Greek Trip

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Member for

21 years

Posts: 268

Recently returned from a holiday in the Greek Islands, so thought i'd report back on my travels. Flew Manchester to Athens with Alitalia ( cheap ticket) so changed aircraft in Milan/Malpensa. Man-ATH MD 80 and MXP-ATH A321. Although MD 80 is showing its age it was a very smooth flight, and nice to have the option of 2 seats together. These days its often 3 + 3, where as the MD 80 was 2 + 3.

The flight from Milans was the busier of the two, completely full, the aircraft didnt look as knackered as the flight out of MAN, but one thing in common on both flights, the service and food was pretty crap. Have never flown with Alitalia before and I wouldn't put them high on my preference list. Still everything on time and ticket was cheap.

Next day Athens to Samos with Olympic on an ATR 72. Busy flight, got a drink onboard, pleasant crew. You can see the aircraft is a real work horse for them, peolpe use it like a bus. Very interesting approach into Samos, plane swings very sharply to left to avoid mountains. Saw charter aircraft do the same approach while i was there.

Spent two and half weeks away, did a few island by ship and ended up in Mykonos.

Flew with Agean on a 146 Mykonos-Athens, very nice leather seating and a foot rest, flight time 20 mins, and still got a drink !

Then next day onwards with Alitalia again, same route, same aircraft types , enjoyed the MD 80 again, I guess there are not as many operators of this type left in Europe now ?? Malpensa airport is Ok, but its not a place you would want to spend too long, looking a bit old and tired. The new Athens Airport is really quite good and the Metro runs straight into the city centre.

Got back to Manchester at about 22.00hrs on Sunday night. Got to passport control to find at least 500 people queuing because there was only two staff working checking passports.............welcome to the UK !

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Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 12,842

Nice report, sounds like you had good time overall

Member for

21 years

Posts: 1,029

Flew into Samos a few years ago on a Monarch 757 - firm landing with lots of reverse / braking. Take off was open up the engines, hold on the brakes until full power reached then accelerate like a scolded cat down a shortish runway (6000ft)

Member for

20 years 10 months

Posts: 9,401

Excellent report, Greek Island Hopping is one of my main things on the 'to do list' when im older, I used to see an Olympic ATR several times a day in ZTH last year, as you say its like a bus service, like the Ryanair Dublin-UK services.

Member for

21 years

Posts: 268

Deffo, go Island hopping in Greece LBA its great. People also ver nice.

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 692

Recently returned from a holiday in the Greek Islands, so thought i'd report back on my travels. Flew Manchester to Athens with Alitalia ( cheap ticket) so changed aircraft in Milan/Malpensa. Man-ATH MD 80 and MXP-ATH A321. Although MD 80 is showing its age it was a very smooth flight, and nice to have the option of 2 seats together. These days its often 3 + 3, where as the MD 80 was 2 + 3.

The flight from Milans was the busier of the two, completely full, the aircraft didnt look as knackered as the flight out of MAN, but one thing in common on both flights, the service and food was pretty crap. Have never flown with Alitalia before and I wouldn't put them high on my preference list. Still everything on time and ticket was cheap.

Next day Athens to Samos with Olympic on an ATR 72. Busy flight, got a drink onboard, pleasant crew. You can see the aircraft is a real work horse for them, peolpe use it like a bus. Very interesting approach into Samos, plane swings very sharply to left to avoid mountains. Saw charter aircraft do the same approach while i was there.

Spent two and half weeks away, did a few island by ship and ended up in Mykonos.

Flew with Agean on a 146 Mykonos-Athens, very nice leather seating and a foot rest, flight time 20 mins, and still got a drink !

Then next day onwards with Alitalia again, same route, same aircraft types , enjoyed the MD 80 again, I guess there are not as many operators of this type left in Europe now ?? Malpensa airport is Ok, but its not a place you would want to spend too long, looking a bit old and tired. The new Athens Airport is really quite good and the Metro runs straight into the city centre.

Got back to Manchester at about 22.00hrs on Sunday night. Got to passport control to find at least 500 people queuing because there was only two staff working checking passports.............welcome to the UK !


I actually thought Malpensa was a nice airport. How long did you stay? We were stuck for 8 hours!
Alitalia... I thought they were alright. Their E190's are brilliant, though! Way better than A319's.

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 1,887

Nice report