#25 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings.
833 reviews
Hello FlightReporters
In 2022 my parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary
To celebrate the event we decided to make a family trip between the end of July and the first week of August
The options were Iceland or USA
Even if Iceland seemed interesting for its breathtaking nature, USA appeared to be more suitable for me and my sister, both in our 20s
We planned to fly to Buffalo in order to see Niagara Falls, then drive to New York via Boston and Cape Cod, spending the last days in the Big Apple. We'd already visited NY in 2013 so it would have been the occasion to see new or more uncommon sights. Moreover for me, as an architecture student, it would have been to occasiont to see the city with a different perspective.
The first days of June we started to search for flights
Finding the best combination was a bit difficult. At the end the best solution appeared to be with Delta Airlines, flying to Buffalo via JFK the 25th July and going back home the 5th August
Delta Airlines offers two fares on Economy Class tickets. The cheapest one (Basic) is with carry-on baggage only while the other (Main) includes also a checked baggage. Both of them allows passengers to bring a small bag as additional baggage.
Since 4 hand luggages and 4 checked ones seemes a bit too much we decided to split the booking in two: 2 bookings with checked baggage and 2 with carry-on only.
The first one costs 2324€ while the second 2024€, for a total of 4348€, 1087€ per person
We bought the tickets through Air France website because they're a little bit cheaper than on Delta's one
Some stats
3rd time flying with Delta
3rd time flying into JFK
2nd time flying on an A330
Delta Airlines allows passengers to check-in 24hrs before departure
The evening before the flight we tried to get our boarding passes through Delta website, but unfortunately we weren't able to complete the document check. By the way the system had already assigned the seats: 57A-B and 56C-D, at the far end of the cabin
With the flight scheduled for 9:40 we decided to arrive at the airport between 6:40 and 7:00, as adviced by Delta.
This means leaving home around 5:30-5:45, in order to leave the car at the long term parking and get the shuttle to the terminal
By the way while we're about to leave Delta sent us a notification stating the flight was delayed to 10:15, allowing us to leave a bit later than planned
Around 7:00 we arrived at Rome-Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport
We left the car at the previously booked long-term parking and we got the shuttle
Our flight would depart from Terminal 3, which hosts most of the international flights at FCO
At the moment the check-in hall is undergoing a large renovation which reduces the amount of available desks
Delta Airlines and the others US carriers occupies the last 3 rows, at the far end of the terminal
Even if we were checked-in already we joined the queue to have our boarding passes printed and to check our baggages
The queue took around 40 minutes. While waiting a brief passport control was made by Delta employees
The agent checked our passports, our vaccination certificate and registered our frequent flyer's accounts (ITA Airways Volare for me)
She printed the boarding pass to New York and to Buffalo
Also the bag was tagged to BUF, even if we would have to recheck after clearing customs
Having nothing else to do we proceeded straight to the security checkpoint
The main part of the terminal was very crowded
A separate lane for US-bound flights was available, even if the security check didn't seem different than usual
There was almost no queue, but the control itself was a bit slow due to the lack of trays on the X-Ray machine
Despite this little mess we cleared the screening in around 10 minutes
The following step was the passport control, made in a couple of minutes thanks to the eGates
We access the airside area around 8:45
Mandatory passage through the duty-free area
This part of the terminal was opened in 2016 as the main departure lounge for extra-Schenghen flights
During the Covid-19 pandemy it "switches" to domestic and Schenghen flights
Before summer '22 it was bringed back to its original porpouse
I flew a couple of times to and from Milan when this area was used as domestic departure lounge and it was a bit sad to be honest
I was really happy to see it hosting international flights again
As shown on the boarding pass our flight would board from gate E23, at the far end of pier E11-24
Time for some spotting
ITA Airways A350
When I saw ITA's livery on CGI I was a bit doubtful, but I think it looks really cool, especially on the A350
This one in particular is dedicated to Enzo Bearzot, who lead Italian Football team to victory in 1982 World Cup
ITA Airwasy A330
Qatar Airways and United Airlines birds parked at the satellite terminal
ITA Airways A330 in old Alitalia's livery
Another ITA Airways A330, this one dedicated to racing driver Tazio Nuvolari
This plane carries a sticker celebrating the 100th anniversary of Monza circuit
To mark the anniversary this A330 is expected to make a flyover before the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, the next 11th September
Our boarding was already set
Our ride for today:
Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300, N808NW, delivered in April 2004 to Norwest and than kept as part of DL's fleet
It's equipped with 282 seats, 34 in J, 21 in W and 227 in Y
Around 9:40 the gate opened
Initially some connecting passengers were invited to show up at the desk to get their passport verification
Later boarding was called by groups, but a queue was already formed and just few people seemed to consider it
The plane seen from the jetway
This glass facade offers a very nice reflection
ITA Airways A320 taking off
Door shot…
…and wing shot
I gave the flight report form to the Purser. She immediately understand its porpouse and told me she'd be very happy to bring it to the Captain.
