage
Dortmund Airport Arrivals: One Terminal, Two Ways Into Town
Dortmund Airport arrivals in 2026: baggage claim, customs and choosing between the AirportExpress bus and a regional train via Holzwickede into town.
Sophie Bauer6 July 2026
The Airports
Nuremberg Airport: Terminal, Destinations and Getting There
Nuremberg Airport (NUE): one terminal, a record 4.5 million passengers in 2025, destinations from Antalya to Amsterdam, and the U2 subway into town in 12 minutes.
Sophie Bauer3 July 2026