East_and_West

Although that would be great, I would say it's unlikely if you asked me when I heard about the order of the A320s. But now that see the list of their planned destinations, I say it's improbable: VCE, BCN, MRS (among others) are predominantly leisure destinations, positioned towards the popular rather than the exclusive end of the spectrum. Given also that A3's plan is to start replacing gradually some of their older birds with the A320neos, such a move would severely limit the versatility of their fleet. Not to mention the very high seasonality of A3's load from/to European destinations... Unless they plan to be opping-up a dozen pax in every flight from/to DUB, HEL, AGP, MAN, etc during the summer months.

The only way I could see this working for them (although again, I do not believe it's likely to happen) would be fitting only a few of their A320neos with proper recliners, and use them to more business-heavy destinations or hubs such as MUC, FRA, BRU, CDG, LHR, and the likes. But this would still entail some amount of risk (which A3 has been seen to refrain from so far), and I am not sure how viable would this be in the long run.

Anyway, we'll find out soon. A3 mangers are definitely more knowledgeable than me in this, and have access to the data that would help them decide how to better use their new birds

GVA

It's 180 seats, you just need to look at the seatmap to see it. 1 extra row compared to the 320ceos.

Grigoris

When do you think a timetable for the next period will be available?

irishguy28

As you can see from this very thread, the S20 timetable was released 7 months ahead.

Therefore, you could expect W20 and S21 to be released 7 months ahead, too (though bear in mind Coronavirus impacts may alter this).

Alexandros Bravos

On March 6th 2019 I booked business class award seats for an international destination to spend my Christmas there. That means that Aegean had started loading the schedules and the fare buckets at least two weeks earlier than my booking was made (I made the booking the very same day seats in "I" class were released).

It would be nice if Aegean starts showing some sort of consistency when it comes to the timing of the releasing of the schedules for the next period(s).

ahopkins767

How intact do you think the S20 schedule will be?

I have tickets on a seasonal route - BHX-ATH in order to meet a later connection on another airline to Asia - early July (U class - Flex Fare), with 3 excess bags paid.

How easy do you think it will be to change this to be LHR-ATH, business class in December? I cannot see much information for issuing EMDs for flights in July or later...

Also, do EMDs usually include ancillary costs like excess baggage

Apologies if this is repetitious, but I appreciate your time

Thanks

Xandrios

Unfortunately I don't think anybody really knows about the summer schedule yet.

If you change the route you will lose the business class (voucher) upgrade, assuming that's how you upgraded. Or was the original flight in Economy and you would like to upgrade to business class? Would you want to do the upgrade by using miles, coupon or just pay for the fare difference?

Flex tickets can always be changed to a later date by payment of the fare difference. The LHR route is an important one as well - if any flights are being done, likely LHR will be among those. I don't think that they will make a problem of upgrading you to business for the fare difference. Using miles or voucher it obviously depends on the availability of award seats.

DELLAS

Don’t plan holidays’ says EC president

European president Ursula von der Leyen has struck a blow against hopes of late-summer bookings to the Mediterranean being fulfilled with a warning against planning holidays this year.

Von der Leyen told German tabloid newspaper Bild: “At the moment, no one can make reliable forecasts for July and August.

“I would advise everyone to wait before making holiday plans.”

https://www.travelweekly.co.uk/artic...s-ec-president

ahopkins767

I am booked in economy from BHX-ATH. There was no business class option. It's a tourist flight.

I will be baggage heavy and connect to a J class flight on Saudia to MNL. I have paid for extra baggage.

Do you think I can
a) Change route
b) Change date
c) Upgrade?

Would I lose what I paid in excess baggage that way - or would it go towards the new ticket price?

@DELLAS. I agree. Unfortunately for me a whole plan was carefully crafted because Wuhan Virus popped along so now I have to try to make do with that I've got...I am on plan A3 already (having gone through the alphabet twice...)...ahh sorry. Jokes are probably not funny. Hehe.

Our purpose in ATH was purely transit.

Knobbgb

Personally, I would wait to see what happens. If the flight goes ahead then fine. If it's cancelled, you'll at least get a voucher (as things currently stand) to use later or to eventually collect a refund. The voucher would be for the full cost of everything, including the baggage. Who knows what else you'll be able to book nearer the time to make your SV connection, or how much it'll cost - that might be a risk. If they change the timing of the BHX flight then you'll at least have the option of a voucher/refund (re-booking would be no good as it's not daily so it's not even practical to simply go a day early and have an overnight in Athens).

My guess would be that BHX will be cancelled this summer - it's a quite marginal route at the best of times and has come and gone over the years. I think, by July, the only A3 route to the UK, if any, will be LHR so you'd probably end up using your voucher for that.

ahopkins767

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/undefinedThanks - that's good advice. I see an opportunity to reschedule my trip to the New Year but BHX-ATH will no longer run anyway. I am based near BHX, so LHR would be the next logical airport (as opposed to MAN, for example). I have checked my options and LHR-ATH in business class is feasible, and we (3pax) can then avail a higher luggage allowance (which is valuable to us), and have a van drive me, my family and my bags down to Heathrow. I trawled through the Aegean website and found if I was to cancel the ticket I would lose the 3 additional bags I purchased.

I feel BHX-ATH will also be cancelled. The flight I am on was booked at what I considered to be a bargain basement fare, and the base fare has gone down since (which suggests cancellations) - although the excess baggage fee seems to have increased... No seats are taken on the seat map. If we are not the only people on the flight, we are certainly member to a small crowd! I don't see how Aegean can justify the route on current loads, and the trend of 2020 is to cut, cough, cut. Of course, it won't be cancelled until much closer to the time in case someone else fancies extending Aegean an interest free loan. It's a pity as this is the penultimate booking of an 10 leg trans-Continental trip - and the only one that isn't open to change at the moment. Once it opens up I would hedge my bets, change, and eat the losses we incur from having to renew visas and travel insurance, and be thankful for the new opportunities that would arise on the reworked trip.

Anyway, I appreciate your thoughts (and anymore to follow). We're based in Asia so we only get to use Aegean occasionally, and it's one of the few airlines we look forward to (because we like the food).