I then made my way to the far back of the cabin
Delta Premium Select Cabin, equipped with 21 seats
Delta Main Cabin
My home for the next 9.5 hours
Each seat is equipped with a personal IFE-screen, a headrest, USB and electric plug, a table and a pocket
A blanket and a pillow were provided, both of good quality
The legroom was kinda good
The view from my seat as boarding continued
The cabin crew made some announcements and I found very funny how they use expressions likes "Good morning folks" or give a personal point of view on infos like the weather at destionation. A personal touch that can be nice, especially compared to some cold and computer-style PAs
At 10:20 boarding ended and doors were armed
We pushed back minutes later
Meanwhile the safety video was played
ITA Airwas A330 taking off
Heading to runway 25
We were the 3rd for T/O, following a Vueling A321 and a Brussels Airlines A319
Runway 25 is mainly used for departures at FCO, while the other twos handles arrivals
Aligning to the runway at 10:44, more than one hour after scheduled departure time
The two Pratt & Whitney PW4000 went full thrust with a deep noise
And in the air…
The satellite terminal with many heavies parked
Runway 16R/34L
Fiumicino town
The only two times I flew on an A330 (in 2013, on JFK-MAD and MAD-FCO, with Air Europa) it was night
I'm telling this because I felt like the plane was climbing with a low angle of climbing, less than other heavies I flew with
Maybe it was just an impression, lemme know your thoughts about
Banking over Tyrrean Sea
Approaching northern Sardinia, with Tavolara island just in front of the coastline
Olbia's gulf
Olbia's harbour, a very important gateway for ferries coming from the mainland
Olbia-Costa Smeralda Airport (IATA: OLB - ICAO: LIEO)
Sardinia's northwestern coast and Alghero
Alghero Airport (IATA: AHO - ICAO: LIEA)
Spain's coastline around Barcelona
Waiting for the meal to start I explored the In-Flight Entertainment called Delta Studio
The system is available in many languages
The main menu is quite easy to navigate and include the following categories: Movies, TV Series, Music, Flight Infos, Games and Kids
The movie selection is amazing, there were more than 100 films available and it was possible to filter them by category or language
Each passenger was provided with in-ear plugs which worked quite well
I want to take a few line to talk about Delta's onboard Wi-Fi
The system is activated at 30.000ft and there're two options: a free Wi-Fi which allows text messages only (without the possibily to send images) and a payed Wi-Fi to navigate limit-less. The last one costs 28$ for 24hrs
I decided to go for the free service and I've to admit it was really good. The log-in procedure was easy and the connection speed was fine, there were no delays in delivering or receiving messages
One hour after leaving Rome the meal service started
I expect a snack served before to be honest, but the lunch was served directly
The service started with the delivery of water and the table set, made of a paper tablecloth and cutlery
Tomato and mozzarella salad
Followed by a choice between
Chicken meatballs with rice and peas
or
Cheese-filled pasta
To finish
Cherry ice-cream
I went for chicken meatballs
The lunch was served on this irregular-shaped tray
In my opinion, the tray looked a bit "empty", I'd expect some bread and butter or similar stuff
The tomato and mozzarella salad was good, very refreshing
Meatballs were a bit dry, but the taste fine. Rice was well-cooked and tasty
Ice-cream was definitely too sweat
Wood(?) cutlery was kinda pointless, cutting was a bit difficult and the paper tablecloth created the risk of slipping while trying to cut the food
My father took pasta and made me try it
The cheese-filling was very tasty
Meanwhile Asturias coast was scrolling below us
Avilés, one of the main town in Asturias
The food service ended while we approach the Atlantic Ocean
After lunch I took a 3-hour nap
The seat was quite comfortable to sleep and the engine's noise was tolerable
I woke up in the middle of the Ocean
Most of the passengers were sleeping or enjoying the IFE
In the rear galley a food and beverage selection was available
I took a couple of snacks which were fine
Having already sleeped I watched the 2022-version of Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
While I was watching the movie we encountered a light turbolence, but nothing serious
One hour and half before landing a second meal was served
It was made of a baked cheese and tomato bread (quite good) and a melon and grape fruit salad (fresh and tasty)
