HAPPY EASTER! Read my review at Simple Flying: simpleflying.com/flight-review-olympic-air-dash-8-q400-athens-to-zagreb/ Follow me on Twitter: @paul_winginit ¦ twitter.com/paul_winginit Follow me on Instagram: paul_winginit ¦ instagram.com/paul_winginit My website: www.winginit.me If you're in the UK, I hope you're enjoying the long weekend with great sunshine!
Hey Paul! Many thanks for putting all the efforts into your videos! I really like your reviews - really great stuff, so please keep 'em coming! Since you asked: I travelled on an ATR 42 once and thought there was a lot of rattling and strange noises going on. My worst experience however was on a 737-600 by Tunisair quite a while ago; hardly the plane's fault but the cabin was a mess with some of the paneling missing making some of the cabling visible from my seat... Happy Easter to you!
Hi Paul, happy Easter to you. Excellent video, did you know that the old original remaining fleet of Olympic is still lying abandoned in the old Athens airport. It can be seen on Google Earth and there's a few videos on YT of people exploring the area.
I don’t know how you dislike the dash 8 q400. It’s my favorite aircraft. It’s got a really nice design and look. I believe the best bit though is the amazing sound of those PW150 s
Regarding your nose bleed. I don't know about you, but I have sinus and it affected my nose. With the pressure differences and heat, I always got nosebleed as well. Maybe you have Aerosinusitis like me.
Hello Paul nice video. Just some facts about Olympic, it used to operated 747-200s which were later replaced by A340-300s. Also it had an extensive amount of A300s and 737s, which at the time it shut down were slowly beinng replaced by A320s. When the company was shut down it was undergoing a Skyteam integration process, while Aegean was joining Star Alliance. Olympic Airlines as it was, supporting Greeks all over the world, were a threat to both Aegean and other Star Alliance members, thus it is said and later proved that there was background work done by them to shut down Olympic. This was proven as the company was sold to someone who is known to lead companies to banckruptcy and its most profitable routes were closed on purpose. It is really devastating to see what is left from a company with great international potential. We should not forget that Olympic had a 0% mechanical failure accidents record, and probably the best maintenance and ground service facilities and personnel in Europe. Again this is part because people who worked there knew that they were potentially protecting their own people and families! Sorry for the lenghty comment, hope you liked the facts. PS. The IL-62 was just one aircraft lease from Aeroflot, allthough remarkable, not really a true representation of the company's fleet.
Great summary Giannis. I flew Olympic from Australia to Athens, as well all over Greece. Sad to see them reduced in such a way. Hope, one day, they come back but I’m not confident. I think the Olympic Airways livery is one of the best around.
This was actually an Aegean flight operated by Olympic as a wetlease. That's why you received lounge access and a free checked bag. All domestic flights, as well as flights to Cyprus, are Olympic flights operated by Olympic (or sometimes operated by Aegean as a wet lease!)... And for those flights your star alliance status will not bring anything. The only status that will help you on 'real' Olympic flights is their own FFP.
@@paulmadeja8550 its not really the same airline though. The same owner, yes, but not the same airline. Just like BA and IB for example - they are separate entities.
Actually there is a connection every 15 minutes. There is a metro connection and a railway connection departing from the central railway station (Larissis Station)
@PETER ZARI yeh, I was 9 at the time so I don't remember too much about it. It rattled a bit but was comfy enough that I got a bit of sleep on the flight back to London. I'd say it can't have had too long left in passenger service but seeing as Olympic Airlines only survived for 6 years after I flew with them . . . :P
I honestly can't wait to travel with a Dash 8 just to see if I can see what you mean. Wouldn't mind seeing the wheels on the plane myself, that's kind of a cool little extra. The thing does look quite dirty though.
The Rolling Troll try flybe, nearly all fleet is dash 8 , had a lovely experience once from edinburgh to manchester :) make sure get some earplugs cos its pretty noisy from the engine...
I never found a reason to fly FlyBe but I will when I can! I did fly an Embraer KLM City Hopper from Bristol to Amsterdam and an Air Canada Bombardier from Philadelphia to Montréal. The Bombardier was my favourite plane so far. Really pleasant.
I did Southampton to Jersey for the day for £45 return out on FlyBe and back on Blue Island Aviation. The Dash 8 felt nicer than the ATR's (I went on 2 as the first had to turn back as a door alarm went off. It must have just been before the half way mark as turned back to Jersey rather than continue to Southampton and the whole flight was only 25 mins!).
I literally flew this exact flight last week while I was on vacation in Europe. I rather enjoyed Olympic Air and thought they had good service. Greetings from Texas!
Hello Paul. A few comments... You complain about the metro, but the schedule is online and is known, so its every half hour and there is also the bus option, you need to make better planning, I mean even if it was every 15 min, it would save you just 15min. As about the light and the glass, I was wondering about it for Athens, but an architect told me its due to intense sun in Greece specially during the summer that will have greenhouse effect and they will need lot of energy for AC, plus Greeks hide from the sun during the summer. Another thing, please check your camera's shutter speed, its flickering a lot. Probably there is an option to avoid it. As about Aegean's lounges they are a shame, as the main operator, they should have something bigger. Check my previous flight, I filmed the other lounge. It gets easily overcrowded. I had a long flight from Riga to Munich with AirBaltic with the same aircraft, it was ok. At least it is more quite than some old ATRs and legroom is good. About the free meal, its a plus for the Greek airline, but Kosher and Veg food usually isn't the best option. Did you select vegetarian or they just gave it to you? As about the route map, I can see clearly that it is translated in English... As about the bag, you have to pay it, it changed I think 3 years ago. Thank you for the video I hope you find my comments helpful and not so judgemental.
