Flying US to Italy, what are your thoughts on airline?

[wantocruisemore]

We're booked with us airways for our upcoming summer flight. They had the best prices and times. I know some hate them but my feeling is u can have a bad experience on any airline. I do know that us air did well when they posted the list of the most complaints from airlines in different categories. Plus, I like the idea of flying back into philly rather than JFK.

 

Overall I think u weigh schedules, airports, connection times and prices and pk the best. For us that was us air. At the time Luftansia wld have been a little cheaper but with another stop, layover, and getting into Rome in the afternoon rather than am. For us it made more sense to pay a little more for us air. Plus I liked the idea of using just one airline. Hopefully less chance to misplace luggage.

[Kelmn07]

I would avoid CDG and Heathrow if possible and want the most direct flight(fewest stops) with the most time between flights(3hrs or so). I have had great luck with Delta in the past and there are plenty of folks who complain about them too so am hoping that US Air will end up OK.

 

Why do you suggest a 3 hour layover? I typically try to find flights with the shortest layover, but I've never flown international so are European airports unreliable? The flight I was looking at had about a 1.5 hour layover.

[CruiserBruce]

Why do you suggest a 3 hour layover? I typically try to find flights with the shortest layover, but I've never flown international so are European airports unreliable? The flight I was looking at had about a 1.5 hour layover.

 

Because you want to have a safe margin in case of delays. There was a post on another board where a flyer had a 45 minute layover in Chicago before a flight to Beijing. His first flight was 25 minutes late, and a long distance to the other gate. He missed his flight.

 

Plus, helps make sure your bags make it to the other flight as well.

 

A safe layover depends on the airport and whether or not you are going international. 90 minutes is fine for most US airports. Busy airports like Paris, Frankfurt and London-Hetherow are known for requiring longer layovers. Plus, if you are connecting in Europe, you need to clear immigration, which may mean a long distance from one plane to another, going thru security/passport check.

[orchidj5]

We did the same routing last June-Colorado Springs to Venice and the returning Rome to Colorado Springs. our options are somewhat limited if we dont want to have to drive to Denver and once you take in to consideration the drive and parking at DIA it is rarely a savings to do so. We flew Delta and were mostly satisfied-the good-only one plane change enroute-there is a non stop from Atlanta to Venice, so we only had to change in Atlanta,the service was decent and the movies were good. The food was airline food. I booked in may and was still able to get exit row seats which made it more tolerable.-the bad-we were delayed two hours leaving Atlanta-and they kept us on the aircraft-while repairs were effected on the windscreen in the cockpit but we arrived pretty much on time. Routing on the return was not good-we flew back Rome to Detroit, then had to go to Salt Lake before coming back to colorado springs but our stuff all made it so no complaints there. Delta in rome would not check wine in wine shippers which i fly with all the time domestically so i had to put my wine in one of the cases and pay overage-that was a bummer.

[cruiseron36]

Why do you suggest a 3 hour layover? I typically try to find flights with the shortest layover, but I've never flown international so are European airports unreliable? The flight I was looking at had about a 1.5 hour layover.

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Don't forget that when you land from the US at your first foreign airport you have to collect your luggage and clear immigration before you can find your connecting plane and board

[CruiserBruce]

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Don't forget that when you land from the US at your first foreign airport you have to collect your luggage and clear immigration before you can find your connecting plane and board

 

No, in most cases your luggage will be forwarded to your destination. You only collect your luggage at a connecting airport if you are changing airlines, and the two airlines don't have an agreement to forward luggage.

[riffatsea]

IF I am going to Europe from my home on the west coast I have to fly somewhere in the USA first. IF that flight is late for some odd reason and I miss the ongoing Europe flight there is NO other flight that day that I could take sooooo I like to make sure there is plenty of time to cover as many possibilities as I can. I'd rather be waiting in the 2nd airport than worrying about getting there!

Flights to Europe often start boarding a good 45min. before take off.

IF you fly and choose to stop off in Europe on your way to your final European destination then CDG is notorious for being confusing and it takes a while to go between terminals there. Many web sites sell tix with very short times between flights there (like 45min.) and you really need more like 2hrs. to make sure you get to the right place in time to board your next flight!!

So far I have been lucky and gotten to all my airports with plenty of time to spare.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

My mother and sister fly over the ice cap from the West coast. I think there are flights that get you to Europe without stopping in the US or Canada. The trip takes about 9 hours from Seattle to LHR, 12 hours to CDG. From LAX to LHR its 10 hours and from LAX-CDG its 12 45 minutes. In fact, in October (an example) you can fly from LAX-LHR for $669 plus taxes non-stop. LAX-FCO takes 11hr50 minutes NON-STOP and runs about $1100 plus taxes. So unless you are going to save a tremendous amount of money- there is no way I would connect and lengthen the trip by 4-5 hours or more with connections.

