After a short layover in ATH near the airport, I was ready to resume my itinerary which is found below:
SFO-MSP on DL Y - click here
MSP-YYZ on DL Y - will not report.
YYZ- FCO on AZ J - click here
FCO-AMS on AZ J - click here
AMS-IST on TK J - click here.
IST-ATH on TK Y - click here.
ATH-CPH on A3 J - you are here
CPH-ARN on SK J - click here.
ARN-HEL on AY Y - will not report.
HEL-JFK on AY Y+ - click here.
JFK-SFO on AA J - click here.
I was dropped at the airport by 11:00 and I went straight to the A3 check-in counter. The inside of the terminal is as charming as a the interior of an industrial warehouse. After waiting for a minute an agent issued me the boarding passes and wished me a good trip. I inquired about the lounge and somehow it clicked on her that she forgot to mention it to me. She told me that it was further down the concourse before security and I was then on my way.
Counter.
Boarding pass and lounge invitation.
A3 lounge.
I presented my boarding pass along with my TK Gold card and was welcomed inside by the receptionist. I entered through the left and came upon the seating area.
If you go right after reception, you come to the buffet area where local Greek products are promoted.
Buffet.
Attendants kept the place tidy and there were an assortment of snacks to please everyone's taste. I particularly enjoyed the warm pastries like feta and spinach (spanakopita).
Interior with metal chairs at some tables. I think these were an eyesore and did not harmonize with the decor of the lounge.
The only view from the lounge is of the outside of the airport, not the tarmac.
My snacks.
Lufthansa lounge.
This lounge is conveniently located next to the Aegean one, but it seems smaller in comparison. However, it provided some real dishes and not just snacks which was appreciated. The dining area was very full and I was lucky to get a an empty table when I entered. The receptionist was friendly and upon presenting my boarding pass she invited me to come in through the left side.
Buffet.
My selection.
More people started to come to the lounge and I decided to leave and head to the gate. After some last minute shopping I went through security which was quick and I was required to take off my belt and laptop computer. The gate was located downstairs which meant a bus ride to a remote location to board the airplane. I did some spotting while waiting at the gate.
Finally the bus arrived to take us to the remote area. Once we arrived at the aircraft we were held inside the bus for a few minutes waiting for the completion of some last minute paperwork or procedure.
Two crew members were at the door welcoming passengers with smiles as they stepped inside. So far the impression is very good.
The J cabin consists of the first 2 rows with the middle seats blocked like most intra-European J products. I noticed that A3 seats are thinner than competitors. The purser took my coat and offered to store it in the closet.
Pre-dept. drinks were offered. I had a glass of water.
Menu distribution.
I've read positive reviews about A3 catering and my expectations were high. Judging by today's menu it looked promising.
Then a flight attendant went around offering candy from a basket.
Eventually the door closed and we taxied out to the runway.
A military group is getting ready to board.
Bye ATH.
Minutes later curtains were drawn and the service started with a hot towel.
I ordered an iced tea served with bread sticks.
A paper mat was placed on the tray table before the meal service.
Appetizer tray with smoked salmon, trout, stuffed peppers and octopus salad with eggplant mousse. This was beautifully presented and it tasted fresh and delicious. Fantastic execution!
Bread basket.
I had the chicken leg with honey, potatoes, wine cheese and chickpeas. The portion size was perfect and it tasted great.
Dessert.
Before arrival an almond cookie was offered along with drinks. I ordered a hot tea and even during turbulence the flight attendant managed to served it with a smile.
I noticed this nice detail of the logo on the rug.
Arrival in CPH. The purser forgot to return my coat and upon disembarking I reminded her. She immediately took it out of the closet and mentioned that I sure would need it because it was cold outside. She bid everyone good bye with a smile.
Thanks Adan for sharing this report!
Decent food selection for both lounges while the quality of LH lounge seems better. The refrigerated salad in A3 lounge not looking good. Nice tarmac and aerial shots.
It is nice to have the low loaded J cabin^^ The crew look like having a good mood and they are attentive. The catering on this flight is fantastic. A full J meal services. Very visually appealing and the portion is generous for this regional flight.
Looking forward to next report and Happy Halloween! :P
Hi ashleyyau.
Happy Halloween to you too. Sometimes I am scared of flying so much. :P
Food is better at the LH lounge, but the lack of space to sit is a big turn off. It was a beautiful day for aerial shots.
Thanks for your comments.
Great report, Jetsetpanda. The food looks really good on Aegean. I'm always pretty amazed by what I've seen with their business class offering. Looking forward to your next report!
Hi Matthew.
A3 is truly a gem. Too bad that they are just a regional player and does not have a bigger network.
Thanks.
To be honest with you, food in LH lounge is more to my liking even if choice in A3 lounge is interesting.
However, A3 lounge desing is much nicer.
Pitch onboard is quite good
What I like about the meal you had is that everything is not served at one time. It's paced and it looks beautiful indeed.
Good cabin, good food. What else on a medium haul flight?
Thank you Adan
Hi Bernard.
This first time experience with A3 left me with a very positive impression of the carrier. Catering as you said was served in courses and well paced according to each individual. This was one of the most satisfying meals that I have ever had and it shows that A3 pays attention to details.
Thanks for passing by.
Thank you for sharing this FR with us!
Beautiful spotting shots at ATH.
“Eventually the door closed and we taxied out to the runway.”
- Nice catch of that 747, beautiful background!
Catering looks fantastic on this flight, impressive stuff. Presentation was nice too.
Have a good one, see you!
'
Thanks for sharing the FR!
Now I can see what I missed on the other side of the LH Lounge. Looks to be better food than in the A3 Lounge, which was mainly pastries and pies.
The A3 hard-product is really the only downside to them. Installing a real J cabin would really do them a lot of favors since it would help attract more passengers. Their route map is so limited as it is that I don't see how they can regularly fill their J cabins (this is also why I've never seen a JU cabin more than 50% full). The catering does look very good and the menu is a nice touch. The dessert plate was very nicely presented.
Great aerials on departure from ATH.
I still don't know how I feel about the "casual" sleeveless FA uniforms, they aren't so noticeable with the jacket on, but still quite unusual.
The A3 lounge is really spacious compared to LH's cramped quarters but LH offers real food.
I can see A3 benefit from a better J cabin. Those thin ironing boards just don't do it for me. As for the sleveless uniforms, I think that they are fine for summer but they should have another outfit for colder weather. I agree that it can be very casual, but I guess that forces the crew to be better groomed.