FCO A nightmare?

[Anyislandwilldo]

I read on our Facebook page that you need to get to the FCO airport 3 hours in advance for your flight home.  The author said it was a nightmare to get through ticketing, then another passport check and so on making it sound like it's a real nightmare to get through.  Has anyone else encountered such a nightmare at the airport?

[CruiserBruce]

Been discussed here many times. FCO is not an efficient airport. Just a fact. 

 

If you are exiting the EU, you will have a passport check at any EU airport. If you are flying non-stop to the US, you will have an additional security check. Also just a fact frequently discussed here.

 

"Ticketing "? You probably mean checking in your bags, right?

[cruisemom42]

Personally, I would not say FCO is a "nightmare" on a normal day, any more so than any large airport. I get through it at least as efficiently as I have in any other MAJOR airport I've transited in the last 2 years including Atlanta (ATL), Paris (CDG), London Heathrow (LHR), LaGuardia (LGA), and Tokyo Haneda (HND).

 

Amsterdam (AMS) was far worse. Of course, that was last summer in the heat of the luggage pile-ups....

 

At any rate, I allow 3 hours prior to departure for any International flight. It's what most airlines and airports recommend. As you saw from my other post, it's really not that complicated. The only "extra" step that US airports don't require is the passport check prior to leaving the country, and that is the shortest bit.

 

 

 

[Girr]

Others may disagree, but since the terminal has been remodeled, I'm finding it a lot more "user friendly".  However, I'd still allow three hours.  On our flight home in July, arriving close to three hours, our check-in gate had opened, and we quickly breezed through the initial check-in, but then ran into a major problem (DH's electric wheelchair).  Thinking I'd get the problem fixed in just a few minutes I sent DH and GD ahead using airport wheelchair service.  Those two were in the Delta lounge less than 45 minutes from time of arrival at airport!  

 

Now, I had to go the multiple layers getting his chair checked in (FAA approved, and we travel with it often), but Italian officials did not want to accept the chair.  By the time I got done checking in the chair they were starting to board the plane.  I could have had a problem if I'd arrived later.

[Anyislandwilldo]

On 9/20/2023 at 1:22 PM, CruiserBruce said:

Been discussed here many times. FCO is not an efficient airport. Just a fact. 

 

If you are exiting the EU, you will have a passport check at any EU airport. If you are flying non-stop to the US, you will have an additional security check. Also just a fact frequently discussed here.

 

"Ticketing "? You probably mean checking in your bags, right?

Yes, checking our bags.  Can we use a kiosk to print out out boarding passes?  Do we still need to go to drop off our bags to the ticket agent?  Or is there a separate area to drop off luggage?

[cruisemom42]

Just now, Anyislandwilldo said:

Yes, checking our bags.  Can we use a kiosk to print out out boarding passes?  Do we still need to go to drop off our bags to the ticket agent?  Or is there a separate area to drop off luggage?

 

Sometimes you can get a boarding pass through the kiosk, sometimes you can't -- not sure why, but sometimes they want a person to actually verify your documents (e.g., passport). 

 

There is usually one line just for luggage drop-off. One for main cabin. And one for First Class and High level FF'ers.

 

[Anyislandwilldo]

Just now, cruisemom42 said:

 

Sometimes you can get a boarding pass through the kiosk, sometimes you can't -- not sure why, but sometimes they want a person to actually verify your documents (e.g., passport). 

 

There is usually one line just for luggage drop-off. One for main cabin. And one for First Class and High level FF'ers.

 

Thank you again!!!

[gail-s]

We flew out of there in July.  We had a 10:30 flight so we were there a bit after 7am.  It was busy, but I've seen worse.  I paid for the Fast Track which allowed us to jump ahead of the lines a bit.  Staff were pleasant and efficient.  Have all of your ducks in a row and you'll be fine.  It was the people searching for their passports or getting in the wrong lines or having things you can't fly with that were causing the problems, not the airport itself.  

https://www.romeairports.com/fiumicino_en/fast-track.html

[Anyislandwilldo]

On 9/25/2023 at 9:02 AM, gail-s said:

We flew out of there in July.  We had a 10:30 flight so we were there a bit after 7am.  It was busy, but I've seen worse.  I paid for the Fast Track which allowed us to jump ahead of the lines a bit.  Staff were pleasant and efficient.  Have all of your ducks in a row and you'll be fine.  It was the people searching for their passports or getting in the wrong lines or having things you can't fly with that were causing the problems, not the airport itself.  

https://www.romeairports.com/fiumicino_en/fast-track.html

Wow!!  Thank you so much for this info.  I will definitely be signing up for this!!

