Airlines to Rome , plus weight in on a tour?

[joan1]

Hi, thinking of taking my daughter on a tour next year( RS family tours) which leaves Rome and finishes in Paris.
I can get a cheap flight return from my home to Paris, so would need only a ONE way ticket to Rome to join tour group.
Anyone suggest some decent airlines that flys to Rome, this is not as easy as it sounds as some of the airlines I am familar with seem not to do certain routes, Paris-Rome being one of them. I am aware there ARE many airlines that do though, I just don't know which ones to google. I am obviously more interested in budget airlines, but have heard alot of bad about some so am a bit concerned.

FYI Tour is 14 days, which will leave me with another 7 or 8 in Paris ( or possible triip out with relatives) , tours normally not my thing , but the chance for my daughter to see Rome, Florence, Venice , Austria and Netherlands all in 14 days is quite intriguing, especially with other kids.

[sandy]

Try this:

www.easyjet.com

This is a very popular low cost airline and flies Paris-Rome. I didn´t use it yet but I heard about it.

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Check out various forums about the cheap airlines. Some seem to have low ticket prices but are totally unreliable and/or have severely restricted baggage rules. I'm sure others are fine, but you likely need to do your homework on that! Maybe it would help to check kayak.com, and then click on the airlines to see which ones have strange restrictions, etc.?

Sounds like a fun trip.

[joan1]

Thanks Sandy and Becky for posting, , and yes I have heard some very bad things about low cost airlines. Some will cancel a flight , without warning or call it a " delay" but really next flight out is next day!! I do not want to be in that sort of a bind . Plus luggage allowances of only 15 kilograms is pretty tight for a three week trip, and overwieght fees are apparently outrageous , which is how some of these airlines make their profit with the low ticket prices.
Unfortunately EasyJet and Ryanair both have some questionable reviews, and in fact, I think EasyJet sounds horrible, even if I give the reviews the " benefit of doubt".
I say unfortunately since the prices are AMAZING, I can get a one way Paris-Rome for about 45 euros, all included.
If I was on my own I would be more willing to risk it, but with my daughter I don't want to be in some airport for 24 hrs stressed out! LOL

Train is an option, but I begrudge the days travel.

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Maybe it would be worth looking at whether you could get (with maximum permitted advance booking) a cheap ticket for an overnight train? As with SNCF, a lot of time you get a better price by booking a return ticket and throwing away the second half (plus, even if it's a bit more expensive, it's in lieu of a hotel night so maybe not so bad?). You could get a read on that by doing a hypothetical one now, as far out as it will let you book, and just see how the prices compare.

The one thing I would say, however, is that in order to have a compartment to yourselves you might want to book in first class and that would not be as good a price (otherwise, you would share a compartment with six berths, and would need to be pretty vigilant about luggage security, etc.). Still, it could be something to consider as an alternative.

[arrowcapet]

Ryan Air flies from BVA to CIA and I had no issues with them at all when I used them from Venice (Treviso) to BVA in September. They are straight up forward about luggage issues (ticket includes no luggage) by charging up front for the number of bags you indicate you're carrying when you buy your ticket. There is an extra charge for boarding early, which I would pay the next time I use them, because few people do, and boarding is a cattle call, but if you pay for advance boarding, it's all smooth going. Very no frills, but the base web fare right now BVA-CIA is €9.99 plus taxes and bags, etc. Probably wind up costing you around €40 when it's all said and done. Like I said, I had no issues with them at all, and I would definitely use them again.

www.ryanair.com

[irishRover]

Joan -

I've used both EasyJet and Ryanair many times and have never had a serious problem with either — which is more than I can say for a single one of the major American airlines. (I admit that others have been less fortunate.) If I had to choose I would definitely pick EasyJet over Ryanair. Ryanair has given a whole new definition to the term "no frills." Additionally, as its business model becomes increasingly non-viable it is adding charges for everything you can think of — and a few things you probably haven't. In addition their baggage limits are considerably more restrictive than EasyJet's and they enforce them rigidly and charge enormous sums for excess baggage. Further, EJ flies from CDG to CIA IIRC whereas Ryanair flies from BVA, a much less convenient airport since it is some 75 km north of Paris. Finally EJ has a much bigger fleet and operates more flights from Paris to Rome than does Ryanair so technical or weather problems tend to disrupt their schedules less. Whichever you choose, be sure to check the baggage limits and hidden fees and charges carefully.

If I were you I would look into the possibility of flying open jaw with the airline you would normally take to Paris. This shouldn't be a whole lot more expensive than a RT fare, probably not any more than the additional fare using a budget airline. And you would have much better leverage in the event of missed connections or lost luggage or anything of the kind.

I wouldn't take the overnight train option myself — which in any case would be expensive with any degree of comfort and privacy — but I am not you. I might think about travelling by day train if time was not a major issue, splitting the journey with an overnight in Switzerland. There is plenty of splendid scenery along the route if you travel via Lausanne and Milan and Montreux or Martigny — or even perhaps Lausanne — would make good places to break the journey.

[irishRover]

PS: FWIW I think Rome, Florence, Venice, Austria, the Netherlands and Paris is way too much for 14 days. Even without Paris I still think it is too much and I take it that Paris accounts for at least two or three days at the end of the tour leaving even fewer days for the rest.

YMMV...

[grunblack]

We used the low cost option to get around due to our limited time. Both Ryan Air flights were fine - low cost, pleasant people. Vueling was excellent (although not sure if it does Paris to Rome) and EasyJet was awful. It may have been low cost but it was the only flight to be bumped by 2 hours before we got to the airport and then was delayed further for another 2 hours, with no one available to get information from and no information on the screens etc... It got worse because when we arrived in Paris, we were so late our prepaid car wouldn't pick us up and despite being told we'd get refunded, it never happened. I blame none of it on Paris and all of it on EasyJet, delays happen but the staff were rude and unavailable most of the time!!!!

[joan1]

Thanks guys for suggestions and ideas( in those some contradict each other, LOL so confusing isn't it!) ,,
I made a mistake Irish, we do not go to Netherlands . but yes, it is five countries in 14 days. Paris is of course my main love, so we will of course spend an extra week there anyways. I agree it is a " whirlwind" trip,, but I want my daughter to get a " taste" of serveral countries so that when she turns 19 or 20 she will have some idea of where she wants to go back on her own and explore more( I am a firm believer in kids travelling for extended periods after high school or college, doing it cheap, meeting other people etc) .

Anyways, I also am not interested in overnight train, I will fly,, I actaully may try Air France, I really want reliable flights as I don't want to miss tour .
I was planning to fly ZOOM , which is our low cost airline to Europe,, for the same price( almost) we can fly premium economy on Zoom and get more leg room etc, compared to our our main carrier, Air Canada.
Zoom does not do Rome, so open jaw not an option., AC does open jaw , but price is significantly different.
Note to self, must win lotto. LOL