Paranoid about missing my return flight home from Rome. What to do?
I haven't been to Europe in 11 years. My wife and I (and our 8 year old son) will be taking a trip to Italy this late November. We will be traveling from Venice to Florence to Rome. We will be flying in Venice and out of Rome.
However, our Rome departure leaves at 9:40AM and the first train to the airport is at 5:52 I believe. My agent told us to check in at least 3 hours before our flight which puts us at 6:40 AM. I believe the train takes 32 minutes.
So I'm freaking out a little. I'm thinking I will stay up all night, take cold showers, etc and yank my wife and son out of bed at 5:00 AM and head to the train station.
What can I do to ease my worrying pain?
Does that plan sound OK? A later flight will cost over $700 more.
Best Answer
Depending on where you are staying, the cost of a train trip for 3 may be comparable to a taxi ride. Going with the latter will be far less stressful and you can leave as early as you want, as long as you organize a dispatch with your hotel concierge.
Good luck, and with a 3 hour buffer, I wouldn't stress too much even if you have to ride the train.
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What happens if you miss your returning flight?
If you fail to show up for your scheduled flight, you'll fall into the \u201cno show\u201d category, meaning that the airline can cancel the rest of your itinerary, leaving you with minimal options for refunds or rebooking.How do you handle missing a flight?
Speak with an airline's representative at the first sign of trouble with your flight. Do not wait for confirmation that your flight will be delayed or canceled. The representative can let you know the status of your flight and help rebook you so that you don't miss any more of your vacation than you need to.Do you get charged for missing a flight?
Although airlines often charge you for a new ticket if you miss a flight, there are important exceptions. But to find out if you qualify, you need to act fast. Calling the airline before your departure can significantly increase your chances of getting rebooked on the next flight at no additional charge.What happens if you miss the first flight of a round trip?
One of today's most hardened airline rules says that if you miss or cancel any portion of a plane ticket, the airline can cancel all flights remaining on that ticket's itinerary. When you miss that first flight, whether or not you cancel or no-show, the entire ticket becomes void.Danny Has A Nap And The Girls Are Worried [Full house]
More answers regarding paranoid about missing my return flight home from Rome. What to do?
Answer 2
Travel agents usually recommend some ridiculous 3h, but in reality much less is needed. 1.5h in most cases is more than enough, and on many flights the check-in desk closed only 40 mins before departure (you need to double check your flight though, flights to the US might be different). In any case, RELAX. You have plenty of time. You can set two or three different alarm clock if it makes you feel more secure, but there is really no reason to stay awake the whole night :)
Answer 3
From my point of view 1.5 - 2h should be sufficient for an international flight. If you are too worried about getting there in time, just take a taxi. Depending where your hotel is located in Rome, you may need a taxi anyway to get to the train station.
Answer 4
The 3 hour figure is there to make sure people don't all arrive at the very last moment. Check the airline's website for when they close the check-in counters - that would be the actual time when you absolutely need to be there. It's usually 45 minutes for EU flights and 1 hours for international ones.
Answer 5
You don't need to stay up all night, just go to bed early the previous day (and your whole family too). If you allow yourself for 10 or even 12 hours of sleep, you will certainly wake-up easily, probably even before the alarm clock. Also wake-up at 03:30 in the morning the previous day (with an alarm clock) to adjust your body, and then go to bed at 17:30. You will all wake-up with ease in the morning, and will have much more energy to do things quickly and efficiently, with much less risk for mishaps.
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