Rome Airport Fiumicino review by A O'Connor

24 June 2008   Customer Rating :

FCO-DUB. I like Fiumicino. Use it quite a bit. Easy to get to from Termini, reasonably quick check in. Plenty of shops and helpful staff. It's a good airport as such places go.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Gabri Schoen

4 June 2008   Customer Rating :

Busy like one would expect. I didn't, however, expect it to be so dirty. Everything looked old and worn. The ladies' room near our gate (no idea what it was) was a disgrace. There were trash all over the floor because the trashcans were overflowing. Weird how such a big airport with so much traffic can be so disgusting.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Janet Price

4 March 2008   Customer Rating :

Birmingham into Fiumicino Airport. No problems, luggage came through very quickly and we were away. The return journey was a disaster. After queuing for 1hr and 20 minutes to check in, we were told our flight was delayed by 3 hours - these things happen and we accepted this and were directed to Gate C23 and given a voucher for refreshments. We went through security and caught the shuttle to gate C23. Refreshment bar was just closing as we arrived and we got pizza and coffee, by the skin of our teeth. Just as we sat down to eat, we were informed that we had to go back to gate C11. We tried to find the shuttle to return, but the airport was closing (11pm) by now and we couldn't find any signs or anyone to ask our way back. Eventually an airport cleaner, pointed us in the right direction and we got the shuttle back. We then had to go through security again! Finally sat down exhausted. After about another 1/2 hour, an announcement told us to go to gate 36. Eventually we were piled on to the airport bus, to go out to board the plane. We were kept on the bus, for about 15 minutes, doors kept closed and no explanation for the wait, and suddenly the bus turnwed round and we were taken back to the terminal, where we were kept on the bus for another 10 minutes, before being allowed to get off and enter the building again. No explanation other than 'There is a problem with the Company' was given. Eventually after 4.5 hours of waiting we boarded the plane and took off back to Birmingham. What a farce, and to put the icing on the cake, when we all went to the Carousel to pick up our luggage, we were told that no luggage had been put on the plane. Again no explanation, no one at Fiumicino Airport had told us, that our luggage had not been loaded. I presume that as the Airport appeared to have completely closed down at 11pm, there were no baggage handlers available to load the luggage on the plane! I have to say that the staff in the airport that we did meet before it closed were very unhelpful, they obviously wanted to get home.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by E Crookston

9 January 2008   Customer Rating :

I flew into this airport from LHR and it was very busy. The train connecting arrivals to baggage collection was crowded as only one was working. Baggage arrival very slow. There was a large queue at passport control as their signposting is unclear as to who should be in what queue. The return journey was better, we did self service check-in at the BA desk and it was then very quick through security and to the departure lounge. We used the flightplan lounge which was ok but fairly busy. Their duty free shops are not too bad and staff were helpful. Boarding the aircraft was a bit of a free for all but all in all the experience on the way home was okay.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Geoff Wyndham-Jones

6 November 2007   Customer Rating :

Used FCO twice during October: both times, queues for security departing Terminal B (International) were horrendous, on a par with Heathrow: allow at least 30 minutes for this, and remain patient when others queue-jump. If you wait until your flight shows as 'boarding' on the screens, you might not make it through security on time. Check-in desks seem to open promptly 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure, and not a minute before: check-in staff do not appear to be competent, so allow for a long wait here. However, check-in desk locations are shown in advance of them opening, so if you arrive early, stake your place in the line. Otherwise, a crowded, rather average airport: delays on arrival of baggage when arriving and few signs advising you of which terminal you need to be at to find your flight when in transit.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Paul Browne

4 October 2007   Customer Rating :

Used FCO three times in the last 3 months with differing experiences. If you are arriving with checked luggage, expect delays for it to arrive on the carousel. However, last week with roll-on bags we breezed through with lots of time to make the Leonardo Express to downtown. It appears that FCO management does have any interest in cleaning as the place is filthy and badly maintained - at any time of the day or night. Security seems to be attentive which is reassuring at least.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Bob Vernola

