I am flying into rome on American airlines. I am then flying, on Alitalia, to Palermo on an afternoon flight. I was told I cannot get my boarding pass for Alitalia in the states. Is this a big issue to go through customs, change terminals and figure how to get the boarding pass ?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Alison, the following should be learnt by heart by all first time international travellers: Customs is a non-event, just walk through the "nothing to declare" door. What takes the time is IMMIGRATION (passport control).
If you cannot get your boarding pass ahead of time, you will (after going through immigration), have to pick up your luggage, walk through customs, and check in again for your second flight, handing over your luggage again. Then go back in through security.
Two big risks.
- Depending on airport, how busy they are, and luck, immigration could be 5 minutes or 50.
- Intercontinental flights can be 1 hour late due to winds, or can be early.
If you are doing this as two separate bookings, you have no guarantee if you miss the second flight. Hard luck, you have lost the cost of your flight and are stuck in Rome and have to buy a new ticket.
Either leave a long safety margin (2 hours or more), or if possible, do this as one through booking, then the airline is responsible if you miss the connection.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23660 posts
And on a Saturday morning in May two years ago, immigration took over two hours. I am assuming the AA flight arrives early morning and if you departure in mid to late PM, then you are fine. You get the boarding pass the old fashion way. At the check in desk.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
"I was told I cannot get my boarding pass for Alitalia in the states."
Things may have changed in 3 years, but when I took Alitalia from Rome to Palermo, booked as a separate ticket, I was able to get my boarding pass online before I left. This is because it becomes available online 24 hours before the flight takes off - and Italy is 6 hours ahead of New York. So, before I had to go to the airport in the US, I was able to print the boarding pass.
Alitalia handled it the same as other airlines do - I got an e-mail notification that it was time to check in, and when I did so, I could print my boarding pass or choose to get it at the airport.
You will land in Terminal 3, and your flight to Palermo will depart from Terminal 1. It's about a 10 minute walk between the terminals. If you weren't able to print your boarding pass ahead, and/or you have to check luggage, you go to the check in desk for your flight. Once you have your boarding pass and have checked your luggage, you go through security, then to your gate.