turbokid

Are there any direct flights from the U.S. to Florence or Pisa?

rex

No, not as far as I know. However - - while Bologna is not in Tuscany per se, it is (nominally) closer to Tuscany than any other gateway airport.

You can fly nonstop to Bologna from New York on www.euroflyusa.com - - the newest (and closest to true "budget"?) transatlantic airline offering scheduled service between the USA to Italy.

From Rome Termini, Florence is just about the same length train ride as from Bologna, most likely (but FCO to Termini might take longer than from Bologna to its train station - - don't know).

Best wishes,

Rex

rex

Oh, and one more thing - - since millions of Americans are "one-stop away" air service from destinations in Italy anyway - - both Florence and Pisa should be considered pertinent first destinations - - since either is just "one-stop" from the US from many, many US gateways (via PAR, LON, FRA, MIL, ROM - - just to name a few).

rex

topping...

P_M

I make it a rule not to nit-pick at anyone's choice of words unless it's important. In this case I think it is.

A direct flight is not the same as a non-stop flight. A direct flight will make a stop somewhere and sometimes it will involve a change of aircraft. It's considered a direct flight because it will keep the same flight number. I am only bringing this to your attention because I have known people who called the airline and booked a "direct" flight, thinking it's non-stop. They were quite surprised when the flight did make stops. Just FYI, it's in this case it's important to use the correct terminology.

Intrepid1

And the only reason they keep that same flight number if they do change aircraft would probably be so they can keep calling it "direct."

Have you ever heard of a "direct" train service that you took and had to change trains and they DIDN'T call it a "change?"

rex

I understood the original question to mean <i>non-stop</i> flights. It wouldn't change my answer, as I don't know any <i>direct</i> flights from the US to Florence or Pisa either.

I've never experienced (nor heard of) a &quot;<u>direct</u>&quot;, on a transatlantic route, that invloved a change of aircraft, ptior to... nor after the transatlantic segment (hmmm... maybe it's redundant to say it like that - - obviusly, there couldn't be a change of aircraft <i>during</i> the transatlantic segment!)

The term seems to apply to domestic routes, and I do seem to recall that when a change of aircraft occurred, the crew accompanied the passengers from the first segment to the continuation of the flight.

Don't these multi-segment &quot;direct&quot; flights occur a lot on America's &quot;favorite&quot; airline - - Southwest?

P_M

A couple of years ago I made an inquiry about a flight from DFW to MAD which they called direct. When I heard the word direct, I immediately asked where it stops. They told me it stopped in MIA and there would be a change of aircraft. I wonder how many people booked that flight thinking it was non-stop.

P_M

Sorry, rex, but to answer your other question, yes, I think a lot of people learn the meaning of the word &quot;direct&quot; after flying SW.

P_M

Just for the heck of it, I looked to see if that &quot;direct&quot; flight from DFW to MAD still exists. It does not, but I found another such situation on Continental. Check out CO flight 62. It goes from IAH to EWR on a 737, then you have an hour on the ground in order to change to a 777. Then flight 62 goes on to MAD.

julie_Colorado

I flew direct from Denver to Glasgow Scotland on American. I knew we stopped in Chicago and changed planes - but we continued with the same flight number and the flight was called &quot;direct&quot;. I thought this at least meant I couldn't miss the connection as I thought they would hold the Chicago flight until the Denver flight (with the same number)landed. But alas, I was wrong. There is actually no relationship between the 2 legs of the direct flight other than the flight number is the same.

P_M

How awful, julie, I would have thought the same thing about holding the flight!! I think Intrepid is onto something. They keep the same flight # so they can call it direct and fool people into thinking it's non-stop, or at least a sure connection.