beckyd23

Hello,

My friend and I will be flying in to Rome (FCO) from Chicago on Aer Lingus (layover in Dublin) and will be arriving before another friend flying in from Zurich on Alitalia. None of us have international phone plans so we'd like to establish a meeting point prior to our departures. We will need to first get our bags from baggage claim, so I'm assuming we will need to leave the terminal where most of the restaurants and shops are, but then we have almost 2 hours to wait before our friend arrives. Is anyone familiar enough with that airport that can suggest a meeting spot (preferably with a restaurant, somewhere to sit) near baggage claim? I believe we all fly into Terminal 1.

thanks!

dotheboyshall

I'd ensure that your flights will go to FCO.

There was a fire in May which caused severe damage with many short haul flights being diverted to places like Naples

It's reported the affected terminal will reopen by the end of July but there are no guarantees

http://www.gazzettadelsud.it/news/en...d-of-July.html

ekc

I took that flight in May (going to Naples, not FCO) and it was fine, but be warned that they only do drink service twice on the way to Dublin - once right before dinner and once right after. We stocked up on our wine, so the rest of the flight wasn't an issue. ;-)

Go to www.roninrome.com - a fantastic website about visting and navigating Rome and he has an excellent post on the Meeting Point in FCO. Essentially it is a large pole just to the left as you exit baggage claim and there is a cafe there where you can wait.

flpab

http://europeforvisitors.com/rome/ar...ristorante.htm


I have stayed at the Rome airport Hilton and the dining selection was so bad I walked back over and ate here. I followed the airport workers to the line at the pizza place and it was really good. You can buy small bottle of wine, coffee or whatever from the other stations. Look at the airport map for what terminal though.

sandralist

If you are all staying the same hotel in Rome, I would meet up there. Hard to imagine anything drearier than hanging around FCO after a long flight, especially if someone else's flight is delayed or re-routed. Or if baggage gets lost.

If you decide you'd rather meet at the airport, be sure to agree ahead of time that if you haven't found each other by X.XX o'clock, you should all leave the airport and head for a meeting point in Rome.

SJesN

In the FCO airport, there are some cafes to the left side of the airport where you can sit and have some coffee.

Blueeyedcod

Do you need an international phone plan? Can't you just inform your provider and activate international roaming that way? Your phone should work as normal but it will just pick up the local carrier - usually TIM or WIND.
In any case, the airport has free WiFi so if you both use something like Facebook Messenger or Viber, you can message each other without using a phone carrier at all.
However, I would do as Sandralist recommends and just go to the hotel.

beckyd23

@eck, thanks for the tip about drink service, duly noted

Ron in Rome was extremely helpful!

thanks all!

kybourbon

Keep in mind that Ron in Rome's website hasn't been updated in a few years and is targeting mostly visitors from the US arriving on international flights from the US at Terminal 3. You might arrive Terminal 1 (you should check with Aer Lingus).

bvlenci

The terminal affected by the fire is Terminal 3, which is used only by extra-Schengen flights. Sincs both flights are intsr- Schengen, they wouldn't be affected. Besides, flights are no longer being diverted, and haven't been for some weeks now. Some Terminal 3 flights are still being handled in Terminals 1 and 2.

There's not much seating in the arrivals terminals at Fiumicino, and there is only a snack bar in Terminal 1, and another in Terminal 3. I wouldn't have the nerve to occupy a table there for two hours, with all the people holding trays and looking around for a place to eat. If it were only half an hour or so, I'd be willing to wait, but in this case, I'm with Sandra. I'd meet at the hotel.