I'm flying out to Malta next week via Milan (Malpensa)
on the way out and Rome (Fiumicino) on the way back.

Has anyone used these as transit airports before?

Any idea if I'm flying from Heathrow what the distance
/Time is like for the change over? How far is it etc....

I know that T1 to T3 at Heathrow takes anywhere up to 20 mins
depending on how busy it is so I'd like to know how rushed
I'm going to be.

thanks

DaveA

Malpensa – relatively small airport. Assuming you go in/out the same terminal (there are 2) it should be relatively painless. I have done it a couple of times and never had a problem. Still, it is Italy, so expect a certain level of disorganization and flight delays...

Don’t have any specific recollection of Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino)...

Heathrow – transfer is technically easy, buses run frequently and take maybe 10 minutes from terminal to terminal. However, the entire process can be very lengthy. The walk from the gate to the transfer bus can take some time. The major problem is you will have to go through security again and may encounter long lines. I’d say that unless you happen to encounter a slow time (not very likely), 20 minutes it very optimistic. If you are stuck in line and indeed risk missing your connection, grab an airline employee and ask them to get you to the front of the line.

Have a safe trip...

Joe

Thanks,

I use LHR quite alot and having been dropped at T3
rather than T1 before! I know the transit times there.

It was Milan on the way out I wasn't sure about I've a 1 1/2
hr layover so it looks like I'll be OK.

Still 10 days diving to look forward to.

For information the flights were booked via Alitalias web site
and I can't recommend them more highly. I booked on the site Thursday
Lunchtime and the ticket arrived on my doormat in the Friday post.

Also because I'm diving I'm taking a little (1cu foot) tank for one
of my bits of gear. I phoned their customer services to check it was OK
and got the reply.

"That's fine provided it's empty. Tell you what give me your E-Mail address
and I'll send it through in writing so there won't be any problems at check in."

Now THAT impressed me!

Thanks again. I was supposed to be having a nice relaxing break but
what do you know. I've agreed to do a course :-)

DaveA

I've never flown from Milan, but I have just had my first post-Sept 11th US flight experience, both flying to Seattle from Glasgow and returning.

It actually wasn't so bad. I really don't mind the extra security - it might frustrate some people, and the emphasis on checking bare feet seems to me to be a case of 'locking the barn door after the horse has bolted' but the US airports (Newark, Seattle & Chicago (on the return leg)) all seemed to be rigorously applying good, commonsense security. This can only be a good thing IMHO.

Off topic: Apologies to anyone who suffered from withdrawal symptoms whilst CCV was unavailable. It was one of those problems that only I could fix, and I was six thousand miles away from my laptop... but it's alright now... I hope!

John

Well,

Speak to you all in a couple of weeks,

I'm off!

DaveA