OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, RR: 60 Reply 3, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5789 times:
Thats marketing for you !
Nice to see the NCL ship that I was on back in February MSC Im not so interested in .
So we made our way back to the house with a quick stop at the Bakery . My Colleagues back in Ireland had made me promise to bring them back their favourite Greek cakes so I couldnt refuse
My local Souvlaki shop
Back home with the important cargo
So I logged on and checked in online with Aer Lingus for that evenings flight :
Soon it was time to leave for the Airport and I told my Cousin I would take the bus rather then have him waste time and petrol driving me there and back . The bus is very fast and frequent and only EUR5 .
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, RR: 60 Reply 4, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5786 times:
DATE: 05/JUN/2012
AIRLINE: AER LINGUS
ROUTE: ATH - DUB
FLIGHT: EI 443
CLASS: ECONOMY
SEAT: 29F
AIRCRAFT: AIRBUS A320
REG: EI - ???
Soon enough we arrived at the Airport and my flight was displayed along with the check in counters.
I was first in line and then more people came to join while the Swissport staff were setting up . Three Irish guys were behind me seemed like they had been Island hopping . The majority were Irish tourists and a few Greek students.
First time I have seen Aer Lingus logo's at ATH and nice to see
After a few minutes I was invited forward by a friendly Girl. She advised me that Aer Lingus didnt have a lounge but was going to make a phone call to see if they would admit me to the Swissport lounge. I thanked her but declined as I had pre booked the OA lounge which I prefer. Nice offer though . She gave me my boarding card and I also asked her if she could block the seat next to me . This was granted and she also said the flight was only 50% full so there would be plenty of room. For the 4.5 hour flight that was music to my ears but maybe not Herr Muellers
It was such a lovely evening so I decided to have a look around outside and take some pics.
Always nice when airports give the place a local flavor :
10 Years since the airport opened and the place is still lovely ,airy and more important spotless.
I also love this too an airport museum something that is nice to stroll around :
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, RR: 60 Reply 5, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5783 times:
Soon after it was time to check the flight status on my iPhone App :
Everything fine so time to head to the Olympic Air lounge :
I was welcomed to the lounge by two friendly Olympic staff and advised to keep an eye on the monitors.
I broke the rules and had the sweets first and they were lovely :
Shortly after one of the ladies came out with freshly cooked items .
Quite a nice spread and sometimes all you want is something normal so Chicken nuggets were very welcome and were not the cheap type you get so I really enjoyed them .
I can recommend the wine too :
TK have an agreement to use the lounge too so they have some of their leaflets:
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, RR: 60 Reply 6, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5768 times:
Also a very nice book to keep
After a while and a pleasant stay in the lounge it was time to head to the gate :
Boarding was already started and a flash of my EI Gold card to a agent was enough to skip the line.
I was greeted at the door by two crew members who joked about the weather back in Dublin . It seemed it was heavy rain and cold . Real Irish weather
I took my signature seat and made myself comfortable .
Air France heading to Paris the next morning .
Shortly after one of the FA's came to me and said Im going to move you if you dont mind , you will be more comfortable a few rows forward as these seats dont recline . I thought hmmm.... ok so you really want these for yourself I thought it but didnt say it . As the flight was 50% full I didnt mind as Im sure I would have a row of three to myself anyway . I obliged and moved to the other side a few rows up .
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, RR: 60 Reply 7, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5755 times:
Boarding was soon completed and I believe the load was around 89 passengers. I guess for early June its not too bad .
Neighbours stick together :
Probably the last time I will see these A340s . They have been sold finally for 40M so will be removed. I will miss seeing those and have fond memories of my LHR-ATH flights on them .
After take off the crew came around with the BOB and I decided to go for the meatball pasta/shortbread and a sparkling water .
I have to say it was well presented and tasted really good. One of Aer Lingus's main strengths is its buy onboard menu .
After that I decided to sleep a bit and then watch my iPad videos . I thought the flight would drag by but it really went very quickly . Soon enough we were making our decent into DUB and the crew were checking the cabin.
It was quite windy on approach and we had a rather bumpy landing . The weather outside was such a contrast to what we left behind in Athens.
Soon enough we were on stand and I made my way to the front of the aircraft before the FA shouting after me . ''Hey dont forget your sweets''. I had left them under the seat in front . Pheww that was close. I thanked him and then disembarked the aircraft thanking the crew at the door for a pleasant flight.
