Flying to Rome
Sep 21, 2006, 5:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 36
Flying to Rome
I am flying to Rome mid-March 11-18 and the more stories I hear about airport changes and lost luggage the more I am thinking of taking a direct flight. I am in DC and could easily do a direct flight from another city if necessary and if the price is right. For example PHL, NYC, etc. I notice prices now for the time I want seem to be in $600 to $700 , $800 range now. I am looking for recommendations on the best airline/service/etc to take and city to fly from from your experince.
Sep 22, 2006, 6:53 am
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
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Originally Posted by citylover
I am flying to Rome mid-March 11-18 and the more stories I hear about airport changes and lost luggage the more I am thinking of taking a direct flight. I am in DC and could easily do a direct flight from another city if necessary and if the price is right. For example PHL, NYC, etc. I notice prices now for the time I want seem to be in $600 to $700 , $800 range now. I am looking for recommendations on the best airline/service/etc to take and city to fly from from your experince.
I don't find it "easy" to fly out of either NYC or PHL from DC. to phl, it is a 2 hr drive(better leave 4 hrs if driving up I95) the drive back after the transatlantic is about a million miles. double all that for ewr, and triple it for jfk. doing train and cab is equally painfull with cab transfers.
Luggage loss is not very frequent. I am probably a typical traveler, and have never had luggage lost. Had it delayed into ASP, LHR(took 3 days),blq(2x because of 45 min transfer),moscow(took 2 days) in the past 15 years.
Aspen was the biggest problem as the luggage had our ski boots.
I think the loss ratio is probably greatly reduced if you stay on the same airline.
If there are things you must have, mail them air pp to italy is $30 for 5 lbs.
Sep 23, 2006, 3:38 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 36
any advice from others who have done this trip?
Originally Posted by slawecki
I don't find it "easy" to fly out of either NYC or PHL from DC. to phl, it is a 2 hr drive(better leave 4 hrs if driving up I95) the drive back after the transatlantic is about a million miles. double all that for ewr, and triple it for jfk. doing train and cab is equally painfull with cab transfers.
Luggage loss is not very frequent. I am probably a typical traveler, and have never had luggage lost. Had it delayed into ASP, LHR(took 3 days),blq(2x because of 45 min transfer),moscow(took 2 days) in the past 15 years.
Aspen was the biggest problem as the luggage had our ski boots.
I think the loss ratio is probably greatly reduced if you stay on the same airline.
If there are things you must have, mail them air pp to italy is $30 for 5 lbs.
Luggage loss is not very frequent. I am probably a typical traveler, and have never had luggage lost. Had it delayed into ASP, LHR(took 3 days),blq(2x because of 45 min transfer),moscow(took 2 days) in the past 15 years.
Aspen was the biggest problem as the luggage had our ski boots.
I think the loss ratio is probably greatly reduced if you stay on the same airline.
If there are things you must have, mail them air pp to italy is $30 for 5 lbs.
Sep 23, 2006, 5:03 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2001
Location: exUA1K, UA MM, lifetime UA1P, AA MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,731
I've done it connecting through PHL (UA -> US) and had no checked bag problems. We were in Business Class.
At the prices you quote, you're looking at coach fares. So the question is, which airline has the best coach?
You'd do best to cross the Atlantic in UA's coach (and secure Economy+ through status or buy-up) but get the E+ at time of booking! Then connect on LH from, say, MUC.
At the prices you quote, you're looking at coach fares. So the question is, which airline has the best coach?
You'd do best to cross the Atlantic in UA's coach (and secure Economy+ through status or buy-up) but get the E+ at time of booking! Then connect on LH from, say, MUC.
Sep 24, 2006, 4:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2005
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We flew into Rome in August through Munich on LH and it took over 2 hours to receive most of our bags. I say most since I never received my bag until the next day.
Sep 25, 2006, 7:10 am
#6
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Originally Posted by dlwalt
We flew into Rome in August through Munich on LH and it took over 2 hours to receive most of our bags. I say most since I never received my bag until the next day.
Baggage at FCO is probably handled by local staff, so 2 hrs is probably a local issue. sounds like a union slowdown to me.
The next day is most likely an LH issue. LH with the 45-60 min or so transfers at both FRA and MUC off of wide bodies, a lot of bags miss the continuing flight.