Corporate Flight-Report shot
We're flying just south of Nova Scotia
Outside there was an ocean of clouds
30 minutes before landing the cabin was prepared of the arrival
The first spot of US-soil, Long Island
Banking over Farmingdale
Republic Airport in Farmingdale (IATA: FRG - ICAO: KFRG - FAA: KRG)
The Captain made an announcemente stating that we needed to fly over the ocean for about 20 minutes due to bad weather at JFK
ITA Airways A350 doing the same thing…
The blue livery would be heavier, but surely it's very recognizable
After 15 minutes of banking over the sea we began our final approach to JFK
Sandy Hook
Lower New York Bay
Coney Island
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, connecting the two boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island
Sheepshead Bay
Flying over Brooklyin with Manhattan visible in the distance
The Big Apple's skyline
Final moments in the air
We'd land on RWY13R
Korean Air A380 welcoming us to NY
At 14:07, 42 minutes after scheduled, we touched down at New York-John Fitzgerald Kennedy International Airport
Landing was smooth
Delta Airlines A320 with Terminal 1 in background
JetBlue A321
Delta's base, Terminal 4
Delta Airlines Boeing 767
Delta Airlines A330neo
Docking at gate B20, at the start of the pier
During the flight the Purser came to me telling that the Captain waited for me after landing to give me the flight report form
I waited to be the last to disembark
Main Cabin
Delta Premium Select cabin
Delta One business class
The Captain and his First Officer welcomed me very warmly in the cockpit
We chatted for a few minutes about the plane, the holding pattern above the ocean and the procedures in case of bad weather
The Captain invited me to take his seat and gave me his hat to take a pic
You can imagine how excited I was XD
The First Officer gave me the Flight Report form, very well filled
She also gifted me with the papers of ocean crossing's clearance, something I really appreciated
I think that a job like the pilot carries a big amount of passion, and I think they enjoy if passengers share their passion
Last view of our bird
Outside the sky was quite cloudy
Thank you!
The gate we disembark from was very close to the immigration hall
Despite the expectations there was no queue at that moment
Ithink is kinda rare considering I've always waited 1hr to clear immigration the other times I've visited USA
The passport control took around 20 minutes
We got at the baggage claim carousel and our bags were already there
After clearing customs we procedeed immediately to Delta recheck desk, located just outside the arrival hall
Since baggages were already tagged it takes no time to check them
Checking at the FIDS we discovered that our flight to Buffalo was delayed from 16:45 to 18:45. Not a big issue at first
Having more time to spare we got outside the terminal to smoke a cigarette, not imaging what was about to happen…
While spending a few moments outside the terminal I received a notification from Delta app: gate to BUF had been changed from B49 to C70, in Terminal 2
We asked a Delta's employee the best way to get there and she told us to clear the security at Terminal 4 and then get the airside shuttle to T2
We got at the departure level and passed through security in about 20 minutes. Once airside we checked the FIDS again and we got the cold shower: our flight to Buffalo had been cancelled
Heading to Delta costumer service near to gate B30 we realized many other flights had been cancelled, resulting in a long queue
It took more than one hour to get at the counter. It was around 17:00
The employee explained that the flight was cancelled due to bad weather at JFK (she was speaking like there was a thunderstorm, while actually it was just a light rain)
Having already booked a car and a 2-day hotel in Niagara Falls we asked for the fastest solution to travel to BUF. The next flight would depart around 20:30, but it was full. Later we'd discover that also this flight had been cancelled
At first she offered us a flight the day after at 20:30, 30 hours later than our original flight. This was unacceptable because we had just 2 nights in Niagara Falls and we'd have not time to visit the Falls, the only reason of our travel to BUF
She offered us to travel from LaGuardia to Buffalo at 21:15. Since baggages had been already checked we had to go to Delta baggage counter and make a claim for the day after in Buffalo. The baggages would have travel with the first available flight from JFK. While we discussed about this solution she told us that only 2 seats were available
