When I first started planning my 2016 trip to Germany sponsored by Germany Tourism, I admit that I didn’t know a lot about Condor Airlines. I knew that they flew from Baltimore-Washington International Airport and that they were German and that’s about it. As an amateur airline geek though, I’m always eager to fly with airlines new to me, learning more about them in the process and it’s with that in mind that I was excited for my first flight experience with Condor. But since I didn’t know anything about them, I’m willing to bet that I’m not alone in that level of aviation ignorance so I thought I’d take a moment to introduce you all to the airline, explain who they are, what they provide and why they’re a great choice if you’re traveling to Europe. It’s rare to be able to introduce an airline that may be unknown to many people, so bear with me as I go back to basics for this post.
What is Condor Airlines?
I think we need to start with their history since many folks may not be familiar with this leisure airline. First of all, what is a leisure airline you ask? Well, it just as it sounds, it’s a tourism airline that exists to fly folks off to vacation destinations around the world. Although the airline originally started as an independent company, and then later acquired by Lufthansa, today it is actually part of the global travel company Thomas Cook. That means that Condor offers flights to destinations around the world, and for my fellow North Americans this means a fantastic alternative to not only reach Europe, but also connect to many other destinations around the planet.
A few interesting facts about Condor I learned in researching this post include:
- Condor is the 3rd largest German airline
- Partners with the Miles & More Frequent Flyer Program
- Condor was the first vacation airline in the world to own jumbo jets. They were named Fritz and Max.
- During its 60th anniversary year, Condor is donating 60 cents per booking to a school in Namibia
2016 is Condor’s 60th Anniversary
This year actually marks the 60th Anniversary of Condor Airlines, who began service back in 1956 with a pilgrimage flight to Israel. If you think about it, it’s a simple and somewhat unlikely start for what has become the top leisure airline in Germany, a country famous for its love of travel. Throughout the year, Condor is celebrating its anniversary in a variety of ways from specially painted livery to contests and photos and even that charitable effort I mentioned in the previous section. The airline is donating 60 cents per online booking to a charitable effort underway to expand a school in Namibia. That’s not the only way they’re giving back this year, Condor has also partnered with the German Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant 6 special wishes to seriously ill children and teenagers; one for each of its anniversary decades. I love seeing airlines that give back to their communities and this is just but one more example of why Condor has been so very consistently highly ranked as an airline.
Where do they fly?
While Condor be a new name to many Americans, it shouldn’t be. During the summer months, Condor links more than a dozen U.S. cities to Germany with connections onward to destinations around the world. In total, Condor currently serves 75 destinations with expansion plans already slated for 2017, including new American service to New Orleans and San Diego. It’s important to note though that for most of the American cities, Condor is a seasonal airline. That means it typically just flies in the summer vacation months and then only a few times a week. While it may not be an ideal choice for the business traveler making last minute decisions, these are in fact great schedules for those of us traveling to Europe on vacation. Living in the DC metro region, I love that there’s an easy way to get to Europe from BWI instead of having to trek to the always time-consuming Dulles International Airport. It means less time wasted at the airport and more time actually enjoying my trip.
In-Flight Experience
While they are a leisure airline known for competitive ticket prices, that doesn’t mean they’re a budget-only airline, far from it. In fact, Condor was the first tourism airline to introduce a special Comfort Class in the 1990s. Since then, they’ve greatly expanded their premium cabin offerings to include Premium Economy and the recently revamped Business Class cabin, which I had the great pleasure of experiencing on my flight to Frankfurt.
I’ll devote a post to the Business Class experience, but overall it was a a great flight and the Condor premium options are definitively competitive in the world of luxury aviation.
Nice to have options
What ultimately helps flyers the most in booking flights is competition and having plenty of options. The more options present in a market, the better the fares will be. That’s basic Econ 101 stuff. That’s why I’m happy to see the expansion of Condor Airlines in the North American market, because it gives us options. I tend to travel to Germany at least a couple of times a year, and am very well familiar with the traditional ways to get there. And you know what? They’re fine, they really are and overall I’ve enjoyed my flying experiences. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t like having a choice when I travel, the power to select an airline that might be a little closer to home, have schedules and services I like and an airline that’s just different. For me, getting to a destination is just as important as what I see and do once I get there. I love flying, I love aviation and I love trying out new planes and airlines. I was like a little kid as I boarded that Boeing 767 leaving BWI, excited for the chance to see what makes Condor tick. I liked what I experienced, a lot, which is but one reason why I wanted to introduce them to everyone. To share what makes them unique, their service enjoyable and ultimately, what makes them yet another great choice when you’re planning your next vacation to Germany, Europe or somewhere even more exotic.
