Condor’s 32-Hour “Flight to Nowhere” Sees Five Landings, Ends Where It Started
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In what can only be described as a trans-European odyssey gone sideways, Condor Airlines recently operated a 32-hour journey that saw passengers land at five different airports — only to end up exactly where they started: Zurich. The ill-fated mission to reach Heraklion, Greece, was derailed by extreme weather, crew limitations, and logistical chaos that tested the patience of everyone onboard.
What Should Have Been a Routine Vacation Charter
The saga began May 24, 2025, when Condor flight DE1234, operated by an Airbus A320 (registration D-AICA), pushed back from Zurich (ZRH) bound for Heraklion (HER) — a 1,200-mile route typically requiring around 2.5 hours of flight time. Onboard were 137 passengers and six crew, many eagerly anticipating the start of their holiday on the island of Crete.
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Scheduled departure: 6:20 AM
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Actual departure: 6:51 AM
The flight proceeded normally until its descent into Heraklion — where strong, gusty winds made a landing unsafe. The crew opted to hold, awaiting improved conditions. But after burning holding fuel with no resolution, the decision was made to divert to Athens (ATH) to refuel.
Detour #1: Athens
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Landing in Athens: 11:24 AM
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Reason: Refueling, after missed approach at Heraklion
At this point, passengers were still hopeful of reaching their destination. After taking on fuel, the aircraft departed again at 1:50 PM to make another attempt at Heraklion.
Detour #2: Kos
Upon reaching the vicinity of Crete, conditions had not improved, and the aircraft was again unable to land. The crew initiated a second diversion, this time to the nearby island of Kos (KGS), landing at 3:28 PM.
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Flight time: ~1 hour 38 minutes
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Fuel stop #2
But there was a new wrinkle — crew duty limits were approaching. A decision had to be made about where to safely accommodate passengers and crew for the night.
Detour #3: Thessaloniki
Condor selected Thessaloniki (SKG) for its overnight infrastructure and crew logistics. The aircraft departed Kos at 5:04 PM and landed in Thessaloniki at 6:01 PM. After three failed attempts to reach Heraklion, passengers had now touched down at three alternate airports in one day — without ever reaching their intended destination.
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Time elapsed since departure from Zurich: ~11 hours
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Crew and passengers deplaned for overnight stay
Unfortunately, passengers reported that they had to cover their own hotel costs, though Condor claims it will reimburse those expenses per EC261.
Day 2: Let’s Try Again
On May 25, the mission resumed. At 9:16 AM, after an overnight reset, the aircraft again departed — this time a short hop from Thessaloniki to Heraklion.
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Flight time: ~1 hour 50 minutes
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Fourth attempt to land at HER
But incredibly, Heraklion weather still wasn’t cooperating. The aircraft entered another holding pattern, then diverted — again — to Athens, landing at 11:05 AM.
Final Move: Back to Where It All Began
At this point, Condor abandoned the mission. With no certainty that Heraklion would be accessible anytime soon, the airline opted to ferry the aircraft — and its exhausted passengers — back to Zurich.
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Departure from Athens: 1:24 PM
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Arrival in Zurich: 2:45 PM
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Total elapsed time since original takeoff: 32 hours
Five landings later — Zurich, Athens, Kos, Thessaloniki, Athens (again) — the passengers were back where they began.
Customer Experience Called Into Question
Passengers described a range of issues during the ordeal:
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Minimal onboard service: Only a single cup of water offered during the 32-hour ordeal.
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No food provided
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No checked luggage: Passengers offered option to disembark in Athens, but only if willing to leave bags behind.
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Hotel costs borne by passengers, pending later reimbursement.
While Condor cited “extreme weather and strong winds” at Heraklion for the repeated diversions, passenger frustration mounted due to what many saw as a lack of proactive care and real-time information.
Bottom Line
What started as a standard holiday charter from Zurich to Crete turned into a logistical nightmare, with one Airbus A320 ping-ponging around Greece before eventually returning home with all passengers onboard. The 32-hour “flight to nowhere” is a case study in how even routine trips can become operational quagmires — especially when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate and contingency plans fall short.
