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
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 Bauer2 October 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 Bauer1 October 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 Bauer30 September 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 Bauer29 September 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 Bauer28 September 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 Bauer24 September 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 Bauer20 September 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 Bauer17 September 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 Bauer13 September 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 Bauer10 September 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 Bauer6 September 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 Bauer3 September 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 Bauer31 August 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 Bauer28 August 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 Bauer25 August 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 Bauer22 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
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
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