Strategic Airlines

[jann]

Glad you had such a great time Jann and pleased the Strategic flight was ok as we're flying with them from Manchester at the end of September.  We've booked the meals as it was only £6.99 return and I figured we wouldn't have got a drink and a snack for that price.  The prices is Plakias still seem very reasonable and we'll definitely be eating at Mousses  

Is Angelo the barman back at Kostas this summer?

 Hi Gemma,
I would also book a meal next time.

I made another 'mistake' sorry, it was Medoussa who had the 3 courses for 19 euros.  

The cheapest wine was at Sifi's  ( E 2.50 for half a litre. ) and the most expensive was at Argo, E5 for a half litre and E9 for 1 litre.  but they have the most comfy chairs and you also get a glass of water and a dish of mixed nuts!

Angelos should have come last weekend but was delayed, but he will probably be there by this weekend !

Bet you can't wait for September, I'm also thinking of trying to get back Sep/Oct if I can  

[Gemma1]

Glad you had such a great time Jann and pleased the Strategic flight was ok as we're flying with them from Manchester at the end of September.  We've booked the meals as it was only £6.99 return and I figured we wouldn't have got a drink and a snack for that price.  The prices is Plakias still seem very reasonable and we'll definitely be eating at Mousses  

Is Angelo the barman back at Kostas this summer?

 Hi Gemma,
I would also book a meal next time.

I made another 'mistake' sorry, it was Medoussa who had the 3 courses for 19 euros.  

The cheapest wine was at Sifi's  ( E 2.50 for half a litre. ) and the most expensive was at Argo, E5 for a half litre and E9 for 1 litre.  but they have the most comfy chairs and you also get a glass of water and a dish of mixed nuts!

Angelos should have come last weekend but was delayed, but he will probably be there by this weekend !

Bet you can't wait for September, I'm also thinking of trying to get back Sep/Oct if I can  

Glad to hear that Angelos is due back   Ate at Mousses a lot last time and do like it there but will probably try Medoussa too )  Good luck in getting another trip booked before the end of the year.

[Arnaki]

Hi Jann,

Thanks for your reports and the answer to the baggage question.  You must feel like an early pioneer aviator, bombarded with questions about the experience!  Our flight from Manchester is 10.30am ish, but you give me hope that it might be moved earlier.  I'd smuggle you back to Kostas in my suitcase if I could....

Arnaki

I booked my holiday with Olympic in November when the flights were showing with Monarch. The baggage allowance was 15kg unless you paid a supplement to up it to 20kg. I got my tickets last week (we fly out LGW 31 May 11.25). The tickets show a luggage allowance of 20kg. I have been told previously that your luggage allowance is that which is shown on your ticket. Either Olympic have made a mistake or Strategic allow you a greater allowance on the Gatwick flight.
Grahame

sorry Grahame, another error on my part, the allowance was 20Kg as shown on the ticket, and not 15Kg

I've checked my tickets for Rhodes and we do have 20kg each - I hadn't thought to check, as we hadn't paid for extra.  Now Jann, perhaps I will have room to smuggle you to Plakias in August...  

Arnaki

[jann]

   

Hi Jann,

Thanks for your reports and the answer to the baggage question.  You must feel like an early pioneer aviator, bombarded with questions about the experience!  Our flight from Manchester is 10.30am ish, but you give me hope that it might be moved earlier.  I'd smuggle you back to Kostas in my suitcase if I could....

Arnaki

I booked my holiday with Olympic in November when the flights were showing with Monarch. The baggage allowance was 15kg unless you paid a supplement to up it to 20kg. I got my tickets last week (we fly out LGW 31 May 11.25). The tickets show a luggage allowance of 20kg. I have been told previously that your luggage allowance is that which is shown on your ticket. Either Olympic have made a mistake or Strategic allow you a greater allowance on the Gatwick flight.
Grahame

sorry Grahame, another error on my part, the allowance was 20Kg as shown on the ticket, and not 15Kg

I've checked my tickets for Rhodes and we do have 20kg each - I hadn't thought to check, as we hadn't paid for extra.  Now Jann, perhaps I will have room to smuggle you to Plakias in August...  

Arnaki

Ooh now that sounds like a plan     just need to go on a diet again

[Mike G]

I have just returned from Corfu, an Olympic holiday using Strategic airlines.

My ticket said an 8.15 departure and I arrived early. On checking the airlines' board at the airport there was no mention of Strategic at all and no flight scheduled for 8.15 on the departures board. I wondered if I was at the wrong terminal or the wrong day. I asked a staff member who knew nothing so he contacted the duty manager, who likewise knew nothing. She made phone calls and eventually was told the flight does exist but Strategic has rescheduled to 9.50. We get on the plane and were told we will leave as soon as maintenance paperwork arrives. It didn't! We were then disembarked back to the gate as there was a "problem". We were then told two rows of passengers had to be transferred to easyjet (rows 10 and 16). This was duly done, their luggage taken off, and we got back on to the plane. The captain said it was because the no smoking and seat belts lights weren't working on these rows and regulations didn't permit him to fly in those circumstances. He said it was a software issue related to the change in safety announcements into English. Flight took off 4 hours after my ticket time and apart from the meal being the worst I have ever had (one course plus bread roll and coffee) was uneventful.

2 days before I left at the end I was informed by the rep that Strategic had rescheduled the times again and it would depart 6hr 30 mins later than my ticket said. Flight was then uneventful except the meal was the best I have had on a charter airline!

I'm going to Plakias with Strategic in the autumn. I hope they have improved.

The only other thing I would say is that the legroom is marginally better than other comparable airlines (important to me).

Mike

[jann]

I have just returned from Corfu, an Olympic holiday using Strategic airlines.

