Paulo59

Has anyone taken a flight from Florence airport (Amerigo Vespucci also sometimes listed as Peretola)??

There's a flight from Florence to London at 7:55 am. I read somewhere that the airport is only 15 minutes by taxi (4 kilometers on one straight road) from downtown Florence and that since it is such a small airport one need only arrive at the airport 45 minutes before an international flight.
Does that make sense?
So would leaving at 6:45 am be early enough?

Thanks.

dfr4848

I would essentially agree with most of the info you've been given. It is a short trip and the airport is very small. We flew out of there last year and the only word of caution I'd make is that check-in for early flights can be really slow. We had a 7 am flight to Munich (on LH) and got to the airport around 5:30 am and barely made it. They weren't prepared to check in a full flight that early and it was very slow. I understand this was not a situation of LH simply understaffing their own counter. Since the airport is small, the counter agents were checking in people for all of the different airlines and the there simply weren't enough people to handle the crowd. I'd give yourself more time just to be safe.

Paulo59

Thanks. Did others have this experience? Do you really think I need to get there at 6:30 for 7:55 flight? Or will 7 am work?

missypie

What you need to focus on is not the size of the airport, but the size of the planes your airline is flying fro mthat airport. How any people are on your flight? 15? 60? 300? Most of those people will be in line checking in at exactly the same time. An airport could have one gate, but if they are boarding a 300 person flight, you will wait in line for hours.

dfr4848

FYI - our flight was a 737. I would think 7 would be OK.

ira

Hi P,

>Do you really think I need to get there at 6:30 for 7:55 flight? Or will 7 am work?<

You will have to get up early anyway. Why risk missing a flight to save 1/2 hr?

ira

PS,

The worst thing that could happen is that you will have time for a cuppa.

missypie

When we left Venice, the lady at our hotel thought we were leaving way too early...she said it was a small airport, etc. I was glad that I didn't listen to her because BA had two check in counters open and it took in excess of one hour to check our luggage.

Also, at one of the airports on our journey, I was selected for a random check of my messenger bag...the guy slowly opened and sorted through every pocket and compartment. No big deal, because I had plenty of time, but had I been rushing to catch a flight, it would have been stressful.

wombat7

If you can, do a web check-in before you leave for the airport (the airline I fly most often allows check-in up to 24 hours before) That way you have an assigned seat and even a boarding pass if you have access to a printer - whcih means if you have only carry on luggage you go straight to securoity avoiding the check-in line completely.

Paulo59

Thanks everyone. I guess I will leave for the airport at 6:30 for my 7:55 flight to London to be safe. I just hate getting up early on vacations.