27 September 2007   Customer Rating :

Flew in and out of this airport on recent vacation. Flew on United. Was very apprehensive especially after reading the comments, however, wasn't as bad as it was made out to be. Yes, it is a bit hectic and "outdated" but on our arrival it took us approx 45 minutes to get through customs. This was after they opened up another gate for non-european flyers. After visiting Italy I can see why things run just a bit "different". They are not in a rush to do much of anything and they do not believe in lines. Merely, go ahead and try and go right to the front. Not very nice, but it seems the way to go. Upon departure, we breezed right through since we were business class with United and had a very pleasant wait in a very nice area including some very nice shops. Maybe I'm seeing the upgrades that so many other flyers have mentioned were ongoing. Overall, an acceptable airport.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Giacomo Gramazio

11 September 2007   Customer Rating :

I travelled from and to FCO many times, the latest of which this summer. On the side of departure, the airport offers good services and fast check-in desks, good transports to and from Rome, nice shops, bars and restaurant. Anyway, it's rather dirty and not very efficient. On peak hours one can definitely find long queues for the security controls and many flights will not be in time. I hope that the future expansions will improve the situation. Arriving at FCO might be the worst airport experience ever for any traveller: I can't but second all the criticism about the baggage delivery, which is extremely slow, and the departure halls don't look good and welcoming at all, being filthy and not clean. I'm sorry to say this because it's my "home" airport, but I would like it to be better.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by C Nieuwenhuis

15 August 2007   Customer Rating :

Arriving into FCO? Bring loads of time, you are likely to spend an hour waiting for luggage. This is not a one off, I do it regularly! The responsibility lies squarely with the ground handlers EAS, who would urgently need a crash course on aviation handling. Same issues on outbound travel, delays are more often caused by totally inept processing at departure gates than flight density. I have even seen the captain of a serious German airline go mad at this point!

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Ed Smith

9 August 2007   Customer Rating :

The train connection from Rome Termini is good, quick, efficient and reasonably cheap (11 Euros) with a short walk from the platform to the departures area. After that easy experience, what follows it is hysterically bad. Check-in, in Terminal C at least, is a horrendous experience due to the abysmal layout of the check in areas - I can only assume they were designed by someone who never uses airports or who has severe masochistic tendencies. For some reason, the check in desks are split into "zones" - each zone occupies a square with an area of approximately 50 metres square, with approximately 12 check in desks in the square, 6 either side of the square - as a result of this, the queues for each desk meet in the middle in a horrendous muddle of confusion. To add to this, the passport/security line also runs through the middle of all of this! The result therefore is that you have something like 13 different queues in a very small area, working in 3 different directions - most passengers with heavy luggage, often with children running around and screaming. If, like me, you are trying to get to a check-in desk near the back of this area, you will find that you literally have to elbow your way through a seething mass of grumpy humanity and baggage to get to it - and then trying to find the end of your own queue is another matter -in the end I had to shout out loudly for people going to my destination to identify themselves so that I could join the correct queue. Once through all this, the passport/security line is reasonably fast when compared to many airports (10 mins) although I would say that the actual inspections are a little on the cursory side. Airside, the airport is at least a little more spacious, although the airport authorities have not deemed it necessary to fill this space with useful furniture such as adequate seating. Proceeding to the gate to board in plenty of time, I was amazed to see that the gate was being used to board 3 other flights before mine - although my plane was sitting waiting on the tarmac, we simply could not get to it as the gate was being used for these other flights - this tells me that this airport simply does not have adequate capacity to deal with the volume of flights going through it - and this was on a Wednesday early afternoon, not exactly peak time. Put simply this airport is a disgrace and needs an overhaul if it is to continue being the primary international gateway to Italy.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by John Armstrong

