easyJet: Rome to Paris

The carrier: easyJet

About

EasyJet is Europe's second-largest low-cost carrier, after Ryanair. It's also one of the oldest in Europe; its first flights took off in late 1995, and it pioneered the online purchase model.  EasyJet is based at Hangar 89, which is an orange building adjacent to the main taxiway at Luton Airport.

The easyJet route map is not as wide-ranging as Ryanair's, although the airline tends to fly to primary airports over out-of-the-way secondary airports. Fares are also higher than Ryanair's, though the easyJet flying experience tends to receive fewer complaints.

One place where easyJet does not get high marks is in the telephone customer service department. We've read stories of hundreds of faxes remaining unreturned and hours-long waits on toll telephone lines with high per-minute charges.

Among the airline's more notable destinations are Bucharest, Geneva, Istanbul, Madeira, Sofia, Split and Tallinn.

Upside

Great connections across Europe without the lowest-common-denominator panic.

Downside

Notoriously bad customer service.

Baggage

*Carry-on: One piece of hand luggage.
*Checked: €12 per bag (per flight), combined weight not to exceed 20 kg. Over 20 kg, €12 per kg.

* Please visit EasyJet’s website for more information on its baggage policy.

Seating

Strict pre-boarding policy. Check-in no later than 40 minutes prior to departure. Boarding is on a first-come first-serve basis and can be a nightmare if you don’t arrive early. EasyJet never allows stand-bys.

Check-in and Ticketing

Online check-in is available from 60 days before your flight until two hours prior to the scheduled departure time.  Passengers with hold-luggage are allowed to do this as well. The boarding gate closes 25 minutes prior to the scheduled time of departure.  If your flight leaves London Gatwick before 08.30 you can check in for this flight the night before from 20:00. This will give you the opportunity to leave your baggage at the airport. You will be issued with a boarding pass so you can go straight to security for your flight the following morning.

Tip
Check in online so that you’re automatically entered into the "A" group for boarding, meaning you'll hop on—and off—first. Be careful with personal property as there is little or no compensation for damages or losses.

Fun Fact

EasyJet offers the possibility to carbon offset the CO2 to their customers' trips for a surcharge via a calculator which calculates a passenger's carbon footprint.

Departure: Rome, Italy - Ciampino Airport (CIA)

Rome Ciampino Airport or "Aeroporto di Roma-Ciampino," also known as Giovan Battista Pastine Airport is a joint civilian, commercial and military airport near Rome in Italy. In recent years, low-cost carriers have now boosted Ciampino and it is now one of the busiest and fastest growing airports in Italy. Ciampino is a major base for Ryanair, and also serves multiple easyJet, Centralwings, and Sterling routes. Currently, Ciampino is more or less a low-cost and charter airline airport.

Location:

Rome Ciampino Airport is located on the Via Appia Nuova, 15 km from the centre of Rome.

Transport:

•Rail: To get into the heart of Rome from Ciampino, take the CoTral bus for €2. It departs from outside the terminal every half an hour and takes you to Anagnina, the terminus of Metro line A, in 20 minutes. From line A, you can take the subway (for €1) to Stazione Termini, Rome's main train station.
•Bus: Another way to get into the center of Rome from Ciampino airport is on the Terravision express bus. The Terravision bus connects Ciampino airport to Rome's Termini Station. Frequency of service varies according to flight arrivals and departures, but buses typically arrive every 20 minutes or so. Tickets cost €8 one-way and €14 round-trip. Visit the Terravision booking engine to book bus tickets in advance.
•Taxi: Taxis are available at the airport. The official taxis are white and identified by the illuminated Taxi sign on the roof. Ensure the meter is running, and check the approximate price of the journey beforehand.

Service:

The Airport has 4 information desks located throughout the 4 passenger terminals. There are a number of excellent restaurants, cafes and bars located throughout the airport. High-end shops and duty free can be found in the airport as well. There are Cash Points in the Arrivals area, and in the General Aviation, as well as a bank.

Arrival: Paris, France - Orly (ORY)

Paris - Orly Airport or "Aéroport de Paris – Orly" has flights to cities across the globe. Before the construction of Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Orly was the main airport of Paris. Orly still remains the busiest French airport for domestic traffic and the second busiest French airport overall in terms of passenger boarding. Orly is also a major Transavia hub. Other low-cost carriers with multiple routes in and out of Orly include easyJet and Norwegian Air Shuttle.

Location

Paris - Orly Airport is located 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of Paris, partially in Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi.

Transport

• Rail: To get to Paris from Orly, take the Orlyval, which connects to the RER at the Antony Metro station. It will cost €7.60 (adult) or €3.80 (child) to go as far as Antony and €9.85 (adult) or €4.90 (child) for the full fare into Paris.

• Bus: From Orly, the Air France bus line 1 stops at Montparnasse and Invalides. It will also stop at Porte d'Orléans or Duroc, but you have request these stops. The bus runs at regular intervals between 6:15 a.m. and 11:15 p.m. It costs €11.50 for a one-way fare or €18.50 for a round-trip ticket; a child's ticket costs €5.50. The RATP Orlybus runs every 15-20 minutes between Orly and Denfert Rochereau and a ticket costs €6.30. The total travel time is about 30 minutes. To visit the official Web site of Orly and Charles de Gaulle click here.

• Taxi: There are plenty of taxis outside the arrivals area which run to central Paris and various suburban destinations.

Services

Both Orly Airport Terminals have ATMS, currency exchanges and a post office. Wi-Fi access is available throughout the terminals as well as a number of Internet access points. Throughout the airport there are many bars, restaurants, newspaper stands, gift and duty-free shops. Other airport facilities include a medical center at Orly South as well as art galleries and places of worship in both terminals.