Fiumicino lounges constantly overbooked, new openings likely next year
There is no doubt that Fiumicino is the best airport in Europe, sure Heathrow is nice, but it has 4 Terminals the [...]
FCO
There is no doubt that Fiumicino to be the best airport in Europe, sure Heathrow is nice, but it has 4 Terminals the transfers take away biblical time and especially the requirement to do immigration and security even when you are connecting is a supplizzion. Amsterdam is perhaps the only major European hub that I think can compete at the Italian capital's airport. In Paris, the lines at the checkpoints are crazy and there is even a shortage of chairs. Istanbul is beautiful, but to move to the gate you need to walk 10000 steps.
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Of course not everything works perfectly in the brand new T1, for example, the average temperature is considerably higher than in Madrid, Istanbul, or Paris, but if surviving the heat is enough to put on short sleeves, another problem is not easy to give a solution to and that is thelounge crowding.
ADR CEO Marco Troncone said. the airport in summer 2024 recorded a +25%, one of the best performances at the European level and beyond. FCO lacks nothing, you can go shopping, eat at eataly or admire works of art And archaeological finds.
It is definitely crowded, but it has a lot more seats than, for example, Paris Charles De Gaulle where sometimes finding a place to sit is really a challenge.
The weak link this summer and still being experienced in these early fall days is definitely the lounges. At both T1 and T3 the problem, this summer, emerged at levels never seen before. And unfortunately, I'm sorry to be a know-it-all, but. I had said this when I attended the openings of the new terminal halls last year.
And it should not be forgotten that 2025 will be the year of the Jubilee, it is therefore a foregone conclusion that even more tourists from all over the world will come to Rome, and therefore traffic will be even more intense.
The lounges at T1 Fiumicino
There are 4 halls: in strict order of opening are: Primeclass, Plaza Premium, Hangar of ITA Airways and First Sight. The three independents are the same size, with ITA Airways' hall being the largest.
That the lounges were not big enough was understood as early as last year, and individual managers also knew this since in some cases they did not "waste" meters to take baths, or if they have them they are undersized.
Not that ITA did any better when you consider that there are two showers (plus one in the viproom) and frequent flyers know that this is one of the most important benefits when evaluating a lounge.
The other big problem is the temperature issue. All lounges rely on the terminal's air conditioning system, translated if it's hot in public spaces here it can get even hotter since there are fridges, ovens and stoves in addition to people.
The lounges at T3
Things are no better in the non-Schengen zone. This year the lounges in the satellite did not open, and all passengers flocked to the lounges in the main body.
Also suffering, but much less than T1, were. the award-winning Plaza Premium and the new Prima Vista. ITA's lounge is also very crowded, while more livable situation was reported to me in the British Airways lounge and the Emirates lounge, but it is logical since the former is only for oneWorld passengers and the latter exclusive for those flying EK.
My experience on Tuesday, October 1
All photos in this article were taken on Tuesday, October 1, I arrived early in the morning and it was quiet, but around 11 a.m. it was impossible to access all three independent lounges at T1.
I then left again in the late afternoon. While in the Hangar all was quiet, Getting into the halls of all the other companies was virtually impossible. The worst off are predominantly Priority Pass and Dragon Pass holders who are bounced to give priority to those traveling in business class or with elite status in a loyalty program.
Even "livability" once inside is complicated, since status or business passengers are (almost) never refused entry, and the reason is simple-the airlines pay handsomely for each entry, much more than what is collected when a Priority Pass holder enters.
Why are the lounges at t1, but not only, so crowded
Surely the +25% of passengers is one of the culprits, but the reasons are definitely the size. Fiumicino lounges, especially those at T1, Are really undersized For the numbers at this airport.
Certainly compared to the past, that is, the old terminal It definitely affects the fact that many Skyteam passengers do not have access to ITA's lounges and the absence of the Star Alliance Lounge, which was supposed to open, but then given the ITA/Lufthansa issue was put on hold being replaced by Prima Vista.
The passenger boom, as confirmed just in recent days by CEO Troncone, is related to flights to/from the US, these passengers often hold elite status and/or cards that allow lounge access. And in the U.S. enter the "independent" lounges Is now like winning the lottery.
Critical situation not only at Fiumicino
Let us be clear. it's not exclusively an issue at FCO, the queues are everywhere and the entrances are restricted, as with rankings, however, one must also reckon with the size of the airports. You certainly cannot compare Palma de Mallorca or Heraklion to Rome Fiumicino.
The point is that T1 was designed recently is not a terminal of the last millennium like Malpensa.
It was entirely predictable that the space devoted to lounges would be too small when compared, for example, with that of mass catering and stores, but In this case I think it is also based on the rent of the same square meters.i. I imagine it is definitely more profitable to have a restaurant or store than lounges, which in fact Have all been placed in a decidedly commercially unattractive area.
ADR runs for cover, new lounges arrive in 2025
Fiumicino's traffic growth. really surprised everyone, the size of the lounges had been calibrated to pre-pandemic traffic data (when the terminal redesign project had kicked off) and because of this it would appear that some of the present lounges may be expanded, while there should be at least one new opening.
Giotto's stained glass windows at T1 Fiumicino @Aeroporti di Roma
TFC, on this issue, has contacted ADR. No official statement, but between the lines it would appear that the matter is being investigated and that at least one new lounge should be forthcoming.
Former CEO of American Express Italy, Enzo Quarenghi, had not ruled out a priori the possibility of a Centurion in Italy, pointing to Fiumicino as the only potentially interesting Italian airport, but sand if I had to bet two euros I would bet on the opening of a Skyteam Lounge.
The entrance to the Skyteam lounge in Istanbul.
During the course of 2025, the following should materialize. ITA's transition from Skyteam to Star Alliance . There it is. might seem logical, given the many Skyteam companies present at FCO, the opening of a lounge like those found in some of the most important hubs of "competition."
How the lounge situation at Fiumicino could change
If that were the case we would have a situation where in the Schengen zone. the Hangar of ITA would serve all Star Alliance carriers (the LH group, TAP, Aegean, LOT), the Skyteam lounge would accommodate passengers from Air France KLM, SAS, Air Europa. In a nutshell of the big companies, only Iberia passengers would remain uncovered since the BA's lounge is in the Non Schengen zone.
Going back to centurion I think if it ever comes to FCO the location should definitely be in Pier E, which is the one for intercontinentals. Given the ever increasing amount of carriers flying into Rome it would be perfect to accommodate Amex holders from all over the world.