9 August 2007   Customer Rating :

My experience of this airport is that it is a disaster. The arrivals hall is overcrowded. I needed to use the bathroom and the first three I found were closed. The fourth was open, but had some cubicles closed. I had to wait an hour and half to get my luggage. The times given on the TV screens are optimistic. They indicate when a service may start, but they must have people carry each bag individually across the tarmac. I took the airport express into Rome. They only run every half hour. The train I took arrived and people in the first two carriages could not get out, because the doors were stuck. It also meant I and other could not get in, except through the third carriage. I left Rome with SAS. Check-in fine, but we left an hour late because the people to re-fuel the plane could not be found. On arrival in Copenhagen, I had to wait another hour for my case, only to discover that it was still in Rome. Other passengers experienced this to. One man received his luggage, while his girlfriend's disappeared. Apparently the Italian Govt won't pay for a laser and bar-code system to track luggage. It can sometime take 2 or 3 days to find bags. I got mine back when I was leaving the following day.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by John Oram

2 August 2007   Customer Rating :

Inbound to FCO this time was not too bad. Baggage delivery was quite fast. Finding the hotel shuttle was not entirely straightforward as there is some poor signage outside. Fortunately, I speak some Italian. We used the train back to the airport on an incidental trip during our holiday and a word of advice here. Don't use the ticket office unless you have the rest of your life to spare. A combination of Italian service and Italian queuing habits preclude this. You could use a ticket machine - these are much improved - but what you should know and will not until you go to board at Roma Termini (in the city) is that you buy a ticket on the platform (Platform 24). On our return journey, a persistent electrical fault was affecting both air conditioning (30 degrees outside) and baggage handling. Explanatory announcements were made in Italian and English. That aside, the food was pretty good, the toilets clean and the terminal mostly overcrowded.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by M Zia Ebrahimi

30 June 2007   Customer Rating :

Using FCO for the first time to depart to Istanbul. Reaching the airport is very expensive by Taxi but possible by train from some stations in the city and it takes about 50 minutes. Do not use Termini to reach FCO by train as it is very crowded and Rome metro is not reliable to arraive at termini on time. I found FCO very crowded and not so clean. Check in desk was promised to be in section C but it was in section B. The restaurant was not clean and food quality was poor. Not so many shops available. Immigration was very slow and we had to walk a long distance and use a magnetic train to reach the departure area. In general it should be much better than it is as a big airport for a very attractive city to tourists.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by B Granic

30 June 2007   Customer Rating :

I found Fiumicino to be a disastrously planned airport. I arrived from Milano Linate with Alitalia and departed to Split with Croatia Airlines. This requires moving terminal from the domestic/schengen to the satellite Terminal. The signs were almost non existant, frequently covered by other signs. The layout is not clear and a confusing mess. It is a lot better than Malpensa in terms of shopping and general feel, but all in all one of the worst major airports I've seen. The satellite terminal is much better than the rest. Its quite dirty, the public bathrooms really need an update in parts of the airport.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Keegan Perkins

31 March 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

Flown to Italy twice now, both times through Fiumicino. Both times I took Delta/Alitalia, which were using the same satellite concourse connected by monorail. That satellite concourse is nice with good shops for last minute spending. If you forgot to get a present for someone, lots to buy there. Customs is a pain, so, expect a long wait there unless EU citizen. Got off of the airplane there and had to use the restroom which was difficult to find and not pretty. One good thing was the ease of getting my bags and then getting on the express train to Termini. The escalator to the train is just steps from the funky baggage claim. I like this airport because of the ease of access to Rome. I went to Rome both times in May/June and it wasn't too busy, always room on the train and good space for bags. The walk from the train arrival platform at Termini in downtown Rome is a long walk from the main part of the train station--grab a cart if you've got heavy bags. I had an early departure from Fiumicino to Newark on Alitalia my second trip. i thought I'd arrive early to be safe and also do some shopping at the concourse shops. It was a bad idea to arrive too early for my early flight because the security does not operate at that time. I ended up waiting in line for an hour until they arrived. When they did arrive, they were laughing and just waived us through with minimal screening. Very disconcerting considering they went all out with the armed soldiers in the terminal. The Delta/Alitalia check-in is on the far left side of the terminal, right next to the security point which is up against the wall. El-Al check-in is snookered between the security on the left and Delta check-in as a previous commentator noted. Pretty functional airport.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Padraic Rowan

