Rome Fiumicino Airport

Staff at security were rude impolite and clearly lacked English language skills. I personally don't understand why 3 guys have to check the boarding pass until you pass the security - first time when you join the line they scan it then at the security stand - literally 2-3 mins after the first check you have to find it again and for the third time just after when you pass the security if they have to scan hand luggage again.

I will look to avoid this airport to enter Italy unless the immigration section for non EU passports is sorted out. No lines and not enough immigration officers for an airport of this size and capacity - just crowds of angry stressed people pushing. At one point some passengers started yelling because some officers vacated their desks. People were upset because they were going to miss their flight. A staff member said it was nothing to do with her - it was a police matter. There appeared to be no concern or care for passengers whatsoever - it was a like a big joke to the staff. Eventually the officers started mass processing - in my case I was waved through and not stamped out. On the upside I found the food and beverages available in the airport to be of a good standard and reasonably priced.

We arrived at Rome Airport on September 19th 2014 and spent 2 hours trying to get through immigration. Only three windows were open for non EU passport holders and this number remained constant despite the build up of a massive crowd. Non EU passport holders breezed through with two gates open and no queue. I have experienced difficulties in a number of airports but nothing as dysfunctional as this. There ws not even a proper queue just a seething mass of people pushing to get out. I would not have wanted to be elderly infirm or looking after children. Despite the presence of numerous uniformed officials carrying clip boards not one seemed capable or recognising the problem and doing something about it. Next trip to Europe will not be via Rome Airport.

I do not know whether we had luck or the airport had significantly improved their service in the manner of queuing and tax refund. We had arrived at the airport T3 to be exact 4 hours before our flight knowing there were issues highlighted by the previous reviews. After checking in we headed straight to the tax refund where the line although long move quickly and we were done in 15 minutes. Security was fine and we reached immigration. We entered a huge and long line for passport clearance and staff do separate the line between EU and non EU. Queuing was not long though it was for a stamp on the passport. Shops were the usual and the satellite G although crowded and lacking seating was adequate and clean.

Leave lots of time for your non-EU departure. On September 26 2014 we were in a cattle herd of hundreds of people in a crush of people to receive a useless look at our passports by one of the 2 officials who were at the end of a 2 hour wait. We were thrilled to leave FCO on what will be our final trip there. No help from anyone and no police visible even when people started yelling and pushing.

Leeds to Rome return. On landing it took 30 minutes to taxi to the gate and then a further 60 minutes for our bags to arrive. There was no information above the individual belts as to the bags arriving and we had to search round for a board showing all arriving flights and which belt the luggage going too. Customs queue was just a massive queue before we realized that E.U. passengers could go to a separate gate we then found that before this gate were all the bio-metric passport readers no queues at all to use these machines. Straight out to the taxi rank no queues marshall directed us immediately to a waiting taxi. Leaving no queues at booking in desk of Jet2 3 desks open even though 150 minutes to flight time. Given gate number by girl on the desk. Security great vast number of x-ray machines in use were directed to one with only one other person in queue empty trays came down on conveyor belt filled and through in a minute. Passport control again an issue of finding E.U. gate and bio- metric reader once found walked straight through no queue. You exit in to a large retail area (H zone) as usual there were very few seats and the departure gates dont airports realise old and disabled people need to sit down. A bottle of chilled water only 2.10 a new low for airports recently. Toilets were being cleaned when I used the lady cleaner had no issues cleaning whilst we used the facilities certainly very clean and water started as soon as I approached the urinal so in good condition.

Departed from airport on Sept 20 2014 for flight to Toronto with short layover in London (Heathrow) on British Airways. Although check-in process was fairly smooth BA "lost" one of my checked baggage (last scanned in Rome). Transportation via tram in airport was also fairly smooth. Total chaos as gate as there was no queuing. Went down jet-way to be transported to plane by bus. Numerous stairs encountered with no elevator option. It was not too bad for us but numerous elderly had difficulty transitioning stairs. Shuttle bus packed and with no air conditioning made for an unpleasant experience. Had to transition stairs again to board aircraft which was also difficult for some. Aircraft was Boeing 737 not a smaller regional aircraft so why the aircraft could not depart from gate is a mystery. Airport (Terminal 3) was reasonably clean however overall a poor experience.

We had a 9 hr layover flight in Rome so we tried to make the best of it. Turns out that would be pretty hard to do. Firstly the bathrooms were disgusting. They smelled strong of urine and were just messy and filthy. When I entered the bathroom there was a strong scent of cigarette smoke. Turns out the cleaning lady was sitting in the utility closet smoking despite there being a no smoking sign. Secondly staff at the airport were very rude. They do not look you in the eye when talking to you and they give you short snotty answers. They weren't helpful at all. As with all airports the food was very overpriced.

I am a frequent traveller and have been through some bad airports in Asia and the Americas but this airport is the main one in the capital city of the 4th largest European economy and it is as bad as it gets. The ugly and dirty terminals don't bother me so much but what amazes me is the sheer level of incompetence in the management of the passenger flow. Boarding a flight in Rome and immigration queues are controlled by the crowds there is no guidance and no one from the airlines helping it is a kind of first come first served or who pushes more gets in first. I was yesterday in the immigration queues with about 100 people and even though there were supposed to be EU and non EU queues people were moving in and out in between them jumping shoving pushing trying to get information there was no staff present no appropriate signage and to add insult to injury the passport control only spoke Italian. Boarding the flight was similar no delay announcement staff could not be bothered to answer questions or help no family priority no upgrades possible as staff would not talk. I love Rome and I would like to get back there but I think this airport needs some actual professional management. Unbelievable as it may sounds it is probably the worst airport I have been in Europe and I have travelled rather deep into Eastern Europe. In fact the only positive thing I can say about Fiumicino is that it makes CDG look good.

The airport itself is ok with a good number of shops clean security staff just doing their job and very clean toilets. The only drawback is the terrible baggage delivery system. The waiting time is over an hour at least.