I had a fantastic trip to Greece, which I’ll tell you all about later. I just wanted to review the experience of travelling there after my plans.
Late afternoon / Evening flights are not the best option, especially with a budget airline, as I was delayed for an a hour on the way out and over two hours on the way back. It’s always going to be a problem as the ‘planes pick up delays through the day as they shuttle between airports.
I flew with RyanAir, a budget airline who have reduced the costs of air travel by cutting all the unnecessary costs from the experience. I generally prefer budget options which focus on the most important things. I like budget car brands for example that have focussed on the important things like comfort, ease of driving and sound mechanics, rather than ostentation and luxury. The same with Ryanair.
The flight itself was the most comfortable I’ve ever had, I even managed to sleep for the first time on an aircraft. Because the seats were well designed, thin backs to create leg room and space underneath the seats for lower legs especially as their seats don’t recline (thank you, thank you) which means even for someone over 6 foot tall, I could sit in comfort for a short haul 3hr 30minute flight, even with my small bag between my feet. It’s just so nice when things are well designed and Ryanair have got it largely right. The flight crews were also friendly and professional.
The other side of Ryanair takes some research for the booking process and planning for exactly how much luggage you need i.e. yes you can have 9 days in Greece with a small 10kg case and backpack but I only just made it ok with enough clean clothes. You need to understand the minutiae of an online booking process that seeks to add extra costs, sell extra services and penalise you for not having done your research. There is no customer service element apart from the flight crew and understand that if things go wrong it can be a nightmare, but I was realtively fortunate for my flights.
The trains to London all worked fine, though Stansted Express is pricey at £30 from Tottenham. If I had had more time I would have got a bus. My trip back yesterday was a bit of a nightmare. Part of the line had no signalling, so my train was cancelled. Poorly informed customer service staff then put me on the wrong Rail Replacement bus not once but twice, which meant they had to give me a 60 mile taxi ride for the final leg home as there was no final bus. I got in last night just before 1am. It took me 26 hours to get from my accommodation in Thessaloniki to home. People really don’t seem to get this!
Because of my delayed flight (landing in Stansted at 4.30am Greek time or 2.30am locally), meant I didn’t get much sleep at the airport hotel (I managed about an hour on the ‘plane) before the latest checking out time, so I was tired for all the transport hiccups. Also central London was really busy and a little surreal as people were arriving to mourn the passing of the Queen, which happened whilst I was away.
My trains in Greece all worked out fine, it’s a well organised system. I liked that you have a reserved seat which you can book up to departure time.
Squimple 