I’ve to admit, I have not heard of Condor Airlines before until a couple of weeks ago when a German blogger I follow flew it to the Seychelles. I like the idea of a leisure airline!
We have been flying every year since 2001 to Germany via Condor Airlines and it is the only way to fly. We live in Anchorage Alaska and we fly straight from here to Frankfurt non-stop. There is no other way to fly to Europe in our opinion. We fly there every year, and love it.
I will never fly Condor again if I can help it. Very bad experience. We were told that plane would leave Austin TX a 7:45 – so got t airport early. Condor ticket booth didn’t even open until 6:40. Ten plane didn’t eave until close to 10. Missed connecting flight to Paris, and lost our luggage. Finally 3 pieces of luggage came into airport hours later, but 4th piece not there. Missed connecting fight to Paris, but Lufthansa got us there. But no flights to Nice – our final destination. Ended up having to stay in Paris overnight at our expense even though Condor should have paid for it. Then, fastest way to Nice was by train which took about 6 or 7 hours so missed a full day of everything because of Condor Airlines. When tried to talk with someone about problem – no one knew who we should talk to when you could find Condor personnel. Very cramped seats. The row and a few around me received no meals on first night on plane, and a small breakfast of small piece of cheese and a little cantelope and pineapple. TV didn’t work. Charged $8 for premium movies and take your own headset.
Dear BB,
we are so sorry that you have had such a bad experience and we regret that your time in Europe was overshadowed by these issues. Did you already email us regarding your negative experiences? https://www.condor.com/us/help-contact/contact/complaint.jsp
Thank you!
Matthias
NEVER FLY THIS AIRLINE!. Flew from Minneapolis to Frankfurt to go to a Cancer Clinic. The flight was uneventful and I flew economy so was not expecting much. My One suitcase was checked in and was filled with Canecr medication and necessary soulless for a 21 day stay. On upon arrival my suitcase was lost. Long story short when I called they assured me they would have it there within 24 hours. I called each day and continually was lied to that they have it and will hand deliver to the clinic. Seven days later it arrived. I did not purchase new medication or clothes because of there continued assurance Daily that it would be there. When it finally arrived of course the medication was ruined as the ice packs had melted. The people I talked to were rude and condensceding and just jerks. I have there recorded conversations showing how un caring and viscous they are and am going to send them to the news station in the San Francisco area which is where I live. My treatment was severely hampered by the stress and lack of meds. My stay was costing me about 1000 per day. With the medication I had to buy and clothes etc. It significantly increased my stay. I have contacted Condors complaint department and to this date (three weeks later) I have not received a single word from them. If I could post the conversations with their customer service people I would. You would be appauled at how they treated a ill person and how many times they lied. These airline is nothing less then disgusting and I am filing a lawsuit to recover my damages as they have not even had the decency to contact me back at all let alone a solution for their ineptness arrogance. Please feel free to contact me for verification or proof. Do not fly with these animals ever.
Rule #1 – Do not pack your medications in your checked baggage, carry it on board with you.
Also you only talk about the lost luggage, not about the flight itself.
You really think he could have had a good flight? The complaints procedure just produces a bunch of excuses, different every time and none of them true, or even related to each other.
“lost luggage”? If you had cancer and you’d lost your medication, would you be as complacent?
Do any of you know how much medication is needed for someone going for several weeks for cancer treatment? I would think not. If one takes 1 or 2 pills per day that may work, but for people with a chronic illness 2 weeks worth plus some extra may be more tha you realize. I have lymphoma and I always carry essentials a few days worth on my person but that length of stay wouldn’t work.
Ummm, I just booked a roundtrip flight San Diego/Frankfurt for May 2017, to visit my family. I have a printed booking confirmation, but notice there are no flight numbers. How will this work when I get to the airport? (At least San Diego Airport is small, but it does have 2 terminals…) Can you advise me?
