I am booking a flight from Santorini to Athens on July 7. ( our accommodations are booked July 3-7, arrive by ferry on the 3rd) I am looking at Volotea as they have a flight that gets us back to Athens fairly early in the day so I can pick up a car at the airport and continue with our trip. There are pretty severe restrictions on cabin baggage ( no more than 10 kg - bag and personal item ( purse, whatever ) combined. Has anyone one flown this carrier/ anything to report? I don't know if I can have only 10kg as I will have my belongings from a ten day trip with me. options are fairly limited in the price range I would like to pay ( not more than $150 each)
Any ideas?I want to be back in Athens with time to begin a drive into the Peloponnese.
Thanks!
Posted by
OP
Ottawa
30 posts
Thanks for the information, Sati. I do realize that things are very tight with rules about baggage,I read the requirements and the charges do seem to pile up rather quickly. I was thinking that people might have other ideas about how to get back to Athens in a timely manner. Is it possible that prices drop closer to the date so they can get rid of seats- things like that... Travelling in July is obviously not the best for the budget but it is the only time I could make the trip.
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3317 posts
Joanne, no, prices will NOT drop. If you want to budget, and (as I'm guessing because you aren't quite clear) you have a suitcase you don't want to pay to check, that flight is not for you. Even if you pay for your big bag in advance it could be €35 each.
You say you want to be back in Athens early on July 7; how about leaving in the evening of July 6? Yes, you say you are booked for the night of July 7... but you should be able to "tweak" your reservation to leave one night early ... that is, unless you are in an AirBnB, or made the mistake of going for a hotel's rock-bottom rate. Most Greek hotel rentals have a "cancellation without penalty" feature up until about 3 weeks ahead, which allows you to "tweak" to leave a day early. In that case, BLUE STAR has one of their large modern ferries leaving at 23:59 On Friday night July 6, arriving Pireaus 5:30 am July 7. There's a new train going in 1 hour from Pireaus to Airport.
I think the per-person fare for BLUE STAR is €45 for the reserved-seat "aircraft style seating" -- which means nothing like the airplane seats of today that make us suffer. These are lean-back upholstered seats, with lots of legroom and foot-rests; if you request & get seats in a SIDE compartment, these are smaller areas, quiet... you could doze quite easily. There are also cabins -- the most economical are booking a bunk in a single-sex cabin for 4; you'd have to inquire specifically from an agent for this. I would advise you Not to try to do this thru Blue Star, but instead, send an e-mail to the travel agency in ATH Airport -- http://www.aktinatravelgroup.com/Contact.htm That way you can ask about various types of tickets, prices, availablility, pay in advance with credt cardd, an pick up ticket at airport upon arrival ... there will be a small (€2) commission fee.
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3317 posts
I used the gtp.gr website, and My mistake ... I misread it... that midnight ferry is 23:59 on the FOURTH of July ... On Friday the 6th of July the best you can do in a Big Ship (more comfortable for long sails) is blue star at 15:30 arr 23:`15 = 7 hrs 45 mins .... or at 18:10 tke that old rustbucket the Adam Korais, that makes 5-6 stops and only gets to Piraeus a 4:10 am. There's a seajet at 7:15 arr 23:50 bu its VERY small & enclosed and if wind kicks up Everybody Fwows up.