The bags were off so quickly and I saw mine right away .
A very empty arrivals at this time of night :
I then made my way to the bus and onwards to my house .
So thats the end of my report . I hope you enjoyed . I have to say I probably should have tried this route out before but the incentive now was the ability to earn miles on my Aer Lingus GC card.
The flight timings were perfect giving me maximum time in Athens with my Family . It was hassle free and comfortable. Aer Lingus did their job as usual . On time ,resonable fare and friendly crew. I would certainly take this route again if it returns in 2013 .
Thanks for reading and I look forward to your replies as usual
Regards
Philip / OA260
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
bobloblaw From United States of America, joined Jan 2012, 1367 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 5558 times:
I cant believe the Ireland-Greece market is viable for any airline right now.
shamrock350 From Ireland, joined Mar 2005, 6106 posts, RR: 15 Reply 9, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 5554 times:
Nice report Philip.
The situation in both our nations is probably making things tough for this route but it's been around since summer 2007 so hopefully it's strong enough to withstand the times ahead. The loads would probably be better on the DUB-ATH sectors, I think your photos of the glorious sunshine would be enough to fill an A330 out of DUB!
I think the seasonal service three times a week is viable at the moment but the figures when they tally them up in October will tell more. Its not tons of capacity and AIA are offering reduced fees to Airlines so might just make it work. Its been running a good few years now and seems popular with the Irish tourists. Also the charters are still running to the Greek Islands this Summer so there is still a market.
There are some legacy airlines doing very well out of ATH at the moment including in Premium cabins.
Yeah didnt think it was as far back as 2007 ! Doesnt time fly
Your not wrong about the weather its desperate. Today was like monsoon here in Ireland and I was ready to lite a fire Just a shame I was out of coal lol ...
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
Widebodyroga From United States of America, joined Sep 2008, 473 posts, RR: 4 Reply 11, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 5386 times:
Hey Philip nice report, featuring an all too familiar origin-and-destination combo for you. How frequently do you visit Greece, really? You seem to go there quite often.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 2): Then after a while my Cousin and I headed to Marina Zea to go to Starbucks
How big is Starbucks in Greece? You guys like your coffee a lot and I remember seeing a ton of cafes in Athens. Nice shots of the beach by the way.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 4): For the 4.5 hour flight that was music to my ears but maybe not Herr Muellers
Is the flight really that long? I'm assuming that's with taxiing and all? I once flew ATH-GLA and it was only around 3.5hrs long (but on a B757).
Quoting OA260 (Reply 6): I can recommend the wine too :
Macedonikos Tsantali is an excellent wine like most products of that company. My favorite Greek wine is Imiglykos Limnos of the same brand. I know a place in Iowa that sells it so I can stock up
Quoting OA260 (Reply 7): Neighbours stick together :
That's a cute photo.
By the way, is there really a LOT flight to Krakow at 4:30am? What evil soul came up with such a departure time?
Also I noticed that you paid for your EI meal in cash. That's nice that they still allow it in Europe. In the US they've stopped accepting cash a few years ago.
And good thing you remembered the sweets at the end! It would have been a shame to leave them behind!
Thanks for sharing this with us,
WideBodyroga
Visit my aviation page: http://widebodyroga.weebly.com/
LH4116 From Sweden, joined Aug 2007, 1672 posts, RR: 15 Reply 12, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 5365 times:
Hey Philip, nice report!
Quoting OA260 (Reply 2): My Cousin decided to go for a dessert drink While I opted for a strong Cappuchino .
Well they're actually called Frappuccinos LOL, but you are right. They are more like desserts really
Quoting OA260 (Reply 3): Thats marketing for you !
So relevant, and so true! I like that Aegean also have their name on a boat, although not as big.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 3): My Colleagues back in Ireland had made me promise to bring them back their favourite Greek cakes so I couldnt refuse
So you didn't bring them proper baklawa this time?
Quoting OA260 (Reply 5): Quite a nice spread and sometimes all you want is something normal so Chicken nuggets were very welcome and were not the cheap type you get so I really enjoyed them .
Must say that the food looked really nice, and with your presentation it could might've been served at a restaurant, haha.
Quoting OA260 (Reply 10): There are some legacy airlines doing very well out of ATH at the moment including in Premium cabins.