20 March 2007

Aer Lingus in and out of Rome last week. We flew into the satellite terminal which is connected by the monorail. It is a lovely airport and seems to be well organised. On the way back, we checked in at Area C which, again, is quite spacious and nice. No problems with the airport whatsoever.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Bradley Montag

19 January 2007

We were departing Rome on our way to Tel Aviv with EL AL. It was a bit of a struggle to find the EL AL check in which was tucked away at the end of the terminal with barely any signage. Otherwise the security was very swift and the airport itself was fairly quiet the day before Christmas. A good selection of stores and the airport is filled with natural light which makes travelling through Fiumicino quite pleasant.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Ned Hopkins

27 October 2006

Arriving at FCO is something of a nightmare. We stood in line for half- an-hour to get through immigration, then waited another 45 minutes for our bags to show up. Citizens of other EU countries apparently have it easier, at least with immigration. It's almost better to fly into Milano and take a plane, train, or bus (or rented car) to where you're going.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Greg White

2 October 2006

Arriving at this airport, as usual, was a dreadful experience, long queues at immigration, with less than half the desks open. Toilets are hard to find, with queues to use the mens' facilities! Strangely, departing is a much better experience.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by John Oram

30 July 2006

Using FCO was a pleasant experience with only one glitch which might not have originated locally. Transfer from C Staellite to baggage was smooth but we had a very long wait for our bags and after only one delivery of BA bags we started being drowned in Air Canada. I had to protest in poor Italian to restore the BA bags which then came in a torrent. However, there had been a handling problem at LHR so all the fault might not have been at FCO. Good signposting to rail station and on time train though I would think they could do with better than 1/2 hr frequency. Word of warning to the hard of moving, the train comes in at Platform 27 at Termini station and that is a good 400m from the concourse as it is a short platform. The environment at FCO was pleasant and seemed uncrowded although on the return journey Terminal C seemed a bit gloomy and looked its age. Loads of shops and conspicuous cleanliness. Security had a light handed (but not inadequate) touch. Basically the friendliest I have experienced since 9/11. This fit in with my experience on my break as the people were friendly and the city charming.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Robert Pierce

24 July 2006

Flew out of Rome Fiumicino to New York with Alitalia. High level of security in check-in area with 2 passport checkpoints before getting to the counter. No lines anywhere and easy to find counter, the terminal is a little warm but there is great shopping and once you get to the satelite terminal the temperature is comfortable. Overall very efficient terminal and almost all of the staff were attentive and helpful.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Ken Steel

11 July 2006

I use FCO regularly. The "Leonardo" express train is a great way to get into Rome quickly (30 minutes) and for a reasonable price ( € 9.50 each way). I am mystified though as to why they don't offer a discounted round-trip ticket and do not operate their trains with departures on the hour/half-hour nor 24 hours a day. But considering that an equivalent taxi ride can cost € 60 and take longer, it's a bargain that's hard to beat!

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Todd Hallam

10 May 2006

Arrived in Rome from Toronto and by the time I got off the plane, took the speedy shuttle to the baggage area and was out the front door was no more than 15 minutes! I didn't know why my baggag was the first out, or why the customs officers who were talking among themsels just waived me through with a flash of my passport but who am I to complain? Leaving was a whole different story. Great difficulty finding my ticket counter. The customs checkpoint was horribly inadequate. 3 booths open when all flight passengers were bottlenecking into the area and one officer decided to close up and take his break. Many people were complaining and saying they were going to miss their flights. We let those people through to the head of the line. They really need to fix this. Once through however the terminal is neat and clean with good views.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Stefano Musso

