Alitalia MilleMiglia - hidden city IST-FCO-VCE

Hope you guys can help me with this. I find airline pricing infuriating. I am trying to go from IST to FCO. A flight with a hidden city (VCE) is almost $200 less (see below). Does anyone know Alitalia's policy wrt hidden city booking? This is going to be a one-way flight. Problem is I need to check a bag. Not sure if it is possible to get the bag off at FCO or not - would appreciate any advice.

Option 1:
AZ 703 Istanbul, Ataturk to Rome, Fiumicino
Depart: Monday, 28 September, 06:15
Arrive: Monday, 28 September, 07:55

Change planes

AZ 1463
Rome, Fiumicino to Venice, Marco Polo
Depart: Monday, 28 September, 09:15
Arrive: Monday, 28 September, 10:20

USD $284.90

Or option 2:

AZ 703

Istanbul, Ataturk to Rome, Fiumicino
Depart: Monday, 28 September, 06:15
Arrive: Monday, 28 September, 07:55

USD $471.70

Hope you guys can help me with this. I find airline pricing infuriating. I am trying to go from IST to FCO. A flight with a hidden city (VCE) is almost $200 less (see below). Does anyone know Alitalia's policy wrt hidden city booking? This is going to be a one-way flight. Problem is I need to check a bag. Not sure if it is possible to get the bag off at FCO or not - would appreciate any advice.

Option 1:
AZ 703 Istanbul, Ataturk to Rome, Fiumicino
Depart: Monday, 28 September, 06:15
Arrive: Monday, 28 September, 07:55

Change planes

AZ 1463
Rome, Fiumicino to Venice, Marco Polo
Depart: Monday, 28 September, 09:15
Arrive: Monday, 28 September, 10:20

USD $284.90

Or option 2:

AZ 703

Istanbul, Ataturk to Rome, Fiumicino
Depart: Monday, 28 September, 06:15
Arrive: Monday, 28 September, 07:55

USD $471.70


Obviously without the bag you are 100% certain that option 1 would be fine.

With the bag honestly I'm not sure - interested to hear the reply although I reckon it doesn't just depend on the airline but also the check in staff at IST

:(:confused:

Airline pricing is not by destination or # of segments but mainly by originating and finish airports. You cannot compare pricing between IST-VCE and IST-FCO even if the 1st is via FCO. Also, most airlines price flights to their hubs higher than to near domestic destinations. It's a matter of supply and demand.

Try to book the connecting flight to be late in the evening and this way you will be able to talk the AZ agents in IST to check your bags only to FCO. You can connect within 24 hours and still have it priced as a connection.

I'm tempted to just abandon all of my stuff and buy $200 worth of new stuff in Rome. I'm feel so gouged.

I'm tempted to just abandon all of my stuff and buy $200 worth of new stuff in Rome. I'm feel so gouged.

Thats the spirit!!! Won't get you Zegna but in September it will still be warm

BTW - just be careful with the timetable - 4 months in Alitalia terms is a very long time and plane times can change...:mad:

Make it a long connection in FCO: take the last flight of the day to VCE, or, if there is an early flight the next morning that leaves before 7h55 (so that this remains a connection rather than a stopover), that is even better: that way, you have a good reason to have your luggage short-checked to FCO rather than VCE, as you will obviously need whatever is in your case for the day in FCO. ;)

Obviously without the bag you are 100% certain that option 1 would be fine.

Alternatively, how about shipping your bag instead to avoid hassling with checked baggage? Take urgently needed things in your carry-on, and you can get away with ground shipping.

ok now what i don't understand is which your finally dest is.Obviously one way tkts are more expensive than round trips. If you fin dest is rome but you want to buy tkt up to VCE in order to save some money than u have to make sure your itinerary is only a one way one. IF the whole itinerary will have to be IST-FCO-VCE-FCO-IST than you MUST fly up to VCE and back that means that all of you itinerary segments has to be flown otherwise ur tkt will not be valid anymore. if it's just a one way than it's ok (even if it shouldn't) and if you ask to ist ground staff tostop ur luggages in FCO then they HAVE TO (on pap request). but anyway i'd go with the carry on luggage anyways ;)

good luck

ok now what i don't understand is which your finally dest is.

The OP's intention is to fly IST-FCO *one way* as cheaply as possible. VCE is there just to get the fare down and could be just about any point anywhere, it is really irrelevant.

To the OP, have you tried pricing a round trip IST-FCO-IST? This will probably be cheaper than the pure one way (just set your return date sufficiently in the future, including a Sat night stay to satisfy any old-world fare rules) and you could just ditch the return flight. This way your luggage will definitely be checked just to FCO.

If that fails then I too recommend playing the "very long connection" card by booking as late connecting flight as possible.