Denise in Florida Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 My daughter is flying to Rome at the end of this month. She has tickets on Swiss Air from Miami to Rome with a layover in Geneva (I think). Her layover is only 1 1/2 hours. Does she have to go through customs/security during the layover or is it just a walk from gate to gate? Anyone have experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I think it will be from gate to gate. The only time I have had to go through customs on a flight like that was when my layover was in the US. But, these things always seem to be changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Denise, when we traveled from London to Tel Aviv with a very short layover (just like your daughter's) in Vienna, we didn't have to go through customs. There was a very short security line right by each gate. But not customs. So yes, for us it was just a walk from gate to gate. Both times. I've never seen anyone have to go through customs when they have layovers in non-U.S. countries. She just needs to keep her eyes open for signs directing her to gates, in-transit, etc. And she can always ask. :) She'll be fine. This must be very exciting for her! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I don't know. I've had to do it before. A few years ago I got rerouted due to bad weather and missed my flight out of Chicago (I was coming home to Germany). I was on standby and made it onto and Air France flight to Paris (BTW, Air France is awesome) where I'd switch to a British Air flight to Germany. When I got to Paris, I had to go through immigration, which is just filling out a form and showing your passport, get my luggage, claim I had nothing to declare and turn it back over. IME, most flights originating in non-EU countries have to go through customs. Customs doesn't take long, it's immigration that's a PITA. An hour and a half should give her plenty of time (mostly because they have loads of lines for EU and non-EU citizens and the non-EU lines are usually shorter). She will likely get a stamp in her passport in Geneva, but when she gets to Rome, since her flight originates in the EU, they probably won't stamp her passport. They likely won't even have customs or immigration there, because the flight is an inter-EU flight. The only time we get stamps now is when we fly to and from the UK. We never go through immigration on inter-EU flights. Boo. I like stamps in my passport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 I transferred planes in Rome this summer. I had to go through security and passport control. It only took a couple of minutes. My layover was supposed to be an hour and a half in Rome. Due to mechanical issues, we got to Rome with about 15 minutes to catch our flight. We made it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Because Switzerland is part of the Shengen Agreement, she should have to do customs/immigration in Geneva and not in Rome. They do not check passports between Italy and Switzerland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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