Where to meet at FCO

[Mom83]

My husband and I will be arriving from Detroit at FCO, T3, on Delta 1 1/2 hours after our friends arrive from Newark, also at T3, on United. We need to meet up before we go to get the rental car. Unfortunately, we are renting the car, so they will have to wait somewhere for us. After customs and baggage claim. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Andrew]

I'm not positive on the situation after remodeling, but there's been a bar with café tables in the main arrivals hall to the left of where you exit baggage claim and the nominal customs inspection. See this PDF of Eat & Drink: the map on page 27 (printed on the page) or 14 (on the PDF reader) shows it as number 7 with the name Semplicemente Roma, not to be confused with the "kiosk" of that name, number 5, inside baggage claim. There's a description of it on page 33 or 17.

 

[Mom83]

Thank you, Andrew! Yes, I had been looking at this same map. You confirmed the place I was hoping would work...Semplicemente Roma (7) outside baggage claim. I will print a copy of this map and give it to our friends.

 

[italian excursion]

I agree with Andrew. I've done that many times before and it works well. There is also a "Tourist Information" office placed prominently in the arrivals hall.

Ciao,
Cheryl
www.italianexcursion.com

 

[Mom83]

Thanks, Cheryl. I now have a higher degree of confidence that we will find our friends st FCO!

 

[Colo]

Rome Airport had free wifi, so if you are carrying a phone you can use WhatsApp or Viber to send text message for free. Nice back up.

 

[Mom83]

Good idea, Colo...I have WhatsApp on my phone already...this is how I text my family in Wales. I will ask the other couple to put it on theirs. My Sprint international plan allows texting also...but the other couple are older and do not normally text.

 

[Colo]

Have them do it now and use it before you go to communicate to remove the learning curve occuring at FCO.

You have a great plan, and in fact I have hung out there myself before. Whats App is a great back up.

 

[Mom83]

Good idea, Colo...I will have them put the app on their iPhone now and use it before we go so that they are familiar with it. In fact, they may already have it as their one daughter lives in the UK.
Is it hard to get on the wifi at FCO? Sometimes I have trouble connecting at certain airports. But, I am hoping the other couple will get a Verizon international plan so that a phone call can be a good backup.

 

[Colo]

I know what you mean about some airports and logging in.
We had no problem at FCO, and we had a 4 hour layover before our flight to Malta.
We used the wifi extensively with and it worked great.

Of course in Italy one must remain flexible.

A solid physical meeting place marked on a map is a good thing.
That is my Coast Guard background. You need to know where they were suppose to be so you know where to start looking.