Rome airport problems--share your experience please
Oct 29th, 2006 | 05:51 AM
#21
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
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ness probably can't even vote, but I would like to ask him who the terrorists would like you to vote for.
I read a recent post concerning Alitalia refusing to let you bring wine back from Italy in your checked baggage. This is a big concern for me. Since airlines have instituted the no-carry-on liquids policy, I've put wine in styrofoam cartons and in my checked baggage.
I'll be going to Italy next May and plan to bring back 2 cases of wine in my checked baggage, but I will be flying Continental, in/out of Zurich. I too will be anxious to hear new airline security measures in Italy/Europe.
I read a recent post concerning Alitalia refusing to let you bring wine back from Italy in your checked baggage. This is a big concern for me. Since airlines have instituted the no-carry-on liquids policy, I've put wine in styrofoam cartons and in my checked baggage.
I'll be going to Italy next May and plan to bring back 2 cases of wine in my checked baggage, but I will be flying Continental, in/out of Zurich. I too will be anxious to hear new airline security measures in Italy/Europe.
Oct 29th, 2006 | 06:16 AM
#22
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 357
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I am not so sure what your reference was to the Carnival Tags, as i myself had them on my suitcases on Oct.10th.Cruise passengers typically will go through some airport of somesort!
We arrived at the airport at 8:am for a 1pm. flight. We were told we cannot get in line for our Air France flight untill 10:30am. We got in line at 10:20 am only to barely catch our 1pm flight!
Here was the problem as i saw it.The line was not that long to begin with.They are understaffed and the staff itself seemed to not be in any major hurry besides.They move slow.Passengers are not prepared when they reach the ticket agent. I saw more people shifting their stuff around from one suitcase to the next because they were overweight in one but not the other.This was taking place at the ticket counter.Passengers need to be completly ready with everything they need in their hands, not rifling through bags looking for there identification, tickets etc.
The second problem was, for the people late standing in line, ( the line was getting longer the longer we stood in this now slow moving line) if they had the 12:15 flight, they were taken first above and beyond the 1pm people. So because they arrived late, they were taken first.
As it stood, we were late out of Rome, It was crazy in Paris but the agents took us Atlanta bound passengers in a van, through a private security only for the Paris flight to end up being late. Missed our connecting by 5 mins!! but our luggage did go ahead to Charlotte. Delta put us up for the night and ended up home safe and sound the next morning
We arrived at the airport at 8:am for a 1pm. flight. We were told we cannot get in line for our Air France flight untill 10:30am. We got in line at 10:20 am only to barely catch our 1pm flight!
Here was the problem as i saw it.The line was not that long to begin with.They are understaffed and the staff itself seemed to not be in any major hurry besides.They move slow.Passengers are not prepared when they reach the ticket agent. I saw more people shifting their stuff around from one suitcase to the next because they were overweight in one but not the other.This was taking place at the ticket counter.Passengers need to be completly ready with everything they need in their hands, not rifling through bags looking for there identification, tickets etc.
The second problem was, for the people late standing in line, ( the line was getting longer the longer we stood in this now slow moving line) if they had the 12:15 flight, they were taken first above and beyond the 1pm people. So because they arrived late, they were taken first.
As it stood, we were late out of Rome, It was crazy in Paris but the agents took us Atlanta bound passengers in a van, through a private security only for the Paris flight to end up being late. Missed our connecting by 5 mins!! but our luggage did go ahead to Charlotte. Delta put us up for the night and ended up home safe and sound the next morning
Oct 29th, 2006 | 08:08 AM
#23
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,119
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Ness:
<i>Hard to believe there is anybody ...who refuses to hold Republicans accountable. </i>
Most people assign accountability to the terrorist thugs. It amazes me how we never hear some people denounce the ones who actually encourage and carry out atrocities, whatever their "cause".
<i>What's silly is to imagine you can go on endlessly punching people in the face and none of them will punch you back.</i>
This argument might have made sense if there hadn't been so many attacks prior to and including 9/11. The U.S. took a lot of "punches" before striking back.
One more thing. Are you suggesting that, if the election goes your way, the Congress will loosen security checks on inbound flights? If so, I'd like to know that before I vote!
<i>Hard to believe there is anybody ...who refuses to hold Republicans accountable. </i>
Most people assign accountability to the terrorist thugs. It amazes me how we never hear some people denounce the ones who actually encourage and carry out atrocities, whatever their "cause".
