There are moments in travel– rare and oddly assuring– when things may go off-script, yet leave you feeling more, not less, inclined to return. This was one of those minutes.
This year, AEGEAN Airlines silently strengthened its role at the core of Greek aviation, sewing together the mainland and the islands with different brand-new routes and connections. From Heraklion and Rhodes, you can now avoid across to smaller sized Cycladic islands without backtracking your steps. Direct flights to Istanbul from Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes and Heraklion feel like a mild nod to Greece’s rich cross-cultural past. And Thessaloniki now whispers its name to Izmir– two ancient port cities when separated by empire, now unified by Airplane.
It wasn’t our very first time flying AEGEAN. In 2015, we took a deep dive into their Organization Class experience to Athens, and came away rather impressed. As a Star Alliance member with partnerships that extend across the globe, AEGEAN has actually long punched above its weight– more boutique appeal than megacarrier muscle, but frequently all the better for it.
This year’s journey began in similar fashion. However, in the actual braking of momentum simply seconds before take-off, came the clearest signal yet of AEGEAN’s priorities.
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more about what takes place when things do not go to plan, the veneer falls away– and what’s left is the true face of an airline company. Our route Unlike our previous straight shot to Athens, for this journey we flew to the South Ionian, via Athens. AEGEAN’s network is surprisingly worldwide, from the UK through Athens and– through codesshare agreements– onward to Singapore, South Africa, even Australia. However it’s the domestic paths where the airline actually flexes: reputable, frequent connections that let you deal with Athens not just as a location, but as a gateway.
Onward from Athens, we boarded an Olympic Air ATR72 bound for Kefalonia, a slower, softer leg of the journey that prioritises props over jet engines.(Olympic Air is a subsidiary of AEGEAN Airlines.) The advantages of taking a trip service class From the moment you get to the airport, the experience moves up a gear when flying service class with AEGEAN. Priority check-in? Yes, and especially efficient. Lounge gain access to? Absolutely– visitors have access to the Escape Lounge at Manchester, but the Athens lounge in specific– AEGEAN’s flagship lounge which we utilized on our return– deserves constructing into a longer stopover. Luggage allowance is generous(2 pieces at 32kg each, plus hand baggage ), boarding is speedy, 
and the disembarkation procedure– frequently an Olympic sport in itself– is painless. Other benefits include an in-flight meal service (in truth, AEGEAN is the only European airline to use a totally free meal in economy likewise ), leather seating with the middle seat always uninhabited, a cabin separator for included space and comfort, totally free ticket changes and WiFi on board. It’s service class with a sense of place– less swagger, more soul.
What occurred? Our flight from Manchester to Athens? Seamless. Friendly team, slick service, and a reminder of last year’s positive impressions.
After a relaxed couple of hours at Athens Terminal 2, we boarded our Olympic Air ATR72 for the final hop to Kefalonia.
We cabbed. We sped up. Then … absolutely nothing. Just as the aircraft collected speed on the runway, a mild deceleration replaced the anticipated upward surge. The nose never ever lifted. No shrieking tyres, no sharp angles, no immediate instructions. Just a quiet, controlled braking back to stillness.
I’ve experienced flight hold-ups, lost baggage, and even one memorable occasion when an airline company got in administration mid-flight. However never this: an aborted liftoff. And for some factor, it wasn’t unnerving– it was unusually reassuring.
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Safety first
Let’s be clear. High-end lounges are great. Brief queues are a perk. However if I might select only one thing from an airline– just one– it would constantly be this: security first.
We later found out that a cockpit warning light had actually flashed on as the plane sped up. The pilot, trained for each eventuality, aborted the take-off instantly and decisively. Ground groups were quickly dispatched and soon surrounded the aircraft so that it might be evaluated. No shortcuts. No ambiguity. The plane would not fly that night.
You can’t fake this type of protocol. It’s constructed into culture, not benefit. And it showed. Communication Here’s where AEGEAN truly stood out. From the minute we rolled to a halt, there was interaction– not just from the pilot (which was as measured and calm as you might picture), however likewise through numerous other channels. E-mails pinged in before we even returned to the terminal. The app updated in real-time. Departure boards showed the change. Ground personnel, poised and notified, appeared to be well briefed regarding what to do.
If you have actually ever been stranded in a terminal with silence as your only upgrade, you’ll understand how uncommon this is. AEGEAN didn’t just respond– they pre-empted the scenario. Calmness Panic, like fragrance, tends to permeate. But none of it hung in the air that evening. The flight attendant nearest to us hardly blinked. A minor raise of an eyebrow, perhaps, the silent realisation of a shift in strategies. However nothing in her expression suggested distress. If anything, she looked slightly inconvenienced. Perhaps she ‘d be home later than expected. However certainly no drama.
Also, the pilot’s voice over the intercom was an anchor. Calm. Managed. Reassuring. When back in the terminal, whatever continued with that very same downplayed effectiveness.
This wasn’t a crisis. It was a hold-up, expertly handled. Speed of solution Our initial flight– set up to depart Athens at 20:30– would have landed us in Kefalonia by 21:45.
Rather, we boarded a replacement AEGEAN A320 at 22:22 and touched down at 23:01.
Let’s take a moment with those numbers. That’s a delay of simply 1 hour and 16 minutes, following an aborted liftoff, an assessment of the issue, a complete guest disembarkation, a complete aircraft
swap, motion of travel luggage and whatever else that such an incident includes. In airline company terms, I ‘d state that’s almost a miracle.
An apology and deal
Before we ‘d even re-boarded, our phones buzzed with an email from AEGEAN:
“Today, we acknowledge that the services offered were rather far from our standards. We want though, to invite you on one of our future flights and have the opportunity to offer you with our authentic services. On this basis, we want to offer you a ticket to any destination of our network …”
It wasn’t just a generic form letter. It was timely, tailored, and generous. A gesture of goodwill that didn’t feel required– however real.
Rebalancing act
When we scanned our original boarding passes for the brand-new flight, they were declined– not due to mistake, but necessity. On the new aircraft, a bigger A320, weight circulation mattered. We were provided new seat tasks to make sure balance.
This might appear like a small footnote. But in reality, it’s another page in AEGEAN’s safety manual being read aloud. No corners cut. No “it’ll be fine”. Just procedures followed to the letter, even at 10pm, even for a 40-minute domestic hop.
A seamless return
Our return journey– first with Olympic Air from Kefalonia to Athens, then with AEGEAN back to Manchester– went totally to plan. Smooth check-ins, prompt departures, and the very same level of friendly professionalism we ‘d come to expect. After the drama of the outgoing flight, the calm performance of the return was a peaceful convenience.
Final takeaway In travel, as in life, things go wrong. It’s not the mishaps that specify your experience– it’s the recovery. If anything, this incident deepened our trust in AEGEAN. From pilot to pushback, app update to in-person apology, every component was managed with professionalism and care. Safety was never compromised. Interaction was proactive, not reactive. The team exuded calm. And when settlement came, it did so without triggering.
We may have shown up a little later than anticipated, greeted by a blanket of stars and the faint hush of the Ionian Sea, but we slept well that night– not in spite of what had happened, but since of how it was managed.
AEGEAN didn’t simply get us there. They got it right, even in the face of difficulty. Disclosure: Our trip was sponsored by AEGEAN Airlines.
< img src="https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6d65e75bc3e291c3d543300a6538eb30?s=150&d=mm&r=g" alt=""width =""height =""/ > Paul Johnson Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has operated in the travel market for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Developments in Travel ‘Finest Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED publication. In addition to other awards, the blog has likewise been voted “one of the world’s finest travel blog sites” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.
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