FSU Aviation Updates - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

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FSU Aviation Updates
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Posted by: Raspberry

Air Baltic adding service to Yerevan and Almaty, from Riga.

Lvov Airlines adding service to Moscow/DME from both Lvov and Kharkov.

Krasnoyarsk Airlines adding more cargo runs to the US from KJA.

Moscow DME now has feedback kiosks at the airport, where you can electronically send compliments or complants to airport managment.

CargoLux starting cargo service from Luxembourg, to Atreayu, Kazakhstan.

Seattle-based MIR tours is adding more packages and options for Russia and other countries. See www.mircorp.com

Posted by: Raspberry

Czech Airlines(CSA) is adding more FSU service from Prague, soon.

Destinations are Rostov-on-Don, Tblisi, and Almaty.

Finnair is doubling the frequency between Helsinki and Moscow. So, soon it will be 4x/day instead of the current twice a day.

Posted by: Raspberry

Siberia/S7 has started Istanbul-Sochi service, which is twice a week. You now have another option to get to Sochi, and be able to bypass Moscow!!

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Siberia/S7 has started Istanbul-Sochi service, which is twice a week. You now have another option to get to Sochi, and be able to bypass Moscow!!

It's about time. The lay over fromMoscow to Sochi was between 7 and 10 hours. It's okay if someone is there to meet you, you can see the city, but going it alone is a real drag!!!

What about flight from/to Moldova? My fiancee will be flying the last week of the year. Very few airlines fly into and out of Moldova.

Posted by: EasyTarget

Air Moldova, Malev, Cirrus Airlines, Carpatier SA will put you through Frankfurt, Prague, or Budapest. Going through Frankfurt looks the easiest / cheapest route.

Posted by: Raspberry

S7 is now increasing frequency between Moscow and Mineralnye Vody(MRV).

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Quote:

Originally Posted by EasyTarget

Air Moldova, Malev, Cirrus Airlines, Carpatier SA will put you through Frankfurt, Prague, or Budapest. Going through Frankfurt looks the easiest / cheapest route.

Yes I went through Frankfurt both times last year. Not a bad airport but too big for me!!!

Posted by: Raspberry

S7 now has a nonstop Moscow-Vladivostok.

Malev Hungarian has added Budapest-Yekaterinburg.

Singapore has increased Singapore-Dubai-Moscow service. Was 3x/week, will be daily.

Posted by: Raspberry

Please note that some of the major airlines' computer reservation systems do NOT show the Washington/Dulles to Moscow flight on Aeroflot.....although the same systems do show the LAX and JFK flights. Yes, indeed, Aeroflot still is flying in and out of Dulles.

SAS is considering having a Copenhagen trip out of San Francisco, but no firm plans as of yet. But if they do, it will most likely connect to the Moscow trip.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Yes took the Dulles to Moscow flight. I did a lot of girl watching at the Areoflot gate. I had a sore neck for about 3 days!!!

Posted by: Raspberry

As some of you know already, the UK has lifted the "one piece only" rule on carry-on luggage. So, now it's back to one bag and one personal item(i.e. laptop, diaper bag, camera bag, etc.). Please also note that some carriers' individual rules will say 2+1 if you are in business/first class, but others will say 1+1 only. Check with your individual airlines if you are flying from or through the United Kingdom.

There is one exception, however. Gatwick airport is still ONE ONLY! Heathrow and most other UK airports is 1+1.

Estonian Air will be starting Tallinn-Minsk service. So one more connection option through the FSU, without taking a train, or a convoluted routing.

Transaero is starting Moscow-Sydney service. This flight will make a stop in Hong Kong enroute. The press release, issued by Sydney/Kingsford Smith airport, did not specify which Moscow airport this flight was originating from.

Posted by: Raspberry

Centre-Avia airlines will be starting Moscow/DME to Nizhniy Novogorod sercice.

Alitalia will be starting LAX-Rome on June 1. This gives the west coast another connection option, using the existing flights from Italy to Russia and Ukraine.

LOT has ordered 12 ERJ planes. Should be interesting to see where they place these new aircraft in the system, once they arrive.

Posted by: Raspberry

Malev is moving it's Moscow operation out of Sheremetyvo, and into Domodedovo.

Posted by: Raspberry

Lugansk Airlines is now flying into Borispol.....so easier connections for foreigners, instead of cutting across town in Kiev.

Lufthansa has Dusseldorf-Kiev. Won't help Americans or Canadians much, but good connections for Europeans.

