GBobon

Hello everyone,

i am having some doubt about a tight connection at ATH, mostly due to transfer to a longhaul flight, despite having only positive experiences from last year.
I will travel in April on two separate PNRs from OTP to xxx destination (longhaul) and the layover, if everything on time, it will be only 1h and 20min. I have no baggage to check, HBO, and will checkin online for the following leg. (btw, is there any transfer desks at ATH or only at the checkin area?)

I know I have to pass thru passport control, coming from non-Schengen country, and leaving from Schengen departures due to another transfer in a Schengen country. May someone let me know how crowded usually is the security check for Schengen boarding area and what the MCT is for extra-Schengen - intra-Schengen? Both airlines are *A if matters and im *A Silver (is there fast track for security check when flying on *A airline?)

Last year I have connected from non-Schengen to non-Schengen and was very quick, also other times my trip ended in ATH and the passport control queue was inexistent
thank you very much!

croberts134

MCT, of course, doesn't actually apply here because MCT is applicable to legal connections for single PNR itineraries. That being said, the default D to I or I to I MCT at ATH is 45 minutes (without the beyond ATH carrier the default is all I can tell you).

You'll certainly get better answers if you tell us the carriers, cities, and times involved since the question you are asking is variable depending on those conditions.

GBobon

I am aware of that, but I would like to know the MCT for A3 extra-Schengen to Intra-Schengen, for example.
flights are A3961 10:40 AM – 12:15 PM + SK778 1:35 PM – 3:50 PM.
thanks for replying

KLouis

You'll have plenty of time for your transfer, provided your incoming flight is on time. If not, you'll simply get scre..d, being on two tickets. If only "somewhat" late, contact the A3 agent with the light blue jacket who will be at the plane (I think they call them connection ambasssadors or something similar) as soon as you deplane and see whether (s)he can be of help.

croberts134

If sold on a single ticket, it would meet MCT (apologies for the formatting):

*R�
NO NAMES
1 A3 961Y 16APR M OTPATH SS1 1040 1215
2 SK 778Y 16APR M ATHCPH SS1 1335 1550
VCT*�
MINIMUM CONNECT TIME EDIT VALID FOR ALL CONNECTIONS

Often1

MCT is simply risk allocation, e.g. a carrier's willingness to bear the burden of a misconnect.

Separate tickets (PNR is irrelevant) means that the risk shifts from the carrier to OP. Here, the risk of no show on the long haul really depends on the fare rules of that second ticket and the length of delay a no show would cause. OP has not provided either of those.

On a fully refundable ticket, a no show might have from minimal to no consequences if the next flight is not long after. On a fully inflexible ticket, it might mean purchasing a new ticket at walk up prices and depending on scheduling, waiting a day or two.

GBobon

@croberts134, thank you very much for that info! @Often1, i am on a nonrefundable and no changes are allowed... I will get to ATH a day earlier, even it will be a bit difficult to get another day off..

KLouis

Wise decision. Mind you, my experience says that, after changing your plans and arriving in Athens a day early, you'll find out that on the day of your original booking, the incoming flight got in ATH 30 minutes early!

GBobon

@KLouis, yea, it happened to me many many times when I had positioning flights... but when I have only short haul flights im risking even the layover is abt 50min I love Athens, so will be good to be back there for the 3rd time

supatight80

Hi guys,

I have a 1 hour connecting time in ATH from LCA to FRA. Arrival time 725AM in ATH. I have 2 questions

1) Is the airport busy at this time with passport control? Or is 1 hour sufficient?

2) Aegean says we have to collect our luggage in ATH. Is that true? Flight is LCA - ATH - FRA. Coz if we have to pick up our luggage, 1 hour is pretty tight! This is all in ONE ticket # btw

Thanks!

KLouis

Yes, ATH is very busy at this time of day but don't worry: they'll check your bags through to FRA.

yurtripper

I recently flew WAW-ATH-LCA (separate PNRs) and the staff at the check-in desk in WAW refused to check my bag through to LCA. They said that I have to collect it at ATH and then check it in separately. I almost didn't make the flight to LCA because of this. Is this because it's Intra-Schengen to Extra-Schengen? I know the situation at ATH is messy for this (having had to go out the arrivals exit and then back through main security in departures on numerous occasions).

Even if that is a factor, the WAW check-in desk have form in this regard. They did the same last year when I flew WAW-ATH-RHO (fully Schengen). However, in this case I only wanted to check the bag in because I'd forgotten to take my Victorinox out beforehand and didn't want to chuck it. As I had a longer layover that time I decided to check the bag and pick it up myself at ATH.

KLouis

I really can't say why they're doing this at WAW. "Schengen" should have nothing to do with it, since the agreement concerns free moving of people and not customs. Weird!

As for the messy situation at ATH, better what they have there (where the building is divided in the middle) than having completely separate terminals such as 2E and 2D or 2F at CDG.

Yreal

You set the bar low here, few things are worse then CDG

supatight80

Thanks for the reply. So 1 hour transit in ATH is enough for flight LCA - ATH - FRA (extra schengen to intra schengen) at 7AM?