Recently on a return flight back to the USA I got to experience the new Terminal 5 at Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO); also known as Fiumicino. For those of you who have heard me speak or have read my other writings; I speak of the "hassle factor" and the new terminal brings the hassle factor to a new level for international travelers.

The powers that be have built a new terminal about 800 meters from the main international terminal C; in April 2008 the new 14,000m² terminal 5 was opened (designed by AdR Engineering), which was designed to handle 950,000 passengers a year. The project required an investment of €10m and took a little less than six months to complete. The terminal has completely separate check-in, security passport control and baggage handling systems (1,800 units an hour) allowing it to be used as a completely dedicated international terminal.In the past if you were flying on Delta, American, United or other US carriers you departed from C; but now the majority of flights on these carriers depart from the new terminal 5.

The hassle factor begins to show its head the moment you arrive to the airport. If you are arriving to the airport by car or taxi you are in luck because you can drive right up to the new terminal, but if you arrive by air or rail (Leonardo Express) from the rail station in Rome then you must take a shuttle bus located outside terminal C. This does not sound that bad but remember this is Italy and things are not spelled out for you like they might be back home. First; if you are in a taxi they just drop you off at terminal C which is where all "tourists" get let off, so I suggest you check your flights the night before so you can tell the driver where to drop you off. So let's say you are in Terminal C and need to get to Terminal 5, you need to take the shuttle bus. Well the sign for the new terminal 5 is outside just in front of the entrance doors of terminal C at the far end, the sign says "shuttle bus to terminal 5", BUT the shuttle bus stop is actually about 200 yards away from the sign. This means that you have a bunch of people waiting by the sign and not at the correct stop. I was waiting at the wrong place until I realized that the area around the sign did not have enough room for a bus to stop so I began looking around and found the shuttle stop up a bit. 4 people were left at the sign as the shuttle bus passed them by during my experience, so I am sure there will be more.

Then there is the actual shuttle bus itself. Imagine a standard city bus, then cut it in half, so it's way too small. Unlike some shuttle busses like the rental car company's use that have luggage racks and big aisles, this bus does not. There is no room for luggage so it gets piled in the aisle of the bus on people's feet in empty seats ect, so the hassle factor meter is on high at this point. Once you get to the terminal you are relieved because its large, new and well organized. You go through the Disney Land style switchback line up to the counter and the security lines are plentiful and easy. After security you are taken into a general waiting area where another bus picks you up.

This can be confusing because you think you are walking to your gate but you are only going to a transfer point. A bus picks you up and then drives you through the runway area back to Terminal C! Why did I just go through all of that to be right back in Terminal C? Good question! Maybe because it just opened 5 months ago they don't have the process perfected. I hope, hope that they get that shuttle issue dealt with and the transfer back to Terminal C is completely bizarre.

Now that you are informed you should be just fine. Come to Italy with me next year.. www.italy4real.com