13 December 2005

Since I moved to Rome I use this airport several times a year and I still didn't get used to it. It's a zoo, very very dirty, sometimes I don't even go to the restroom even if I have too because of this reason, airport and alitalia staff is really unpolite and unresponsive, they rather talk to each other, smoke or have a coffee then help customers. It usually takes more time to go through security check then the actual national flight time. When I have intercontinental flight I understood it's impossible to stop at duty free shop, too crowded, lines too long and rude staff. When I arrive at FCO is even worse, i usually wait for 45-50 minutes in baggage claim area after a 1 hour flight. Not even 1 person from the airport staff is there, restrrooms are dirty and some nasty police guards are making fun at passengers waiting for baggage a way too long. The overall impression is that nothing works and people who are working in the airport don't care at all. I don't pretend it to be like HK airpot but at least something more near to an hub then a zoo.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Richard Williams

8 November 2005

An average airport, I flew in and out of Terminal C, Arrivals is very like most of the city in need of a good clean as it looks quite dirty. However departures is quite the opposite, although it seem to be a little difficult to find passport control after check in but most other things are well laid out.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Claus Heins

24 October 2005

Went to FCO with the family in Jul 2005. Took us 1 hour to get the bags. Another hour lost in the car rental center. The only good thing: Motorway starts right there. On the way home it was a little faster to get rid of the car and we had to wait in line for 1.5 hours to check in ( no bags went on the belt as it was blocked with other baggage - After 90 minutes they started to carry it away on charts - it arrived ) They had a kind of strike in the airport, but as usual no one can or will tell you what is going on. Later on they changed the gate as a lot of them were still blocked by planes waiting for baggage. Expresso Bars at the airport are the cheapest in Europe and the shops are stylish, but it is an airport and not a shopping mall!

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Yvonne Peterson

9 October 2005

This is up there with the worst. Trying to find the car rental returns none existent signage ,45 mins wasted. Staff unhelpful . All signs in airport confusing in fact even the signs to the gates are wrong check that out . On lower level sign points in wrong direction? If you have a lot of luggage not enough lifts to take you up to the higher level. And the lady is right about the transport - no signs, no information and you get ripped off by the cab drivers because you just get fed up and are tired.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Neil Ramsay

4 June 2005

Arrived at the Terminal C and was transported quickly by rail to baggage claim. Immigration was a bit of a joke. A glance at the cover of my passport and a stamp in a random page all the while talking to a colleague. Customs was as slack. And it's a bit of a pain to have to pay for a baggage cart. The arrivals area is connected to Terminal B and is basically gloomy. Departure thru Terminal B is a different story. Plenty of food outlets, shops and bars on the mezzanine above the check in counters. Security on departure is minimal. Gate lounges are really one big lounge with uncomfortable seating and some more food outlets as well as duty (tax?) free shopping. We were transported to our aircraft from the departure gate by bus which as usual was hot and stuffy. Fiumicino is no worse nor better than most airports around the world.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Alex Fjoldrom

4 June 2005

I agree that Leonardo da Vinci Airport is with Venice/Marco Polo, Turin, Bari, Cagliari, Olbia and other airports pretty usable by Italian standards, that it means far above the average European standard. I also like the shops at Milan/Malpensa. I must admit that about class, design, elegance, the Italians are second to anybody.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Francesco Lulli

23 May 2005

One previous poster suggested that arriving passenger take the regular slow train to Tiburtina station and then switch to the metro to Termini: while this is certainly cheaper, you have to bear in mind it's a train designed for commuters, it fills up fast and can therefore be inconvenient when you have a lot of luggage; carrying large bags is also a problem on the metro at rush hours, so only go for the Tiburtina train if you are travelling light. Of course, I agree that 9,50 Euro for a 30 minute train ride on the Airport express is a total rip- off for Italy, besides for this outrageous price you disembark at the far end of Termini station and you have to carry your bags down the platform forever with not a trolley in sight, but it's still the fastest and most convenient way to the center of Rome.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Helen Chernoff

