POWERPUFF71

Fyling to Italy on Saturday with Continental which arrives in Rome @ 7:45am. We then will fly out of Rome to Palermo on Alitalia at 10:15am. We booked these tickets online via onetravel and cheapoair so they will not appear as connecting flights. Since I fear I will need to check my luggage, how do I insure my bag arrives when I do? Will I need to pick up my bag in Rome and go check in to the next flight or can I make arrangements at Newark when I fly out? I have flown to Europe on several other occasions but have never run into this luggage concern before. please advise.

ellenem

You have booked separate flights on separate airlines. therefore I suspect you will have to collect your luggage and recheck it in Rome. The only way to guarantee your luggage arrives when you do is to carry it on the plane with you. Study Continental's carryon restrictions carefully and pack accordingly.

janisj

Continental might check your bags through to Palermo -- or might not. That is up to the agent at your departure airport.

There is no way to 'guarantee' your bags will arrive w/ you. They most likely will, but no guarantees.

If they are not checked through, you will collect them in Rome and then re-check them.

If they are checked through, you'll go through immigration at Rome and Customs at Palermo.

(OR - you can do carry-on only and not have the problem)

janisj

was posting the same time as ellenem . . .

suze

If they aren't checked thru, and they do claim the bags at Rome, wouldn't they have to go thru customs at that point (in addition to immigration), that being their first stop in Europe?

POWERPUFF71

the carry on solution would solve everything but the tsa restrictions and packing for 9 days have me freaking out a bit. does toothpaste count as a liquid? what about presription creams?

suze

Even if you carry-on only, wouldn't you still have to do customs at your point of entry?

Prescriptions I believe have special rules (exemptions)? Yes toothpaste counts as a gel/liquid.

janisj

suze: Hi "<i>If they aren't checked thru, and they do claim the bags at Rome, wouldn't they have to go thru customs at that point (in addition to immigration), that being their first stop in Europe?</i>"

Yes -- my >><i>If they are checked through, you'll go through immigration at Rome and Customs at Palermo</i><< post meant that IF the bags are checked through she'll go through passport control in Rome and customs in Palermo. If they aren't checked through, then both immigration and customs will be in Rome. But customs is really no biggie - it is immigration that takes the time.

POWERPUFF71: "<i>does toothpaste count as a liquid? what about presription creams?</i>"

How much toothpaste do you need for a vacation? You are allowed 3 oz and that is a lot of toothpaste. The travel sized toothpastes you can buy everywhere run just under 1 oz to about 1.5 oz. And you can throw in 2 or 3 if necessary. But even if you brush your teeth 8 times a day and use 3 oz a week - they do sell toothpaste in Italy.

Prescriptions liquids and gels are not limited to 3oz (but they may be screened separately)

suze

Thanks janisj. I think this post is a bit difficult to answer since if they check-thru (as originally asked) is one scenario, or carry-on (as later changed the question to) slightly different.

There's no assurance about checked luggage. Just watch when you check it in that they put the proper destination airport tag onto the handle and hope for the best. Keep anything valuable or difficult to replace (prescriptions meds, glasses or contact, money, charge cards, passport, electronics) in your carry on tote.

POWERPUFF71

hi janisj, my concern is not how much toothpaste i can bring, it is how many liquid items i can bring. ex. face wash, moisturizer, shampoo, conditioner, hair gel, if the max is 3 items under 3 oz then some things need to get left home and that is what i am trying to figure.

jaja

It's not the number of items under 3 oz., it's how many will fit in one quart-size zipper bag.

janisj

"<i>if the max is 3 items under 3 oz</i>

So you just misunderstand the regs.

I teach a packing class (don't ask! ) And I have a demo quart ziplok baggie that has over <B>30</B> items. No one needs everything I've stuffed in the quart bag -- it is just a "wow show and tell demo". But it includes toothpaste, mouthwash, mascara, bengay, nail enamel, nail enamel remover, eye drops, ear drops, nose spray, woolite, shampoo (WHO needs shampoo since 98% of hotels provide it), lip gloss, body butter, moisturizer, sun screen, and tons more.

You can do it . . . .

travelgourmet

Bring a copy of your Alitalia itinerary, preferably with the ticket number included. Show this to the Continental agent when you check in. They will almost certainly tag the bag all the way to Palermo, which means you will not need to collect your bags until you land at your final destination.

Most of the major airlines have interline agreements that are designed to accommodate these sorts of requests. I have never had any trouble getting my bags checked through in such instances. Now, there are some carriers that don't have many (or any) interline agreements (Southwest, famously, along with many other low-cost carriers), but that is not the case here.