tr3k

I've got a "Lite" ticket for a flight XXX-ATH-BEG. I am *G with another airline, as such booking shows 1 free checked bag (and group 2 boarding, I assume that's also *G). Will have 2 bags - backpack and rollaboard.

- Ideally would like to "trade" the free checked bag for the rollaboard bag (as I am not really confident the bag will transfer at ATH, based on the ominous message they have on their website wrt. lost luggage). Can check in agent authorize that, if I were to ask?

- More to the point, at boarding, do the agents (esp. at ATH itself) check actual luggage vs. the booking type (or vs. the boarding group?) If they do note I am bringing a rollaboard, would I in principle be able to check it in then using my 1 bag allowance?

Any insight appreciated.

AlwaysFlyStar

1) As far as I am aware, you can not officially trade your checked bag for hand luggage.
2) Even as an A3 Gold, they have checked my bags against my ticket before.
3) I have been flying Aegean for more than 10 years now and have only had them lose my bags once in 2016. They did find it eventually. And they were extremely easy to deal with for compensation. Not sure what ominous message you are referring to though. I haven't seen it.
4) I have gate checked bags with Aegean before and they were always able to use the free allowance I have. I presume this would apply in your case as well, but I have never been barred from boarding because of my luggage, and at that late stage, I am not sure how accommodating the gate agent is going to be. If it were me, I would ask the gate agent as soon as the gate opens and well before any boarding procedures start. Just saying something like, 'Hey, I am on a light ticket, but I also have a free checked bag. I was wondering if I can just take it on instead of checking it.'

So yeah, in theory, I think it is unlikely that you will have to pay. But I also don't know how likely it is that you can carry it on. Honestly I would avoid the whole hassle and just check it at the beginning. And they tend to do well with the priority bags, so your bags should at least come out fairly quickly.

tr3k

Thank you for the insight, def. something to consider.

I have a very short trip, and missing luggage would render it pretty useless.

The message I am referring to is the one that pops up right on the main page of the www.aia.gr (see below). The 2nd announcement is specifically wrt. lost bags. I have never before seen a lost bag announcement on the first page of an airport site, so I assume (together with various summer horror stories about ATH and baggage) that there must be a reason, perhaps due to high loads.

futuramadramallama

By the way, in my experience they don't seem to care about cabin luggage. "Lite" technically means one piece (a personal item, or a rollerboard) but they don't seem to make distinctions about one piece or two, in the way a budget carrier usually does. Then again, you seem to have a checked luggage allotment so the safest option is to use it.

heliot2009

Sometimes they don't pay attention, sometimes they do. But if you are *A Gold (= 2. boarding group) you are quite "safe". Last week, the gate agent in ATH asked me to weigh my hand luggage, then looked at my boarding pass (2. group) and wished me a nice flight.

tr3k

So, I decided to just take the rollaboard and it turned out to be a very good decision. Due to severe delays (and very very poor handling of irrops by Aegean, perhaps the worst I've seen in some years) my checked bag would have misconnected with a 100% certainty. OTOH with the racing crowds and the mess at the gates, agents couldn't care less who brought what onto the flight.

So, if I ever fly A3 again - the bag goes with me (but after this trip I think I'll avoid A3 for a long long time)

AlwaysFlyStar

No bags were loaded onto your flights, or?

tr3k

The time between the incoming landing at ATH and the doors closed for the next flight was less than 30 min. Had to run and push through (though people were somewhat understanding, fortunately). The outgoing flight had all the baggage loaded before the incoming even landed.

As an aside, it would have been a bit easier elsewhere, but this is ATH with the ridiculous non-schengen to non-schengen "passport control". What exactly do they achieve with that guy looking at the passport without a computer or any other device - seems like someone just needs a government job.

the810

They can still bring last minute connecting bags even after most bags are loaded. This is very common at some *A hubs where connections of around 45 minutes are commonly sold and even small delay can mean that connecting bags won't make it onto the "main batch". I've had bags make it even on shorter connections.

tr3k

Def. not at ATH. There was a large group of us making the same mad dash. I saw no additional bags coming in.

In general ATH/Aegean duo appeared to me to be not terribly efficient in the past, and this experience def. seals that impression.

thundercracker76

Piggybacking on this thread, is a fanny pack considered "other personal item"?..Likewise, i'm also travelling "Lite", and my understanding is, that i can only bring 1 item on board ( Carry on OR Personal... Thanks

tr3k

Officially it probably is. However, I saw no enforcement of carry on size or amount either at the outstation or ATH. (Also saw no particular enforcement of priority boarding, so groups didn't seem to matter much). If it's a bus gate - even less chance of anyone caring, it seems.

Flying back tomorrow, will report if anything is different.

thundercracker76

Very much appreciated... was really close to adding a checked baggage of �43 .. Which i'm trying not to do.

tr3k

Just took 2 more flights. While I was on a "flex" ticket (and thus did actually have a right to 2 carry ons) and also in group 2 (*G), afaict there was zero enforcement of bag amount, either at outstation (BEG) or ATH.

Take it for what it is - 2 individual observations, but based on that I'd be willing to bring a regular rollaboard and a personal item on a flight with A3.

(OTOH after this trip I'll probably stay away from A3 for quite a while. Although the non-Schengen lounge at ATH is still good, it just does not make up for the rest of the experience)

jj_lgkr

Interesting enforcement about a week ago in ATH- anyone on a Light ticket was forced to gate check their normal hand luggage (if they had one- almost everyone did), regardless if they had a personal item/handbag/fanny pack etc. The wording from the gate agents was "I'm sorry, but you're on a Light fare, so we have to check your hand luggage".
Cue >30min boarding for the flight, but it was one of the few A3 flights I've been on that had free overhead space after Boarding Completed. A good day to be on a Flex fare
No enforcement flying from 2 island outstations though, all on >95% full flights.