Sep 25, 2006, 9:29 am
#7
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The average for baggage "inconvenience" is about 6.5 reports per 1,000 passengers. Check in early, assure sufficient time between connections, mark your bag(s) prominently, keep a description (I actualy use a digital photo on my camera's memory card to show baggage personnel) in case you needd to fill out a missing baggage report, include identifying information outside (and I highly recommend identifying data and an itinerary inside in case the tags are torn off by airport machinery or...) don't pack anything very valuable and avoid packing anything that might set of a scanner at your departure point (fruitcake, semi-solids like soap, chocolate, etc. in sizes that might resemble a packet of explosives,) secure the baggage with TSA-approved locks and you should better those odds.
Sep 25, 2006, 5:32 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 36
Originally Posted by sonofzeus
Who sells these at a low, low price??
The locks are priced at $19.85 for a pair and are available through Magellan's.
http://www.safeskieslocks.com/
$7.99 ea or $2@ $14.99
http://www.travelsentry.org/
Brookstone sells the larger combination locks for $20 a pair.
http://www.amazon.com
(under Apparel) Price: $7.75 ex
Sep 26, 2006, 5:25 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 3,944
Originally Posted by JDiver
The average for baggage "inconvenience" is about 6.5 reports per 1,000 passengers. Check in early, assure sufficient time between connections, mark your bag(s) prominently, keep a description (I actualy use a digital photo on my camera's memory card to show baggage personnel) in case you needd to fill out a missing baggage report, include identifying information outside (and I highly recommend identifying data and an itinerary inside in case the tags are torn off by airport machinery or...) don't pack anything very valuable and avoid packing anything that might set of a scanner at your departure point (fruitcake, semi-solids like soap, chocolate, etc. in sizes that might resemble a packet of explosives,) secure the baggage with TSA-approved locks and you should better those odds.
Sep 26, 2006, 5:32 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Posts: 470
Just make sure that you are not flying Alitalia. They are horrible when it comes to handleing bags. A couple of months ago I was flying EWR-FCO-TLV and on the TLV end we found out that they 'forgot' to load any bags onto the aircraft. I don't think that you will have problems from any bags that leave on a US flight, but watch out when leaving FCO. And be sure to pack an extra shirt and boxers.
Sep 26, 2006, 8:55 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 36
TLVorbust - I heard a lot of negative comments about Alitalia so I have decided to stay away from them. A direct flight from the USA to Rome should hopefully not be an issue for my luggage ...lost or delayed... (I hope anyway).
I do plan to fly coach & direct.
roberto99 said I should try to find which airline has the best coach. So if anyone has any feedback on that I'd appreciate it.
I do plan to fly coach & direct.
roberto99 said I should try to find which airline has the best coach. So if anyone has any feedback on that I'd appreciate it.
Sep 28, 2006, 10:13 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 36
Noticed that USAirways prices have really jumped since yesterday and Air France is having a sale that ends Oct 3rd.
Originally Posted by citylover
TLVorbust - I heard a lot of negative comments about Alitalia so I have decided to stay away from them. A direct flight from the USA to Rome should hopefully not be an issue for my luggage ...lost or delayed... (I hope anyway).
I do plan to fly coach & direct.
roberto99 said I should try to find which airline has the best coach. So if anyone has any feedback on that I'd appreciate it.
I do plan to fly coach & direct.
roberto99 said I should try to find which airline has the best coach. So if anyone has any feedback on that I'd appreciate it.
Sep 29, 2006, 8:42 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2001
Location: exUA1K, UA MM, lifetime UA1P, AA MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
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Originally Posted by citylover
TLVorbust - I heard a lot of negative comments about Alitalia so I have decided to stay away from them. A direct flight from the USA to Rome should hopefully not be an issue for my luggage ...lost or delayed... (I hope anyway).
I do plan to fly coach & direct.
roberto99 said I should try to find which airline has the best coach. So if anyone has any feedback on that I'd appreciate it.
I do plan to fly coach & direct.
roberto99 said I should try to find which airline has the best coach. So if anyone has any feedback on that I'd appreciate it.
UA's coach beats the rest if you book Economy Plus since you are assured an extra 4-5 inches of legroom.
But, UA doesn't fly to FCO in the last 10 years or so. So that would mean a connection somewhere in Europe.
BTW, airlines use the term "direct" to mean one stop service. they even stretch this to mean a connection with the same flight number on twt very different planes.
OP, I suspect that you wanted "non-stop" service to FCO from somewhere in the USA. that narrows the choices to perhaps AZ (ick), US, DL, and AA. And they ALL have very nasty coach seating!