No you should contact the airline
I was overjoyed when Condor announced non-stop flights from Pittsburgh to Frankfurt. I need to visit Frankfurt in September. Unfortunately there are no non-stop flights after August. The schedule does not tell me the airports of the stops for the 2-stop flights. Are the 2-stop flights all on Condor and where do they stop. Which is the port of entry into the US for the return flights?
All I am reading are very bad reviews. i am now scared to fly this airline.
Remember Dee you only hear the bad stories, seldom the good ones. Also they can’t be that bad if they have been in business this long….
When it works, it’s okay. Only okay, because it is a budget airline, but you can prep for that. Buy food before you fly, download some films to your mobile, things like that.
But when it goes wrong, it’s a nightmare. Honestly. I have a complaint running from a flight we took. We understand that things go wrong, but the response has been terrible.
They are obviously running this airline on a shoestring, and the staff are not competent to respond.
Ten years ago I was stuck at Chicago O’Hare, when that Icelandic volcano erupted. Flights were cancelled. I can honestly say that my experience then with BA was ten times better than Condor’s about the recent delayed flight from LAX.
If you’re into gambling, it might be worth taking a chance.
This sounds like a European (spirit airlines) not good..
My wife and I flew Condor from New Orleans to Frankfurt earlier this month. Our flight to Europe was in Premium Economy and was a good experience. Our flight home was in Business Class and was excellent.
We had delays on our flight to Europe, but these were due to bad weather on both ends of the flight (New Orleans and Frankfurt) and were not related to Condor. Condor staff did a great job of making everyone comfortable during the delays (which has not always been my experience on US airlines.)
Despite what I’ve read in reviews on other sites, the staff (both ground and in-air) were incredibly polite and provided great service, the planes (including the restrooms) were clean, and the food was good – not just by airline standards but actually decent food.
Our only real problem was lack of service from Lufthansa for our connecting flight in Frankfurt (which was canceled due to weather). Again, however, the Condor ticket counter in Frankfurt helped as much as possible.
We’ll definitely fly Condor again.
I have flown Condor Airlines from Austin to Frankfurt in the business class section. Great seats, Very nice. I fly twice a year
And definitely fly Condor again
This will be our first flight on Condor later this month. We are flying Austin to Frankfurt direct. Will let you know how it goes. A little nervous based on some negative reviews, specifically seat width and leg room. We booked Premium Economy. We are used to flying Lufthansa, Continental and Delta overseas. Oh well, keeping our fingers crossed!
Let me know! I’m flying from Manchester to San Francisco in August. My first time also and premium economy. Hope you enjoy the trip. There are always negative and positive reviews. Very interested in the whole thing
Yes, please post your experience. We are flying Condor AUS-FRA-BRU next month and are a bit unsettled by all of the negative reviews… Hope your trip went well! Thanks in advance.
How was your flight with Condor?
Is it possible to receive a partial refund for changing the date and originating city of my return flight? I was supposed to fly from Marseille to Seattle, with a layover in Munich on Wed. July 12. I became ill in Paris on Sat. July 8, and was unable to take the train to Marseille on Sun. July 9. My flight number is DE2028. Thank you.
I had to purchase a flight from Paris to Frankfurt out of pocket. After a layover in Frankfurt, I flew home to Seattle on my original ticket.
Looking forward to mu Condor Business Class flight next Wednesday SEA-MUC, then a connection on Lufthansa to Vienna. Return from FRA non-stop.
After reading some of the poor reviews, and the chance of loss of luggage, I decided to carry on. I just got a new Rimowa carry-on, so I’m excited to use it and acquire the discipline to pack less when I travel overseas. Will report on my experience with Condor!
Hi! Has anyone used Condor to fly from San Juan,PR to Frankfurt?
I am distressed by all the negatives I read on another site and the fact that the main one here seems to be more of an ad than an ordinary experience. We fly from Portland to Frankfurt on business this coming week. I will tell you how it went. So far I have two main experiences:
#1 For me the customer service has been excellent – smart, efficient reps who know the system. They helped us with our plan to change our connecting flight from Frankfurt to Lisbon, which has a longer layover than they could have given us, given the flights. I guess I should have counted this as the first negative. We don’t know if it will work, but the agents helped us with a plan.