Hi Paul. Nice review as always. Last year I mentioned that if you have a Priority Pass you can save ‘upto’ 50% by purchasing a £6 voucher from Groupon in the UK. I was going to cancel mine and redo the Groupon thing this year but have since found that Priority Pass actually auto renew and take your money a month before your card expires! I knew they auto renewed but didn’t realise they took the money a month in advance. I phoned them and told them it was cheaper to cancel and then become a new member via Groupon and they offered 50% off or 2 free £20 passes (which I took). This may help some of your viewers that use the pass. I like bargains and it’s always worth a haggle 😁
Mike Pasquale Same! I usually get home on a spacious but small Embraer E190, but I had to start taking flights home with Delta Connection in small CRJ200. The exterior of the plane is cool, but the interior has to be the most cramped plane I’ve ever been in, and I almost always fly in small planes!
I honestly think the Dash 8 along with the Twin Otters are the best prop planes as of now. I see them a lot in Canada especially for bush flying, which is why they were made. Great planes co pared to some other contenders (like the godawful Embraer Jungle turboprop or ATR 42. Jetstream is okay, but cramped.)
Hi, paul great video once again, super jealous how you fly around the world like this, my experience on the “dash 8” was in Thailand. I found the noise close to deafening on takeoff and found that the window seat gives you very little headroom. But due to the lower flying altitude the views were amazing. Keep up the good work buddy 👍
I flew from Mykonos to Athens in tha Short Skyvan in 1975. I think the one way fare was £10. After take-off, the pilot unfurled his newspaper and spread it across the windscreen to have a read!
The Dash 8 is the main stay of the Air New Zealand domestic fleet so I see them everyday flying into and out of Auckland. Flown them quite a lot throughout both islands, and never had a problem with them myself, but to each his own....love the post and always look forward to your next adventure. cheers from NZ
It's really hot here, which is why I have this thick padded body warmer on! Lol Great video, I fly on the Flybe dash 8 quite a bit and don't have a massive issue with them. But you have far more experience of different similar aircraft than me.
Ah this takes me back. Did you know that the first Q400 flights for Olympic were leased from Flybe with Flybe crew. I was lucky enough to do the trip a few times on 2 week tours operating out of Athens. This was back before Aegean took over and when Olympic also used jets. Great fun!
Some great inflight views Paul. I do enjoy flying in the Dash 8 and, in particular, sitting towards the back where you get a good view of the landing gear. There's something cool and mechanical about it folding away and then smoking up on touch down.
Great video Paul. I have been admiring your work for years and I love it.love how you try nearly every Airline and makes a completely brilliant opinion on them.
I flew DC10s quite a lot which was neat looking back now but at the time. I always seemed to get assigned a seat at the very back of the plane in the middle section which meant as the planes got older. The sound grew louder and louder from that tail mounted engine 😂 Hated it lmao
Dash 8 100 200 300 and q400 and ATRs are the reason regional travel is possible for so cheap. ATR more fuel efficient and the Q400 is more powerful and faster, better for altitude with terrain and/ or STOL? (Please comment). Both major carriers in 🇨🇦 use them and it has made regional travel and connections more frequent and accessible for business travel. It's the best. Best q400 flight was vanvouver to reno on alaska. Flying low so view of mountains was great. Only issue is you often fly through the weather instead of over it.
Paul I used to live in Athens and frequently travel back as the wifey is from Greece. When I lived there my station near my house was on the airport link from syntagma to the airport. My stop was onr after the doukisis plakendias (sorry for the terrible spelling) the airport train stops running around 11 so I would have to get off at doukisis and get a taxi. The train were worse when I arrived back in 2013 so your lucky your there when they are "improving"
Having flown to Athens many times I can say without reserve that the airport is 100 times better than its predecessor. Using that airport was a nightmare. Charter flight passengers tried to queue despite sleeping passengers on the floor. In fact charter passengers usually used a special temporary building which was little more than a large shed! We celebrated the opening of this airport "on the cheap".
The old ATH had international and Olympic domestic in separate terminals, about a 5 minute drive apart. Transfer required either a city bus or an irate taxi driver. By comparison, this one is a dream.
road warrior tip. After take off, move your "under seat" bag and place under your legs, then stretch out. When landing, return it to under the seat in front.
great video Paul. three notes on that: 1) that sandwich is the standard Aegean/Olympic service in short international flights in the Balkans (you had a sandwich when flighting to Belgrade), 2) Olympic started as a private company (from Aristotle Onassis) not state-owned (it was sold to the state in 1973), 3) Star Alliance gold status does have a checked bag in Aegean/Olympic flights www.olympicair.com/en/milesandbonus/AboutTheProgram/Benefits/Upgrades-And-Other/Gold
I flew a dash 8 and an atr 72 on the same day just to check the difference and you’re right, the dash 8 is horrendous. The vibrations close to the engine are fierce, the restricted legroom to the side on a window seat makes it feel cramped and the seat width is about as small as it can get.
I appreciate and greet your research on Olympic Air history! I also like your fair and observant and good - willed narratives on all topics and aspects! Aaah, Olympic was our historic flag carrier and commanded respect for its safety, hospitality and seasoned pilots, included WWII veterans! It reached many intercontinental destinations directly! Today, I like Aegean and I prefer it to most airlines for the same reasons stated above, but it's a little hurting it kept the olympic air name and logo only for domestic and very few international routes, only three as of today! It would have probably felt less hurting to abolish it altogether and let us rememer its legacy, than turning an eagle into a chicken hopping islands...
I'm no fan at all of the 737, small lavatories, claustrophobicly low ceilings (unless you're flying the sky interior) and it's not as quiet as the a320. Though I once flew the avro rj 85 in a 3-3 configuration and that was even worse (in a 2-3 it's great though).
