Originally Posted by
Eastbay1K
Not much different than the North/South America flights with respect to the nearly insufferable hardships you describe. Somehow, we've all survived.
IME when I fly to Buenos Aires, by the time I clear immigration and customs and get to my hotel, it's mid-morning. I've never waited for my room, in Argentina or Brazil, longer than the time it takes to drink a glass of champagne. For the return, it's easy to get a four or five o'clock checkout with status or on a FHR booking; leaving then is very reasonable for a flight scheduled to depart around 8:00 or 8:30 pm. No problem.
OTOH arriving in Europe at 6 am means being homeless for most of the morning. If it's Italy, IME you will not be given a room until the official check in time, typically 3 pm, when all rooms in the hotel suddenly become magically clean and available for arriving guests.