We plan on booking a flights through Alitalia airlines. My brother has informed me that Alitalia is the worst airline carrier in Europe, but figured it might be worth the risk. I know they are notorious for losing checked bags, but we are traveling with carry-on only, so that doesn’t concern me. My concern is cancelled flights; do they cancel/delay flights often? Our departing flight to the USA leaves London (Heathrow) at 1420, but we are planning on catching an Alitalia flight from Albania to London with a layover in Rome, Fiumicino. Projected arrival at Heathrow is at 1125. How safe is this plan?
Posted by
Freedonia
16283 posts
You really don't have much of a choice, do you? At least if you want to travel back to London on the day of your departure back to the States.
Too bad you already booked your flights. If you haven't purchase them, look into open jaw flights:
Tucson to London and Tirana-Tucson.
Posted by
Gettysburg, PA
1589 posts
Here is my general guideline:
Reliability and Alitalia are mutually exclusive terms. During the Middle Ages, some folks chose to expose themselves to the Plague, but most regretted the decision.
Have you fully explored all other possibilities?
Posted by
Lewiston, Idaho, USA
2092 posts
If I were planning the same trip, it would be worth several hundred dollars to me to not fly Alitalia!
Posted by
Washington, DC
888 posts
We flew Alitalia for a total of four take-offs in September and it went pretty smoothly. We were generally on-time (+/- 15 minutes). We did carry-on. With that said, I would think you are cutting it close with your connection time and since your airlines are not working together, if you miss your flight to the States, no one would be responsible except for you. I would not take that chance regardless of the airline. Can you come back the day before? Have you checked with the discount airlines in Europe, such as AirOne, Ryanair, etc? Can you change your original flight to be open-jaw (into one place and out the other)?
Posted by
OP
Aiken, SC
56 posts
Wow, thanks for the replies... So it sounds like even if Alitalia proved reliable, it would still be cutting it close, even with 3 hrs between flights... So to book on British air from Albania, we would arrive the night before and have to transfer to Heathrow from Gatwick and also find a hotel to stay at for the night. Since our flight doesn't leave til 1420, that gives us lots of time on our hands. Any advice for transfers between airports and a hotel for the night?
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5850 posts
Hi Sherri,
I often fly to London and then buy a separate ticket to somewhere else in Europe... sometimes it is less expensive. However, when I buy a separate ticket I always allow a night in London to play it safe. Any flight can be delayed ... not just Alitalia. Heathrow has a lot of air traffic. I lived in London for a year and travelled nearly every week. It was not uncommon to have a delay.
If you do decide to come in the night before and have to switch from LGW to LHR, a hotel near Victoria Station or Gloucester Road or Earls Court would all be decent choices. From LGW, take the train into the city to Victoria. The next morning, take the tube to LHR. Alternatively, there is a bus between LGW and LHR so you could stay overnight at one of the airports.
On the other hand, if you were flying Alitalia the day before, I would not be nearly as concerned as flying the day of your trans-atlantic flight (although I do prefer BA).
Posted by
NYC, NY, USA
22 posts
Sorry to say this, but if you keep your expectations low with Alitalia you would come out ahead. I feel that the employees are there to give paybacks to the company and the customers are just the victims of the crossfires.
Posted by
OP
Aiken, SC
56 posts
Update: I've made most of the reservations, and the Alitalia rates that were so enticing have vanished, so as it turns out, we are avoiding them altogether since we can no longer afford them on our budget. We will be arriving the night before our flight back to the USA on British Airways. Hopefully their strike will be over by April! ;-)