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-   -   Flight London to Athens (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/flight-london-to-athens-609813/)

anamaria Apr 22nd, 2006 10:33 PM

Flight London to Athens
 
My college son in August is joining us in Athens.What is the cheapest roundtrip ticket from London to Athens?Oh my gosh it is so expensive!!!!!

TRSW Apr 22nd, 2006 10:54 PM

anamaria - Try going to www.easyjet.com They have r/t flights ranging from $87-107.

Tom

CotswoldScouser Apr 22nd, 2006 11:52 PM

This route gets very busy then, and Easyjet prices can escalate sharply.
He might try FlyGlobespan as well.

But there are a lot of charter flights still around - not listed on whichbudget - and if he browses www.charterflights.co.uk, he might well find better prices or more convenient flights.

If he's based in London, he'll also find a lot of options at most local travel agents and in the travel pages of the Sunday Times, Time Out and the Evening Standard.

anamaria Apr 23rd, 2006 11:44 AM

To;CotswoldScouser...That is a GREAT price on the charterflights.It goes into Stanstead? but he has to make a 4:00 flight back(LHR) to California.That flight into Stanstead gets in at 7:30pm.Any more ideas?

Where2Travel Apr 23rd, 2006 11:58 AM

If he's flying out of LHR then I'd definitely think carefully about paying extra to fly BA or Olympic from Athens to LHR.

I think most London airport-airport transfers are an awful waste of time and fairly expensive. A lot of people book flights with airport transfers and then ask here how best to make the transfer. I suspect in a number of cases, they find the financial saving is just not worth it.

CotswoldScouser Apr 23rd, 2006 01:40 PM

In effect, you're saying he needs a flight that gets him back to Heathrow: Why didn't you say that in the first place? And why isn't he doing this for himself, anyway?

Only BA and OA fly direct between ATH and LHR. If their prices are too high, he needs to get a VERY early morning flight (leaving at, say, 0330) on a continental airline like Lufthansa or KLM, changing at their continental hub.

You'll find a selection of such airlines at www.easybookers.com.

anamaria Apr 23rd, 2006 09:57 PM

Cotswold, Why can't he take easyjet into Luton or Gatwick. If he fly's into Gatwick at 1:30 will he be able to make that 4:00 flight out of LHR? Oh, he is concentrating on getting an A in his classes and renewing his passport in LA..that is enough for this lad.I will check out the student fare.Thanks

WillTravel Apr 23rd, 2006 11:51 PM

I can answer that it would be almost impossible to land (supposedly) at 1:30 PM at Gatwick and make a 4:00 flight at Heathrow. If you are lucky, ground transport between these two airports takes 70 minutes, but I think that's a theoretical minimum only, and 90-120 is much more likely during the day.

Then there are lineups going through passport control, getting luggage, getting to the bus, dealing with London traffic, getting to Heathrow to check in on time, and going through security. He really should be at Heathrow itself before 1:30 (if it's like many other international flights where you are told to be there three hours in advance), never mind being at Gatwick at 1:30 trying to get to Heathrow.

Send him back to London the day before.

Where2Travel Apr 24th, 2006 03:33 AM

While I have never checked in for any flight 3 hours ahead, 2.5 hours between landing at LGW and taking off at LHR is a definite no go as WillTravel says.

If you are set on using a cheaper airline to another airport than LHR, send him the day before and he can overnight in London and not have to make any tortuous airport-airport transfer.

alanRow Apr 24th, 2006 03:43 AM

But then they'll be the cost of airport to London, London to airport plus a night's accomodation somewhere.

As for travelling in August - it's kinda peak season

Where2Travel Apr 24th, 2006 04:18 AM

Alan - I totally agree with you but the OP doesn't seem too keen on the flights that go into LHR, probably due to the price. But by the time all the other costs of going a cheaper flight route have been added in, chances are you end up paying not much less but for a great deal more hassle.

anamaria Apr 24th, 2006 10:29 AM

Thanks everyone for responding.When its time to go home, 4 more family members will be in tow.I think I will take that charter the day before or just pay top dollar with Olympic.That flight leaves at 9am from Athens straight into LHR.Olympic Air probably equals one night in London for 5 people...keep your responses coming I love this website


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