<i>What's silly is to imagine you can go on endlessly punching people in the face and none of them will punch you back.</i>
This argument might have made sense if there hadn't been so many attacks prior to and including 9/11. The U.S. took a lot of "punches" before striking back.
One more thing. Are you suggesting that, if the election goes your way, the Congress will loosen security checks on inbound flights? If so, I'd like to know that before I vote!
Oct 29th, 2006 | 08:46 AM
#24
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,801
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cafegoddess,
People come here to discuss all sorts of things affecting travel, and how to make it more pleasant.
Don't people who travel follow the news? They should. I just did a Google search for "Iraq war increased terror, and the first item to top the list was this:
Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threat
By MARK MAZZETTI
Published: September 24, 2006, New York Times
A stark assessment has found that the American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.
The substance of that article was in most newspapers and TV news shows:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A classified intelligence report concludes that the Iraq war has worsened the terrorist threat to the United States, U.S. officials told CNN Sunday.
Some intelligence officials have said as much in the past, but the newly revealed document is the first formal report on global trends in terrorism by the National Intelligence Estimate, which is put out by the National Intelligence Council.
Like I said, I can't believe people want more of the same: increased terror. That's what you'll get if you return the same people to Congress to rubber stamp what the Bush Administration does.
Budman,
Close to your flight, you shuold check with your airline if you can bring liquids on the plane.
People come here to discuss all sorts of things affecting travel, and how to make it more pleasant.
Don't people who travel follow the news? They should. I just did a Google search for "Iraq war increased terror, and the first item to top the list was this:
Spy Agencies Say Iraq War Worsens Terrorism Threat
By MARK MAZZETTI
Published: September 24, 2006, New York Times
A stark assessment has found that the American invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks.
The substance of that article was in most newspapers and TV news shows:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A classified intelligence report concludes that the Iraq war has worsened the terrorist threat to the United States, U.S. officials told CNN Sunday.
Some intelligence officials have said as much in the past, but the newly revealed document is the first formal report on global trends in terrorism by the National Intelligence Estimate, which is put out by the National Intelligence Council.
Like I said, I can't believe people want more of the same: increased terror. That's what you'll get if you return the same people to Congress to rubber stamp what the Bush Administration does.
Budman,
Close to your flight, you shuold check with your airline if you can bring liquids on the plane.
Oct 29th, 2006 | 09:15 AM
#25
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,119
Likes: 0
<i>Don't people who travel follow the news? </i>
No! We're all clueless twits who wouldn't know a thing if it weren't for condescending elitists telling us how to read the "news"!
Give it a rest. Your position is perfectly clear.
No! We're all clueless twits who wouldn't know a thing if it weren't for condescending elitists telling us how to read the "news"!
Give it a rest. Your position is perfectly clear.
Oct 29th, 2006 | 09:34 AM
#26
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,177
Likes: 0
If at all possible, try to book the
earliest morning flight possible even
if it disrupts/changes your last night
in Europe plans.
We flew out of Malpensa on a 7:55 a.m.
flight that necessitated us staying in
a less than desirable hotel near the
airport BUT the line-ups were manageable
and the staff unfazed so boarding was a
relatively pleasant experience.
earliest morning flight possible even
if it disrupts/changes your last night
in Europe plans.
We flew out of Malpensa on a 7:55 a.m.
flight that necessitated us staying in
a less than desirable hotel near the
airport BUT the line-ups were manageable
and the staff unfazed so boarding was a
relatively pleasant experience.
Oct 29th, 2006 | 10:06 AM
#27
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
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Ness, the sources that you quote aren't bias? NYT and CNN are doing everything in their power to embolden the terrorist to ensure we lose the war on terror solely because of their pure hatred of George W. Bush. They should be held accountable for their treason!!!
I spent a week in Switzerland, and the only English TV news outlet was CNN International. It was God Awful!!! Then this past October on a cruise to Bermuda, CNN was the only news outlet on the ship. It was one week of nothing but Bush Bashing. No alternatives, no ideas, just Bush bash. One of the other passengers on the ship said he couldn't wait to get back to the States so he would watch something other than the Communist News Network (CNN).
And you wonder why Europeans don't like us -- they are spoon fed by the liberal news media of nothing but negative propaganda.
Until people band together to send these Islamic Fascists to greet their 72 virgins, this problem will continue.
