I have a choice of Alitalia or British Airways at roughly the same fare one way from London to Rome in June. I'm a little leery of BA due to their ongoing strike-threat issues, but I know nothing about Alitalia. I'd appreciate any opinions, feedback, previous experiences, etc. to help make my decision. Thanks!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
1317 posts
Alitalia has a worse reputation than BA. If you are leery of BA, steer clear of Alitalia. My own personal experience with Alitalia was perfectly fine, but they have a bad reputation for canceled flights, lost luggage, random strikes, and the airline has been teetering on the edge of bankruptcy for years. I would fly them again if the price were noticeably less than other airlines and I didn't plan to check luggage. But given your scenario, I'd book with BA.
Posted by
OP
West Coast
138 posts
Thanks, Liz. I was leaning toward BA and your reply confirmed that it's the right choice. I really appreciate your response. Thanks again!
Posted by
OP
West Coast
138 posts
It's unanimous: BA! Thanks!
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
The budget airline easyJet flies Gatwick-Fiumicino. The fare, all taxes and fees included, can be as low as 33.99 GBP. Note, however, that there are fees for each piece of checked luggage and you are limited to one piece of carry-on luggage. See here. Like all budget airlines, easyJet strictly enforces its check-in deadline. If you don't have a boarding pass in hand when that deadline arrives, your ticket will be worthless.
Posted by
Chicago
2876 posts
I'll give you one minor negative about British Airways. Although they are in the American Airlines "One World" alliance, they DO NOT give mileage credit for transatlantic flights, nor can you use AAdvantage miles to purchase BA transatlantic tickets.
Posted by
Des Moines, IA
2193 posts
I’ve never flown with Alitalia and most likely never will due to the very negative reviews posted on many travel-related sites. My own personal experience with BA has been uneven…I would rate the airline as fair to okay. There are better carriers, but if it’s between just these two, I would select BA.
Posted by
gaston, oregon, usa
842 posts
Andrea, make sure you check into Tim's advice. The lo-cost EU airlines are great options for inter-EU flights. They have to pass the same standards as the big boys, and many times they are much more reliable.
Easy Jet is a great option.
We always check them out on whichbudget.com to see if they list a flight for our final destination, once we get "over the pond".
Posted by
Puyallup, WA, USA
881 posts
The horrors I've dealt with on BA pale in comparison to the horrors I've seen people go through on Al Italia. I think my worst day on BA would be better than my best day on Al Italia.
Lots of discount airlines fly the route too. Check them out!
Posted by
OP
West Coast
138 posts
It's really amazing to be able to glean so much wisdom from the more experienced travelers out there!
Using the process of elimination, I went ahead and booked the British Airways flight. I haven't heard anything positive about Alitalia at all. (And too bad, since they're possibly the only airline with a nonstop LAX to Rome flight.) I tried to avoid the low cost airlines because of the luggage restrictions -- try as I might, I always travel with a heavier bag than I plan, and didn't want to buy a ticket that ended up being a false economic move.
My only concern is still a strike with BA, but since I'm flying into London on a different airline (which precluded leaving from Gatwick, by the way), I figure for sure I'll get to London, and at the worst will be stranded in one of my favorite cities!
Thanks everyone for taking the time to respond.
P.S. The one-way fare on BA (and Alitalia) was only about $125, making it actually a low cost fare, since that includes all taxes, fees, and my one piece of (fairly hefty) luggage. Thanks again!