Paul, there are X95 buses every 15 minutes, sometimes 5 an hour, except early in the morning from Syntagma to the airport. Used to cost €3, now €8. They’re probably just too proud to shut the metro down.
What a great video that is Paul! I really enjoyed seeing how flying is on Q-400’s around the world, and Olympic Air is surely a carrier that surprised me. Thanks for sharing!
Here on the IOM we have been denied our Flybe Dash 8's for a long time because some cowboy outfit got their ATR's on the route. Now that 'airliner' is a real joke so we look forward to getting our Canadian beauties back.
Great video and review. I hope you had time for a look round Zagreb, a truly great city. I was actually there earlier this month (April 2019) and I flew there from Heathrow on BA (its all on my channel!). By the way, I hope you didn't eat that roll and that your nose bleed cleared up ok. Looking forward to your next video.
That was a great video and a bit of an eye-opener. I seem to remember the days when Olympic were the medium haul carrier and Aegean was the small regional competitor.
The airport was built on the cheap architecturally (back in the 90s), but it's a nice, modern, *normal* airport. The old airport was just unfit, to say the least. (Also, building this new airport in the Mesogeia valley to replace the old one, had been planned since the 70s, but was politically controversial. So, by the time the new one opened in 2001, the old one was outdated by *decades* ). Anyways, they recently redid the interiors of this terminal, so the inside looks a lot less boring. And it was just announced last year that a new terminal will be built to double airport's terminal capacity, so maybe this new one will be less boxy. Enjoying your videos! 🙂
Flying a Dash 8 or any turboprop is like sitting next to a lawnmower for an hour. The noise is overwhelming and the sound doesn't leave your head until a few hours after you get off the plane.
You should really try flying either Hawaiian or ANA if you get the chance, both have good service and good inflight experiences. Tip for Hawaiian: if you are flying from the west coast don't fly from any small airports as they are often operated using A321neos instead of the A330
Great review of Olympic Air Paul! Always wanted to fly on a turboprop, I flew to Santorini in December with Olympic/Aegean but sadly I flew on an A320. I am impressed by Aegean’s service though, it was outstanding for such a short flight!
Olympic Airways (in its several incarnations) has served Greece well. Aegean and Olympic flew side by side in direct competition for a while, then wanted to merge, but the EU said no. They continued to be separate companies in name only because they both had the same board of directors. Aegean has not resurrected the Olympic name; it never went away! Later, Aegean took over Olympic's main international routes and left only the internal ones and a few very short-haul ones to Olympic.
Happy Easter, Paul! I fell ill late Thursday, so this was actually just what I needed. It's letting me get away in my mind and forget my misery for awhile. I get nosebleeds, too! however the cold aggravates them instead of the heat. Hope you were able to clear yours up right quick. Worst plane I was ever on? That's easy! It was about 30+ years ago. I can't recall where I was going, but i'll never forget the plane! It was a Beechcraft100, a tinylittle 19- seater. There was only a curtain that separated the flight deck from the passengers. Not exactly confidence building to someone who was still pretty new to flying. Paul, I'm only 5'4" tall, but I bashed my head getting on the plane, bashed my head again getting off the plane, and literally had to bend double to get through the passenger cabin to my seat. That plane was noisy and vibrated so bad, I thought we were going to shake to pieces before we got to where we were going! Thankfully, I don't think there are any in existence any longer, so you don't have to experience that nightmare. Turbulance doesn't bother me, per se; it just annoys me, especially if I'm reading. It's like going over a bunch of potholes in the road.
One good thing about the Dash 8 are the wings mounted on top of the fuselage, it makes for a good view of ground below if you have a window seat. I have had similar issues with bloody noses, it is made worse by the low humidity of an arid climate, or in airplanes at cruising altitude. You are suffering for your chosen art.
Athens airport is a bit hectic. When I was transferring through the airport you had to go to arrivals and then go back to security, where there was a long queue. When I flew Aegean economy Athens to Larnaca we were served meatballs with baked potatoes. It was amazing.
Great review, just a small comment on Olympic Airways - and now Olympic Air - 6th circle. Its not representing Greece, but Olympic Airways ( back then ) ,the air line connecting the 5 continents! Keep the great job!
If you thought your food was bad, i flew economy Agean from Athens to Italy a few yrs back, i had gluten free food which i wanted and was given 2 dry rice cakes some yogurt and a drink and that was it.
Never flown a Q8 before but my turboprop experience of UNI AIR's ATR72 was pretty nice. Would you do a walk-through of Zargreb airport? It is known to be quite good.
I remember when Olympic used to fly to Montreal, my greek grandparents flew them every year to Greece round trip, it was always my favourite plane to spot landing at Trudeau Airport ( Dorval back in the day)
Cheers Paul The flight looked quite full but the cabin crew were still able to cater for them without any problems which is credit to them. As for the aircraft, I love the turbo props, you know you are really flying when you are on one of the old birds. Keep up the great work. Regards DS
We share the same hatred for the Dash 8 Q400. With Southampton Airport being my nearest and Flybe regularly operating the plane on flights out of the Airport I have had this hatred for many years, always finding myself disembarking with a pounding headache!
I used to have to travel for work frequently to Durango, CO (USA) and the flight was operated usually by a Dash 8, sometimes by a CRJ. Either way, I chose to drive 8 hours instead to avoid those awful flights. Although, in fairness, it helped that I'd take a few days off for camping and 4-wheeling and the company paid for round trip mileage. Thanks Dash 8 for being my scapegoat!
I feel your uneasiness Paul on any prop plane in turbulence. They never feel well put together. Too many rattles and shakes. Flew an ATR prop from EWR to Portland Maine on the tail end of a hurricane. The landing in Portland was extreme crabbing and diving to hit the runway. Felt like a circus ride and I was terrified at the time. My friend waiting on the ground saw it crabbing.