 

One thing I wanted to comment on is that they do not sell tickets with 45 minutes between flights. If you are doing your own arrangements and are switching carriers or buying your tickets in segments this can happen because you are doing it. No legitimate website would give you flights that didn't have a minimum of 1.5 hours between flights and that would be on the same airline.

 

Also- It is always best to get a non-stop if possible because of lost luggage and delays that might make you miss the connection. But one thing that I did that was not cost effective was switching to another carrier that does just small city- city trips in Europe. These carriers not only charge for checked bags, they have a very small weight amount for checked bags- something amounting to about 20 pounds. So you are then made to pay like I did... 200 Euros for a bag that was free on my Transatlantic flight. So when cruising- these budget European airlines should be avoided. They are only good for people with carryons.

[euro cruiser]

No, in most cases your luggage will be forwarded to your destination. You only collect your luggage at a connecting airport if you are changing airlines, and the two airlines don't have an agreement to forward luggage.

Cruiser Bruce is partially right, but returning to the United States is different.

 

Your baggage is forwarded to your final destination on your OUTBOUND flight, and you as a passenger are considered to be "in transit". In other words, you don't actually arrive into a country you stop in along the way.

 

The return, however, if different. On your RETURN to the United States, you will clear customs and immigration at the first U.S. airport you stop at; in order to do this you will pick up your luggage, go through customs and immigration, then re-check your luggage for the rest of your trip.

[riffatsea]

IF I lived in LA I might take the nonstop IF it came down in price because with taxes it is around $1200!

I have seen folks with European connecting flights at 45-60min. so to say they don't exist is not accurate.

The non stop to FCO is certainly attractive but going fromLAX to LHR or CDG is NOT something I find helpful if going to another European country as my final destination.

IF the flights stopped in Amsterdam, Germany or Switzerland which have airports that are easier to manage then maybe I'd consider it. Everyone has different requirements when they travel. They are not wrong, but just different. For ME to go up to LAX for a flight would have to save at LEAST $300 to make it worthwhile.

[CruiserBruce]

euro cruiser- I wasn't clear. I was only talking about Europe. Baggage is forwarded both ways if the airlines have the agreement. You are correct as to when you first touch US soil.

[CruiserBruce]

My mother and sister fly over the ice cap from the West coast. I think there are flights that get you to Europe without stopping in the US or Canada. There many flights from West Coast cities to Europe non-stop.The trip takes about 9 hours from Seattle to LHR, 12 hours to CDG. From LAX to LHR its 10 hours and from LAX-CDG its 12 45 minutes. In fact, in October (an example) you can fly from LAX-LHR for $669 plus taxes non-stop. LAX-FCO takes 11hr50 minutes NON-STOP and runs about $1100 plus taxes. There is only one flight, a Delta flight codeshared withs everal other airlines.So unless you are going to save a tremendous amount of money- there is no way I would connect and lengthen the trip by 4-5 hours or more with connections.

 

One thing I wanted to comment on is that they do not sell tickets with 45 minutes between flights. That is not true. Many domestic airports have "legal" 45 minute layovers. Some have even less.If you are doing your own arrangements and are switching carriers or buying your tickets in segments this can happen because you are doing it. No legitimate website would give you flights that didn't have a minimum of 1.5 hours between flights and that would be on the same airline. That is not true. I have a flight scheduled in Decemeber that has a 55 minute layover in Houston. Again, there are "legal" layovers as low as 35 minutes.

 

Also- It is always best to get a non-stop if possible because of lost luggage and delays that might make you miss the connection. But one thing that I did that was not cost effective was switching to another carrier that does just small city- city trips in Europe. These carriers not only charge for checked bags, they have a very small weight amount for checked bags- something amounting to about 20 pounds. So you are then made to pay like I did... 200 Euros for a bag that was free on my Transatlantic flight. So when cruising- these budget European airlines should be avoided. They are only good for people with carryons.

 

Non stops are always great. But, they are extremely limited limited to FCO from the west coast. Always wondered why.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

No wonder there is so much lost luggage. On my TA flights I have never had less than a two hour layover between the domestic flight and the TA. I would never connect with only 35-55 minutes between flights and I noticed in some instances airlines. Buyer beware. There is no wiggle room and your luggage I can almost assure you won't make it. Not a chance I would take.

 

As for prices- the LA prices to Europe nonstop on Turkish air are cheaper than the East coast prices! Also, I notice that they are still advertising discounted prices in May and October but they gauge you in summer months because they can- not because of fuel prices.

[riffatsea]

Turkish air??

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Turkish air was the cheapest that's why I mentioned it but hey- it is nonstop to London.

[riffatsea]

I doubt if I would fly a carrier about which I have no info or experience so Turkish Air and Aeroflot( also sometimes cheap) would not be on my normal "possible fly list".

