Germanwings: Heraklion to Stuttgart

The carrier: Germanwings

About

Now owned by Lufthansa,Germanwings is an indisputable giant, one of Germany's big three budget airlines.  In addition to its German destinations, 'wings' flies to destinations in Turkey, Greece, Italy, Croatia and other Eastern locations.  It benefits from one of the best and most wide-ranging destination tallies among the airlines we profile. Unlike many carriers, Germanwings' route map is broad and well-distributed across Europe. An added bonus we love? With the airline's "Smart Connect" one-stop booking tool, it is possible to purchase connecting flights as single fares.

Upside

One of Europe's bigger low-cost airlines, with very good reach into the Balkans.  The website has a helpful low fare calendar in the upper right hand corner.  

Downside

Operates in part on a connecting flight model, feeding passengers via hubs.

Baggage

* Carry-on: Baggage cannot measure more than 55 x 40 x 20 centimeters and must weigh no more than 8 kg.
* Checked: Up to 20 kg of baggage (online €8 per piece is charged, at the airport €7 per piece); over this a charge of €20 per item).

* Please visit Germanwings’s website for more information on its baggage policy.

Seating

Pre-booking is allowed online during or after the booking process until 3 hours before the flight.  Standard seats cost €6 and XL seats with extra legroom cost €15.  Before midnight the night before your flight, you can also reserve a “private seat” via the call center for the same price as your own seat.  This means that the seat next to you will be kept empty for a more comfortable trip.

Check-in and Ticketing

Web check-in is available between 72 and 3 hours before departure.  At a German airport you can check-in online up to one hour before departure.  Passengers with checked luggage can also check- in online.

Tip

Germanwings hosts monthly offers, so check in often. Avoid early morning flights, which tend to be packed, out of their hubs. In general, allow extra time for check-in.

Fun Fact

There have been many liveries for Germanwings in order to promote the destination city. There is a special livery to promote the City of Berlin (named "Berlin Bearbus"), and there have been special liveries for the German cities of Hamburg (named "Hamburg Shopper") and Stuttgart. There have also been liveries for T-Mobile and two others with a mouth with a tongue, one of them with a speech bubble across the aircraft.

Departure: Heraklion, Greece - Heraklion International (HER)

Heraklion International Airport, also known as Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport, is the main airport and also the busiest on the island of Crete, Greece. It's named after Nikos Kazantzakis, a Greek writer and philosopher from Heraklion. Location: Heraklion International Airport is located 9 km (6 miles) east of the city of Heraklion. Transport: - Bus: Buses leave the airport for local destinations every few minutes. The schedule is less frequent on weekends. - Taxi: Taxis are available opposite of the Arrivals Hall. It is strongly advised that travelers negotiate a price with the driver before the taxi journey. Service: There is an information desk in the departures terminal that provides 24-hour service. There is also an ATM, several payphones, snack bars, a restaurant, and duty-free shopping. Baby changing facilities are also available. more...

Arrival: Stuttgart, Germany - Echterdingen (STR)

In Brief: Located about 14 km (9 miles) south of central Stuttgart, the airport is a significant hub for Germanwings and TUIfly. Other budget airlines serving the airport include Air Berlin, Blue Air, Condor, and Flybe. In addition to these low-cost airlines, the airport sees a fair amount of conventional airline traffic. Transportation: Two S-Bahn lines connect the Stuttgart Airport with central Stuttgart. The S2 and S3 lines make the 25-odd minute connection for just €3.