Intro
Wooden cutlery that makes cutting your meal feel like hard work?
Aegean Airlines replaced plastic with flimsy wooden cutlery that struggles with anything substantial.
But here’s what matters: they still serve complimentary hot meals and alcohol in economy while Lufthansa, Austrian, and British Airways charge for everything.
Economy Class
The most noticeable change in economy is Aegean’s shift toward sustainability – paper containers for hot meals and wooden cutlery replacing plastic.
While I appreciate the environmental thinking, it has issues.
The wooden cutlery feels small and flimsy, making it challenging to cut through anything substantial.
You end up working harder to enjoy your meal, which isn’t ideal when you’re hungry.
The paper containers work better than expected, though, maintaining heat well without getting soggy.
What impressed me was the return of fresh salads after an eight-year absence.
The Greek salad I received had ripe tomatoes, creamy feta, and high-quality olives.
This “A Taste of Greece” branding isn’t just marketing speak – the flavours genuinely reflect Greek food.
Here’s what sets Aegean apart from other European carriers: they still provide complimentary hot meals and alcoholic beverages in economy class.
Fly the same Athens route with Air France and you’ll get a sandwich, making Aegean’s meal service remarkable by comparison.
Business Class
Business class features new tableware, including tray mats and sleek plates.
The streamlined dining approach serves appetisers and main courses together before clearing everything for dessert, which works well for Aegean’s typical flight durations.
The presentation immediately feels more restaurant-like, though I noticed the plates are slightly smaller than beforeโand perhaps the portions too.
The new tray cloths feature attractive Greek-inspired branding, though using single-use linens seems counterproductive to their sustainability messaging.
It’s a nice touch that undermines their environmental goals.
Aegean has partnered with Dutch brand Coppa Cocktails to offer pre-mixed drinks made with natural ingredients.
The Negroni I tried was genuinely well-balanced, with proper bitter complexity rather than the syrupy sweetness that many pre-made cocktails suffer from.
The airline continues collaborating with renowned Greek chefs, and food quality has shown genuine improvement.
The dishes reflect modern Greek cuisine, while the desserts deserve special mention – created by acclaimed pastry chef Stelios Parliaros, these aren’t your typical airline sweets.
Conclusion
Aegean’s service updates succeed more than they fail.
The sustainability initiatives require some adjustments, but their commitment to Greek culinary authenticity creates meaningful differentiation.
They’ve managed to enhance their service while maintaining the Greek hospitality that makes flying with them feel distinctly different from generic European carriers.
Most importantly, they haven’t joined the race to eliminate free catering that’s swept through European aviation.
That alone makes them worth choosing.