I hope I have the following correct as I haven't referenced any online info: Olympic Airways was started by Onassis, was bought / nationalized by the Greek government, and was the national carrier for years. It became a place for politicians to reward voters (along with the civil service and other government-owned institutions and businesses, such as banks) and inevitably lost money. The government kept throwing money at it of course, but perhaps through EU pressure it was forced to sell it. Meanwhile, the private company Aegean Airlines was established and was run well, making a profit. It eventually bought the rebranded Olympic "Airlines" (I believe the Greek government attempted to skirt EU competition rules through this "new" entity). Aegean made Olympic a local carrier.
Happy Easter Mate Another nice review just as I needed something to watch. I must say being Gold is great, some nice perks and, the food in the lounge looked awesome. I wish the Aus star alliance included all the EU airlines as well for lounge usage! Only SQ are any good over there I think. The dash 8 is getting on a bit too now eh, I reckon you felt the turbulence lol. Not a bad flight by the looks. Why is it that people take a seat that clearly isn't theirs? It happened to me on my LHR flight from Singapore once. I don't get that. Nice review anyway.
Well my least favorite aircraft was the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner SA-226TC II from E.A.T. . They were operating for SABENA were I worked. I flew regularly to Luxembourg where I have family. As a sabena employee I only paid 10% of the ticket. Which was cheaper than the train. You can still find a picture of the plane back if you google "Swearingen metroliner EAT" and go to images. I flew as pax with the OO-JPI. Happy Easter.
Nice video as all your videos! Just a note there on Olympic Air, they have no relation to the government run Olympic Airways / Airlines. The old airline was liquidated by the government. They sold the brand only to a newly formed Pantheon Airlines which later changed the name to Olympic Air. So basicly it's a whole new company.
Great review. I really enjoyed the video! I just subscribed to the channel too. I fly to Athens every month from UK airports. Unfortunately, the airport is not that busy to justify frequent trains from the center of Athens to the Athens airport.
Paul, great video as always. About Dash 8, I have flown that and ATR72 and frankly I don't see much difference between the two. Not sure if you consider the legroom on Dash 8 inferior to ATR72? Anyways, I have a suggestion for another route for you to review: Binter Canarias between PMI and LPA on a Canadair CRJ900.
Olympic air was founded by aristotle onasis the famous greek bussinesman,it was owned by the state later.Also it was one of the most luxurious airways in europe back in the day
Just to clarify OA never actually had IL-62s. That is very clearly a photoshopped image. And OA/A3 also offer snacks and soft drinks even on domestic flights (most in Greece take a maximum of like 40 minutes)
Which program would you recommend for star alliance miles? I'm using flying blue at the moment but I'm not particularly happy with some of the recent changes they made and I won't be needing to travel on some of the routes where skyteam is the only sensible option any more.
HAPPY EASTER! Read my review at Simple Flying: simpleflying.com/flight-review-olympic-air-dash-8-q400-athens-to-zagreb/
Follow me on Twitter: @paul_winginit ¦ twitter.com/paul_winginit
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My website: www.winginit.me
If you're in the UK, I hope you're enjoying the long weekend with great sunshine!
Wingin’ It! Paul Lucas Happy Easter bro
Hey Paul! Many thanks for putting all the efforts into your videos! I really like your reviews - really great stuff, so please keep 'em coming! Since you asked: I travelled on an ATR 42 once and thought there was a lot of rattling and strange noises going on. My worst experience however was on a 737-600 by Tunisair quite a while ago; hardly the plane's fault but the cabin was a mess with some of the paneling missing making some of the cabling visible from my seat... Happy Easter to you!
Hi Paul, happy Easter to you. Excellent video, did you know that the old original remaining fleet of Olympic is still lying abandoned in the old Athens airport. It can be seen on Google Earth and there's a few videos on YT of people exploring the area.
I don’t know how you dislike the dash 8 q400. It’s my favorite aircraft. It’s got a really nice design and look. I believe the best bit though is the amazing sound of those PW150 s
Regarding your nose bleed. I don't know about you, but I have sinus and it affected my nose. With the pressure differences and heat, I always got nosebleed as well.
Maybe you have Aerosinusitis like me.
Hello Paul nice video. Just some facts about Olympic, it used to operated 747-200s which were later replaced by A340-300s. Also it had an extensive amount of A300s and 737s, which at the time it shut down were slowly beinng replaced by A320s. When the company was shut down it was undergoing a Skyteam integration process, while Aegean was joining Star Alliance. Olympic Airlines as it was, supporting Greeks all over the world, were a threat to both Aegean and other Star Alliance members, thus it is said and later proved that there was background work done by them to shut down Olympic. This was proven as the company was sold to someone who is known to lead companies to banckruptcy and its most profitable routes were closed on purpose. It is really devastating to see what is left from a company with great international potential. We should not forget that Olympic had a 0% mechanical failure accidents record, and probably the best maintenance and ground service facilities and personnel in Europe. Again this is part because people who worked there knew that they were potentially protecting their own people and families! Sorry for the lenghty comment, hope you liked the facts. PS. The IL-62 was just one aircraft lease from Aeroflot, allthough remarkable, not really a true representation of the company's fleet.
Very interesting comment Giannis! Thanks!
@@AirFlightTravels Always nice to share info with other people, that they would otherwise not learn!
Great summary Giannis. I flew Olympic from Australia to Athens, as well all over Greece. Sad to see them reduced in such a way. Hope, one day, they come back but I’m not confident. I think the Olympic Airways livery is one of the best around.
Notice the same person that took Paul's assigned seat, was also cutting in line earlier at 3:54 minutes into the video.
The guys obviously an inconsiderate jack a**.....probably a yank : )
@@corkydukeII5898
Murikunts, bet you the jackass was from the southern states.