15 May 2005

Arrival area is basic not very nice, but signs are clear and facilities are clean. Luggage takes a while to arrive. Departure zone is very efficient. Train connection to Rome is excellent. Restaurants and stores before security and passport checks are few but good. Inside the departure area shops are man and of a high quality. Probably the world's best airport for food and wine shopping (anything from gourmet chocolates to cheeses and truffles). Overall one of Europe's best airports.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Craig Blackwood

1 April 2005

As a regular user of Fiumicino Airport (which mysteriously also goes by the name of Leonardo da Vinci Airport) there are a few tips I could make to ensure a smoother experience: firstly, in getting to/from there, depending on where in the city you are transferring to, it may be easier, quicker and half the price to buy a train ticket on the regional service to Tuscolana station (from where you can take Metro Line A) rather than the Express to Termini station. The airport itself is pretty usable by Italian standards, although inside there's not much to do and it's rather dark and gloomy. When flying into the airport, try not to check in anything as it always takes FOREVER to appear in baggage claim, carry on only should be the rule. The ground staff aren't the friendliest, and don't expect quick service. And at the gate, remember that Italians won't queue so you'll either need to elbow your way onto the plane or just wait until the end.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Martin D Pay

21 March 2005

Having just flown in to and out of this airport last week, I would endorse the criticism in one respect - the food outlets are dire! If you're looking to have a proper meal between check-in and flying, forget it - a sandwich/coffee bar is all there is. Having left our hotel at 16.30 to allow for the traffic (check-in at 18.30, flight at 20.30, back in the UK at 22.10) we were more than hungry by the time we landed!

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Bob Gatecliffe

4 February 2005

Flew into Rome at approx 7.00am. Did not like the bus to terminal C pickup. Felt like I was going back time. I would not like to catch the bus in rain etc. I must say it did work this time. Travel through immigration was very easy and simple and even got a smile - nice. Easy exit from the terminal. My next experience was leaving Rome 3 days later. It was all good - transfer through to terminal B was simple, easy and pleasant. The terminal was very clean and comfortable. Overall good a good experience.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by K O'Flaherty

25 January 2005

There are two Fiumicinos, the one you arrive at and the one you depart from. The former is old, smelly and dirty. Such staff as there are, whether airport or airline, are tired, demoralized and unresponsive. We waited for nearly 45 minutes in a baggage claim area without windows, air conditioning, kiosks or vendors of any kind, or even seats for that matter. Definitely a third class facility, and I cannot but think that not everyone ends up there upon arrival in Roma. Leaving was better. The new terminal was attractive with nice vistas of the airport. It was also air conditioned. The shops were very expensive, not Heathrow scale ridiculous, but nonetheless after shopping about Roma for a few days I had no trouble deciding not to pay what was asked for in the airport. The really bizarre experience was on the bus out to the plane, passing all the luggage that had fallen off the carts on their way out to the planes. Everyone on the bus was sighing in unison as we passed each bag. We also got to witness a bag fall off a cart which, naturally, kept on going. Do not ever pack anything that you cannot afford to lose in a non-carry on suitcase at Roma. If I was Italian, I would be ashamed of this airport.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Victor Yip

1 January 2004

Been to Rome/Fiumicino for 3 times already. Got some comments - you can only use phone cards for most telephones and there is only a small number of phone booths that take coins. How do they expect a first-time visitor to have a phone card or know where the telephones that accept coins are? Every time I leave Rome, the flights are delayed for 5-20 minutes. They don't even inform the passengers that the flight is delayed. But the airport was quite clean.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Anne Ryan

20 October 2003

Dreadful airport. No immigration at all, and cursory security checks which left me feeling nervous. The two advertised VAT refund places were closed, with no indication of alternatives. On arrival AND departure last time the trains from the centre of town were not operating, with NO advice or help from staff, or even signage to indicate alternatives (eg bus service? Who knows?!). Got well ripped off by cab driver to even get into the city, but by that stage was so desperate to get to the hotel that didn't care. One of the worst I've been to.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Marino Di Filippo