Posted by: TheWongs

And still no direct flights from Ukraine to England (apart from BA at Ł265 to Heathrow)?

No matter now anyway. It's 26 days, 16 hours, 14 minutes and 43 seconds until Larisa lands in London on the BA flight.

Posted by: Jutman

Hi

SAS has recently added CPH- Kiev to its programme and too a very good price. Almost ˝ compared to CPH-MOW. They fly 6 times weekly.

Posted by: stevo

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWongs

And still no direct flights from Ukraine to England (apart from BA at Ł265 to Heathrow)?

Ukraine International is advertising direct flights from Kiev to Gatwick.

Posted by: Raspberry

Air Moldova has put in an order for another ERJ plane. They plan to add routes but didn't specify where.

Airbus has contracted a mining firm to make titanium for its planes. The deal is similar with the deal Boeing had with Russia.

The airfares are absolutely crazy around here. Low fares can be had during the winter, but amazingly difficult to get deals to FSU countries for the spring.

Another twist in the airfares.....Siberia/S7 has gone down in price on its Bangkok-Irkutsk route. However, the flight is still once a week.

Much ado has been made about United only allowing one free checked bag for people flying on cheap tickets, and charging for two or more bags. This only applies to domestic flights, and international connections are exempt. However, expect a bit of logjam with people trying to carry on bags(if there aren't enough already).

Posted by: Jutman

Armavia will be the first to get the new Superjet outside Russia.

It seems Skyexpress has cooled off. They are flying, but not expanded beyond 7? destinations.

Posted by: TheWongs

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevo

Ukraine International is advertising direct flights from Kiev to Gatwick.

I see that now.

I had already booked the flights for Larisa from BA, then found Ukraine International flew to London. At first glance, it seemed that I had made a terrible mistake booking through BA... On the first page of Ukraine International it says "Kiev to London from Ł198 return, including taxes". When you try to book it.... Ł293.95! BA were Ł259.15 all in.

I guess we (people in the middle of England) will have to wait a bit longer to see if anyone decides to fly to Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham direct and at a decent price. I'm not holding my breath!

Come back Aerosvit, all is forgiven!!!

Posted by: stevo

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWongs

On the first page of Ukraine International it says "Kiev to London from Ł198 return, including taxes". When you try to book it.... Ł293.95! BA were Ł259.15 all in.

By selecting random dates a few months hence I managed to get it down to Ł190 (after conversion from US$) although that didn't include the fuel surcharge of about Ł30, so hardly a great saving on BA.

Posted by: Raspberry

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWongs

I guess we (people in the middle of England) will have to wait a bit longer to see if anyone decides to fly to Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham direct and at a decent price. I'm not holding my breath!

Manchester is a bigger and more diverse city than most people thing, for those of you that have never been there before. Over two million people. Plus Liverpool is not far away, and their airport is effectively useless for anyone, other than other EU countries. Effectively, MAN is the default airport for
non-EU people going to Liverpool.

And they are having the cultural capital festivites, which is bringing more people to Liverpool from all over.

There are a lot of people that visit FSU countries that are from the northern UK. In fact, Donetsk has a bunch of Liverpool people there. And, I stayed at the "Liverpool" hotel when I was there.

Yes, a flight from Northern England to the FSU is much needed! And we could use a Manchester trip from Seattle, too!

Posted by: Jutman

For me its matter of airplane size. Okay, from manchester to LED, MOW or Kiev its not a problem to put a RJ into service, but who? Aeroflot and BA would have no interest of doing that, neither would BMI.

A trans-atlantic service require a new class. TAR = Trans Atlantic Regionals. A max. 100 seat plane capable of flying 7500 km.

The questions is how long time before RYR enter Russia/Ukraine, just with 2 weekly fligths. 1,2, 3 year or never?

Posted by: Raspberry

Jutman, BMI just announced they intend to expand Almaty flights. What they will be doing is using a 757, and increasing capacity. They just leased two planes....the other will be used for Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Posted by: stevo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Yes, a flight from Northern England to the FSU is much needed!

I think Belavia fly from Manchester to Minsk during the summer - at least it's been on their timetable in previous years.

Posted by: TheWongs

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raspberry

And we could use a Manchester trip from Seattle, too!

Yes! Then you could call on TheWongs for coffee!

I live in the middle, between Liverpool and Manchester and it takes me about 20 minutes to get to either airport.

Anyway... Flights have been booked for Larisa, so I'll not be worrying about it for a while... Hopefully, only a short while!