#2. The negative is that the attraction for us was a nonstop from Portland to Frankfurt, but a few months after we made our reservation, Condor cut out the flight from Frankfurt to Portland. It put us instead on a flight to Seattle with a connection to Portland. We wonder how often this happens to people and what our rights are. We don’t want to cancel. Again, the layover is longer than it needed to be, at least without consulting us. OK. So maybe the actual experience will make it all worth it. If the plane and staff are like the phone agents, I think it will be good.
I meant above that the phone reps were excellent. (No edit button that I could find.)
Condor made the connection too tight, said ok we know we did that but thats too bad and then hung up on me!! Unbelievable. The managers name is Paolo Petrillo and the agents name is Anika Teller. I cannot believe it and have difficulty remembering such a horrifying customer experience. There were other issues with service, having to pay for any inflight movies, bad food and such but I dont really care about those things. Not making my flight though AND having to buy a new one with them acknowledging it was their fault actually puts me out. Ah well I suppose you live and you learn not to fly Condor.
Traveled whit Condor Airlines from Frankfurt Germany to Providence RI, 2 Years ago ,nice Flight, the food i must say,not very good at all
I have flown with Condor twice. First experience was good, considering it is budget. My booking of the flight also went well. I booked the flight for me and my dog. I purchased the kennel from another Condor traveller whose dog is bigger than mine. Checking in in Seattle was a pleasant experience. People were extremely helpful. When it came time to return home to Seattle, I arrived 3 hours prior to the delayed flight leaving. The check in counter personel was scarce. The one person able to help me, though, soon had helpers, talkung about vacations and watching me put together the crate and maneuver luggage and crate. Then i was told to repack my luggage to make my carry on luggage lighter. I tried to use the scale to determine whi h things to move butwas accused of trying to cheat every time. At this point, people decided to look at the crate with my dog inside and told me to get rid of the dog’s blanket, because it was too big. At this point i had about 4 people telling me to do different things, none of them helping. Just watching
Once my luggage was checked in 40 minutes later, they decided to tell me, that the crate my dog flew to Frankfurt with, was too small. Now i had 6 people coaching me. I eventually was told, 20 minutes prior to boarding, to purchase a different crate. Needless to say, with poor directions to the place and no help and 350 euros lighter, i returned to the counter with the crate and was told that i was too late to board the flight The people who had c”oached “my progress had already left.
I had to rebook my flight for 3 days later for another 450 euros. I was “set up” for a hotel, which cost me 207 euros. Add to that, that i had to wait for 4 hours for my checked baggage to be returned to me and that i have to arrange for a new health certificate for my dog
Needless to say, this will have been the last trip with Condor.
I have mixed feelings about Condor Airlines. I have flown them from the US west coast to Europe 4 times in the last few months. I have left from SFO, PDX and this last trip, Seattle, my actual home airport. (And, before I forget, be aware that if you fly to Manchester, you will be on Thomas Cook Airline, even if you bought the ticket on Condor site, and if you are an Alaska Airlines frequent flyer, you will not get miles credit for that flight, as they are not partners with Alaska, only Condor is.)
There is always “something” with Condor. They are not participants in Pre-Check, so even if you are a registered Pre-check person, or even Global Entry as I am, you will have to stand in the long security lines with all the infrequent flyers stumbling thru.
Bad experience on this last flight home from FRA to SEA. Flight was cancelled, then delayed by a full 24 hours. No help in the terminal, couldn’t find information on what was going on, and when I finally did later, no one ever said they were sorry for taking 24 hours of my life away from me. Finally found appropriate gate and was directed to check-in counter in main terminal. Waited in line, then repeatedly given bad information on where to find my previously checked bag, and then later, repeatedly given bad information on where to find the bus to the hotel where we were put up for the night because of 24 hour delay. Got to hotel with 20 minutes to eat only dinner allowed to us.
It will be interesting to see how long it takes for Condor to get me the 600 Euros I’m entitled to by EU Passenger Rights rules for my 24 hour delay.
