Airline review: Seats don’t recline but this budget carrier is a cut above

THE ROUTE
Frankfurt to the Greek island of Zakynthos.

THE AIRCRAFT
The Airbus A321-200 Winglets. Who exactly is Condor? Almost every German seeking summer sunburn has flown their low-cost seasonal routes at some point to European and North African holiday hotspots. Long-haul destinations include places like Mauritius, Cuba and Mexico. The airline is also renowned for its distinctive livery – colourful stripes painted in rings along length of the planes.

Condor made headlines for its distinctive candy-stripe livery, first introduced in 2022.Credit: iStock

THE LOYALTY SCHEME
Condor is a member of the Alaskan Airlines Loyalty Plan which is handier than it sounds as it means flights can be redeemed in both Europe and North America.

CLASS
Economy. There are 192 seats in economy with four cabin crew, with a full load splashing into the start of summer.

DURATION
Two hours, 35 minutes

CARBON EMISSIONS
0.31 tonnes for this flight. By next year Condor will have 41 new aircraft of the A32Xneo series (theA320neo and 28 Airbus A321neo) replacing Condor’s existing short and medium-haul fleet. With up to 20 per cent less fuel consumption and carbon emissions and up to 50 per cent less aircraft noise, these are the greenest planes in the skies.

FREQUENCY
Twice weekly, Wednesdays and Sundays.

CHECKING IN
I’m avoiding the check-in desk. With budget airlines this is where bad things happen. On my Economy Lite fare (the lowest) that would mean a €25 charge for an airport-issued boarding pass if I hadn’t checked in online beforehand (airport check-in is free with a bag purchase). There is a Condor service cubicle, so I double-check that my online pass is enough and off I go.

THE SEAT

Condor’s economy seats do not recline.

The seat is a pitch of 30 inches (76cm), width of 17 inches (43cm), and is in a 3-3 configuration. I’m in aisle 17D. I haven’t paid the 14.99 Euros to select a seat on principle so am surprised to have dodged the middle-seat bullet. A crucial detail sets this apart from Ryanair. There is a seat pocket. There is also a recline button dispensing false hope (economy seats don’t recline).

Like in an episode of Alone Australia, in my bare-bones packing I have permitted myself a survival item, an emergency lightweight mohair jumper. The plane is Arctic. Did I miss some memo? Do they keep the temperatures icy to rent blankets? The jumper saves me, as does a dress over my legs and another worn as a neckerchief. It looks odd, but I’m too cold to care.

Condor is hugely popular with German leisure travellers.

BAGGAGE
At home and with seven hours to go until the flight I’ve clocked the free eight-kilogram allowance, but critically missed that it’s for a bag of 40cm x 30cm x 10cm (ah, the catch! There has to be a catch). A standard 55 x 40 x 20cm carry-on size costs a reasonable €9.99 if booked eight hours before departure. I haven’t, and a carry-on bag will now cost €75 which is how I end up in Greece for two weeks with my largest handbag as luggage. The whole point of flying low cost is to keep it low cost.

ENTERTAINMENT
In Europe in this age of carry-on, overhead bins are the new sunbeds and Condor hoped to cash in on the need for security by charging for a guaranteed spot. I wait for someone to attempt to claim a bin by laying down a towel, but it doesn’t happen. All other entertainment is BYO.

SERVICE
The cabin crew are all German efficiency, smiles and have airline pride down to the uniform: snappy and important looking shoulder epaulets. Disembarking I sight the pilots giving two star-struck children a rare glimpse into the cockpit – the general vibe is good times.

FOOD
It’s a short flight, so no meals are served, just snacks (requiring payment). One beverage standout is the Berlin experimental brand Brewdog who’ve hit payday supplying the airline with a five per cent pale ale “Ferien Lager” (holiday beer). It even comes in jaunty yellow-striped Condor colours matching the plane’s exterior.

ONE MORE THING
This isn’t the cheapest-of-the-cheap airline, you’re paying for frills like a good airport gate and excellent on-time history. You can also pay for a Rail&Fly service, where German rail to the airport is added for €29.99 and often a good deal.

VERDICT
With European travel exploding this summer, direct seasonal routes (such as to this under-served Greek islands) by airlines like these can save a packet – as well as time.

OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE

★★★½

The writer flew at her own expense.

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