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Turkish Air got four stars compared to American and Delta who got three stars.

I have never flown them but I can tell you that my friend had a absolutely horrible experience with Delta. Her flight was 4 hours late taking off and her return flight was cancelled due to "mechanical problems" and she had to wait from 2-6PM at the airport until they finally said the flight was cancelled.

 

I flew American. We waited 4 hours while they found us a plane because ours had "mechanical" problems. Then we got a smaller plane and we got nothing- no free drinks- nada. Then there was so much turbulence the whole way I thought about cancelling my return flight and taking another airline back. I was not impressed.

 

Anther friend just flew Continental was stuck in Phoenix for hours.

 

So I can't knock Turkish Air yet because I haven't tried them. I have been pleased with British Airways, Aerlingus and to a lesser extend US Air (my only gripe is my movie screen never works and most of the time the large movie screen doesn't work. So- I only use them if I have to.

[mapleleaves]

my thoughts are ... arrive the day before the cruise, fly nonstop if possible or at least fly direct, and buy the cheapest ticket because as others said, flying coach is not enjoyable regardless of the airline.

[D4]

We've done 3 round trips (all nonstops) to Rome in the last 18 months (Delta, American, & Alitalia.) No complaints on any of them, but our most recent was Alitalia and it was the most pleasant. We avoided Alitalia the other times because of their tendency to strike & strict carryon weight limits.

 

On Alitalia, we avoided the all the extra processing at Terminal 5 that is required for the nonstop flights to the US on US owned airlines. (Of course we want safe flights, but DH has mobility problems so all those extra steps and the bus are difficult for him.) We were also both amazed at how delicious the food was on Alitalia. Unbelievable! We were extremely fortunate on this last trip because on the way to Rome, every person in coach had 2 or 4 seats to themselves! DH & I each had 4 seats! Every set of 4 seats had just one person laying down.

 

We flew home Friday and I had 3 seats & DH had 2 seats. Some people sat together but that was their choice because there were many sets of 2 seats empty & the FAs said it was ok to spread out. I don't expect to ever encounter this type of situation again. It was awesome to be able to lie down in coach!

[mapleleaves]

why don't you post this question on the CRUISE AIR forum and see what kind of response you get?

[mapleleaves]

why don't you post this question on the CRUISE AIR forum and see what kind of advice you get?

[D4]

I hope you have a good experience with them.

 

I only use them when forced to, which is when I'm doing group tours, because they are really the only airline that will discount their fares to Italy. In my experience, there's a reason they have to do this, as the places seem to me to be older than other airlines's and the staff surlier. Also, most of my flights on Alitalia do not use gates in Italy, they board and disembark on the tarmac. Passengers must use stairs to get in and out of the plane and buses to and from the airport buildings. For able bodied fliers this is not an issue, but for those with mobility problems it is a very uncomfortable and slow process. Special equipment has to be brought out to the plane to lift those who cannot climb the stairs.

 

However, they get us from point A to point B safely.

 

On our 3 round trips to Rome in the last 18 months, Delta and Alitalia used the gates both ways and we had to take a bus both from & to the American flight.

[cruiseron36]

No, in most cases your luggage will be forwarded to your destination. You only collect your luggage at a connecting airport if you are changing airlines, and the two airlines don't have an agreement to forward luggage.

 

Have you flown since 911? last year when we flew from Detroit to Montreal with a stop in Toronto we had to collect our luggage and follow an intransit group to reboard. We did not have to recheck our bags. Both flights were on AirCanada. Does Canada have a special arrangement with immigration officials.

[CruiserBruce]

Have you flown since 911? last year when we flew from Detroit to Montreal with a stop in Toronto we had to collect our luggage and follow an intransit group to reboard. We did not have to recheck our bags. Both flights were on AirCanada. Does Canada have a special arrangement with immigration officials.

 

Yes, cruiseron, I have flown many times since 9/11. Just for example, last summer, we flew from SFO to Frankfurt to Rome. In Frankfurt we did not see our bags, but we did go thru passport control and security. We collected our bags in Rome.

 

On the way home, we flew Rome-Frankfurt-SFO. We did not see our bags at Frankfurt, and we didn't have to go thru passport control- except at the gate before we boarded our SFO bound flight, as our Rome-Frankfurt flight is a "domestic" flight in the European view. We collected our bags in SFO, and went thru Immigation and Customs.

 

Sounds like Canada uses the same policy ast the US. You go thru customs and immigration at your first touch in Canada. Europe doesn't do that- they only look at your passport at your first stop.

 

In my situation above, we flew United and Lufthansa.

[wcook]

Don't get hung up by a few reviews, especially if looking at reviews from frequent flyers. Their needs and wants are very different.

 

American is not signifantly better or worse than any other mainstream airline. Buy you ticket based on time, price, stops, etc.