Maybe stop being such push overs and we wouldn't do it to ya.
0:10 “it’s really warm”
Wears long sleeve shirt jacket and long pants
This was actually an Aegean flight operated by Olympic as a wetlease. That's why you received lounge access and a free checked bag. All domestic flights, as well as flights to Cyprus, are Olympic flights operated by Olympic (or sometimes operated by Aegean as a wet lease!)... And for those flights your star alliance status will not bring anything. The only status that will help you on 'real' Olympic flights is their own FFP.
Ah - that makes a lot of sense, thank you!
Wet lease?
Makes sense, however I don't understand how they need to lease an aircraft from.their own airline.
-Sam
You still get Star Gold benefit on Olympic is you Aegean Gold just not on other carriers
@@paulmadeja8550 its not really the same airline though. The same owner, yes, but not the same airline. Just like BA and IB for example - they are separate entities.
Actually there is a connection every 15 minutes. There is a metro connection and a railway connection departing from the central railway station (Larissis Station)
I remember flying the original 'Olympic Airlines' back in 2003 between London and Athens.
737-400 out, A300-600 back.
@PETER ZARI yeh, I was 9 at the time so I don't remember too much about it. It rattled a bit but was comfy enough that I got a bit of sleep on the flight back to London. I'd say it can't have had too long left in passenger service but seeing as Olympic Airlines only survived for 6 years after I flew with them . . . :P
I remember seeing a video of abandoned Olympic Air 747s
A link to one of them on Google Maps
Olympic Airways Boeing 747-200
Pergamou 25, Glifada 166 75, Grikkland
maps.app.goo.gl/zeCsaDKhNbCET3sT6
Vilhjálmur Árnason thank you so much I was looking for that on google earth
Bryan Westphal I have seen them in real life cause I come from Athens and there’s many of them
I honestly can't wait to travel with a Dash 8 just to see if I can see what you mean.
Wouldn't mind seeing the wheels on the plane myself, that's kind of a cool little extra.
The thing does look quite dirty though.
The Rolling Troll try flybe, nearly all fleet is dash 8 , had a lovely experience once from edinburgh to manchester :) make sure get some earplugs cos its pretty noisy from the engine...
The feeling of flying a smaller regional bird will never get old for me :) The Dash 8 is fun, although I haven't flown Cathay 1st like Paul ;)
I never found a reason to fly FlyBe but I will when I can! I did fly an Embraer KLM City Hopper from Bristol to Amsterdam and an Air Canada Bombardier from Philadelphia to Montréal. The Bombardier was my favourite plane so far. Really pleasant.
The Rolling Troll, dash 8s are loud and generally uncomfortable
I did Southampton to Jersey for the day for £45 return out on FlyBe and back on Blue Island Aviation. The Dash 8 felt nicer than the ATR's (I went on 2 as the first had to turn back as a door alarm went off. It must have just been before the half way mark as turned back to Jersey rather than continue to Southampton and the whole flight was only 25 mins!).
I literally flew this exact flight last week while I was on vacation in Europe. I rather enjoyed Olympic Air and thought they had good service. Greetings from Texas!
Dude, Dash 8 Q400 are my favourite. They're props that look like a pencil, have good legroom etc.
Hello Paul.
A few comments... You complain about the metro, but the schedule is online and is known, so its every half hour and there is also the bus option, you need to make better planning, I mean even if it was every 15 min, it would save you just 15min. As about the light and the glass, I was wondering about it for Athens, but an architect told me its due to intense sun in Greece specially during the summer that will have greenhouse effect and they will need lot of energy for AC, plus Greeks hide from the sun during the summer. Another thing, please check your camera's shutter speed, its flickering a lot. Probably there is an option to avoid it. As about Aegean's lounges they are a shame, as the main operator, they should have something bigger. Check my previous flight, I filmed the other lounge. It gets easily overcrowded. I had a long flight from Riga to Munich with AirBaltic with the same aircraft, it was ok. At least it is more quite than some old ATRs and legroom is good. About the free meal, its a plus for the Greek airline, but Kosher and Veg food usually isn't the best option. Did you select vegetarian or they just gave it to you? As about the route map, I can see clearly that it is translated in English... As about the bag, you have to pay it, it changed I think 3 years ago. Thank you for the video I hope you find my comments helpful and not so judgemental.
My guess regarding the frequency of the Metro in Athens is due to "Austerity".
ivanoffw there’s a bus from the airport to syntagma (like the train) every 15 minutes except early morning and late night.
Hi Paul. Nice review as always. Last year I mentioned that if you have a Priority Pass you can save ‘upto’ 50% by purchasing a £6 voucher from Groupon in the UK. I was going to cancel mine and redo the Groupon thing this year but have since found that Priority Pass actually auto renew and take your money a month before your card expires! I knew they auto renewed but didn’t realise they took the money a month in advance. I phoned them and told them it was cheaper to cancel and then become a new member via Groupon and they offered 50% off or 2 free £20 passes (which I took). This may help some of your viewers that use the pass. I like bargains and it’s always worth a haggle 😁
"it's a really hot day"
WEARS a PLUSH VEST"
Least favorite aircraft? Hands down it would be the CRJ200
Mike Pasquale Same! I usually get home on a spacious but small Embraer E190, but I had to start taking flights home with Delta Connection in small CRJ200. The exterior of the plane is cool, but the interior has to be the most cramped plane I’ve ever been in, and I almost always fly in small planes!
Hehe for me it is the complete CRJ Series, I cannot say way, but I don't really like them. Better a turboprop or an Embraer.
I honestly think the Dash 8 along with the Twin Otters are the best prop planes as of now. I see them a lot in Canada especially for bush flying, which is why they were made. Great planes co pared to some other contenders (like the godawful Embraer Jungle turboprop or ATR 42. Jetstream is okay, but cramped.)