Thru the whole process, I was completely un-impressed by the customer service folks working for this airline. The whole group seems very disorganized, with no one ever seemingly in charge or there to make things happen. Lots of staff folks standing around visiting, while dozens of customers stand in line waiting for service.
I have flown them in basic Economy, Premium Economy, and Business. Business is nice if you get it cheap. Premium Economy is not worth it. Not much legroom, same food– made to look better, perhaps meal option. Sometimes, small gift pack. Economy is basic, as expected, with only one meal option— vegetarian pasta– tube noodles with tomato based sauce. No other choice. To get legroom — I’m 6′ 7″—- had to pay $120 each way for exit aisle seat, with slightly more legroom than standard seat, but nowhere near the legroom on a standard Alaska 737 exit aisle for example.
Some crews on-board the planes are good. Others are not friendly, nor do they provide excellent, or even decent service. They are just doing their job. On one flight, a flight attendant hit my knee straight on with a service cart, in the middle of the night, waking me from a dead sleep. He just stopped and looked at me, never apologizing or coming back to check on me later.
Flying generally isn’t any fun any more, unless you are in the top tier of frequent flyers. Condor so far has done nothing in my experience, no matter what class you fly in, to restore any of the positive elements of the flight experience.
Did you ever get your compensation under EU 261? Going through the same process with them now. Flight cancelled, 24 hour delay in ANC after being given a crazy reroute from SEA to FRA. No information – no help – submitted EU 261 claim but heard nothing from there customer support group in weeks
I’m going through the process too. Our flight from LAX to Manchester in May was crazy late, but they’re not acknowledging it, even though we have photographic proof. Their responses made me angry enough to take the case forward. Before, I’d been annoyed, but now, with all that messing about and responses that were obviously not true, it’s pushed me to do more.
I went to the Resolver site, and went through the steps. It’s straightforward enough.
I am trying to book our summer vacation. I see that Condor has a very good price for my trip but I am very afraid to book it after reading all of the comments here. Did anyone fly recently from San Francisco to Germany or Zagreb, Croatia? Please let me know how was your experience. Thanks!
Does anyone have experience with connecting luggage with Condor through Frankfurt? I am contemplating purchasing Condor Biz SEA-FRA-LPA checking a bag and bicycle. I’m wondering if it will be checked through to LPA, despite an overnight connection in FRA. The LPA leg will likely be in economy: will I have issues getting my biz class baggage allowance on the return flight?
Oh my goodness… these bad reviews are very unsettling. I just booked a trip end of July to Frankfurt to visit my sister, coming home early September. I know… great vacation, right?? I hadn’t heard much about Condor before as I’ve flown Lufthansa previously and they were wonderful, but this one sounded good… until I read the reviews! It’s a non-stop which I really wanted and I was able to use my Alaska miles which made me very happy. I just hope and pray that the flights go well. Wish me well! I’ll update everyone after my trip!
Curious to hear how your trip went on Condor; I flew them last year to Frankfurt and the flight was fine; I had low expectations based on the ticket price. Since I live in Seattle and have the choice to fly multiple airlines to Europe for more money this is always a low cost option when I fly by myself and don’t want to spend a ton of money on airfare. I will post about my experience last year and I am flying them again in September so I will update after that trip, but curious about what you thought after you flew them.
I too am scared to fly with condor even though her they have much better prices. Myself and my family would be leaving from Baltimore international airport and flying into Germany. The Flight is A good price. I have not booked yet because of all the negative comments. What should I do?? Add $1000 or more to the trip to fly a different airline?
I would not fly with them if I were you. I regret making that mistake a few days ago.
Estena, why won’t you fly with them? Did you buy a seat? Where did you fly from?
We have flown that route twice without any issues
I have traveled condor airlines so many times business purpose, very nice airline. Their service was really good I really appreciate the condor airlines because I din’t found any complaints yet. Nice Post! Thanks for sharing the information!
Thanks
AshleyGoerge
Ashley’s comment is fake….look at misspellings even of his/her name. Lame. : /
Condor Airlines-
Terrible airline and experience. No customer service, inedible food, no room, they charge to watch movies and also charge separately for headsets. They also charge for adult beverages and neither of the above mentioned charges are reasonably priced. I guess I’m used to British Airways where they have great customer service and you don’t have to pay for entertainment, drinks, headphones and the food is decedent. I don’t think I will fly Condor again.