14 days, 22 hours, 55 minutes to go!

Posted by: Raspberry

EuroFly will be starting Bologna to Moscow/DME service.

Belavia flight 1834 from Yerevan to Minsk flipped over while taking off, and burst into flames. There were 18 passengers and three crew members on board. No fatalities, but those onboard had burns. Four of which were serious.
[This was on 14 February]

Aeroflot, and Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines have signed a cooperation agreement...so possibly some code-shares between the two airlines coming up.

Posted by: Raspberry

This just in....Finnair has announced for even more capacity to Moscow and St. Petersburg, plus they are going to add Ekaterinburg service from Helsinki.

Posted by: Raspberry

Air Baltic has ordered eight new Bombardier Q400 turboprops. Plus they are going to lease two 757s and three 737-300s. They will be dumping the Fokkers F-50s once these new planes are in.

Posted by: Raspberry

Lufthansa is moving its cargo hub for FSU....currently it is in Astana, but will be moved to Krasnoyarsk soon.

Posted by: Jutman

Raspberry you know a lot.

What about Red Wings? (I accidently read they have ordred som new Boeings, and it was a LCC in Russia) Beisde that: nothing.

Posted by: GoingToRussia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jutman

Raspberry you know a lot.

What about Red Wings?

They're a great hockey team! Best record in the NHL

GO WINGS!!!

Posted by: BluesTraveler

Red Wings Airlines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Wings_Airlines

Not very big 3 planes.

Posted by: Raspberry

Since political tensions have subsided a bit between Russia and Georgia, both Aeroflot and Siberia/S7 are reinstating their service to Tblisi. Additionally, Czech Airways is planning to start Prague-Tblisi service.

Posted by: Jutman

Aeroflot has annonced they want to buy an european airliner. They has focus at CSA and JAL: last is not a surprise.

Posted by: Jutman

Wikipedia about red wings is more than sporadic. Its intersting because I found somewhere they are in the proces of buying 6 B737.

Posted by: BluesTraveler

Boeing Confirms 737 Order from Turkmenistan Airlines

SEATTLE, March 27, 2008 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today confirmed an order for three Next-Generation 737s by national flag carrier Turkmenistan Airlines. The order for two 737-900ERs and one 737-700 is worth approximately $221 million at list prices.

Turkmenistan Airlines' all-Boeing fleet also includes 717s, Classic and Next-Generation 737s, 757s, and one 767.

"Turkmenistan Airlines is taking maximum advantage of the commonality of the Next-Generation 737 family. By integrating the different model sizes, including the larger -900ER, into its fleet, Turkmenistan Airlines can grow its fleet with lower investments in parts, equipment and training," said Craig Jones, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of Sales for Russia & Central Asia.

The Next-Generation 737 family is the most technologically advanced airplane family in the single-aisle market. The Next-Generation 737's market success is confirmed by air finance investors, who consistently rank it as the most preferred airplane due to its wide market base, superior efficiency and lowest operating costs in its class.

The 737 has logged more orders than any other commercial jet model in history, with more than 7,800 orders. Boeing has more than 2,100 unfilled orders for the Next-Generation 737, worth more than $150 billion at current list prices.

Posted by: Raspberry

First I've heard of this, Blues Traveler....thanks for the info

Posted by: Raspberry

Aloha has gone out of business, as of 31Mar. Most major carriers are taking their tickets, mostly on a standby basis.

Lufthansa, who has many FSU flights from Frankfurt and Munich, does NOT have a ticket agreement with Alaska. So, you cannot transfer bags between the two carriers. If it comes to a point where the only flights available are on AS/LH, then allow at least three hours connection to reclaim and recheck.

If you are shipping freight via Antonov(the airliner manufacturer, who also does cargo runs), please note that they have their own airport in the Kiev area...........it is NEITHER Borispol nor Zhulhany!!

Posted by: Raspberry

Turkish has increased Istanbul-Simferopol to three times a week.

Posted by: Raspberry

Air Baltic has added Riga-Sochi. This route had been formerly served by Aeroflot but was dropped in the late 1980s.

Continental just added Cleveland-Paris. (It may be a useful flight for some of you.

Aeroflot has added SVO to Bratislava.

Siberia/S7 has added an extra DME-UFA flight.

El-Al has dorpped Tel Aviv-Odessa service. But they have increased frequency on TLV-Kiev/Borispol. And they are continuing to fly into Dnepropetrovsk.