With easyJet, Ryanair, and British Airways all operating London to Athens, Aegean can get overlooked despite it being their flagship route. We flew Aegean A321neo Economy ComfortFlex on the afternoon service to see how the Greek flag carrier stacks up against the usual suspects on this popular route. Equipped with Recaro SL3710 slimline seats, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a proper meal service that most European airlines abandoned years ago, there was plenty to assess. Here’s how it went.
In this review
Flight Details
Flight No: A3603
From/To: London (LHR) to Athens (ATH)
Departure time: 16:35 (actual 17:24)
Ticket Class: Economy ComfortFlex
Flight time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Frequent Flyer Points: 1,994
Status Points: 1,944
Aircraft: SX-NAE
Aircraft type: Airbus A321neo
Number of classes: 2
Number of seats in flying class: 220
Seat: 11F
Position: Window (right side)
Airport Experience
Aegean operates from Heathrow Terminal 2, the Star Alliance home, and we arrived three hours before departure feeling smug about our time management. That smugness lasted approximately four seconds. The check-in desks and bag drop were firmly shut, with no sign of opening for another 35 minutes. Automated machines could print baggage tags, but with no staffed desks to actually hand luggage over, the result was a growing, shapeless queue of passengers clutching tags and staring at closed counters.
Rather than join what we could only describe as a queue to nowhere, we went for a bite to eat. When the desks eventually opened, we walked straight to the business class counter. No queue. Despite the booking not carrying any Star Alliance Gold credentials, we were checked in without a single question. Make of that what you will. Security was reasonably busy but running properly. No broken scanners, no liquid-related standoffs, no one repacking a suitcase on the belt. A rare clean sweep.
We dropped into the Lufthansa lounge, which serves as Aegean’s designated lounge at Terminal 2. It did the job for a pre-flight snack and a drink, but nothing more. Star Alliance Gold members also have the Singapore Airlines SilverKris, Air Canada Maple Leaf, and United Club lounges available in the same terminal. Our recommendation would be the United lounge at the B gates.
Boarding & Welcome
The inbound aircraft arrived late, so boarding didn’t begin until about 15 minutes before the originally scheduled departure time. Despite this, the process was well managed. Boarding groups were called in order and passengers moved through without confusion. Two crew members greeted us at the aircraft door and offered a hard mint sweet for take-off.
Once inside, the crew were hands-on with overhead locker management, helping passengers stow bags quickly and keeping the aisle clear. Aegean Economy ComfortFlex passengers benefit from priority boarding as part of the fare, which meant we were settled and sorted on the A321neo well before the cabin filled. Heathrow being Heathrow on a Sunday afternoon, we sat through a 15 minute taxi to the runway. Pushback was 49 minutes behind schedule, but the crew had done everything in their power to minimise the delay.
Seat
The economy cabin runs in a 3-3 single-aisle layout across the full length of the aircraft behind the first three rows, which are reserved for business class. Our seat was 11F, a window on the right side. The Recaro SL3710 is a slimline design that prioritises weight savings and cabin density. Seat pitch is around 29 to 30 inches, which is standard for European short-haul flying. These seats do not recline. The backrest is fixed in a slightly pre-reclined position, so you get a marginal angle but no adjustability.
One feature worth highlighting is the small fold-out shelf built into the seatback ahead. It’s designed to cradle a smartphone, and it worked perfectly for hands-free viewing. With no embedded seatback screens on this aircraft, that shelf becomes genuinely useful. There’s a standard fold-down tray table and a literature pocket, but not much else in terms of storage. For a flight of this length, the seat was perfectly adequate. It wouldn’t be our first pick for anything over three hours, but for a run to Athens it was fine.
Which is the best seat on Aegean A321neo Economy ComfortFlex?
With 220 economy seats across a single-aisle cabin, picking the right spot matters. Business class occupies the front three rows, so economy begins around row four. We sat in row 11, which placed us well forward in the cabin without being right on top of the galley or lavatories.
One of the A321neo’s practical advantages is three rear lavatories instead of the two found on the smaller A320neo. This reduces queuing significantly, which is a real benefit on a full flight. The single forward lavatory is reserved for business class. For that reason, sitting further back isn’t the penalty it can be on other narrowbodies. A window seat on either side gives you something to lean against, and 11F offered a solid balance between boarding convenience and a quieter cabin position. We’d suggest rows 10 to 14 for the best compromise between proximity to the front and distance from the rear galleys.
See the seating plan on AeroLOPA.