I’m just happy to be flying, regardless of the aircraft 😄
I love the dash 8 Q400. Great for short hops. Great leg room and seats.
I wonder how many times that bloke took somebody else’s seat??……great video Paul, cheers 👍🏼😊
Hi, paul great video once again, super jealous how you fly around the world like this, my experience on the “dash 8” was in Thailand. I found the noise close to deafening on takeoff and found that the window seat gives you very little headroom. But due to the lower flying altitude the views were amazing. Keep up the good work buddy 👍
I flew from Mykonos to Athens in tha Short Skyvan in 1975. I think the one way fare was £10. After take-off, the pilot unfurled his newspaper and spread it across the windscreen to have a read!
The Dash 8 is the main stay of the Air New Zealand domestic fleet so I see them everyday flying into and out of Auckland. Flown them quite a lot throughout both islands, and never had a problem with them myself, but to each his own....love the post and always look forward to your next adventure. cheers from NZ
It's really hot here, which is why I have this thick padded body warmer on! Lol
Great video, I fly on the Flybe dash 8 quite a bit and don't have a massive issue with them. But you have far more experience of different similar aircraft than me.
Least favorite: CRJ series aircraft
Most favorite: Embraer E175/E195
The newer CRJ's are okay
Ah this takes me back. Did you know that the first Q400 flights for Olympic were leased from Flybe with Flybe crew. I was lucky enough to do the trip a few times on 2 week tours operating out of Athens. This was back before Aegean took over and when Olympic also used jets. Great fun!
Yeah ATH my home airport! These dash 8 q 400 are amazing! Happy flights Paul!
* The metro situation is awful!
Least favorite:
Embraer 120
Embraer 140
ATR 42 (72 is okay)
CRJ-200
MD-80
737
Favorite:
Airbus A330
Airbus A320
Bombardier Q400
Bombardier C-Series (A220)
Boeing 777
Boeing 787
Boeng 747
Embraer 190
Some great inflight views Paul. I do enjoy flying in the Dash 8 and, in particular, sitting towards the back where you get a good view of the landing gear. There's something cool and mechanical about it folding away and then smoking up on touch down.
Hi Paul I once got a nose bleed on an Emirates flight when I was young, and I walked off the plane looking like I had been stabbed 🌝
I've never travelled on a prop aircraft, which one is your favourite Paul?
Can't beat a JetStream for a true flying experience!
ATR is the only good one from what I hear.
Saab 2000 is awesome
Great video Paul. I have been admiring your work for years and I love it.love how you try nearly every Airline and makes a completely brilliant opinion on them.
I flew DC10s quite a lot which was neat looking back now but at the time. I always seemed to get assigned a seat at the very back of the plane in the middle section which meant as the planes got older. The sound grew louder and louder from that tail mounted engine 😂 Hated it lmao
Why would you not like Dash 8? Haha, I think they are quite lovely, for what they are and the purpose they serve. Great video, regardless.
Love the Q-400!, Great Video
Dash 8 100 200 300 and q400 and ATRs are the reason regional travel is possible for so cheap. ATR more fuel efficient and the Q400 is more powerful and faster, better for altitude with terrain and/ or STOL? (Please comment). Both major carriers in 🇨🇦 use them and it has made regional travel and connections more frequent and accessible for business travel. It's the best. Best q400 flight was vanvouver to reno on alaska. Flying low so view of mountains was great. Only issue is you often fly through the weather instead of over it.
Paul I used to live in Athens and frequently travel back as the wifey is from Greece. When I lived there my station near my house was on the airport link from syntagma to the airport. My stop was onr after the doukisis plakendias (sorry for the terrible spelling) the airport train stops running around 11 so I would have to get off at doukisis and get a taxi. The train were worse when I arrived back in 2013 so your lucky your there when they are "improving"
Having flown to Athens many times I can say without reserve that the airport is 100 times better than its predecessor. Using that airport was a nightmare. Charter flight passengers tried to queue despite sleeping passengers on the floor. In fact charter passengers usually used a special temporary building which was little more than a large shed! We celebrated the opening of this airport "on the cheap".
4:25 What's your scale for quality/quantity of legroom? Would your neighbour share your opinion?
Flight to faro from dublin with aer lingus please do another aer lingus
The old ATH had international and Olympic domestic in separate terminals, about a 5 minute drive apart. Transfer required either a city bus or an irate taxi driver. By comparison, this one is a dream.
B757 is narrow and feels quite claustrophobic. As for the Q400, I quite like it, for a turbo-prop.
Cool Trip Report as usual Paul!
Didn't know Korean Air flies a 787 into Zagreb!
road warrior tip. After take off, move your "under seat" bag and place under your legs, then stretch out. When landing, return it to under the seat in front.
great video Paul. three notes on that: 1) that sandwich is the standard Aegean/Olympic service in short international flights in the Balkans (you had a sandwich when flighting to Belgrade), 2) Olympic started as a private company (from Aristotle Onassis) not state-owned (it was sold to the state in 1973), 3) Star Alliance gold status does have a checked bag in Aegean/Olympic flights www.olympicair.com/en/milesandbonus/AboutTheProgram/Benefits/Upgrades-And-Other/Gold
I love flying dash-8 Q400 they are so easy to fly and really fun too. (I'm an Air Cadet) 17 years)
I have to fly the Q300 from Invercargill to Wellington New Zealand (about 2 hours one way) at least twice a month and I hate it so much.
Arent you lucky.
It's an okay plane! It's irrational to dislike it but I get you can feel cramped (assuming that's the reason).
I flew a dash 8 and an atr 72 on the same day just to check the difference and you’re right, the dash 8 is horrendous. The vibrations close to the engine are fierce, the restricted legroom to the side on a window seat makes it feel cramped and the seat width is about as small as it can get.
