Hi,

If we are connecting from Newark in Rome or Milan to a flight to Venice, do we need to claim our luggage in Rome/ Milan to do customs or do we do customs in Venice?

Thanks

Hi cruiseluv, you should make sure your luggage is ticketed to go through to Venice. I always land in Amsterdam, go through immigration. Never see my checked-in luggage as it is ticketed for Venice. At the Venice airport I only once had an official look at my passport, never my luggage. Others here have reported the same thing. When you get you luggage in Venice just do as the other passengers are doing. You may find you will just walk right out.

I thought the Venice airport was closed for renovations?

The Florence airport is closed for renovations. I haven't heard or seen anything about Venice Marco Polo being closed.

I believe you can put your luggage in through Venice, but you will have to go through some sort of customs in Rome or Milan. In a few weeks, we are going through Zurich on the way to Milan, and I expect to go through customs in Zurich, but our luggage will go through to Milan. As LoveItaly said, don't expect much lugage inspection. At least, that's how it's been on past trips.

Hi margyb, regarding the MarcoPolo Venice airport; you may be thinking of possibly reading it was closed. And it was, the old really small airport. Italy built a new MarcoPolo airport. The new airport has been opened now for about 3 years.

Hi C,

Your luggage should be checked through to Venice. You will go through Customs when you collect it.

This is simply a matter of walking through the "Nothing to Declare" door.

You, however, will go through passport control and, possibly, security in Rome or Milan.

Allow about 0:45 Hr for this.

Thanks to all. What you're saying is how I thought it would be but the Continental reservations agent was telling my mom on the phone that she will have to claim her lugagge in Rome/ Milan, go through customs and then check in the lugagge again! They think it works like in the US.

I can imagine my parents waiting and waiting at bagagge claims in Rome/ Milan for their lugagge and even missing their connection! I'll tell them to make sure that it's ticketed through to Venice.

Thanks again!

Well cruiseluv, I have always changed planes outside of Italy (Amsterdam) before I fly into Italy. Or I have flown from the US directly to Milan and not taken any further flights (except to fly home of course). I would "think" that CO would know what they are talking about but often the answer depends on you ask.

If your parent's luggage is tagged for Venice I am sure they will not be seeing their luggage in Rome. If it is tagged for Rome than yes they will have to recheck it for Venice. Be sure to remind them to pay attention as to the airport initials on the luggage tags.

Thanks LoveItaly, I will!

It's an almost universal law of nature that American airline employees never know what they're talking about on this subject. But unfailingly pretend they do.

The standard rule in the EU is that through-checked baggage is collected at the final airport - even if you enter the EU at a different airport, and even if that different airport is inthe same country.

It's the standard, not the universal, rule and there can be exceptions. But whereas a bag through-checked, say from London to Salt Lake City via Dallas has to be shown to Customs in Dallas, a bag checked from NYC to Venice via Rome will always be subject to (and won't get) Customs inspection at Venice.