Originally Posted by
schrodingerdog
I can't find any post related to a transit in Athens airport, so here is my question:
My friend (Turkish Passport) is travelling IST-ATH-MAN in one ticket with Aegean, but all the information we are finding about transfering in Athenes is really confusing. Normally in others airports in Europe she just go through security screening and gets directed to the Non-Schengen area to take the next flight. But according to the Athens Airport website and also the Aegean Call Centre in UK there is passport control in Athens and she needs either a 'transit' visa or a valid Schengen visa.
Is this true? Because if it is, is a massive pain in the a** for her
I have never used it, but there is a transfer desk on the left as you enter the arrivals area (or come down the stairs if arriving at an air bridge). It is usually unstaffed but I have occasionally seen a member of staff there. It appears to lead through to an escalator heading up to non-Schngen departures.
Maybe a call to the airport information line, rather than the airline would be more useful. There must be MANY people coming in, on Turkish and others, who transfer directly out of Schengen. You can't be the only person who's ever had this issue and it would be crazy to need a visa just to transit.
The airport web page gives a call centre number - (+30) 210 35 30 000
Also, I found this previous thread (from four years ago) asking the same question:
Athens airport transit question(s)
One poster intimates that it should be possible to transit without entering Greece but the OP never confirms what actually happened. Maybe you could contact that person.