CCayley

I would like to commence an Ex-EUR to SFO from FCO on a Sunday and can get super-el-cheapo club ticket if I arrive on the BA2540 from Gatwick (scheduled to arrive 17.30 hours). This would mean starting the Ex-EUR on the last flight of the day: BA557 to LHR scheduled at 18.40.

BA.Com won't countenance this as a return flight so "officially" there isn't time for the turnaround. Anyone done this or knows enough about FCO to advise? I'd have hand baggage only.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Frequentflyer99

Have not done FCO so can't help on that. In any event departing on a different plane than the one you arrived on with that little leaway (if that is what your plan involves) would be extremely risky whichever aiport you were flying through. Personally, I would not risk it, esp if it could result in an unwanted overnight abroad.

I have done a back to back on a LIN flight and that is easy peasy. I believe LIN is generally regarded as the best place for a turnaround, so if that is an option it is worth considering.

Kiwi Flyer

Same a/c 1:00ish is fine. Different a/c on different tickets, I would look for longer turnaround.

teletraveller

Not travelled to FCO in around 6 months, and not sure I fully understood the question, but I can offer the following:

Disembarking can be very slow; FCO has a number of runways and you can end up with a very long taxi.

Once off BA flights usually operate out of the satallite terminal that connects to the main on via monorail. This is very frequent but obviously adds time. (
iro 10 mins from Stand to immigration)
Immigration control is pretty quick for EU passport holders but can be very long for non EU. either way, being 1st off the plane and onto the monorail will help.

Heading back in, the terminals are co-located with arrivals above the deps or is it the other way around?

With hand baggage only you could use OLCI or there are self service machines. Now comes the difficult bit.

Clearing security and immigration on the departure side can take a hugely variable amount of time from a 5 mins swan through to the longest I had to wait was around 45 mins (the C dept gate was closed and they were shepherding all PAX from A, B and C through a common security terminal.)

Once airside you need at least 10 mins from immigration to gate.

HTH?
In all honestly I wouldnt choose FCO for a fast turn around, but good luck!

YVR Cockroach

I'm not sure if you even have to leave the gate area at FCO (been a year since I was in FCO).

You can access airside departure at FCO just by going through transit security. IF BA does use the satellite, just go through transit security after leaving the shuttle (most pax would be headed for immigration), go back upstairs and take the shuttle back to the satellite. Transit security would be the variable but I can't imagine there will be too many transit pax in the late afternoon.

mikoneill

I was there last week, and have used it previously, and the BA flights have always gone from the same satellite when I have used it. I'd agree with YVR
cockroach.

In fact you could probably get away with going out and back on the shuttle, which will deposit you back at the depatures part of the terminal - though I have neer tried this, so not sure if there are any security measures to prevent this.

This is the satellite that BA uses, they use Gate 20 LHR & 22 LGW I think.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...09978&t=h&z=17

SLF

I'm confused where the transit area/security is. Is it in the satellite terminal, or do you have to go on the shuttle to the main terminal, do transit there, and then go back to the satellite?

I found this thread also but there seem to be conflicting opinions.

BAAZ

I've connected dozens of times at FCO and it's actually quite quick.

You get off the plane (always at the terminal C satellite - actually terminal C has hardly any non-satellite gates), then catch the shuttle to the main terminal. Get off the shuttle, walk towards the main terminal and after I guess 20-30 metres, turn left and up the escalators to Transiti (transit area), instead of going straight ahead for passport control. Security is at the top of the escalators and rarely has more than a handful of people in the queue ahead of you. (I'd guess the most would be just after an Alitalia long-haul arrives, and there aren't many of those, maybe even fewer in the near future.)

That takes you straight back into terminal C departures. There isn't any passport control; you only encounter immigration if you walk airside to terminal B which is the Schengen terminal and leads to terminal A which is the domestic terminal.

You then catch the shuttle back to the satellite area. The whole process is unlikely to take you more than 15-20 minutes tops.

(I was always surprised there is no direct link from arrivals to departures in the satellite itself. Never found one although next time I'll look a bit harder. However, I suppose it's understandable as there would be the need for an extra security check.)

SLF

Thanks for the clarification

E14 26C

For the life of me I'm certain that there was a door signed with stairs that could take you back upstairs to the departures ... it was on the left just prior to the right hand turn to the shuttle ... a very hazy memory on this I will admit ... please feel free to correct me on this