I'm guessing SWISS is one of these airlines. But then again, I wonder how that'll affect now when you only earn 100% on Business Savers.
"Wheels Up!"
//Jonas
I won't stop complaining until SAS reintroduces free service in Economy Class!
sultanils From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1188 posts, RR: 29 Reply 13, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 5020 times:
Hello Philip,
Your nice and sunny report immediately makes we want to leave for Athens or somewhere else in Greece! How do you cope with that awful Irish weather? I don't get it
Afaik this is the first time I see you traveling EI out of ATH. I didn't know even they serviced the Greece capital Although the flight doesn't seem bad and is very convenient I still Aegean is a much better choice to fly to Greece, no?
Quoting OA260 (Thread starter): I took my signature seat and made myself comfortable .
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, RR: 60 Reply 14, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 4855 times:
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 11): Hey Philip nice report, featuring an all too familiar origin-and-destination combo for you. How frequently do you visit Greece, really? You seem to go there quite often.
Hey thanks for the reply I try to go back as much as possible. I am very close to my Family and its home from home. I just feel that is where my heart is . I guess its around 4-5 times a year on average sometimes more. When I take my 6 months out I also intend to spend more time there maybe a few weeks at a time. Maybe also base myself there and do some regional flying
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 11): How big is Starbucks in Greece? You guys like your coffee a lot and I remember seeing a ton of cafes in Athens. Nice shots of the beach by the way.
Starbucks is quite popular the Greeks still like their own coffee houses but Starbucks is considered a treat for most Greeks. Its quite pricey by Greek standards.
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 11): Is the flight really that long? I'm assuming that's with taxiing and all? I once flew ATH-GLA and it was only around 3.5hrs long (but on a B757).
Yeah its around 4 and a half all in . One of the longest EI European routes .
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 11): Macedonikos Tsantali is an excellent wine like most products of that company. My favorite Greek wine is Imiglykos Limnos of the same brand. I know a place in Iowa that sells it so I can stock up
Oh I must try the other one . Im not really a drinker but enjoy a glass of wine every now and then . Mostly its when Im travelling on a flight or in a lounge.
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 11): By the way, is there really a LOT flight to Krakow at 4:30am? What evil soul came up with such a departure time?
LOT have some really early times. I once took a LCA-WAW at 3am and it was packed ! They love these early flights. I hate early morning flights myself I prefer after 10am but sometimes its not always possible to get the max out of your time .
Quoting Widebodyroga (Reply 11): Also I noticed that you paid for your EI meal in cash. That's nice that they still allow it in Europe. In the US they've stopped accepting cash a few years ago.
Aer Lingus still accept cash . I doubt that will change anytime soon . I use cards for everything and prefer it. Alot of my colleagues and friends here in Ireland have given them up or have huge debts on them .
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 12): Well they're actually called Frappuccinos LOL, but you are right. They are more like desserts really
Yeah thought they had some funky name for them couldnt remember it LOL...
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 12): So you didn't bring them proper baklawa this time?
No they didnt really like those when I brought them before. Too much syrup. I know , I know how can they say such a thing
Quoting LH4116 (Reply 12): I'm guessing SWISS is one of these airlines. But then again, I wonder how that'll affect now when you only earn 100% on Business Savers.
Yes which is bad when you consider the price of the Biz savers on LX have increased a huge amount over the years . I used to be able to get a Biz saver DUB-ATH for EUR350 and now its EUR600. Still knowing me I will still pay it as I love Swiss Did they make only 100% earning on all programs? I must admit I have not checked recently.
Quoting sultanils (Reply 13): How do you cope with that awful Irish weather? I don't get it
I know and this year has been terrible. A few weeks back I was shopping in Belfast and there were umbrellas broken and laying in the street as the wind and rain had blown them inside out. I came home soaked as the rain was sideways . There have been floods and farmers are worried about their crops. Certainly a very bad Summer here for all concerned. All I can hope for is a late Summer . My Family in Greece on the other hand are complaining because its 40c
Quoting sultanils (Reply 13): Afaik this is the first time I see you traveling EI out of ATH. I didn't know even they serviced the Greece capital Although the flight doesn't seem bad and is very convenient I still Aegean is a much better choice to fly to Greece, no?