Come on let’s be realistic here, flying economy all airlines charge for alcoholic beverages, headsets and blankets, pillows etc.
Why people expect warmed over airline food to be any good is beyond me. Buy food at the airport and take it with you.
Flown them a few times – the actual flights are pretty decent – set your expectations at the budget level and expect to pay for extras – but do not expect any help at all if something goes wrong – no effort to reroute, no customer support line worth ringing, no rebooking ability at airport, no information from anyone, no support for connecting flights missed and if you booked anything on a separate itinerary you are going to be screwed. No help from actual service center in Frankfurt. So if you really need a cheap flight and have a lot of time flexibility on arrival then maybe try Condor – but if your arrival time matters or you have any connections – I would not risk it
We recently flew Condor Round-trip Pgh—>Frankfurt. I am baffled by the experience & generally not that happy.
On the flight to Frankfurt we had economy & paid an extra $65/person for better seats (not willing to pay $120/person for emergency exit row). I am 5’ 3” & had about 2.5 inches from my knees to the seat in front of me. Not very much room! I’m not sure sure how others bigger than me can deal with this. Yes, I had to pay for movie service & separately for ear phones – which did not work very well. I was given the choice beteeen 2 meals, otherwise I was like all the other ‘cheap’ seats. We were 1 hr late fir departure. There were 2 people checking bags and dispensing tickets for a very large plane. That line was huge. Then at the gate there was 1 girl checking everyone in fir the plane. It was very slow. They are clearly understaffed.
Then while on the plane we were delayed because it took a long time to get the checked luggage to the plane. Next flight I am going back to just taking my suitcase on the plane. Then we sat on the tarmac for an hour to get luggage & food on the plane.
Plane staff was excellent. They tried as much as they could to make people happy. I can’t say anything good about Frankfurt airport, but that has nothing to do with Condor.
On the return, the boarding process was no different than the other planes. We again paid extra to get a little more leg room. We chose our seats & saw where our seats were- they were behind the main bulkhead & shoukd’ve Had more room. The person at the counter confirmed our seat position, but when we go in the plane, we were not in the seat position we saw or the one the staff person verified. We were in a ‘lesser class’. So we had no extra amenities. The was a small protrusive board in front of us- I guess that’s what they were calling a ‘bulkhead’. What we found out was that was the ‘cut-off’ marker between classes. We were privy to the experience of seeing attendants giving the people in from if us, food choices, ice cream snacks (at no extra charge), free movies & Head seats, and special facial cloths to wash their faces with. Thus was a disconcerting experience.
No, I was not pleased & also felt with the extra paid I still had little space between me & the next seat.
Frankly it is outrageous that people be stuffed in those seats having very little room to move for 9 hours.
It is difficult to easily identify what the seat classifications are & what you get with each classification on Condors website. I’ve been to a couple of them.
I’m sure the man that flew premium business was super happy because they are essentially 1st class & cost $1000 more/ ticket!! They get everything else at not charge & can totally recline their seats.
I will however give Condor another chance. I will try to make a better seat choice.
If there is no change, I will not fly Condor again.
If an airline is a big player at a specific airport (or the only player at small airports), they actually have major influence in how the airport ops are run. Take Delta in ATL, United in DEN, or fedex in MEM – they are the biggest “customer” for the airport have have a lot of pull, from resources allocated to security screening, right down to the arrival routes atc assigns.
I also had never heard of Condor so I didn’t have any real expectations as I booked last minute in September 2017 (I had a week of ‘use or lose’ vacation time left and decided last minute to fly to Berlin by myself); SEA-FRA in Premium Economy and FRA-SEA in economy with my connection to Berlin on Lufthansa. As I said, I booked 3 weeks out and my RT ticket was less than $1,200 so I really was expecting it to be the ‘Greyhound’ of the skies, especially since I travel to Europe a couple of times a year with my partner and we book business class on other airlines way in advance.
