Alitalia will only allow listing on trans-atlantic flight not on inta-europe flights.This means that when flying into airport in Europe from the US, you have to go thru customs and imagration, go to the ticket counter and get listed. Then go back thru security, passport control to the gate.
Alitalia reservations told me there was no way to list for the flight at the gate or at a transit desk, and the gate would not board you unless you were listed.

Am I missing something here?