Onboard Experience
The cabin felt modern and well maintained, as you’d expect from an aircraft that only entered Aegean’s fleet from 2022. Overhead bins were spacious and the lighting was clean. The crew were efficient, friendly and professional throughout.
ComfortFlex is the top economy fare tier Aegean sells, and it bundles in a few useful extras: checked baggage, seat selection, priority boarding, and complimentary 15 Mbps Wi-Fi. These add-ons make a tangible difference on a flight like this. We earned 1,994 frequent flyer miles and 1,944 status points credited to Aegean’s Miles+Bonus programme, with full Star Alliance earning potential. Aegean’s cabin product felt notably polished for an economy service. The crew’s energy and organisation recovered what could have been a scrappy experience after the delayed departure.
Food & Drink
Here’s where Aegean really stands apart. A complimentary hot meal on a European economy flight in the late 2020s is almost unheard of. Most carriers on routes like this will sell you a sad sandwich or point you towards an app. Aegean served a proper tray from a trolley shortly after take-off. The choice was meatballs with rice, peas and carrots or a vegetarian pasta, each accompanied by a small pot of salad. It wasn’t fine dining, but it was honest, hot, and free.
Drinks followed on a separate trolley. The selection covered hot drinks, beer, wine, water, juice, and some branded soft drinks. All complimentary. A cookie was handed out mid-flight as well. For Aegean A321neo Economy ComfortFlex, this meal service alone justifies a closer look at the fare. When you consider that British Airways and Lufthansa charge for anything beyond a glass of water in the same cabin class on comparable routes, Aegean’s approach feels like a throwback to when airlines actually tried to feed their passengers.
In-flight Entertainment
There are no embedded seatback screens on Aegean’s A321neo. Instead, the airline offers streaming content via the onboard Wi-Fi portal. Some free content is available directly from the Wi-Fi landing page without needing to purchase a plan, which is a reasonable baseline for passengers who just want something to browse.
Paid Wi-Fi was well priced. The standard tier cost €4 for 1.5 Mbps for the entire flight, while the faster 15 Mbps tier was €9. As ComfortFlex passengers, we received complimentary access to the 15 Mbps plan. Activation was simple: log in to your Aegean Miles+Bonus account through the portal and it was ready to go. Speeds were impressive. We streamed and downloaded Netflix content throughout the flight without a single buffer or dropout. The fold-out phone shelf on the seatback made it easy to watch hands-free, turning a personal device into a perfectly functional screen. For a sub-three-hour flight, this setup worked better than many embedded IFE systems we’ve used.
Arrival
Despite pushing back 49 minutes late from Heathrow, we landed at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos airport just a couple of minutes behind the original schedule. The crew clearly made up plenty of time in the air.
For a flight marketed as Aegean A321neo Economy ComfortFlex, disembarkation was less than comfortable. Passengers didn’t wait for the rows ahead to clear and instead created an unpleasant scrum in the aisle. A large number of them were trying to connect with a flight to Jeddah, which explained the urgency but didn’t excuse the chaos. The crew did their best to manage it, though there’s only so much you can do against a wall of people determined get off. We had a few minutes before our own connection and used them to visit the Aegean Schengen lounge at Athens, which was quietening down for the evening, and a welcome reset after the scramble off the aircraft.
BG1 Verdict
Aegean delivered a better economy product on this London to Athens route than most of its European competitors. A complimentary hot meal, fast and free Wi-Fi on the ComfortFlex fare, efficient crew, and a modern A321neo cabin added up to a flight that felt like proper value. The check-in process at Heathrow was poorly managed, with desks slow to open and general confusion creating unnecessary stress for passengers. The delay to departure was also frustrating, though the recovery in flight time showed operational competence.
The seat is standard European economy. It does the job for three hours but nothing more. Where Aegean earns real credit is in service and inclusions. This is an airline that still feeds you, offers working Wi-Fi at sensible prices, and still employs crew who seem to enjoy their jobs. For weekend trips to Athens, family visits, or connections through the hub, Aegean on this route is a strong and competitive option. We’d book it again.
BG1 Tip
Don’t join the check-in queue. Aegean’s bag drop desks at Heathrow Terminal 2 open late, and the resulting queue builds quickly. The Star Alliance baggage tag printers are active long before the bag drops open. Find a quiet machine, get your tag, then walk to the business class desk instead. When we flew Aegean A321neo Economy ComfortFlex, we dropped our bags there without question and without any status credentials on the booking. It saved us at least 40 minutes.
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