Yes this is the first flight I have ever taken on this service. Aegean Airlines is of course the best in terms of product offering but I dont think we will see them at DUB .
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 15, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 4771 times:
Nice report Phil! Lots of summery photos to remind Northern Europe what summer is supposed to be!
Quoting OA260 (Thread starter): After a few minutes I was invited forward by a friendly Girl. She advised me that Aer Lingus didnt have a lounge but was going to make a phone call to see if they would admit me to the Swissport lounge. I thanked her but declined as I had pre booked the OA lounge which I prefer. Nice offer though . She gave me my boarding card and I also asked her if she could block the seat next to me . This was granted and she also said the flight was only 50% full so there would be plenty of room.
Sounds like a very nice check in process...much better than BA at any rate!
Quoting OA260 (Thread starter): I have to say it was well presented and tasted really good. One of Aer Lingus's main strengths is its buy onboard menu .
Shame that Elite status doesn't come with some free food.
OA260 From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, RR: 60 Reply 17, posted (10 months 2 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 4756 times:
Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 15): Nice report Phil! Lots of summery photos to remind Northern Europe what summer is supposed to be!
Hey Gabriel ,
Thanks and yes indeed its nice to look back and pretend Im there Funny thing is the Sun has actually made an apprearance today
Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 15): Sounds like a very nice check in process...much better than BA at any rate!
Yes for sure . Never seen that Girl again . Maybe she is making the Greek coffee these days behind the scenes LOL...
Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 15): Shame that Elite status doesn't come with some free food.
True . I guess though its all revenue for EI so they dont want to loose it . I guess free bags and seat selection would be a nice perk but Im not too bothered really. You dont get something for nothing these days.
It will be interesting to see the figures if we can get them of the Aer Lingus loads for July and August . Not sure if EI release route specific figures ?
OLYMPIC AIR - ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑΚΗ "Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ ΨΗΛΑ" "GREECE FLYING HIGH"
MSS658 From Belgium, joined Oct 2010, 2212 posts, RR: 14 Reply 22, posted (10 months 2 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 4105 times:
Hi Phil
Thanks for making me jaulous with those warm sunny greece pics haha
Great report, nice to see a direct flight to DUB from ATH.
I'm pleased too see EI offers hot meals at a decent price
haf From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 17 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (10 months 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 3905 times:
Love the picture of ellinikon brought back memories from the time I used to work there at the IT OA building back in 1993
The pics from Pireas are great too, loved the report, awesome job Phillip
--e
25 Jambost: Great TR Phil, I checked out flights to Athens and it seems that a good number of flights around August - September have less than 5 seats left, good
26 Kavs8: Great TR! I've been reading your reports for sometime before I joined airliners.net it really is a pleasure to read such great reports, wish I had the
27 OA260: Hi thanks for the reply and must have been interesting to work there . I miss that Airport but was of course totally behind in terms of passenger com
28 mdavies06: Hi Philip, Thanks for yet another great TR plus all the pictures on Piraeus in particular. The OA A340s are such elegant planes I miss seeing them at
29 FlyingFinn76: Hi Phil, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I absolutely love your pictures from the Athens area these days. All you read in the news are demo
30 roberts87: Nice report. At first I thought 4,5 hours on Aer Lingus might not be so comfortable, but it seems they did an okay job. Meal looks good too. How much
31 OA260: Hi thanks glad you enjoyed it Indeed typical state way of how not to handle Aviation related issues. No to be honest in the current climate A3 and OA
32 airbuseric: Great report Philip, lovely Pireaus pictures, memories retrurned to me... good but a little sad also, maybe. I still have to write that specific tripr
33 OA260: Hi Eric thanks alot for the comment. I understand how you must feel but happier times are upon you so one door closes another opens You should plan f
34 deltamartin: Hi Philip! Nice to read the last installment on your London-Greece getaway! Some really nice pictures of Athens and it seems like you had another nice
35 signol: Hi Philip, great report to your usual high standard! And also nice pictures of real summer's days! Like plenty of others, I'm surprised you hadn't tak
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From Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 24927 posts, 
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From Sweden, joined Aug 2007, 1672 posts, 
I like that Aegean also have their name on a boat, although not as big.
From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1188 posts, 
Although the flight doesn't seem bad and is very convenient I still Aegean is a much better choice to fly to Greece, no?
Sultanils
From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, 
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