[Hydro ergo]

On 9/25/2023 at 10:02 AM, gail-s said:

I paid for the Fast Track which allowed us to jump ahead of the lines a bit. 

Was it worth it? How does it work? The website is a little sparse with information, would love a first hand account---thank you! 

[gail-s]

I wasn’t even sure if we were going to use it because when we walked through the door it didn’t seem packed. As soon as we got through the checkpoint though things got tied up. Thankfully we were able to slip into the line next to us for the fast pass and bypass the very long lines of people checking their bags. You just need to keep your eyes open when you enter the terminal for the correct line. When we were there (flying delta) it was over to the left. 

[Hydro ergo]

46 minutes ago, gail-s said:

Thankfully we were able to slip into the line next to us for the fast pass and bypass the very long lines of people checking their bags

Does that mean it doesn't work if you have to check a bag?  Unfortunately we will be checking bags on this trip.  Also, thank you for sharing your experience--it's always helpful to hear from people who have actually done something!

[CruiserBruce]

51 minutes ago, gail-s said:

I wasn’t even sure if we were going to use it because when we walked through the door it didn’t seem packed. As soon as we got through the checkpoint though things got tied up. Thankfully we were able to slip into the line next to us for the fast pass and bypass the very long lines of people checking their bags. You just need to keep your eyes open when you enter the terminal for the correct line. When we were there (flying delta) it was over to the left. 

Fast pass is not related to checking your bags, is it? Fast pass is related to security, isn't it?

[gail-s]

We got into the line before we checked our bags I believe. 

[gail-s]

32 minutes ago, Hydro ergo said:

Does that mean it doesn't work if you have to check a bag?  Unfortunately we will be checking bags on this trip.  Also, thank you for sharing your experience--it's always helpful to hear from people who have actually done something!

Nope. We were checking bags. You need to look for the sign as soon as you get into the airport. There’s only one place where you get into the line. 

[Hydro ergo]

44 minutes ago, gail-s said:

Nope. We were checking bags. You need to look for the sign as soon as you get into the airport. There’s only one place where you get into the line. 

ah, ok, I think I get it.  So you need to get in the fast pass lane FIRST before you do anything else...then you can check bags, passports, go through security...

thank you! 

[CruiserBruce]

13 minutes ago, Hydro ergo said:

ah, ok, I think I get it.  So you need to get in the fast pass lane FIRST before you do anything else...then you can check bags, passports, go through security...

thank you! 

That doesn't make sense...

[Hydro ergo]

44 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

That doesn't make sense...

Ah geez... you're right. I didn't even think this through, but that would mean separate ticketing counters for every airline. It must be after baggage and check-in and before security...which makes sense since it's offered by the airport and not the airline. Can I blame a long weekend of last minute planning?? 🙄

[phabric]

I plan on doing the Fast Pass on our return from Rome.

 

Is it a q code that I need on my phone?

Is is something I can print?

[Hydro ergo]

On 10/5/2023 at 11:56 AM, phabric said:

Is it a q code that I need on my phone?

Is is something I can print?

It's a QR code,,,you can print and/or have the confirmation email available on your phone (I'm assuming they will accept either, but I haven't done it myself yet at the airport)

[phabric]

Thanks I will print and have on phone

[SpacemanSpiff]

We went through FCO on a United flight to IAD (and beyond).  Other than being busy at the United counter, we found it to be basically pretty efficient.  We got there slightly over three hours early, checked the bags and worked our way through passport control, etc., and  had plenty of time for a coffee and croissant prior to boarding.  (Compare and contrast to IAD, where we got to passport control right at shift change and within minutes of two other large international flights -- thank goodness for Global Entry!  our line was about 25 people instead of the 600 or so in the regular line -- and it took a long time for the luggage to come through to be rebooked.)

[GrandmaOhio]

Excuse my ignorance, first time to Europe…what is this Fast Pass?  Is it the same as global entry?

[CruiserBruce]

47 minutes ago, GrandmaOhio said:

Excuse my ignorance, first time to Europe…what is this Fast Pass?  Is it the same as global entry?

No, not the same as Global Entry. FCO has a program to expedite your travel through security for a fee.

 

Did you check out the link in post #8?

[GrandmaOhio]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

No, not the same as Global Entry. FCO has a program to expedite your travel through security for a fee.

 

Did you check out the link in post #8?

No, sorry, I missed that.  Thank you for pointing it out.  I think maybe we will do this for our trip next year.  Thanks!