New routes for Summer 2021 LGW-JTR LGW-HER LGW-CFU
 

lgw - jtr : 18:35 -00:10 01.05.2021 - 30.10.2021
jtr - lgw : 15:35 - 17:35 01.05.2021 - 30.10.2021

lgw - cfu : 08:15 - 13:30 01.05.2021 - 30.10.2021
cfu - lgw : 06:00 - 07:30 01.05.2021 - 30.10.2021
lgw - her : 17:40 - 23:35 01.05.2021 - 30.10.2021
lgw - her : 20:30 - 02:25 04.05.2021 - 26.10.2021

her - lgw : 14:40 - 16:55 01.05.2021 - 30.10.2021
her - lgw : 14:40 - 16:55 01.05.2021 - 30.10.2021

These routes completely make sense although A3 might not get what they want if these are daily frequencies.
Many UK based leisure travelers prefer package holidays rather than booking stuff separately.

Although there should still be demand for individual travel, however, the loads would be most likely lower than the BA services as the schedule is not that favorable for people trying to maximize time at their hotel.

Here are the list of frequencies along with the other routes announced. A3 know their markets and have teamed up with various Tour Operators in Europe to offer these as packages or F/O so COVID-19 permitting these should do well. BA is not a threat to A3 .


HER-BER 2,3,6
HER-GVA 2,5
HER-LGW 2,3,5,6,7
HER-MXP 1,3,5
HER-PRG 1,4,6
HER-VIE 3,6
HER-WAW 2,4,7
CFU-LGW: DAILY
CFU-LYS 2,6
CFU-MXP 1,3,5
CFU-DME 2,6
CFU-FCO 1,3,5
CFU-VCE 4,7

JMK-LYS 4,7
JMK-MAD 2,5
JMK-MXP 1,3,6
JMK-NAP 4,7
JMK-CDG 2,5,7
JMK-FCO 1,3,4,6
JMK-VCE 1,3,6
JMK-ZRH 2,5

JTR-LGW 2,6
JTR-MAD 1,4
JTR-MXP 3,5,7
JTR-MUC 1,4
JTR-CDG 2,6
JTR-FCO 3,5,7
JTR-VCE 3,5,7
JTR-ZRH 1,4

SKG-BER 3,5,7
SKG-HAM 2,4,6
SKG-ZRH 1,3,5

Now, this makes sense.

after missing out on the islands twice this year, really hoping things can happen next year! Probably will turn into 3-4 trips!

Excellent news! There was tremendous demand for Greece flights last summer from the UK and this seems a wise response. Looking forward to CFU direct (hopefully it will have a business cabin).

I think there will be an issue with catering. If it remains (and we all hope it doesn't!) a snack in a bag then maybe ok, but to cater hot meals when not touching base at ATH or SKG will be much more problematic I imagine.

Who knows, maybe they are planning to 'do a LH' and scrap all complimentary food and drinks in Y, then there will be no problem at all!

That said, these direct flights to the islands are a smart move by Aegean.

The infrastructure to prepare hot meals for planes is available in all Greek cities A3/OA flies to; after all, Greece is not a third world country, independent of what many people think. Flights not originating in ATH or SKG but at other Greek airports do exist for several years (I used to fly HER-FRA and HER-AMS already in the 80s) and nobody arrived at his/her destination hungry: I don't know who invented cooking but certainly, we've been using fire for that purpose since several thousand years all over the country, even outside Athens and Thessaloniki. ;)

Haha, that's funny KLouis! I was not suggesting for one moment that there are only 2 cities in Greece where meals can be prepared, and I think you know that very well, you're just being a little tinker!

My point was that airlines like to centralise catering, and I am sure they would prefer not to complicate things by having caterers at outstations. The main issue if not catered in Greece being consistency of food. A good example is BA who used to contract out meals at European outstations, but the standard of some locations (I'm looking at you OTP!) were not quite the same as meals catered from London. Now probably all BA flights are catered from LON.

Aegean also had VIE-HER in the past and there was no Business Class on these flights either.

Aegean also had SAW-HER and that didn't have Business Class as well.
Although, that route only ran for a single summer season for very high prices so it failed and did not come back.

Aegean did schedule KLX-MUC and KLX-DUS for Spring 2020. And I had the same question regarding catering. This was pre-covid so with the full meal on offer. Unfortunately my flights on this route all got canceled so I never found out, however what I do know is that the aircraft would be ferried over from ATH to KLX and then do a couple of runs to various European cities from there - before being ferried back to ATH.

I did think about that, but I imagine when they are considering this many flights the logistics are much more difficult. One flight cancelled or delayed and it would make things quite complicated!

Anyway, who knows, we will see. My main concern at the moment is that they have seen what Lufty has done and have, with these direct flights, made long-term plans for a new 'enhanced' onboard experience. I hope not!

How did you manage to get to that conclusion is impressive! You really took that personally. :D

That was mostly because UK required travelers coming from Spain to quarantine while that wasn't the case for Greece.

Thats true. What happened to Lufthansa by the way, I probably missed the news? So far LH has been pretty good in maintaining their regular service throughout the crisis (at least, thats what I understand to be the case)..

They are scrapping the current complimentary food and drinks on shorthaul. It'll be BoB in the spring. That's the whole group - LH, OS and LX. Apparently feedback told them that's what customers wanted! :rolleyes:

https://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/ne...nal-touch.html