However, I was pleasantly surprised. My check-in at Seattle was smooth, the inflight crew was helpful and efficient. We were delayed a bit on the return from Frankfurt, due to the aircraft arriving late from its departure city, but just a 30 minute delay. The economy seat was fine on the return, and again the service was good. Perhaps it was because I didn’t expect much to begin with but I found the experience on par with the value of the ticket. So much so that I planned a boys-only trip with some buddies this September to Berlin and after looking for flight options I ended up choosing Condor again, this time in Business class both directions (for just a bit more than I paid last minute last year). I will update you on that flight experience after I return.
I flew Condor for first time from New Orleans to Frankfurt on 7-19-2018 with a Luftansa connection to Bilbao, Spain. All went smoothly and no problems until I tried to return home on 8-19-2018. I arrived in Frankfurt from Bilbao on time and with a 3 hour layover before Condor flight. I was having severe foot pain and ambulated very slowly. I went to designated departure gate and rechecked that it was correct an hour later. 45 minutes before boarding i checked with gate clerk who informed me the gate had been changed with no announcements or text alerts. I asked for a wheelchair assist but was told it would take too long to arrive and I would miss my flight. So I hobbled as best i could (it took 35 minutes) to the new gate only to find my flight had already departed. I was instructed to report to the Condor counter (in another terminal) and again no offer of assistance. It took me an hour to walk to the counter only to be told “if you missed it, you need to buy another ticket.” No other options for resolution or assistance were offered even though it was clearly visible that I had a medical issue that prevented me from making the flight after they changed the gate without notice. The employee was very rude and couldn’t be bothered. I purchased another ticket on American Airlines for $800 and spent the night in an airport chair so as not to miss the flight the next day. I have since tried to contact Condor to file a grievance so my credit card travel insurance will assist me with re-imbursement to no avail. I cannot get through to anyone online or by phone. This is worst airline experience in my 60 years of air travel. I will NEVER fly Condor Airlines again. I encourage others to seek alternate airlines for travel to Europe. Virgin Atlantic, Bristish Air and Iberia are all superior airlines.
Don’t do it. We booked a flight from Manchester to New York, and back from Los Angeles to Manchester, in April/May 2018. When it works it’s okay, when it doesn’t, it’s a complete nightmare.
The flight there was uncomfortable (very cramped in economy!) but at least we got there.
The flight home was a nightmare. The flight left four and a half hours late, and got in over three hours late (I have photos). Over three hours you’re entitled to compensation, but Thomas Cook and Condor have blocked us at every turn. They’ve used different excuses, none of which are true. Once they realised we had photos of the arrival board, showing how late the plane was, they tried different excuses.
During our long, long wait at LAX, nobody came to offer us refreshments, not even water, and nobody checked on our health or anything else.
At check-in, they tried to claim that the meagre 6kg luggage allowance included our hand luggage, as well as the little wheeled case, and tried to get us to pay excess, claiming that was what it said on the website. No it didn’t. Since I’ve heard of them trying that scam, I had the website to show them. But they did catch a few people that way.
I booked the flights because they were both direct. But I wouldn’t ever fly them again. Don’t do it.
Yikes, we have put all our hard earned vacation $$$ for our trip to Italy. Weleave from Seattle to Frankfurt march 19. Nelp, is there anyone who has had a positive experience?!!!!!!
I flew FRA-SEA in business on Condor in 2017. It was a good experience. Not to the level of business on many other airlines, but a quarter of the price (cost less than I’ve paid to fly premium economy on others) and a completely acceptably comfort level. Above average food quality and seats similar to what I’ve experienced on some JAL business class flights. Inflight entertainment was just ok, but had enough options. Cabin crew were friendly and provided efficient service. I would personally choose to not fly economy on this airline, especially since it means tighter legroom, having to pay extra for food, entertainment, bags, and other amenities. If the cheapest fare to Europe is most important to you, then maybe a sacrifice you’re willing to make, but don’t complain that others are getting a better experience that they paid for. I try not to fly economy on any international flights, as I prefer a certain level of comfort and a fully packaged price that includes everything. Like most everything, you get what you pay for.
My spouse and I are booked with friends to fly business class in November SEA-FRA-MAD-FRA-SEA. The connection is on Lufthansa and not thrilled that they charge for pre-departure seat assignments, but again, at the cost of the ticket, I can’t complain.
Also, Condor is mileage partners with Alaska and there are some great mileage bonuses for flying business right now. The miles earned on this trip will be enough to cover a large portion of a business class flight to Thailand next year.
