Olympic-Will they give lift (Flight Only)

[robbie]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone knows whether the Olympic transfer coach would give you a lift to Plakias if you have booked a Flight Only ..maybe for a small fee ?!!

Shall I contact them maybe ?

Many Thanks !

[ostraco]

It's always worth asking! It might be worth finding out if you can pay for a transfer. I've done that in the past - but not with Olympic.
Generally holiday companies will not do 'lifts' - they say that they need a list of passengers in advance, as they are then covered for insurance.
Also, there is no set way Olympic arrange transfers. If there are a lot of people they might have a coach - otherwise they use minibuses or even taxis - whatever is cheapest!

[robbie]

Thanks John !

[Barny]

I tried this a few times, just to get to Rethymnon but it's the insurance thing that stops them. Even the bribe didn't work!
Ask around on the plane, see if anyone else is in the same situation then maybe share a taxi?

                         Barny.

[triton]

 Hi Robbie, Olympic don't do bus transfer from Heraklion to Plakias.
We have booked to go in September and have had to book a taxi----- with Olympic.

[John R]

I think the Olympic transfer facility depends on your booking. I noticed that your flight did not include a transfer but I think most holidays do include a transfer.

[Voloudakis]

We never use our Olympic Holidays transfer transport and pick up a hire car from the airport. We arrive 2nd of July this year. Would be great if Olympic would give our seats on the coach to someone else. Perhaps there are others flying on your dates that also pick up a car and do not use the coach. Would be nice if Olympic was willing to let you have the paid for seats for a modest sum or free?
Car hire pricey this year 280 Euros for two weeks with full insurance and no excess. Perhaps there will be someone on your flight using a hire car and willing to share their journey with you?
Good luck.

[John R]

I did the opposite last year. I booked an Olympic holiday so that I could use their flights and transfer but did not use their accommodation. This worked out cheaper than using independent flights. Your 280 euros for car for 2 weeks seems very reasonable indeed to me. Mine is costing 400 Euros for 16 days though it is not the most basic model - not a Rolls Royce either (VW Polo). This year my flights are much cheaper and I'm travelling before Olympic hols are available so back to independent flights + car hire - which I do prefer.

[Voloudakis]

We do hire the most basic model (Chevrolet Matiz). Last year it was 230 Euros for two weeks. Changed rental company this year as the old one wanted 320 euros.
Would like a better car but basic is fine for getting about.
Used AutoRentalsCrete this year.  http://www.autorentals-crete.com/index.html

[John R]

They look similar to ours (Autoway) though the jump from small to medium cars is rather large with no obvious equivalents to our VW Polo for which I think they would charge more - just tried their site. Like Autoway they have full CDW with zero excess and all the car covered. I think this is important and is not usually available from the larger national companies except perhaps at a very high cost. We have been with Autoway for many years now and they simply leave the car with keys at a pick up point, hire form filled in (they have all my details) and just tell me to pay them sometime at my convenience - which I do. Mutual trust and very good service.

[kayisi]

When I looked at Olympic earlier in the year they weren't offering transfers at all to Plakias this year.  I know when we came last September there was only 6 one way and even less going back (even though we did other pick ups in Rethinmon and Bali) which boosted the numbers a bit.

I just thought they (based on numbers last year) weren't pushing Plakias as, with the cost of transfers, they weren't making enough money out of it.

Are they now giving the option of transfers either as an additional cost or as part of the package as without transfers or a hire car getting to Plakias can be a bit of an a.se depending on your flight times?

[Arnaki]

I went to Plakias twice last year with Olympic.  In July we had a small bus, dropped people off in Bali and Rethymnon, and then had the bus to ourselves to Plakias.  Going back we had a taxi, provided by Olympic at no extra cost, all the way to the airport.  In August we had the big bus and did the usual stops.

We are booked for August this year, and we have transfers included in the cost.  We are also going to Sivota in Epirus in July, when I am also expecting a transfer....

Now you have me a bit worried!

Arnaki

[Dave&Les]

We booked our 2013 May holiday in Plakias with Olympic at the end of October last year & it includes transfers both ways.

Our May holiday last year also included transfer both ways. . ...fortunately for us it was a taxi both ways. That holiday was booked  much later in March but our friends who booked the same holiday in January did not include transfers & had to arrange their own.

Hope everyone gets a good deal & enjoys Plakias yet again.

Less than 3 weeks to go now ...roll on.

Looking forward to meeting Arnaki & family again in August  ....(we travel independently then) so don't know the transfer options then.

[Mike G]

I went to Plakias twice last year with Olympic.  In July we had a small bus, dropped people off in Bali and Rethymnon, and then had the bus to ourselves to Plakias.  Going back we had a taxi, provided by Olympic at no extra cost, all the way to the airport.  In August we had the big bus and did the usual stops.

We are booked for August this year, and we have transfers included in the cost.  We are also going to Sivota in Epirus in July, when I am also expecting a transfer....

Now you have me a bit worried!

Arnaki

I checked the Olympic brochure and it says all holidays (i.e. flight + accommodation) include the transfer, apart from those on a scheduled flight.

[kayisi]

Just had a look at the Olympic online brochure and sure enough the Plakias holidays all include transfers now. 

I think it is a shame that Olympic have or were operating a 'fluid' system as far as bookings are concerned as this will confuse potential customers and will, I would have thought, if transfers weren't included when they first looked, put some folk off traveling with Olympic or going to Plakias because they either don't drive or don't fancy hiring a car.  Others may have been put off quite simply because transfers weren't included or even offered as an add-on as was the case when I first looked some months ago.

They have also changed the flight options from Leeds Bradford and are now not offering flights with Monarch leaving Jet2 as the only option.  Choosing the Monarch option that was previously available dropped to price of the holiday quite a bit from that charged if the Jet2 option was chosen. 

I can quite understand them only offering one airline if transfers are included in the price as they then wouldn't have to contend with different arrival times etc etc.  But it does make me wonder what their thought processes were prior to issuing their first brochure.  To me it is not very clear thinking and suggests making it up as they go along.

We eventually chose Sitia for our May independently arranged holiday but might get back to Plakias at the back end.