I appreciate and greet your research on Olympic Air history! I also like your fair and observant and good - willed narratives on all topics and aspects! Aaah, Olympic was our historic flag carrier and commanded respect for its safety, hospitality and seasoned pilots, included WWII veterans! It reached many intercontinental destinations directly! Today, I like Aegean and I prefer it to most airlines for the same reasons stated above, but it's a little hurting it kept the olympic air name and logo only for domestic and very few international routes, only three as of today! It would have probably felt less hurting to abolish it altogether and let us rememer its legacy, than turning an eagle into a chicken hopping islands...
I'm no fan at all of the 737, small lavatories, claustrophobicly low ceilings (unless you're flying the sky interior) and it's not as quiet as the a320. Though I once flew the avro rj 85 in a 3-3 configuration and that was even worse (in a 2-3 it's great though).
Paul, there are X95 buses every 15 minutes, sometimes 5 an hour, except early in the morning from Syntagma to the airport. Used to cost €3, now €8. They’re probably just too proud to shut the metro down.
Always good to see Paul he will eat anything
What a great video that is Paul! I really enjoyed seeing how flying is on Q-400’s around the world, and Olympic Air is surely a carrier that surprised me. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the review. My wife and I will be flying Olympic Air from Santorini to Athens in three weeks.
These aircraft are a really bumpy (yet rather pleasant) experience, even in the calmer flights.
Here on the IOM we have been denied our Flybe Dash 8's for a long time because some cowboy outfit got their ATR's on the route. Now that 'airliner' is a real joke so we look forward to getting our Canadian beauties back.
Great video and review. I hope you had time for a look round Zagreb, a truly great city. I was actually there earlier this month (April 2019) and I flew there from Heathrow on BA (its all on my channel!). By the way, I hope you didn't eat that roll and that your nose bleed cleared up ok. Looking forward to your next video.
I reckon my least favourite aircraft type is the ATR 72 and 42
Glad there's someone else like me. Cant stand them!!
These reviews really are extremely well done and entertaining - thank you....youtube at its absolute best
That was a great video and a bit of an eye-opener. I seem to remember the days when Olympic were the medium haul carrier and Aegean was the small regional competitor.
I hate the 767-300 on AC Rouge. Cancelled our flight in Dublin while we were trying to gat home.
The airport was built on the cheap architecturally (back in the 90s), but it's a nice, modern, *normal* airport. The old airport was just unfit, to say the least. (Also, building this new airport in the Mesogeia valley to replace the old one, had been planned since the 70s, but was politically controversial. So, by the time the new one opened in 2001, the old one was outdated by *decades* ). Anyways, they recently redid the interiors of this terminal, so the inside looks a lot less boring. And it was just announced last year that a new terminal will be built to double airport's terminal capacity, so maybe this new one will be less boxy. Enjoying your videos! 🙂
Flying a Dash 8 or any turboprop is like sitting next to a lawnmower for an hour. The noise is overwhelming and the sound doesn't leave your head until a few hours after you get off the plane.
I was wondering, are all the lounge food and drinks complimentory with the ticker? So, enter the lounge and eat what you can?
Yes.
You should really try flying either Hawaiian or ANA if you get the chance, both have good service and good inflight experiences. Tip for Hawaiian: if you are flying from the west coast don't fly from any small airports as they are often operated using A321neos instead of the A330
if it's really warm why are you wearing a body warmer
Great review of Olympic Air Paul! Always wanted to fly on a turboprop, I flew to Santorini in December with Olympic/Aegean but sadly I flew on an A320. I am impressed by Aegean’s service though, it was outstanding for such a short flight!
Olympic Airways (in its several incarnations) has served Greece well. Aegean and Olympic flew side by side in direct competition for a while, then wanted to merge, but the EU said no. They continued to be separate companies in name only because they both had the same board of directors. Aegean has not resurrected the Olympic name; it never went away! Later, Aegean took over Olympic's main international routes and left only the internal ones and a few very short-haul ones to Olympic.
Happy Easter, Paul! I fell ill late Thursday, so this was actually just what I needed. It's letting me get away in my mind and forget my misery for awhile. I get nosebleeds, too! however the cold aggravates them instead of the heat. Hope you were able to clear yours up right quick.
Worst plane I was ever on? That's easy! It was about 30+ years ago. I can't recall where I was going, but i'll never forget the plane! It was a Beechcraft100, a tinylittle 19- seater. There was only a curtain that separated the flight deck from the passengers. Not exactly confidence building to someone who was still pretty new to flying. Paul, I'm only 5'4" tall, but I bashed my head getting on the plane, bashed my head again getting off the plane, and literally had to bend double to get through the passenger cabin to my seat. That plane was noisy and vibrated so bad, I thought we were going to shake to pieces before we got to where we were going! Thankfully, I don't think there are any in existence any longer, so you don't have to experience that nightmare. Turbulance doesn't bother me, per se; it just annoys me, especially if I'm reading. It's like going over a bunch of potholes in the road.
One good thing about the Dash 8 are the wings mounted on top of the fuselage, it makes for a good view of ground below if you have a window seat.
I have had similar issues with bloody noses, it is made worse by the low humidity of an arid climate, or in airplanes at cruising altitude. You are suffering for your chosen art.
Athens airport is a bit hectic. When I was transferring through the airport you had to go to arrivals and then go back to security, where there was a long queue. When I flew Aegean economy Athens to Larnaca we were served meatballs with baked potatoes. It was amazing.
Great review, just a small comment on Olympic Airways - and now Olympic Air - 6th circle. Its not representing Greece, but Olympic Airways ( back then ) ,the air line connecting the 5 continents! Keep the great job!
