Should I even attempt this?

I'm thinking about taking a tour of Europe. I'll be using a Delta Friends and Family pass to get from ATL to LGW, and then ATH to JFK; and after two days in New York, JFK to ATL. How easy will that be? I've never used a Friends and Family pass before.

Thanks a lot!

[This message was edited by testing123 on September 04, 2003 at 09:38 PM.]

Probably not in the summer but it may be doable in the fall/winter. Have the person who gave you the buddy pass carefully check availability for you up until departure day and if any flights look tight, have alternate plans.

Check this article out:

<a href="http://www.nonrev.net/articles/howto/index.htm" target="_blank">http://www.nonrev.net/articles/howto/index.htm</A>

http://www.nonrev.net/correspondents/images/atl.jpg

I would agree with Chris overall, but don't let that burst your bubble. There are plenty of Buddy pass riders (nickname for F&F pass) that get to and from Europe in the summer. If you do choose this time of the year, be sure to have those backup plans.

Delta flies into Manchester, England and Dublin, Ireland also. You can get around in UK on easyjet.com very affordably. Also, I would not expect Business Class in the summer either. Too many buddy pass riders expect this too much.

The Athens - New York flight is extremely full flight. Athens has very little direct US bound flights, and Delta's JFK flight is tight most of the year. I'm not saying don't do it, just research the inventory extensively before you go.

On a side note...this past winter I flew from Athens to JFK. I got my boarding pass at the gate about an hour out. I did get BusinessElite so I was very happy. A few minutes before boarding, the agent called me back up to the gate. I got nervous about losing my seat. The agent told me that he had a 'high-profile' passenger boarding and that the airline wanted an employee to sit next to him if possible to ensure he would have relaxing flight without being bothered too much. I agreed...I was still in Business after all. We all got on-board and I still had no one in seat 3A next to me. The captain came on and announced that we would be a few minutes last as we were awaiting a private plane that was connecting with some diplomats. About 10 minutes later, a Gulfstream lear jet pulled up to the slot next to us and a group of men got off and walked across the ramp directly to the jetway and came on-board. To my absolute shock, Hans Blitz, the chief weapons inspector for the UN in Iraq sat next to me. This was right in the middle of the tension leading to the war so his name and face was a daily occurance on CNN. Crazy huh?!! Anyhoo...thats my Athens, Greece story!

One last note on your trip...check out my post about nonreving on Delta to Europe from Atlanta. Its in the Europe section of the forum under the title Atlanta to Europe on DL

Have fun!