FCO departure question

[Haley]

I have never departed from FCO. We have never been to Rome.

I just booked a trip on AA for this summer where I needed to split up our party 2 and 2 on different flights for the way home. The kids (17 & 19) depart at 8:30 AM and we depart several hours later.

They are very well traveled kids. Ideally I'd like to send them on their way without going with them through the airport. What is the check-in process like? how much time would you recommend?

Thanks.

 

[satz]

I flew FCO-PEK recently, I left from Terminal 3. If you are flying to the US, it will probably be at Terminal 5. It didn't take too long to check in and clear security. We arrived several hours before our flight because we wanted to have enough time for the VAT refund which was very confusing and ended up being quick to do.

We ended up having plenty of time to kill at the Alitalia lounge.

 

[InstinctX]

I was in Rome in October, flew United...another friend's flight was on BA (US Airways). We arrived 2 hours before departure time (my friend's flight was leaving an hour later but decided to leave for the airport together). Check-in and clearing security was a breeze for me. My friend, on the other hand, had "issues" (he was flagged & asked a ton of questions re: his visit, like where'd he stay, which places did he visit ... I think it's the stepped up security / screening process due to ISIS threats and American citizens that hold US Passports). It didn't took long for him (added 30 minutes).

We met up at the gates where my friend told me about his experience. Well, as my flight was starting to board, they paged me over the intercom. My friend mentioned my name as someone he was traveling with. They took me aside for 15 minutes to "interview" me: asking similar questions about where'd I had stayed, which places did I visit. They also did a thorough search of my carry-on's and performed a patdown.

I think 2 hours is plenty of time. Your kids may encounter a similar type of interrogation (due to the ISIS threats.I think they target younger passengers carrying US passports).

 

[Haley]

Thanks.
They should be fine with that.

As an aside @InstinctX do our Avatars look wrong to you or is just me?

edit: never mind, it looks right now.

 

[sriki]

We flew out of FCO last June. Nothing stands out about that which in this case is good news.

 

[Deltahater]

@Haley
We did FCO in August.
FCO is quite a ways away from the city, so for an 8:30 departure you should be at the airport no later than 6-6:30ish. That makes for a pretty early morning. You may want to consider staying an airport hotel the last night.
Terminal 5 is a pretty ugly terminal and lots of security. It is perfectly safe for the 17/19 year olds.
There is an AZ lounge. Maybe some fully refundable tickets to get them in?

 

[InstinctX]

That's a good point ... on our last night, we had just gotten back from what I call an "Amazing Race" jaunt (we were coming back from Capri/Sorrento...did a drive by quickie 1 and 1/2 hour tour of Pompeii, we didn't have much time because we didn't want to miss the last train from Naples to Rome), making it back to Rome around 9PM. We stayed in Trastevere area and it's a good 30 min cab ride (this was 7AM). But the cab fare was cheap: 40 euros