Disregarding cost, would you take an afternoon flight from Rome to Palermo in March on ITA or Ryanair? We have never flown on either airline.
We are flying Delta and KLM from Minneapolis, and the layover time at Rome airport for ITA looks short (about 1.5 hours) and for Ryanair is a bit long (4.5 hours). I assume we'd have to retrieve and re-check our checked bags either way.
The layover time might actually be the determining factor for you. The 1.5 hours is a bit too risky for me unless there are more flights afterward that you could be put on. (Some of our biggest snowstorms occur in March.) I would probably opt for the 4.5 hour layover and just enjoy a meal/drink in the airport while waiting.
I also will be flying ITA for the first time this December, Rome to Palermo. I'll be interested to see what others say.
Thanks, Lindy, I will stop being tempted by the earlier flight! You helped me remember that the previous times we successfully managed too-short layovers at FCO we were doing carry-on, not checking bags like we do now.
Is there any way you can have it on your confirmation with KLM? It would make it much less worrying.
I think only Transavia is owned by KLM and it shows no flights to Palermo in March or April. It's an interesting idea, though, and I will keep it in mind for another trip!
Nancy, we booked all the way thru to Catania (round trip) on Delta. The last leg was ITA. We thought the ITA flight was fine. Would the leg to Palermo be on a ticket connected to the flight from Minneapolis? If so, I'd do ITA, knowing they'd be responsible to get you to Palermo. We have found the Rome airport very efficient/organized. We did carry on so I can't speak to checking/rechecking bags.
I can't recall if you've been to Catania. We really liked the cathedral and the WWII museum. We also did the RS walking tour. I wouldn't recommend more than a day or two because other cities in Sicily are nicer, but it was enjoyable for a couple days.
There is a bus from the Catania airport to Siracusa. If we had to do over, we would have gone directly to Siracusa and done just a day or two in Catania at the end of the trip.
I wish we weren't so boxed in at both ends of this trip --- to fly ITA to either Palermo or Catania we'd have to add on several days that we don't have.
We'll be 2, possibly 3 nights in Catania for husband's opera and the WWII museum for me, and plus some food destinations that a foodie person my husband trusts is recommending.
