surfpeace

Good afternoon all,
My wife and I have had our BA flight home changed to a 7 am departure from VCE to Heathrow and then home to Canada. Our apartment in Venice is in the Santa Croce neighborhood.. What time should we plan at being at the airport that morning and what are your suggestions for transport. We would prefer not to spend an arm and a leg for transportation. We will need to do the check in at the airport as we are taking a computer/ iPhone on our adventure.

bilboburgler

We will need to do the check in at the airport as we are taking a computer/ iPhone on our adventure???

Sorry I have no answer for the critical Venice question but I bet a fair bunch of people have to solve it every day. I know the buses are running through the night though if that helps.

Now, what is this thing about needing to check in because you have a phone? Are you confusing things or am I?

surfpeace

Thanks Bilboburgler. I believe the confusion is more me than you. In respect to checking in I meant that we could not pre-check in 24 hours prior to the flight from Venice as we would not have a computer on the trip.

Chris_Cutler

Unless Venice has changed in the last three years, they do not open very early....maybe at 5:00, if I remember correctly. The line will be huge. If I were you, I'd call BA and ask them what time their desk there opens.

I hope this helps.

greg

If you are in Santa Croce, are you on the west side where you can walk to the Piazzale Roma bus station? Then you can take ATVO (faster) or ACTV (slower)bus to the airport.

ATVO bus for 8€, starting 4:20am http://www.atvo.it/allegati/aeroport...3.20164709.pdf

or

ACTV bus #5, also 8€ starting 4:35am weekdays and 5:40am Sundays and holidays (too late for your flight)
actv.avmspa.it/sites/default/files/attachments/pdf/UM/U-5.pdf

So you don't have a computer.
Can you check-in using your iPhone from your apartment?

rbciao47

You can probably find an internet cafe to do the 24 hour pre-check-in with your airline.

Buon viaggio,

surfpeace

Thanks Chris, Greg and rbciao47.My wife has mentioned the ATVO bus so may be on the west side. Finding an internet café makes a lot of sense and I'll reach out to BA to see what time their desk opens. Much appreciated all.

NYCFoodSnob

<i><font color=#555555>"I'll reach out to BA to see what time their desk opens."</font></i>

The chance of finding someone on the telephone who is capable of supplying the correct information is slim to none. The only people who know the honest answer are the local people who actually work behind the BA counter at VCE. (Some are actually flight attendants who will be on the next flight, not necessarily based in VCE.)

I suppose, after you arrive inbound at VCE, you can walk over to BA ticketing, wait in line, or look for a local BA representative to answer your question. Will that person tell you that sometimes early-morning counter people don't show up until forty-five minutes before departure time (for the first flight of the day)? I doubt you will get the actual truth.

There is plenty of evidence on all travel forums of real life experience with 7 AM flights out of VCE. If you plan to step up to the counter no later than 6 AM, you might just see the counter people arriving and the line begin to move. Sometimes, someone arrives earlier.

If your lodging is close to Piazzale Roma, you have a choice at 5 AM, bus or land taxi.

AlessandraZoe

1) You can check in via hotel WiFi on your smartphone. You do NOT need a data plan to operate your phone WIFI in Europe.

Explanation:<i> When we need a phone in Europe, we take a cheapie GSM phone and insert a local SIM. Most of the time, though, we do NOT feel we need one. Instead, we take our smartphones (Android and iphones in the group), turn off the data for the entire trip, and connect back home via hotel WiFi. </i>

2) Even if you are checked in, you still have to do the darn passport control with the airline, though, which is part of the entire line-up problem.

3) In our experience, airline desks for international flights out of VCE are staffed <u><b>no later than</b></u> 2 hours before the flight. For our last trip, both Delta and USAirways (now American) were open 2.5 hours before.

4) The bus system from the Piazzale Roma is very reliable. If worse comes to worse, you can EASILY get a taxi from there.

Good luck. And I'm so sorry about the 7 a.m. flight switch. Bummer.

AZ

SarahGerhart

We have a 7:20 flight to London, and am planning to get to Marco Polo at 6:03am (checked local transport), having checked in online the night before. Should just under 1 1/2hrs be sufficient or should I get there earlier?

SarahGerhart

We have a 7:20 flight to London, and am planning to get to Marco Polo at 6:03am (checked local transport), having checked in online the night before. Should just under 1 1/2hrs be sufficient or should I get there earlier?

doug_stallings

If you can get to Piazalle Roma easily, just take a taxi. It doesn't cost that much more than the bus and lets you leave on your own schedule.

But to be honest, I'd make a special effort to check in for the flight 24 hours before, or you may not get decent seats. Just find an internet cafe.

AlessandraZoe

Get there earlier, Sarah. The VCE airport lines can be a zoo.

tuscanlifeedit

IME, VCE lines can be very long. Checking in early to secure your seats is nice, but you will still have to wait in very long lines at the counter.