I spent a week in Switzerland, and the only English TV news outlet was CNN International. It was God Awful!!! Then this past October on a cruise to Bermuda, CNN was the only news outlet on the ship. It was one week of nothing but Bush Bashing. No alternatives, no ideas, just Bush bash. One of the other passengers on the ship said he couldn't wait to get back to the States so he would watch something other than the Communist News Network (CNN).
And you wonder why Europeans don't like us -- they are spoon fed by the liberal news media of nothing but negative propaganda.
Until people band together to send these Islamic Fascists to greet their 72 virgins, this problem will continue.
Oct 29th, 2006 | 11:20 AM
#28
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,801
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Good grief, Budman. The report was done by the BUSH administration, not the NY Times and CNN!
I think most people would like to see their government taking actions to *decrease* terrorism, not *increase* it.
Europeans don't dislike us. They dislike the Bush Administration. They aren't watching CNN international. They are watching how it behaves.
But speaking of Switzerland, try looking at it this way:
What if a poster came onto Fodor's and put up a post saying "Swiss mountain trail closures? Share your experence please" -- and then went on to relate how upset they were that so many hiking trails and peaks were closed to tourists because of slippage and sliding and the resultant danger. If they whined "Is this going to keep happening next year too?" then wouldn't you expect SOMEBDOY to inform this poster that warmer global temperatures are causing the ice masses in the Alps to give way, and unless people act to stop it, well, YES, it's going to keep happening next year, and the next, etc.
Reelecting the oil industry's puppets is is a stupid idea if you didn't like the effects of global warming, no? It's also a stupid idea if you don't like increased security risks in the air.
I think most people would like to see their government taking actions to *decrease* terrorism, not *increase* it.
Europeans don't dislike us. They dislike the Bush Administration. They aren't watching CNN international. They are watching how it behaves.
But speaking of Switzerland, try looking at it this way:
What if a poster came onto Fodor's and put up a post saying "Swiss mountain trail closures? Share your experence please" -- and then went on to relate how upset they were that so many hiking trails and peaks were closed to tourists because of slippage and sliding and the resultant danger. If they whined "Is this going to keep happening next year too?" then wouldn't you expect SOMEBDOY to inform this poster that warmer global temperatures are causing the ice masses in the Alps to give way, and unless people act to stop it, well, YES, it's going to keep happening next year, and the next, etc.
Reelecting the oil industry's puppets is is a stupid idea if you didn't like the effects of global warming, no? It's also a stupid idea if you don't like increased security risks in the air.
Oct 29th, 2006 | 11:49 AM
#29
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
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Ness, <b>WRONG AGAIN.</b> It was a bipartisan report that was classified and not to be released. It was "cherry picked" and released in a "partisan" way, not really telling the whole story. I'm surprised that the person who leaked the classified information is not in jail -- the investigation is ongoing.
Now I understand where you are getting your news.
Your premise that we are increasing terrorists by killing terrorists is completely false and unfounded. The report was declassified so the "whole story" could be told. Read the entire report, not just the "cherry picked" portions.
Now I understand where you are getting your news.
Your premise that we are increasing terrorists by killing terrorists is completely false and unfounded. The report was declassified so the "whole story" could be told. Read the entire report, not just the "cherry picked" portions.
Oct 29th, 2006 | 01:22 PM
#31
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Budman,
We had the same experience with not being able to get any thing on the TV except CNN, and they played the same biased news over and over again, day after day.....
I'm "ditto"ing you again and again. The only people responsible for the terrorists attacks, are the terrorists.... Period...........
And I for one am not going to let them keep me from traveling and living my life to the fullest....
We had the same experience with not being able to get any thing on the TV except CNN, and they played the same biased news over and over again, day after day.....
I'm "ditto"ing you again and again. The only people responsible for the terrorists attacks, are the terrorists.... Period...........
And I for one am not going to let them keep me from traveling and living my life to the fullest....
Oct 29th, 2006 | 01:29 PM
#32
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
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bblount,
CNN is the American version of Al Jazeera, especially after showing the latest terrorist video of a sniper killing one of our soldiers. I consider them an agent for terrorists.
I've requested a laptop for my birthday so when I travel to Europe again, I can get my news on line.
Ness, your statement "Reelecting the oil industry's puppets" only goes to show you are spouting "talking points" and you really need to get a better command of the issues.
