Why an aborted take-off reinforced my confidence in AEGEAN Airlines

There are moments in travel — rare and oddly reassuring — when things may go off-script, yet leave you feeling more, not less, inclined to return. This was one of those moments.

This year, AEGEAN Airlines quietly reinforced its role at the core of Greek aviation, stitching together the mainland and the islands with various new routes and connections. From Heraklion and Rhodes, you can now skip across to smaller Cycladic islands without retracing your steps. Direct flights to Istanbul from Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes and Heraklion feel like a gentle nod to Greece’s rich cross-cultural past. And Thessaloniki now whispers its name to Izmir—two ancient port cities once separated by empire, now united by Airbus.

It wasn’t our first time flying AEGEAN. Last year, we took a deep dive into their Business Class experience to Athens, and came away rather impressed. As a Star Alliance member with partnerships that stretch across the globe, AEGEAN has long punched above its weight—more boutique charm than megacarrier muscle, but often all the better for it.

This year’s journey began in similar fashion. But, in the literal braking of momentum just seconds before take-off, came the clearest signal yet of AEGEAN’s priorities. Read on to learn more about what happens when things don’t go to plan, the veneer falls away — and what’s left is the true face of an airline.

Unlike our previous straight shot to Athens, for this trip we flew to the South Ionian, via Athens. AEGEAN’s network is surprisingly global, from the UK through Athens and – through codesshare agreements – onward to Singapore, South Africa, even Australia. But it’s the domestic routes where the airline really flexes: reliable, frequent connections that let you treat Athens not just as a destination, but as a gateway.

Onward from Athens, we boarded an Olympic Air ATR72 bound for Kefalonia, a slower, softer leg of the journey that prioritises propellers over jet engines. (Olympic Air is a subsidiary of AEGEAN Airlines.)

From the moment you arrive at the airport, the experience shifts up a gear when flying business class with AEGEAN. Priority check-in? Yes, and notably efficient. Lounge access? Absolutely— travellers have access to the Escape Lounge at Manchester, but the Athens lounge in particular – AEGEAN’s flagship lounge which we used on our return – is worth building into a longer layover. Baggage allowance is generous (two pieces at 32kg each, plus hand luggage), boarding is swift, and the disembarkation process—often an Olympic sport in itself—is painless.

Other benefits include an in-flight meal service (in fact, AEGEAN is the only European airline to offer a free meal in economy also), leather seating with the middle seat always vacant, a cabin separator for added space and comfort, free ticket changes and WiFi on board. It’s business class with a sense of place—less swagger, more soul.

Our flight from Manchester to Athens? Seamless. Friendly crew, slick service, and a reminder of last year’s positive impressions.

After a relaxed few hours at Athens Terminal 2, we boarded our Olympic Air ATR72 for the final hop to Kefalonia.

We taxied. We accelerated.

Then… nothing.

Just as the aircraft gathered speed on the runway, a gentle deceleration replaced the expected upward surge. The nose never lifted. No screeching tyres, no sharp angles, no urgent instructions. Just a quiet, controlled braking back to stillness.

I’ve experienced flight delays, lost luggage, and even one memorable occasion when an airline entered administration mid-flight. But never this: an aborted take-off. And for some reason, it wasn’t unnerving – it was oddly reassuring.

Let’s be clear. Luxury lounges are nice. Short queues are a perk. But if I could choose only one thing from an airline—just one—it would always be this: safety first.

We later learned that a cockpit warning light had flashed on as the plane accelerated. The pilot, trained for every eventuality, aborted the take-off immediately and decisively. Ground teams were quickly dispatched and soon surrounded the aircraft so that it could be assessed. No shortcuts. No ambiguity. The plane would not fly that evening.

You can’t fake this kind of protocol. It’s built into culture, not convenience. And it showed.

Here’s where AEGEAN really stood out.

From the moment we rolled to a halt, there was communication — not just from the pilot (which was as measured and calm as you might imagine), but also through multiple other channels. Emails pinged in before we even re-entered the terminal. The app updated in real-time. Departure boards reflected the change. Ground staff, poised and informed, seemed to be well briefed as to what to do.

If you’ve ever been stranded in a terminal with silence as your only update, you’ll know how rare this is. AEGEAN didn’t just respond—they pre-empted the situation.

Panic, like perfume, tends to permeate. But none of it hung in the air that evening.

The flight attendant nearest to us barely blinked. A slight raise of an eyebrow, perhaps, the silent realisation of a shift in plans. But nothing in her expression suggested distress. If anything, she looked mildly inconvenienced. Maybe she’d be home later than expected. But certainly no drama.

Likewise, the pilot’s voice over the intercom was an anchor. Calm. Controlled. Reassuring. Once back in the terminal, everything continued with that same understated efficiency.

This wasn’t a crisis. It was a delay, professionally managed.

Our original flight—scheduled to depart Athens at 20:30—would have landed us in Kefalonia by 21:45.

Instead, we boarded a replacement AEGEAN A320 at 22:22 and touched down at 23:01.

Let’s take a moment with those numbers. That’s a delay of just 1 hour and 16 minutes, following an aborted take-off, an assessment of the problem, a full passenger disembarkation, a complete aircraft swap, movement of luggage and everything else that such an incident involves.

In airline terms, I’d say that’s practically a miracle.

Before we’d even re-boarded, our phones buzzed with an email from AEGEAN:

“Today, we acknowledge that the services provided were rather far from our standards. We wish though, to welcome you on one of our future flights and have the opportunity to provide you with our authentic services. On this basis, we would like to offer you a ticket to any destination of our network…”

It wasn’t just a generic form letter. It was timely, tailored, and generous. A gesture of goodwill that didn’t feel obligatory—but genuine.

When we scanned our original boarding passes for the new flight, they were rejected — not due to error, but necessity. On the new aircraft, a larger A320, weight distribution mattered. We were given new seat assignments to ensure balance.

This might seem like a small footnote. But in truth, it’s another page in AEGEAN’s safety manual being read aloud. No corners cut. No “it’ll be fine”. Just protocols followed to the letter, even at 10pm, even for a 40-minute domestic hop.

Our return journey — first with Olympic Air from Kefalonia to Athens, then with AEGEAN back to Manchester — went entirely to plan. Smooth check-ins, punctual departures, and the same level of friendly professionalism we’d come to expect. After the drama of the outbound flight, the calm efficiency of the return was a quiet comfort.

In travel, as in life, things go wrong. It’s not the mishaps that define your experience — it’s the recovery.

If anything, this incident deepened our trust in AEGEAN. From pilot to pushback, app update to in-person apology, every element was handled with professionalism and care. Safety was never compromised. Communication was proactive, not reactive. The crew exuded calm. And when compensation came, it did so without prompting.

We may have arrived slightly later than expected, greeted by a blanket of stars and the faint hush of the Ionian Sea, but we slept well that night—not in spite of what had happened, but because of how it was handled.

AEGEAN didn’t just get us there. They got it right, even in the face of adversity.

Disclosure: Our trip was sponsored by AEGEAN Airlines.