What is service like on a short internal flight in Greece on Aegean Airlines?
Aegean Airlines is one of my favorite airlines in Europe. The carrier boasts a young fleet, great crews, and a full-service product. After a day in Santorini, my family flew back from Santorini to Athens. The flight was less than an hour.
Interestingly, the flight was booked through the Olympic Air website with an Olympics Air flight number, but as far as the airport and onboard experience — all Aegean. Olympic Air, not to be confused with defunct Olympic Airlines (even though the logo is nearly identical) serves as a regional subsidiary of Aegean, though does not appear to operates any flights between JTR and ATH.
We pulled up to the airport about an hour before departure and parked right outside, leaving the keys of the rental car right in the car.
No one else was checking in — apparently we were among the last to arrive. I thought we would each have to check our second carry-on bags, but the agents were very relaxed and allowed us to carry everything through as hand baggage.
Inside the airport lobby was a small concession area selling coffee and snacks.
There was even a ticketing desk:
On the other side of the security checkpoint (one metal detector and x-ray belt), was a crowded waiting area.
Duty free shopping is available.
Hint: head upstairs. The area was empty. Not only is there another snack shop and restrooms, but a nice outdoor patio with views of the tarmac. But, no elevator and it took five flights of stairs to get up there. No wonder few made the climb!
The Aegean Domestic Flight
The plane landed late from Athens and boarding began about 20 minute behind schedule. Tickets are scanned and you are directed outside to a waiting area. From there, a bus will take you to the plane. Boarding is by air stairs.
As I mentioned earlier, Aegean airline has a fleet of modern Airbus jets that it keeps very clean. FAs are well groomed with great uniforms and very friendly.
Due to the short duration of the flight, only a small snack was served once in the air: sugarcoated almonds. Very addicting!
FAs presented the following items to baby Augustine–
He was tired, though, and just relaxed during the flight:
Overhead monitors provided a flight map indicating our progress toward Athens:
CONCLUSION
Ferries are not a bad way to travel, but I enjoyed the smooth flight from Santorini to Athens on Aegean.
I trust you’re the one that carried Augustine up the five flights of stairs.
She carried 14lb Augustine, I carried the four pieces of hand baggage!
No stroller or car seat?
Aegean is also my favorite airline in Europe. But only the almonds? That’s not very common, even for a domestic flight with them… What time of the day was the flight?