The main idiotic thing about Condor is their 6kg carry-on luggage allowance that is different from every other airline and has no justification whatsoever (weight – since check-in limit is the same as for everyone else, size – since the size limit is the same, and cost – since you cannot even upgrade it other than flying premium/business). Oh and they enforce it, unlike literally every other airline that has twice the limit and doesn’t even enforce that.
Having flown with them before I’m currently seriously considering a $650 Lufthansa fare over $450 Condor fare because on top of being a huge hassle the stupidity of it just pisses me off on principle.
This is simply not true. Carry-on allowance is 8kg, same as all other airlines.
My family flew Condor R/T to Europe during the busy tourist month of August and had a fantastic experience. No delays, no lost luggage, everything was smooth. We travel light and typically pack our own food in advance, so it was a good way to travel last minute on a budget.
I flew with US budget airline Spirit Airlines earlier this year and was terrified of the experience due to the negative reviews I read. I must report that the flight’s were uneventful and everything went smoothly, even with 2 little kids in tow and checked baggage. Condor Airlines is a similar experience. Yes some people can have a bad experience, and I have had bad experiences traveling of course, but that goes true with any business. Take your time, use carry-on’s only if possible, pack a meal and water, sit back, relax and look forward to your destination. The main thing is getting there and back and telling the tale. The millions of people who fly and travel yearly can attest that nothing is perfect.
Mr Ronger’s comments above are fact & spot on. My wife & I just returned from Frankfurt & the experience was very smooth & uneventful. We were most impressed, after this first experience with Condor & will consider them again in the future
As a career aviation professional and avid traveler, Condor is my very least favorite airline. The worst of the worst. I regret the day I ever decided to fly with Condor.
On the other hand, my favorite airline is All Nippon. This group from Japan is as sharp as they come.
Yeah, it is a great option if you are into masochism, perhaps. Read Condor’s on-line reviews. Average rating? – 2.3/10. for myself specifically, they left me stranded in FRA a month ago due to overbooking, offered zero help, and forced me to spend 36 hrs in Frankfurt, buy a hotel room and a separate flight back home (no reimbursement for any of that). Damaged luggage on the way back and zero liability on their part. Love pain? – travel Condor.
We returned in May ’19, from Frankfurt to Phoenix in Comfort Class, after taking a trans-Atlantic cruise, and for such a long flight we were fairly comfortable.
CONDOR is the BIGGEST shame of German Aviation!
Where the hell do I start…
We flew from Kuala Lumpur to Frankfurt on the 17th of December 2019 (flight DE2359 | 17 DEC 2019, 23:45)
We paid € 300,- per person and I guess you get incredibly unprofessional monkey’s when you pay ‘peanuts’.
– The plane way too small! We flew in a Boeing 757-300 on a longhaul flight from Kuala Lumpur to Frankfurt. Way too small of an airplane to travel in for 16 hours!
Small chairs, 3 on 3 with barely any legroom.
– No in-flight entertainment! No screens in the back of the Plane seats, only old crappy LCD screens from the 90’s on the ceiling in the middle, on which they showed flight information and in the morning exactly 1 hour of old episodes of some comedy series.
No iPads, no WiFi for use with your own phone. Nothing!
– No power sockets or USB chargers whatsoever. What if your phone is almost empty and upon arrival you want to text or call your friend or loved ones?
– Boarding started 1 hour later without any communication whatsoever to the passenger. Only when the boarding was finished (in a unprofessional way without microphone etc.), the captain explained that there were problems with loading the food, because of the fact that the airplane was not suitable for such a long flight (These were his own words!)
– Refueling in Dubai. Another sign that the airplane was not made for such long flights. We couldn’t leave the airplane and it took a little more then an hour, before we took off for the next 7 hours.
– Breakfast was butter, jam, cheese, ham but NO BREAD. No communication about the fact that there was no bread. Not one of the crew explaned why there was not bread. Passengers had to ask themselves why there is no bread and some of them got a sandwich, while the rest wasn’t even complaining because it’s so weird I guess. Warm food was OK though.
All and all, the whole charade looked incredibly unprofessional, it gave me a bad feeling.
I will not ever advise anyone to fly with this organization!