Rome Fiumicino Airport

Poor facility and very rude staff. They just couldn't be bothered with answering your enquries or helping you with your problems. Poor english and poor instructions at the custom office (as mentioned above they just couldn't be bothered). Upon arrival we were led by an airport staff to an illegal black van "taxi" which we only realized when we saw some signs on the highway.

I have travelled extensively around the world and Rome Fiumicino airport is without a doubt the worst airport on the planet. We arrived 3 hours before our flight as you are requested to do and waited in line at the check-in counters. As anyone who travels knows, 95% of airline passengers are economy class passengers, yet at Rome airport they only had two counters open for these passengers, whilst there were four counters open for business and first class passengers. These counters were empty, but would any of the women at these counters assist and help check in the economy class passengers, absolutely not. They were more concerned with chatting to each other. The result was that we spent over an hour in line simply to get our boarding passes. Next came the security check. The queue for the security check was over 250m long. Why was this? It turns out that whilst there were four checkpoints open, only two of them were for economy class passengers (you remember the 95% of the travelling public). The other two gates were dedicated to First and Business Class passengers and to American citizens only. Why is it that Americans are given their own seperate line and the rest of us are relegated to second class citizens? It took over an hour to get through this line. Whilst I was in this line I heard a fellow passenger complain that they were going to miss their flight because of this delay only to be told by a security officer that this was no problem because she could simply buy another ticket. The arrogance was breathtaking. After security screening we had to endure another long line at passport control, once again with only two counters open for economy class passengers whilst American citizens and First and Business Class passengers had their own dedicated lines. After spending close to an hour in this line we finally had to run to our gate as our plane was about to take off. When we did get to our gate the extremely rude and obnoxious passenger service officer shouted at us, telling us that we were extremely late. He acted as if we were lazing around doing some casual duty free shopping. Rome's Fiumicino airport is probably the worst airport in the world, with some of the rudest staff I have ever encountered. I don't think I will ever come back to Italy because of this experience.

I went through Rome Fiumicino airport again the other week going from Amsterdam to Tirana, returning a week later. I found it to be more trying this time. Albania is outside the EU, I had 1.45 to make the transit on the way out, and made that ok with 1/2 hour to spare. Some passengers had 45 minutes to make the Alitalia flight to New York. I think they would have struggled as they would have had to clear EU Emigration. I was glad the first leg departed Tirana on time as I only had 1.20 on the way back to transit at Rome. Few planes seem to park at gates with aero-bridges to the terminal building(s) at Rome. Even A321s with 200+ passengers park away from the terminal and buses are used to get people to the terminal. I recall they had a fire at the airport earlier in the year which probably exacerbated the existing poor situation. Our Alitalia A320 from Tirana did - actually - park at a Rome gate with an aero-bridge to the terminal. I was glad of this and thought it would save some time. Thus, it was so frustrating on exiting the aircraft to be directed to walk down stairs outside to waiting buses. We were then bused to the remotest part of the airport. This seems to handle non-EU flights. We then had to endure a very poorly organised security check - just for our aircraft. There was just one x-ray machine and set of staff for a full A320 - 180 passengers. It was then onto the normal transit pathway. This involved taking an escalator upstairs and another security check at the normal place, performing the same thing we endured a few minutes previously. It was then back outside to get a bus back to the part of the airport for Schengen departures - the area where our A320 from Tirana had parked earlier. Fortunately, the flight back to Amsterdam was run by KLM, and our 737-800 was actually parked at the gate and we could walk onto it. Had it been an AZ A320/A321, I expected to be bused out to the aircraft again. Boarding was almost complete for this last flight of the day to AMS at 21.30 when I got to the gate.

We had the misfortune to rely on disabled services at this airport, Air France for reasons best known to itself would not allow me to take my small portable scooter to the gate like most airlines. I had to check it in as luggage leaving me reliant on airport special services. I was collected from check in transferred to a buggy and unceremoniously dumped at the departure gate with no means of transport or ability to get about by a very rude buggy driver. I asked how I was to get to the toilet, get something to eat or look at the shops if I wished to. He just shrugged hs shoulders and indicated for me to get off his buggy, it wasn't his problem. Fortunately my husband after half an hour of racing about was able to get a wheelchair. Mind you why I bothered I do not know, the food was overpriced and not good coffee - tepid and weak.

The most disorganised, disfunctional airport. No airbridges, just buses from stands, and total chaos around the landing area. Over half an hour to get off the plane. Then an hour waiting in the passport queue (non-EU Passport). Then half hour wait to get a taxi. So, from arriving at the "gate" to leaving in the taxi was just over two hours. At Singapore's Changi, it usually takes just over 10 minutes. Plus the airport is absolutely filthy.

The worst airport I have been to. We were are the airport twice for Transit and both times our flights were delayed by two hours. Not only were our flights delayed for unknown reasons but most of the flights we could see on the departure screen were, some of them over five or six hours. I have also never experienced such unfriendly staff. In the future this airport will be excluded from our travel plans.

I am sitting in Terminal G, international departures, having one of the worst airport experiences of my life. There are no good food choices, just the autogrill cafeteria which is so out of date for an international airport. The staff are rude and can't be bothered to go out of their way to smile or help. There are no charging stations anywhere in the terminal and no working plugs anywhere. It's pretty bad if your flight leaves from G. Eat and charge your phone before you go to the airport. On arrival my bags took 48 minutes. Standard ridiculousness in Rome.

This is the worst airport I have ever travelled from. We flew from T3. It has insufficient seating, the food outlets are hard to locate and also don't have enough seats. The layout is appalling which puts you off trying to shop. Too few toilets means queues. The few seats there are are very uncomfortable.

What an awful airport Rome Fiumicino is, I think others need to be aware of the surly staff and poor facilities this airport offers. Change thrown on to the counter. Closing facilities while passengers are waiting. Its a "we don't care airport". The traveler is seen an inconvenience. Avoid.

Best avoided. On arrival baggage collection took over an hour and was at the most remote belt. Finding the car hire and processing took at least another hour. So we cleared the airport over 2 hours after landing. Returning the car - tricky because of lack of signage. Bag drop only 2 operators working though several more were fiddling with mobile phones or PCs and could see a lengthy queue. Then we had to go from T2 to T3 for security and passport control. One stressed passport inspector - another lengthy queue - then walk miles to the 'gate'. Arrived almost 2 hours after entering airport. Flight delayed by 2 hours. Catering facilities in departures - pathetic - seating poor.