Olympic 2013 Holidays

[graham barnett]

I have just received my tickets from Olympic two weeks before flying from Gatwick. They have changed carriers from Travel Service to Small Planet and put the flight back six hours both ways.
In the accompanying letter they point out that because the change is less than 12 hours no compensation is payable. So we have wasted a hotel stay at Gatwick and now have rubbish flight times. Definitely my last time with Olympic. GRRRR!

[syd1138]

That is annoying, when we went last year, they put the planes forward 6 hours going out, that coupled with a small(ish) delay meant we didn't arrive at Plakias until 2am, instead of the early evening we were banking on. To them, it's a 6 hour difference, to us, it felt like being cheated out of 1 night of holiday.

[triton]

We are going to Kos in two weeks time and Olympic are using "Germania" airlines from
Manchester. The flight has been altered by 2hrs either way also.
Not too bad a change i suppose.

[draper10]

Makes me quite grateful to Easyjet. Flying to Heraklion 4 weeks today  and so far flight times reasonable and unchanged. 7.00am ish outbound. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!

[Voloudakis]

Our flight times are fine too after last years fiasco. We trod more carefully this year and booked after the time changes that happen every year. 8.30am from Birmingham, had to look at flights from several airports until we found a good time both ways. Keeping extremities crossed that there are no more changes.

[Pimo]

We're heading to Plakias in June, and are are flying with Germania, never heard of them before now!!!!!

[Mike G]

I returned on Tuesday and Olympic told us 4 days before we left Plakias that the return flight would be rescheduled to 6 hours later, so we would arrive at Gatwick at 1.00am. As I travelled there by train it meant "dossing" down at the airport landside until 4.00am. Not pleasant!

I think it is appalling to change flight details when in resort so you have no opportunity to make alternative arrangements. The T&Cs say they can change a flight outward bound by up to 12 hours without compensation but make no mention of the return.

I intend to suggest to Olympic that they use more reliable carriers who won't be continually changing schedules in future. Also, I don't believe the level of English of the Lithuanian and Polish cabin crews would have been up to coping in an emergency.

Although I had a wonderful holiday, in part owing to the people I met there, Olympic did spoil the return.

Mike

[triton]

Heading off to Kos today.
Hope the flights are on time.

[Richard]

Wouldn't trust Olympic again. They informed us, one week-ish before the holiday, that rather than the day flight that we'd chosen, because of my wife's health issues, we were on the night flight. Some people were, allegedly, informed while they where in Plakias. 

Phoned Olympic to try and redress things, but the utterly charmless person who I spoke to completely ignored comments re my wife's health issues and quoted us a ridiculous price to fly out at roughly the same that we'd originally booked.

Apparently, this is OK if one reads the small print. However, I saw elderly/infirm people arriving at Gatwick in the early hours of the morning.

To say that I hold Olympic beneath contempt is an understatement. Apologies for the ambivalence for some of the statements, but I don't trust Olympic an inch. I assume that they will have lawyers prepared to explain away what I feel is their shoddy behaviour. It seems to be, these days, that 'it was in our Ts and Cs' excuses any sort of underhanded behaviour.

[Voloudakis]

Wish we could have snapped up this flying from Birmingham on the 25th of June 2013.
Still a few bargains about from Olympic Holidays.
The thing that always confuses me is the baggage allowance. Olympic state 15Kg free whilst the Airline Small Planet state it is 20Kg
Checked baggage is left at the check-in desk to be carried by the airline. The passenger's identity is checked at the check-in desk and at the gate, baggage is tagged with name tags.
Checked baggage is loaded in the aircraft cargo compartment and is transported on the same aircraft as the passenger. Only properly closed, zipped and locked suitcases or other pieces of baggage are accepted for carriage.
Other articles, like sporting equipment or live animals in appropriate containers can be accepted for carriage with airline‘s approval.
Free baggage allowance for adults and children over 2 years is 20  kg. Children under two years of age (infants) without a reserved seat may bring 10 kg of baggage and one folding pushchair.
Any single piece of baggage checked-in by passenger and carried on board may not exceed weight of 32 kg and maximum circumference of 158 cm (length + width + height).
You must not include in your checked baggage fragile or perishable items or items having a special value, such as money, keys, medicines, medical documents, sunglasses, cameras, video cameras and other valuable electronic or technical equipment and their auxiliary parts, computers, personal electronic devices, telephones, cellular telephones, batteries of electronic equipment, jewellery, precious metals, precious and semi-precious stones, music instruments, securities, or other valuables, valuable pieces of art, business documents, passports and other identification documents, or samples.

[Yvonne]

OMG!!!! and we've already booked for Kos those dates!
Yvonne

[Voloudakis]

Have been checking Small Planet Airline delays from Birmingham International Airport for Olympic Holidays and a strange thing happened.
The Tuesday 8.30am Olympic Holidays Small Planet charter is now showing Enter Air instead (A Polish Airline).
When I checked the Olympic Holidays website it still shows Small Planet as the carrier.
There are no Small Planet departures to Heraklion shown for Tuesday from Birmingham any more, it is Enter Air only.
Very confused, there have been problems with Small Planet this season with very large delays and even cancellations to other destinations.
They have also been bought out but by their existing staff.
Does this mean Olympic has dropped them because of problems and it is not showing on their website yet?

Departures for Birmingham, only shows up to 48hrs so you have to be quick to check or wait until next week.
This is only for Birminham departures, have not checked any other routes.
http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/arrivals-and-departures/departures.aspx

[Arnaki]

I'm flying to Preveza in July with Small Planet on an Olympic holiday and have just checked the Manchester Airport website, and it still lists Small Planet as Olympic's carrier for that flight.

Maybe the plane is being repaired and Olympic have chartered an alternative?  Good forward planning if that is the case.

Arnaki

[JackieatUrbanAgenda]

Interesting thread. We've booked from Gatwick with Olympic (arriving early 18th Sept and booked in January). I checked today and as far as we know we're still flying with Strategic and a transfer is included. It seems that the transfer problem only comes up if you're booked to fly from certain airports. Perhaps this is something Olympic should be considering as the service doesn't seem to be consistent but I bet the prices don't change ! If anything does change (and it has in the past) we get a letter but, because of a 'little problem' a couple of years ago with our agent I now check the day before we travel just in case someone has changed their mind and not bothered to tell us !

[Voloudakis]

Interesting thread. We've booked from Gatwick with Olympic (arriving early 18th Sept and booked in January). I checked today and as far as we know we're still flying with Strategic and a transfer is included. It seems that the transfer problem only comes up if you're booked to fly from certain airports. Perhaps this is something Olympic should be considering as the service doesn't seem to be consistent but I bet the prices don't change ! If anything does change (and it has in the past) we get a letter but, because of a 'little problem' a couple of years ago with our agent I now check the day before we travel just in case someone has changed their mind and not bothered to tell us !

I think you will no longer be flying with Strategic from Gatwick.
I hope your flying times will remain the same, Olympic are now using the Czech company "Travel Service Airlines" or "Thomson".
Best to check so you have no surprises.
Easiest way is to go through booking process on Olympic website and it will show details, airline and total cost before you pay.
See here for all available flights from Gatwick in September booked through Olympic Holidays.