planestupid

I see some ridiculously cheap Biz fares from ATH or CAI to North America. I want to try a same-plane turnaround from and to Frankfurt. In Athens I'd have 50 minutes, in Cairo 1:50 hrs. Which of the two is more feasible? ATH requires no immigration, but will I have to go through security or will I simply march back onto the plane? There seems to be no on-line check-in departing Cairo and I'm likely to have to clear immigration into and out of Egypt (as some officials wouldn't consider a turnaround as transit). I am leaning towards Athens, but what do you think? Thanks, ps

seattle29

Would you be checking in luggage too, or just taking hand luggage?

dj_jay_smith

I can only really comment on ATH. But this could be done as a fairly quick turnaround.

They have security for groups of gates so this helps with smaller queues, and I think that for connecting passengers (you can't go straight into the lounge so have to follow this route) then there might be a seperate check (although never connected in ATH so I am not sure).

But the airport is small enough that you can get through and to your gate quickly. So I would say that 50mins is enough. (Assuming hand luggage only, as luggage delivery in ATH can take a while).

As for CAI as I only been to/out/through a few times so can't really comment. But you don't only have the issues of immigration, passport (Visa needed for transit passengers?) but the culture means that everything is done very slowly. To the extent that Greece looks efficient and effective! And I am not sure if you would still have to done some or all of this even as a transit passenger.

planestupid

I'll be travelling with hand luggage only. Does Athens have bus gates? This could ruin any thoughts of a 50 minute turnaround I guess.

oliver2002

ATH should be no problem, I have done it on the same aircraft from MUC. CAI is a different animal, see this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...urnaround.html

KLouis

Even with a bus (LH usually docks and doesn't use bus gates) it takes no longer than 5-10 minutes from the plane to the main building and it is, thus, absolutely feasible. Once in the building, check the departure gate at the monitor, use the escalator to go straight up one floor, i.e. do not go through luggage retrieval. Careful, once upstairs a security agent will ask for your BC before entering the non-sterile zone of the airport, and you'll be asked again after 50 meters to enter the pre-gate area. Since you'll be travelling business class you can then use the fast lane through security, breezing through it on the way out (no separate check for connections as suggested by dj_jay_smith. If the first security area (about 100 meters after the BC check) is packed it often pays to walk to the second one at the end of the looong corridor past the lounges, and walk back to your gate. If things are normal (and they are in 99.99% of the cases), you should need anything between 10 and 20 minutes from deplaning to the departure gate walking normally. That leaves you enough time for a quick cup of coffee at the lounge or for doing some shopping

PS By the way, luggage delivery in ATH is faster than most airports I've been through!

planestupid

Thank you everyone for their comments. KLouis, you convinced me with your detailed guide and I now booked ATH-FRA-NYC-FRA-ATH in Biz for 1.600 Euros. This mid-week trip would have cost twice as much starting from Frankfurt. P class and poor mileage earning but better than economy!