Some of you might have read my earlier posts about Olympic Airlines and our two canceled flights, which not only shortened our holidays, but also brought on extra work (unsuccessful calls, standing in lines to make flight and hotel reservations, filling out paperwork, reciting one’s claims to the airport desk, etc.).

On July 23, I mailed off two claim forms with attached proof (including receipts, booking confirmation). Instead of writing a detailed letter, this easy-to-fill out claimform helps you – and Olympic Airlines – to give all the necessary details to process your claim.

I did not really expect much in forms of monetary support, but yet mailed it off registered receipt, hoping to at least get a reponse.

Today, within seven days, I got a reply stating we three adults and one child are entitled to a reimbursement of € 250,00 per person and € 125,00 per child for the first canceled flight. This reimbursement policy did not apply to the second canceled flight as this was officially caused by a strike.

I got a personal letter with an apology from Olympic Airlines. Now all I have to do is signing the included Indemnity Form, in which I release Olympic Airlines from any responsibility or further claims whatsoever from my part or any person designated by me with regard to this claim

Quoted from Helping air passengers whose journeys are disrupted:

“Immediate assistance must be provided to passengers whatever the cause of the delay, whether the problem is within the airline’s control or not. In certain circumstances where the airline is responsible for the journey being disrupted – in particular when a passenger is denied boarding – the airline must also pay compensation to the passenger.”

It pays to know and claim your rights.

Our last stroll through Gavalochori

If you have read any of the previous posts, then you are familiar with the challenges we had along our journey from Frankfurt to Crete and vice versa.

While our journey was difficult, our rental home, Olive Picker’s house, was perfect though. The house is situated at the end of the road in a small village where you can find peace and quietness. When you have enough of that and long for company, then it is just a couple of minutes’ walk to the local tavernas, bars and shops.

The locals were extremely friendly and made us feel very welcome.

Red earth and green olive trees

The living room at Olive Picker’s house

Our bags are packed and we are ready to leave

Last stroll at the beach in Kalives

Taken from the restaurant in Kalives where we had our last dinner

We have been back now for a week and these last photos bring back our fine moments on Crete.

This morning I was at the Frankfurt airport again… but this is a story for another post.

Yesterday evening we had to be at the Chania airport at 21:00 to get ready for our 22:55 flight to Athens. The floor attendant told us about a possible 30-minute delay, which would take us to a 23:30 departure. No problem. We had gone through worse delays.

Well, we finally took off at 0:15 and we were rather tired by then. But Olympic Airlines’ new customer service treatment was so startling that I became wide awake again. Instead of handing you the bag of peanuts while looking at you with a possible smile, the new strategy involves a very different technique: Out of nowhere – without any warning – the bag of peanuts gets tossed onto the tray of the window seat. While I was still surprised, my own bag of peanuts landed with a thud on my tray (middle seat). My son, who had the aisle seat had his placed the normal way. Mind you, she hit the tray every time!! She must have done that many times. I am beginning to believe they hire former circus performers to do this job. After this I was ready to throw my plastic cup at her instead of handing it over with a thank you, but I didn’t.

Then I remembered a conversation I had with this Greek guy just before we boarded. He informed me that Olympic Airlines was owned by the government, therefore all the employees are public employees. His words were: “They want to get fired to collect their government pension.” They way I saw it, some employees were working very hard to get fired… Most Greeks don’t think much of this airline either. Well, you know, the stigma of being a lazy government employee…

Olympic Airlines used to belong to Aristóteles Onassis until he decided to give it to his country as a present. Some institutions are better off getting privatized again. It would improve service conditions.

Anyway, we finally landed at 0:50 and then stood in line for a hotel room at the hotel service desk behind a screaming Greek woman whose flight had also been canceled. We had already heard her yelling and screaming at the airport in Chania, where she was told her connecting flight Athens – Rhodos had been canceled. We were not surprised anymore.

We were assigned a hotel, taken there by a bus – took more than sixty minutes from the airport to Piraeus – and then we stood in line at the hotel reception desk to be assigned to our rooms. Of course, the same Greek woman threw a very entertaining fit (sorry, but by this time we had no more empathy anymore as we had been through enough ourselves) in front of us. We got to our room at 2:55, were in bed by 3:00 and had to get up again at 5:10 to be picked up at 5:30 by an Olympic Airlines van for our ride to the airport.

We flew the route Athens – Thessaloniki – Frankfurt again. I slept through most of it – I can’t remember much service. It is better that way.

We not only lost two days of our vacation time but also had paid the total amount of days booked to the rental home owners and car rental agency. When I told the Greek guy I would send OA a bill, he kind of implied with his hands what they would do with my charge – toss it in the bin. Well, they are good at tossing things.

My daughter says Olympic Airlines should be called Trouble Airlines.

Please remind me not to book Olympic Airlines again.

No, thanks.

We are leaving this little village of Gavalachori this evening with a late-flight from Chania to Athens.

One of our original return flights for July 6th had been canceled and we still have this new reservation for July 5th to confirm. We tried calling three different numbers (given to us by an Olympic Airlines employee), but nobody answers the phone. I’d suppose they are still on strike.

We will be spending a very short night in Athens as our flight is scheduled to leave at 22:55, which in Olympic Airlines’ terms means at least a 40-minute delay. If we are lucky, we get an announcement explaining the delay. If we are very lucky, we even get an apology.

Nevertheless, we might depart tonight by 23:30, arrive then about 0:10, stand in line once more for at least half an hour to get a hotel room from the Olympic Airlines hotel desk, and then wait for our transfer to the hotel – which probably includes another 30-minute bus ride. We expect to get to the hotel at 1:00 a.m. at the earliest. This means three hours of sleep as we have to get up at 4:00 to make our way back to the airport to catch our 7:00 flight to Frankfurt. And then we have to keep our fingers crossed for tomorrow morning’s flight Athens-Frankfurt to take off.

Well, three hours of sleep in an A/C room in an Athens hotel is better than hanging out at the Athens airport, where yesterday’s temperature was 41° C.

Life on Crete in the summer is happening mostly outdoors. Old and young sit outside in front of their houses, little kids run between tables and through the streets until midnight.

With the sun fading, locals and tourists alike come back to life. Below is a picture of one of my favorite taverns in Gavalachori. Service was very good, prices were better than reasonable and – we were usually the only foreigners there. ‘That is always a good sign that one has found a real Greek place.

Our favorite tavern

Some road bends hold a special spot for mailboxes. Some houses and villas are built way up high in the mountains and this is the common drop off spot for the mail.

Mailboxes in the mountains

Last chance for swimming at Scorpion Bay

While at Scorpion Bay we often heard the arrival of passing goats. Their bells made a nice sound in the gorge.

Goat navigating her way around the mountain top

Crete’s scenery and Cretan hospitality are one of a kind. I would like to come back here some day, but in a different season. I heard in winter the island is green and one would not be able to recognize it from the impression of summer. Right now we see lots of red soil, deep blue seas, olives growing like mad, and the simmering heat on dusty roads. I smell Souvlaki and have tasted homemade Tzatziki. I have tried new dishes like Moussaka and Boureki. My daughter has discovered a passion for boiled shrimp. I prefer Mythos beer (similar to the German brand Jever) over the locals’ preferred import brew (Heineken and Amstel).

There are plenty more good things on Crete.