I've read that the ferries are not dependable enough to take a ferry to Athens from an outlying island and then fly out of Athens the same day, but I'm wondering about flights on Aegean Airlines. We're thinking of flying from Rhodes to Athens (arriving 2:10pm) and then catching our flight to Paris at 6:05pm. It seems like a reasonable amount of time between flights, but is this a safe connection? I read elsewhere on this forum that if you're staying on an island, you should get to Athens the night before, even if flying into Athens. That seems like overkill, so I thought I'd ask...
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3148 posts
Time-wise, for making an ongoing connection, 4 hours is more than ample time. The question is whether or not you can afford to risk something unforseen cancelling your flight from Rhodes or delaying it long enough so you miss yhour flight to Paris.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, US
2185 posts
If you book the entire trip on Aegean Airlines (Rhodes>Paris) -- and the Rhodes leg is cancelled for some reason -- it would be Aegean's responsibility to get you to Paris. I just checked a random day in June and there are at least three Rhodes>Paris options every day. I would probably go early in the day, so if that flight was cancelled, you would have a better chance of getting on a later one.
Posted by
OP
16 posts
Thanks for your replies. Unfortunately, our return flight to Paris is already booked on another airline. I guess what I was asking was how likely it is a flight might be delayed or cancelled. Where I live, most cancellations are due to weather and it doesn't seem like it would be a problem there. I guess it's a matter of "do we feel lucky?". Does anyone have experience with Aegean Airlines and their reliability?
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3397 posts
Aegean has been voted the #1 Airline in Europe for on-time and customer service etc... you can look it up. Their fleet is mainly quite modern planes. So those sources of uncertainty are eliminated. However we cannot advise you on weather-related risk because you have not said When u are going. I'd say between May & end of August is VERY likely to be fine weather ... but if you are going in Early March or Late October, there are possibilities of strong winds & storms. It would help if u share your flight date.
Posted by
OP
16 posts
We're flying in June. I had wondered if there were times when ferry boats were more inclined to encounter rough seas and have their schedules disrupted. I think you have answered my questions. (And I know there are no guarantees. :-)
Thanks everyone.