My ticket said an 8.15 departure and I arrived early. On checking the airlines' board at the airport there was no mention of Strategic at all and no flight scheduled for 8.15 on the departures board. I wondered if I was at the wrong terminal or the wrong day. I asked a staff member who knew nothing so he contacted the duty manager, who likewise knew nothing. She made phone calls and eventually was told the flight does exist but Strategic has rescheduled to 9.50. We get on the plane and were told we will leave as soon as maintenance paperwork arrives. It didn't! We were then disembarked back to the gate as there was a "problem". We were then told two rows of passengers had to be transferred to easyjet (rows 10 and 16). This was duly done, their luggage taken off, and we got back on to the plane. The captain said it was because the no smoking and seat belts lights weren't working on these rows and regulations didn't permit him to fly in those circumstances. He said it was a software issue related to the change in safety announcements into English. Flight took off 4 hours after my ticket time and apart from the meal being the worst I have ever had (one course plus bread roll and coffee) was uneventful.

2 days before I left at the end I was informed by the rep that Strategic had rescheduled the times again and it would depart 6hr 30 mins later than my ticket said. Flight was then uneventful except the meal was the best I have had on a charter airline!

I'm going to Plakias with Strategic in the autumn. I hope they have improved.

The only other thing I would say is that the legroom is marginally better than other comparable airlines (important to me).

Mike

Oh dear that's not good Mike     I have also noticed that the Manchester flights advertised now are night flights !  

[Mike G]

Oh dear that's not good Mike     I have also noticed that the Manchester flights advertised now are night flights !

I checked the Tuesday flights from Gatwick on the Olympic website. I looks to me as if when the daytime Strategic flight to Heraklion returns at 20.30 it heads straight back to Heraklion as a night flight, departing Gatwick at 21.50. Maybe the Manchester flight does the same.

Mike

[Arnaki]

Hi Mike, what a litany of problems!  We have just returned from Rhodes on an Olympic holiday flying Strategic from Manchester.  Although the plane was rather old (Airbus 320-212 if that helps anyone who understands these things), the seats were certainly more comfortable than the last flight I took with Thomas Cook, where I think that even sardines would have found it a squash.  As they were evening/night flights, I slept most of the way, and on the way back was only woken up by a rather bumpy landing at Manchester.  The flight left on time both ways, and the cabin staff were efficient and helpful, without appearing false.  On the way out, someone was taken ill.  This was dealt with calmly as far I could tell from across the aisle, oxygen administered and a wheelchair ordered for the airport.  The passenger seemed to make a good recovery and I hope that he and his family had a good holiday.  The cabin crew really are there for your safety and comfort and not just to sell you drinks and perfume.

Let's hope that your bad experience was a one-off and that we will all have timely, safe and comfortable flights to and from Plakias this summer.

I'm with Jann in hoping that there remains the morning flight from Manchester, as that is what we are expecting to take in August, but we will have to wait and see.   So long as I can get to Plakias, I'll go by donkey if necessary! (I'm editing this as I have found from Manchester Airport website that there is both a morning and late flight with Strategic, if that puts your mind at rest, Jann.)

[Mike G]

Hi Mike, what a litany of problems!  We have just returned from Rhodes on an Olympic holiday flying Strategic from Manchester.  Although the plane was rather old (Airbus 320-212 if that helps anyone who understands these things), the seats were certainly more comfortable than the last flight I took with Thomas Cook, where I think that even sardines would have found it a squash.  As they were evening/night flights, I slept most of the way, and on the way back was only woken up by a rather bumpy landing at Manchester.  The flight left on time both ways, and the cabin staff were efficient and helpful, without appearing false.  On the way out, someone was taken ill.  This was dealt with calmly as far I could tell from across the aisle, oxygen administered and a wheelchair ordered for the airport.  The passenger seemed to make a good recovery and I hope that he and his family had a good holiday.  The cabin crew really are there for your safety and comfort and not just to sell you drinks and perfume.

Let's hope that your bad experience was a one-off and that we will all have timely, safe and comfortable flights to and from Plakias this summer.

I'm with Jann in hoping that there remains the morning flight from Manchester, as that is what we are expecting to take in August, but we will have to wait and see.   So long as I can get to Plakias, I'll go by donkey if necessary! (I'm editing this as I have found from Manchester Airport website that there is both a morning and late flight with Strategic, if that puts your mind at rest, Jann.)

Hello Arnaki,

I'm prepared to accept that the problems with the plane were a "one off" and am waiting to hear from Olympic why flight times were changed after tickets were issued without my being notified.

I shall reserve judgement on Strategic until a few more have reported and I have used them again, which will be in the autumn.

I think both their planes are Airbus 320 which have rows of 6 seats separated by a central aisle, totalling about 180 seats.

I would be interested to hear what the state of the new development just before Paligremnos is and whether it has changed the character of Plakias.

Mike

[Daniel]

Mike:

In mid May, the larger of the building developments close to the 'far end' was nearing completion but was not yet occupied.
But it looked close to being occupied ( if they have sold them all !!!)

The effect it will have on the area is therfore still not fully evident.

In my view the other smaller new builds have not greatly detracted from the area.
They seem to fit in fairly well.

BUT:
I did not know the area in the time before any of this building took place, having only first visited Plakias in 2005.

To my mind the biggest changes this year in May were demographic.

The number of visiters was well down on previous years.

The mix of nationalities has changed with many more Eastern European visiters and fewer British visiters.
The general feeling from local people is that we Brits have stopped coming to Plakias in any sort of numbers in May and now only visit in September.

I don't say that this mix is a change for the better of for the worse but it is marked.

Also, a very late Spring in Plakias did not help.
The weather was colder than expected, particularly in the evening and night times.

We intend to go 2 weeks later in May next year and to use Jet 2 from Manchester.
Probably a bit more expensive but better flight times.