CNN is the American version of Al Jazeera, especially after showing the latest terrorist video of a sniper killing one of our soldiers. I consider them an agent for terrorists.
I've requested a laptop for my birthday so when I travel to Europe again, I can get my news on line.
Ness, your statement "Reelecting the oil industry's puppets" only goes to show you are spouting "talking points" and you really need to get a better command of the issues.
Nov 14th, 2006 | 05:23 AM
#35
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2004
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For anyone who cares about the issue of the post, we recently flew KLM to Istanbul through AMS and had none of the major problems we experienced in Rome. I think the answers that suggest what we experienced there is universal are wrong, but I am still concerned about going back through FCO after New Years. My plan is just to avoid FCO in the future if we have the same problems in January that we had in October.
Nov 14th, 2006 | 10:07 AM
#36
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 4,619
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We flew out of FCO this year Oct. 11 and I actually thought it was better than the last few times I had gone thru there over the past 8 years. For one thing it was much more orderly! in the past the "lines" have been a free for all, this time it was more controlled. I guess we did have to go thru three lines tho - one at the entry to the Delta area, one at the ticket counter and then on to the gate area. We flew out on a Delta flight leaving about noon - I think we got to the airport about 2 hrs before flight. We have medallion status so that helped alot in moving thru at least the first two lines. I had told the other couple we were travelling with what a mess the airport would be and it turned out to be much better than I expected - maybe we jsut hit it on a good day!
Nov 14th, 2006 | 11:19 AM
#37
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Julie;
The Italy Forum is really something isn't it!!! Anyway, we flew out of FCO on October 26, 2006 and did not have to get into a pre-line before going to our carrier or so it seemed. I say that because even though we arrived 2 hours in advance they told us that we were late! We were asked some questions by some sort of Italian airport authority person but it was directly in front of the carrier and not a seperate area. By the time, we made it on the plane almost everyone was seated and it looked like they'd been there for awhile.
What did we do wrong? Well, next time I would get there 3 hours in advance so there's time for some shopping! Two hours in advance didn't give me a minute to spare. We had to go to customs to get our VAT forms stamped and then to the different VAT companies. There was so much misinformation with regards to that as well. No one ever wanted to look at the merchandise. But that's another subject.
I will say this: In 1972 when flying out of Rome it was awful and chaotic and in 1986 when flying out of Milan, the same. I don't know if it's any worse than ever before flying out of Italy. I find all of the airports worldwide very testy and weird, anymore. Our experience when we flew into Chicago from Rome, this time, was worse than anything foreign. And that, too, is another story! I have more horror stories from CDG and the Air France people then anything Italian as well. If you can have a more peaceful experience flying through another airport then do so because I think that flying out of Italy is generally problematic.
Jane
The Italy Forum is really something isn't it!!! Anyway, we flew out of FCO on October 26, 2006 and did not have to get into a pre-line before going to our carrier or so it seemed. I say that because even though we arrived 2 hours in advance they told us that we were late! We were asked some questions by some sort of Italian airport authority person but it was directly in front of the carrier and not a seperate area. By the time, we made it on the plane almost everyone was seated and it looked like they'd been there for awhile.
What did we do wrong? Well, next time I would get there 3 hours in advance so there's time for some shopping! Two hours in advance didn't give me a minute to spare. We had to go to customs to get our VAT forms stamped and then to the different VAT companies. There was so much misinformation with regards to that as well. No one ever wanted to look at the merchandise. But that's another subject.
I will say this: In 1972 when flying out of Rome it was awful and chaotic and in 1986 when flying out of Milan, the same. I don't know if it's any worse than ever before flying out of Italy. I find all of the airports worldwide very testy and weird, anymore. Our experience when we flew into Chicago from Rome, this time, was worse than anything foreign. And that, too, is another story! I have more horror stories from CDG and the Air France people then anything Italian as well. If you can have a more peaceful experience flying through another airport then do so because I think that flying out of Italy is generally problematic.
Jane
Jan 7th, 2007 | 03:26 AM
#38
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,037
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Just a quick note to say that we flew through FCO again on January 3 returning from a holiday trip to Florece and Rome. A completely different experience from the one we had in October. No problems. Easy security. Little wait. Night and Day difference. I just have to think that there was something major when we first flew through there. For sure there was cruise traffic. Perhaps there was some special security alert as well. At any rate, if my experience in January is a better indicator, I'd say FCO is no worse than other airports for waits and may indeed be better.
