Do you stopover in these cities for your trip? Watch out for airport changes

In English, the two magic words when flying with a stopover are 'seamless connection''. Which translated into Italian sounds 'seamless'. Meaning that the passenger only checks in once at the beginning of the trip when he or she is given all the boarding passes and picks up the luggage directly at the final destination.

Now, a stopover is rarely a preferable experience to a direct flight to the desired destination. But it is often unavoidable, especially in a country like Italy that as far as connections to the rest of the world are concerned is in pretty bad shape when compared to Germany, France and the United Kingdom, just to stay in Europe.

Making stopovers generates anxiety for fear of missing connection or for the fear that it is our luggage that will be lost. When making a reservation we need to Pay attention to the time between one flight and the next and if you are traveling in the very high season, a slightly longer 'layover' than the airline's minimum time of connection (MTC - Minimum Time of Connection) is perhaps preferable.

Even more attention is needed Make to the possibility that the airport even involves a change of airport. In Europe it can happen when you fly via London or via Paris with British Airways or Air France. Both the British and French airlines have major hubs at two different airports: the former at Heathrow and Gatwick, the latter at Charles De Gaulle and Orly.

British operates from Gatwick essentially all its flights to the Caribbean understood in a broad sense, that is, including Cancun in Mexico. Plus those to some 'leisure' destinations in the United States: Tampa, Orlando and Las Vegas (the latter, however, also has a daily flight from Heathrow). Air France flies from Orly to many of the destinations served in the Caribbean, some of which are still 'Overseas Territories,' such as Guadeloupe or Martinique.

The two airports in the British capital are located about 70 kilometers from each other and, with Google Maps, travel times by car vary between 50 and 75 minutes, depending on the route chosen. The two Parisian stopovers just under 50 kilometers, with travel times between 50 and 70 minutes. During rush hours, transfer times can increase significantly.

According to the Heathrow Airport website, Gatwick can be reached by bus in 70 to 75 minutes at a cost of between £15 and £20 (€18-25), or by train (or subway + train) by 'changing' at Victoria station: in this case, the travel times given are between 80 and 95 minutes and prices range from £20 to £50 (€25-60). Times and prices also apply to the reverse route, from Gatwick to Heathrow, of course.

Simulating a booking on BA's website for a flight with a change of airport, the minimum connection time 'guaranteed' by the company is around three and a half hours.

In which you have to leave the first airport, go to the train or subway station or bus stop, transfer, and then go through the whole rigmarole (security and immigration checks) at the second airport. Doing a quick calculation, it is easy to see how three and a half hours is just enough, provided that no hiccups occur in the transfer from one stopover to another. The website warns that the cost of the transfer is borne by the passenger, but nothing says about the luggage: a phone call to British's call center lets you know that, if the stopover is 'of a few hours' (i.e., within the day), the company will transfer it from one airport to another and, therefore, you will pick it up only at the final destination.

From Paris Charles De Gaulle to Orly (and vice versa), the journey can be made using the RER B train line between CDG and the 'Anthony' station and then the 'Orly Val' train. The cost of the trip is 24.60 euros. RER B trains stop at CDG Terminal 2 and Terminal 1 stations with a frequency of between 10 and 20 minutes, and the transfer between the two airports takes about 75 minutes in all.

There are also bus routes, but it is clear that 'rail' travel times are certain, while those 'by road' depend on traffic conditions, which in Paris can be hellish at rush hour. Again, if the entire trip will be with Air France and with a single reservation, the company will be responsible for transferring the luggage from one airport to another.

Outside of Europe, care should be taken when making stopovers in New York, Washington, and Chicago in the United States, Tokyo and Bangkok in Asia, and Buenos Aires and São Paulo in South America. These are all cities that have two or more airports.