Having two different bookings she tried another solution: my father and I would fly from LGA at 21:15, while my mother and my sister would fly to Buffalo from JFK via Detroit
We accepted this combination, by the way we noticed from the boarding passes that JFK-DTW arrival time was later than DTW-BUF departure time, meaning that my mother and my sister would have lost the connection
She tried giving us a flight from LaGuardia the day after, at lunch time. Since the flight was cancelled for weather no hotel would be payed by Delta. For unknown reason she wasn't able to book this flight for us
With the only available solution for the day after in the evening, we decided to refuse Delta's offer and drive from New York to Buffalo
The agent told us that it would be possible to request a refund for the cancelled leg
Having decided to drive to Buffalo we had to reclaim our baggages
We went to the ground floor, at the domestic baggage reclaim hall, were Delta's baggage counter is located
Making the request the agent told us that it may take up to 6 hours. It was around 18:30
The counter was full of people who had their flight cancelled and most of them were waiting since 3/4 hours
Since the wait appeared to be long we searched for something to eat. Terminal 4 had only a bar and a diner which was closed at that moment. So we went to Terminal 1 which has a landside foodcourt
After dinner we spent the rest of the time in the baggage hall, periodically getting to the counter. Obviously the employees didn't know when the baggage would have come, they kept answering with manual phrases. In the meantime we also called our hotel in Buffalo to cancel the first night of two.
Around 23:00 (exactly 24 hourse after waking up in Rome) the baggages emerged from the conveyor belt. Four hour and half of waiting and still 680 kms to Niagara Falls.
We took the AirTrain people mover to the car rental center
Our aim was to change the car pickup point from Buffalo Airport to New York-JFK
The process took a long time since our driving licences were not from USA
This mean that the Hertz agent had to cancel the previous booking and make a new one
We got inside the car around 1:00, eleven hours after touching the runway
Since we're tired as hell we just drove off New York, taking a hotel in Fairfield, NJ, and driving to Niagara Falls the morning after
Stay tuned for the return flight
I've experienced two different Delta Airlines during this journey
The first one during the flight and one at the airport
The flight was fine, the seat was comfortable, the IFE great and the meal decent. The crew seemed a bit messy, but doing their best to deliver a good service. No need to tell how much I apprecieated the welcome in the cockpit.
My impression about Delta's flight, confirmed on the return flight, is a sort of lack of attention to details. Even if the level was good, everything seemed made to get the best result with minimum effort.
The airport experience was absolutely terrible. I understand that airlines are spending a hard period after the pandemy, but cancelling a flight and offering a solution 30 hours later the original flight is absurd. Moreover the weather reason for cancellation give the airline the "alibi" not to refun a single dollar spent (for example, if we had decided to leave from LGA, the transfer would have to be payed by us)
No words about the baggages, I cannot imagine that a big and busy airport like JFK cannot reclaim a baggage from the system in a short time. I'll never wish this experience to anyone...
Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 4 avis concernant 2 compagnies sur la ligne Rome (FCO) → New York (JFK).
La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Delta Air Lines avec 7.4/10.
La durée moyenne des vols est de 9 heures et 40 minutes.
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2 Comments
I'm not sure how I feel about their way of not serving the meals on a tray...it looks like it's an attempt to make it look more premium, but it just ends up looking unfinished or like it's missing something, bread for sure, as you mention.
This was already a good description of Economy on US carriers before the pandemic...now it's even more true!
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much :)
I flew with Delta in 2013 and I saw a huge loss of quality
What I don't understand is the way they want to appear "alternative" or "pop" putting together this "uncomplete" service
Sometimes classic is better...
Best wishes and have a good summer :)
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