TLV-ATH-TLV with AZ - 5th freedom route trip report
Hi All, This is just a short report (no pics, etc.) on what I think is the most peculiar AZ (alitalia) route there is - flights AZ822/3, TLV-ATH-TLV. This route is operating daily (6 weekly in the winter), and the aircraft operating it is usually flying FCO-TLV-ATH (overnight)-TLV-FCO. The flights leave TLV in the evening and ATH in the following morning. This means that this route is not meant to provide another way of flying from TLV to FCO (connecting in ATH), but rather serves local traffic. As a result, ticket prices are very cheap - now the cheapest fare is $120 round trip (not including luggage), but I purchased the tickets (4 in total, for the entire family) for $100 per ticket, including luggage. So overall a very good deal :) However, business class sells for about $650, which I consider to be a very bad price given that these are the same seats, the flight is very short, and that there are almost no perks for business class passengers at TLV (see below). On both ways there was only 1 business class passenger. So here is a short basic report on the TLV-ATH flight:
As for the return flight, everything was pretty much the same. Once again, no queue for checkin (this time there was separate queue for business class passengers), which is right near the AF desks in ATH. The flight departed from gate A20, which is a bus gate. This is the regular gate for this flight. Unlike in TLV, there was priority boarding, but since they did not fill the bus, eventually they started normal boarding and the bus only left when it was full. This flight was almost full, and due to turbulence they provided service only for about half the plane. The ATH-TLV flight lands in terminal 3, and since the aircraft continues to FCO (which also departs from terminal 3) we had a jetbridge. The luggage took a while, unfortunately. I decided to post this trip report even though I did not take any pics, since it is a special, 5th freedom flight. Also, it is the only flight of a "legacy" airline departing from TLV terminal 1. So I guess there are some curious travellers out there looking for some information in this flight - which hopefully I have been able to provide :) |
Thanks.
I'm looking at this trip right now. I was surprised to see AZ. cheers kl |
So strange. I wonder why AZ uses T1 at TLV rather than T3, like its peers OS, KL, IB, etc.
|
Originally Posted by BCH
(Post 29537809)
So strange. I wonder why AZ uses T1 at TLV rather than T3, like its peers OS, KL, IB, etc.
|
Thanks gordo6; It is strange that the flight is operated on the outbound from T1. Also, I'm not sure this is a proper fifth freedom flight.
|
Who knows how long AZ have to remain in business. It's a shame. I flew with them in 1958 from Milan to London on the Vickers Viscount and then the Caravelle. I assume Air Italia will take over some routes. Qatar invested in them.
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 6:43 am. |
This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.