Cologne/Bonn Airport: What travelers need to know
What do travelers have to do if they are currently flying from Cologne/Bonn Airport? Because the waiting times are significantly longer again. Information at a glance.
Cologne/Bonn – Long queues were also common and reliable at Cologne/Bonn Airport in the summer. Although the situation has improved in the meantime, there were long waiting times at Cologne Airport even before the NRW autumn holidays. The current situation and what travelers should consider before their flight.
Cologne/Bonn Airport: Waiting times increase again significantly before the NRW autumn holidays
Current situation at Cologne/Bonn Airport – essential information at a glance
► On the Cologne/Bonn Airport website Is there always the latest information on the situation and tips on how to behave for travelers. Cologne/Bonn Airport is currently asking you to allow “sufficient time”.
► The recommendation: Passengers should calculate “at least a good 2.5 hours more time”. Air travelers should also find out in advance about the check-in times of the respective airline.
► You can also register online via the Check-in status of own flight inform.
► Cologne/Bonn Airport has been reporting the current waiting times several times a day since the end of July.
(Status: September 26, source: Cologne/Bonn Airport)
After the end of the North Rhine-Westphalia summer vacation, the waiting time at Cologne Airport had “significantly improved,” said airport boss Thilo Schmidt in the summer vacation summary of Cologne/Bonn Airport. The main reason: the additional security company deployed at Cologne/Bonn Airport, through which two more control lanes could be opened.
But even this measure will probably not bring any lasting relief. Because with increasing travel volume, the queues at Cologne/Bonn Airport are getting longer again. Already on the weekend before the NRW autumn holidays (September 23 to 25), some travelers had to wait up to two hours before the security check. On the coming weekends from September 30th to October 2nd and October 7th to 9th, passengers can expect at least similar, if not even waiting times. At the end of July there were “unreasonable waiting times” at Cologne/Bonn Airport of up to ten hours. However, it is currently unlikely that such scenarios will arise again.
NRW autumn holidays at Cologne/Bonn Airport – what does the airport expect?
The autumn holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia start at the beginning of October. Due to a rush of passengers, there is a risk of longer waiting times at Cologne/Bonn Airport. 24RHEIN reports why this is and what is recommended for travellers.
Cologne/Bonn Airport: This is what travelers should do in the current situation
If you also want to catch your plane at Cologne Airport, you should definitely plan several hours in advance. According to the Federal Police, the following should also be observed:
- Travelers should be at the security check at least 2.5 to 3 hours before departure time
- Before the trip, the validity of travel documents (e.g. proof of vaccination, passport) should be checked
- If possible, only hand luggage should be taken on the plane
Current situation at Cologne/Bonn Airport: when is it busy?
Basically, according to the federal police, there are long waiting times at Cologne Airport, especially during fewer “peaks”. On some weekends, these are sometimes all day, but otherwise mainly on Saturday and Sunday mornings and Thursday and Friday evenings. These are the times when a particularly large number of passengers fly at once. Then there are sometimes “waiting times of more than three hours,” said a federal police spokesman to 24RHEIN.
Especially during the week it is usually quieter and the waiting time is shorter, said a federal police spokesman on Thursday (July 7) when asked by 24RHEIN. The Federal Police is responsible for security checks at all German airports. “But there’s always a lot going on at the weekends,” said the spokesman.
What is the situation at other German airports?
In addition to Cologne Airport, other larger airports such as Berlin and Munich also have to deal with long waiting times. The situation is similar at Düsseldorf Airport and Frankfurt Airport:
► This is the current situation at Düsseldorf Airport
► This is the current situation at Frankfurt Airport
Cologne/Bonn Airport: How can a long waiting time be avoided?
So that the situation remains as calm as possible, you can also pay attention to a few things for security checks or check-in at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Curiously, this also includes: Not getting to the airport too early. “Many travelers also arrive five to eight hours before departure,” says the federal police spokesman. That also led to long queues and longer waiting times at Cologne Airport.
According to the airport recommendation, passengers should arrive at the airport around 2.5 to 3 hours before departure. You can also register online via the Check-in status of your own flight, which helps to better estimate the waiting time. Cologne/Bonn Airport has been posting more precise waiting times on Twitter several times a day since the end of July.
Airports in Germany: Most important travel information
Travelers at Düsseldorf Airport, Dortmund Airport, Weeze Airport or Frankfurt Airport have to plan longer waiting times, especially during holiday periods. 24RHEIN shows,
► What you have to consider at Düsseldorf Airport during security checks and check-in
► What you have to consider at Dortmund Airport during security checks and check-in
► What you have to consider at Weeze Airport during security checks and check-in
► What you have to consider at Frankfurt Airport during security checks and check-in
Cologne/Bonn Airport: Queues at security checks – now more staff wanted
Since the security checks are the bottleneck at Cologne/Bonn Airport, there are long waiting times, especially here. According to the Federal Police spokesman, “thoroughness and safety always come first”. Is it also because of the staff? Apparently only partially. According to the Federal Police, there are more than 100 sick leave reports (for 570 people), mainly due to Corona, but these would still be sufficient in most cases. Because at the “peak” times there is such a rush that these are generally not “tradable”, explains the federal police spokesman.
Since these only take place selectively, the Federal Police actually did not want to hire more staff – until now. As a result of hours of waiting and long queues of travelers in July, the federal police had increased capacity at Cologne/Bonn Airport.
The personnel problem does not only exist at Cologne/Bonn Airport, but at most European airports. The situation in Frankfurt is hardly better. There, the airport even advises passengers against carrying black suitcases in order to get a better handle on the baggage chaos, as reported by wa.de.
Long waiting times at Cologne/Bonn Airport: the airport will assist with security checks
As a consequence of the long queues, Cologne/Bonn Airport also wants to be involved in security checks in the future. So far, the security checks have been under the supervision of the Federal Police and have essentially been outsourced to a private service provider. (os mit dpa) Fairly and independently informed, what happened in NRW and Cologne – subscribe to our free 24RHEIN newsletter here.
This text is continuously updated.