If my memory is correct. OA was started by Onasis. I do not know if the Greek gov did buy the airline from Mr.O at some point.
If you thought your food was bad, i flew economy Agean from Athens to Italy a few yrs back, i had gluten free food which i wanted and was given 2 dry rice cakes some yogurt and a drink and that was it.
Never flown a Q8 before but my turboprop experience of UNI AIR's ATR72 was pretty nice. Would you do a walk-through of Zargreb airport? It is known to be quite good.
DHC8s are like flying in a bag of bolts. Horrid aircraft, always found them loud inside too
They're not horrid. Try going in an Embraer 120. DHC's do what they're meant to do.
Absolutely. I live in a regional city in Australia and we are stuck with Dash-8s ... a bag of bolts! Yes!
@@chelovek001 The best bag of bolts, best turboprop made actually. Airlines and passengers love it.
I remember when Olympic used to fly to Montreal, my greek grandparents flew them every year to Greece round trip, it was always my favourite plane to spot landing at Trudeau Airport ( Dorval back in the day)
Cheers Paul
The flight looked quite full but the cabin crew were still able to cater for them without any problems which is credit to them. As for the aircraft, I love the turbo props, you know you are really flying when you are on one of the old birds.
Keep up the great work.
Regards
DS
We share the same hatred for the Dash 8 Q400. With Southampton Airport being my nearest and Flybe regularly operating the plane on flights out of the Airport I have had this hatred for many years, always finding myself disembarking with a pounding headache!
I used to have to travel for work frequently to Durango, CO (USA) and the flight was operated usually by a Dash 8, sometimes by a CRJ. Either way, I chose to drive 8 hours instead to avoid those awful flights. Although, in fairness, it helped that I'd take a few days off for camping and 4-wheeling and the company paid for round trip mileage. Thanks Dash 8 for being my scapegoat!
I feel your uneasiness Paul on any prop plane in turbulence. They never feel well put together. Too many rattles and shakes. Flew an ATR prop from EWR to Portland Maine on the tail end of a hurricane. The landing in Portland was extreme crabbing and diving to hit the runway. Felt like a circus ride and I was terrified at the time. My friend waiting on the ground saw it crabbing.
I hope I have the following correct as I haven't referenced any online info: Olympic Airways was started by Onassis, was bought / nationalized by the Greek government, and was the national carrier for years. It became a place for politicians to reward voters (along with the civil service and other government-owned institutions and businesses, such as banks) and inevitably lost money. The government kept throwing money at it of course, but perhaps through EU pressure it was forced to sell it. Meanwhile, the private company Aegean Airlines was established and was run well, making a profit. It eventually bought the rebranded Olympic "Airlines" (I believe the Greek government attempted to skirt EU competition rules through this "new" entity). Aegean made Olympic a local carrier.
Amazing tripreport!
Happy Easter Mate
Another nice review just as I needed something to watch.
I must say being Gold is great, some nice perks and, the food in the lounge looked awesome.
I wish the Aus star alliance included all the EU airlines as well for lounge usage! Only SQ are any good over there I think.
The dash 8 is getting on a bit too now eh, I reckon you felt the turbulence lol.
Not a bad flight by the looks. Why is it that people take a seat that clearly isn't theirs? It happened to me on my LHR flight from Singapore once. I don't get that.
Nice review anyway.
I personally hate the ATR 42. It's just too small
Please dont't skip the take-off or fast-forward it. it's the best part of a flight
3:40 The Dash 8 is my favourite plane................ how do I unsubscribe twice?
Awesome trip report!
Nice review again!!
I have to say, that for an english-speaker, you've pronounced Zagreb pretty correctly...
I haven't flown very much, but I agree about this aircraft...
Well my least favorite aircraft was the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner SA-226TC II from E.A.T. . They were operating for SABENA were I worked. I flew regularly to Luxembourg where I have family. As a sabena employee I only paid 10% of the ticket. Which was cheaper than the train. You can still find a picture of the plane back if you google "Swearingen metroliner EAT" and go to images. I flew as pax with the OO-JPI. Happy Easter.
Nice video as all your videos!
Just a note there on Olympic Air, they have no relation to the government run Olympic Airways / Airlines. The old airline was liquidated by the government. They sold the brand only to a newly formed Pantheon Airlines which later changed the name to Olympic Air. So basicly it's a whole new company.
Hi Paul
Such a pleasure to view your videos. Keep up the good work. Sunday’s would not be the same without your blogs.
Great review. I really enjoyed the video! I just subscribed to the channel too. I fly to Athens every month from UK airports. Unfortunately, the airport is not that busy to justify frequent trains from the center of Athens to the Athens airport.
Paul the airport was done on the cheap It still,looks like it did when I flew in and out of it ages ago
Paul, great video as always. About Dash 8, I have flown that and ATR72 and frankly I don't see much difference between the two. Not sure if you consider the legroom on Dash 8 inferior to ATR72? Anyways, I have a suggestion for another route for you to review: Binter Canarias between PMI and LPA on a Canadair CRJ900.
Olympic air was founded by aristotle onasis the famous greek bussinesman,it was owned by the state later.Also it was one of the most luxurious airways in europe back in the day
I can tolerate a Q300/ATR72 for a one hour flight but a 1hr 50min flight on a Q300/Q400 would drive me insane.
Just to clarify OA never actually had IL-62s. That is very clearly a photoshopped image. And OA/A3 also offer snacks and soft drinks even on domestic flights (most in Greece take a maximum of like 40 minutes)
The image is a photoshop but Olympic did indeed operate an IL-62, as any reputable source will confirm.
Which program would you recommend for star alliance miles? I'm using flying blue at the moment but I'm not particularly happy with some of the recent changes they made and I won't be needing to travel on some of the routes where skyteam is the only sensible option any more.