20 October 2003

I connect through this airport many times and have got to say it's the lazy mans airport meanings it's a travelers dream. Minimal walking from plane to terminal C via the monorail directly to the baggage hall. The train station is steps away from the international arrivals area and every 30 minutes and a 20 minute ride on the Leonardo Express into the centre of Rome. On departing from Leonardo Da Vinci amazingly easy check-in in all three terminals again minimal walking to your gates especially the C gates via the monorail. Shopping, there are better shops in Fiumicino then I've seen in some worlds major city centres. Staff is amazingly friendly and 90% of them are bilingual which is something CDG should look at. Leonardo Da Vinci is truly a city within a city and I think the gem of all European airports and that a lot of North American airports should look at FCO as a model as to how a real airport should be run.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Shareen Schultenkamp

2 September 2003

This was my third time to Fiumicino Airport and again I was extremely impressed about the immigration officers, very friendly and helpful. The airport is pleasant, clean and comfortable. While duty free shopping outlets offer an excellent selection of goods at reasonable prices. Good range of eating places , too .

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Daniel Bliss

22 August 2003

Super facility. On my one visit  competent, helpful and efficient immigrations, very cheap and very good concessions, a proper bank (!!) with very low currency fees (!!!) rather than a gouging bureau de change, bilingual everything, clean and efficient, lots of space and comfortable seating in departure lounges, even a nice little barber shop upstairs that charged less than my little Korean-owned neighborhood place in Chicago. So what if it isn't snazzy architecture?

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Alex Fjoldrom

19 February 2003

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the main European airports with good facilities and good connections. The 4 terminal are all very modern and good, especially Terminal C and D that are connected by a sky shuttle. Very efficient by the way. There are very luxury shops and several good lounges with professional staff. The railway station is a bit far from the terminals, but the trains to central Rome and other destinations are frequently and good modern.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Gabriel Chew

28 November 2002

The Schenghen terminal area is very dull, with nowhere to sit in comfort, or have a view of the airfield. There are few shops, and the upper level of the terminal is empty.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Michael Devor

23 November 2002

What impressed me most were the friendly immigration officers. It is the only time arriving in Europe where I was allowed to walk through the EU line. The rail service is also good, though the trains could be more modern. Good shops and facilities, most impressed with the cafeteria on the upper floor.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Luigi Vallero

23 August 2002

Rome Fiumicino's Leonardo da Vinci airport is one of my preferred Italian airports. It has grown quite a lot in the past few years, with new dedicated terminals, and has improved its efficiency as well. The architecture chosen differs substantially depending on the terminal you're using, but everywhere it is pleasant and rational. The number of facilities in each terminal is also very well balanced, with a very good selection of shops and food outlets and overall reasonable prices. One downside was, and partially still is, the baggage service. In the past it was plagued by frequent robberies (I had my suitcase "intruded" in at least 3 occasions in a period of two years: this seems anyway to have been solved today. Thru-checked luggage can still be a problem though: during the past Christmas period my suitcase didn't make neither on my outbound nor with my inbound flights when I was travelling through FCO on domestic services within Italy. I got it anyway within the next 48 hours. Connection to the city of Rome is provided with a frequent rail link: the downside is the expensive cost of the train if you're heading with the nonstop trains to Stazione Termini, and once there the tracks are located in a secluded area, far away from the main entrance and the underground station, involving a long trek which can be annoying if you're travelling with luggage.

Rome Airport Fiumicino review by Marco Montella

21 August 2002

I was very surprised when I found out that Fiumicino Airport is the second last airport (with LGW after DUB) for flight delays. I've been flying in and out Leonardo da Vinci 32 times for the last two and half years and I only remember two big delays (one of which was caused by engine problem). Anyway I think FCO is pretty functional: it's very well connected to the city (even though the train ticket is very expensive if compared to the standard price of the Italian Railways) and also check in, boarding and car rental procedures are quite easy and fast... ...the only drawback is the general lack of customer service when you deal with the duty free shop assistants. Overall the best airport in Southern Europe.

IMPORTANT NOTE

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