We're nervous about not only the time to connect to our flight to
Calabria in Rome, but getting our luggage if we check bags.
Hearing a lot of advice to not check bags. Is that unfounded?
I mean, won't the airline (Delta/ITA) make SOME effort to get our luggage to our destination or is that bad?
You don't need to collect your luggage in Rome if your travel is all on one ticket.
I mean, won't the airline (Delta/ITA) make SOME effort to get our luggage to our destination or is that bad?
Yes. If this is all on one ticket the carrier is supposed to get your bag to the final destination. That could mean your bag gets put on a later flight. When this has happened to me, the bag has been delivered to my home or hotel by the airline, usually the next day. I have read that it is taking longer for airlines to deliver lost bags than it did pre-pandemic.
I always check a bag on transatlantic flights. I also take a carry on with a change of clothes, a couple pairs of socks and underwear, meds, electronics, and any other essentials. I can get by on this for several days if my bag is delayed.
Make sure you put your name and contact info both on the luggage tag and on something inside your bag. Take a photo of your bag. If your bag does not show up, go to the service desk and fill out the form.
this was also adding to the stress/question:
I wouldn’t do it. We are in Italy now and every single flight we have been on has been delayed. If that happens, not only will your baggage miss the connecting flight but you will too. You need at least two hours or three to feel comfortable.
I often have connections that are 2 hours or less. My rules:
And generally:
If you are coming in from the US or the UK, you will have to go through passport control before you get on your second flight. So one hour will not be enough time.
You may also have to pick up and re-check your bags (depending on the carrier of your second flight) so plan for that just in case.
if your travel is all on one ticket.
Until OP clarifies this point......
Yes our ticket is from LAX - to Reggio Calabria, through Rome. I've decided I'm not checking luggage, just to be safe.
But now I am worried about deplaning, going through customs, and getting to flight to Reggio within an hour!
But now I am worried about deplaning, going through customs( immigration), and getting to flight to Reggio within an hour!
More Tums may be order.... As best I can tell ITA has just one flight per day FCO-REG, the 1:15PM flight.
Assuming an on time arrival, getting off the plane, going through immigration and getting to where ever the next flight is, all in an hour looks extraordinarily challenging. And if the 2nd flight is one where you have to take a bus from the terminal to the plane 'parking lot'........ I suspect ice cube survival in satan's domicile get better odds
I find it interesting that ITA sells that itinerary, but Delta does not. Delta does sell tickets for the ITA LAX-FCO flight, but not the final leg to REG.
If you cannot change your flights, I would definitely have a 'Plan B'
GOOD LUCK!
PS You may want to become familiar with this--- https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm
LOL it's a 6 hour train ride!
Why wouldn't we be going through customs in Reggio Calabria? Are you all sure we'll be going through customs in Rome?
It’s not “ customs “
It is Immigration Control done at your first entry into Schengen
Customs is just a matter of walking thru a door, as long as you are not declaring anything
It's a matter of luck. I flew through Rome to Palermo and was very anxious from the beginning until I was actually in line at the gate in Fiumicino. I did have a 90 minute layover. Everything went smoothly and the second flight left late for some reason. My checked bag made it as well.
It looks like there's only one flight a day to Reggio, undoubtedly why you have the short connection. If there are other connecting passengers on your Delta flight, it's possible they will hold the ITA flight and expedite your passage through security, and immigration. This happened to me once in Vienna when Lufthansa held up a flight to Tel Aviv because the flight from Salzburg was delayed due to bad weather.
Can you contact Delta now and ask them what they'll give you if you don't make the ITA flight? Could be $$, could be overnight hotel and next-day flight, could be nada?
Follow Chani’s advice. I have had it happen that the person checking me in didn’t want to print all the boarding passes and that is a real pain. Especially if you have a tight connection. Now I insist on all boarding passes on check in.
Passport security check prior to connecting flight is accurate. I have been thru UK several times and had to go thru this process. The line is usually very long and there is no priority line. I have heard it’s a similar process in FCO airport. In LHR I have seen flights waiting for their passengers till the departure time unlike in the US where the gate closes 10 minutes before departure.
