Flying in and out of Ukraine and Customs - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

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Flying in and out of Ukraine and Customs
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Posted by: dhutche1

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to give everyone my experience in flying in and out of the airport in Odessa Ukraine. First off the landing  well let me say you will remember it for a very long time. They have a single runway there and to say its not in good condition is an understatement. There where plenty of holes in the runway, as a matter of fact it was just like the roads in the Ukraine. I really thought the wheels where going to come off the plane it was quite the experience but look forward to going there again even if it is a bumpy ride. They hand you the customs forms as you leave the plane so I would suggest having a pen with you because you’re not going to find one in the airport and I would suggest getting it done fast and in line for passport control as I did. The form is very simple just claim your valuable items and cash that you have with you… Make sure you put down things like expensive camera’s etc... I have been told that if you don’t when you try to leave the Ukraine they will hit you with a tax of some type because they will assume you bought the item there in the Ukraine. I for one was not willing to test this to find out so I wrote down everything worth over 300.00 USD. Ok Passport control no big deal hand the man or lady your passport smile and you’re on your way to get the luggage. Ok luggage by the way this airport is very small and there is not a chance of you going in the wrong direction in there… you go to this one room where the belt is for the luggage.. yes one belt and it’s at least 20 years old or more… It sounded like a large piece of farm equipment starting up  to tell you the truth I jumped when it came on. I was lucky here my luggage came off the belt very quickly and I grabbed it and was off to customs. I was second in line and was so happy that I was almost done with this part of my trip… I had worried about it for a long time since I had been told bad things about the customs people in Odessa Ukraine. Ok you will be motioned to go through a secure area of the airport if you want to call it that and then a customs person will call you to bring your luggage. They asked some very simple question why you are coming to Ukraine etc. and asked what I had in my luggage.. Simple answer I told them that is was my personal items and gifts and then they asked if they could look through luggage. At this point I opened up the two suitcases I had with my and I helped the lady in customs look through the items. She asked about a few of the things not really sure why but she did they where all gifts things like soaps, liquor and a craftsman tool for her dad. As a matter of fact the liquor I had with me had come open in my suitcase and the lady found me a plastic bag to put it in.. Smile with service I was not expecting this to tell you the truth… ok at this point she is looking at the items in the suitcase and the forms that I handed her for customs. And writing a few things down… have no clue what it was and did not really care….. Then I notice a door open to my left and to my surprise it was my love Tetyana … I was so relieved at this point to see here because I was worried if she had made it.. My plane by the way was 5 hours late… so I had reason to worry. Anyway… wanted to say my experience coming in to the country was great… By the way don’t loose that piece of paper they give you in customs.. you not going to go home without it or at least not with you personal items like camera. This paper looks like a advertisement so it would be very easy to think its nothing and throw it away….. Thanks Sherman for you advice on that one… One more thing leaving Odessa Ukraine was a breeze for me customs never did look in my bags they just let me pass right through I’m not sure if this is normal bat I had no issues.

Dave

Posted by: Laters

Hey this is some good advice to a newbie. Can anyone tell me what I can expect when I fly into Minsk? Anything to watch out for or prepared for?

Thanks!

Posted by: ShermanAtlanta

Here are a few things I noticed on my short flight aboard Ukrainian Airlines. It was about 10 in the morning and they came down the aisle with vodka, cognac, etc. I passed but everyone else seemed to have a drink or 2. Another thing that I was a little surprised by was the fact that everyone applauded when we landed. They seemed to be surprised that we survived. Some of them started to sing. It was actually very interesting. Did you see the same?
Sherman

Posted by: Jutman

Hi

Do it the same with Aeroflot from Copenhagen to Moscow.

But groundless, I have respect for Aeroflot. Good service, land on time and fly an older Boing 737. No prblem and worries.

In February I flew with Volga-Dnjepr airline. For some reason the temperature outside goes true and you can feel the cold tempeture inside the YAK-40.
But safe and right-on time. has no worries, as long it to/from a major city.

Posted by: ConnerVT

I've experienced both. On a 9:00 AM flight to Paris, the drink cart was out by 9:15. Got the typical "Ve Americanitz" look from the flight attendant when I asked for water instead of beer.

But to make a 9 AM flight, you need to be at the airport in Moscow at 7 AM. To be at the airport at 7 AM, you need to leave Tver by 4:45 AM. I can't tell you how many men I saw, waiting for their bus to head to work, with a liter bottle of beer in their hand. More than you would expect at 5 AM.

As far as the applause, it's a carryover from flying Aeroflot Domestic. True, the international side of Aeroflot is very good. I would choose them over many American and European carriers, even though they still have their faults. They are governed by international regulations, so the equipment is new, and the service and maintenance is top flight (though ground services, ie. customer service and baggage handling could use improvement).

Aeroflot Dom (DOH!

) is a different animal all together. The workhorse of the fleet, the TU-154, reminds me of one of the first commercial jets I ever was inside, back on a field trip to JFK 35 years ago! The overhead luggage racks are just that -- racks, like you see on a bus. At least this plane has a good safety record.

Several other planes that have graced Aeroflot's fleet haven't faired as well, especially those that flew routes outside of the main Moscow corridor during the Soviet days. Little money, low visibility meant low maintenance. The equipment at the smaller airports wasn't any better. The applause was well deserved when you reached the ground in a controlled manner!

Posted by: Jutman

I am 99% sure it was a TU-154 I flew with from Moscow to samara. I recognize the bus luggage describtion.

I mentioned a Yak-40 plane. Here it is.

Posted by: Jutman

Sorry. But up has edit problems, again. here is the Yak40 airplane:

Posted by: dhutche1

They applauded when the plane landed.... interseting Sherman... I can say that this did not happen on my flight but they did serve the beer etc... as fast as people would take it...As far as the flight goes I would have to give the Ukraine Airline a 10 the plane was new and verry well kept....even had leather seats ... I was very surprised to say the least... I will not have a problem getting on a flight with these folks... but I still hope the people dont applauded and sing when we land next time it would make you wonder.

Dave

Posted by: dhutche1

Are there any other members out there that have flown in and out of this airport? If so maybe you would like to share with us your thoughts on how it was when you flew to Odessa. Im just wondering if its changed a little for the better of course or if I was just lucky.

Dave

Posted by: ranjon

You described it to a T. But I will add a few things. yes, the runway is very bumpy! We landed in a drizzle, so had to walk down the stairs and board the bus to the building in a misty rain. I wasnt as lucky as you. They wouldnt let me go without paying them money. They wanted $220, but I told them I didnt have hardly any money. I offered $40, they settled for $60. (I was bringing a diamond ring for my fiancee and was stupid enough to list it on the custom form!)

The restroom are down this gloomy stairway in the basement. They are, of course, just a hole in the ground.

I got to the baggage room after the conveyor was off. The baggage was sitting all over the floor. YOu had to go find yours and then show stub to lady at door to prove it was yours.

My fiancee was waiting outside, so I had to literally push my way past the taxi drivers. I had heard about them, but wasnt prepared for the amount, nor the determination. There were at least 30 drivers surrounding the door (probably more), with some in the doorway! I just repeated over and over - "Nyet, nyet!!"

It was sure nice to see my fiancee after going thru that airport! I gave her a kiss and a hug, I was so happy to see her face!

yes, you are right, the way out was no hassle at all.

Posted by: dhutche1

What was the date you went to Odessa ? I had some pretty expensive things listed on the customs form including a 1500.00 digital camera and I had about 1200.00 on US dollars on me

Im glad that they did not hassle me they asked a few questions but that was all. They did not even look in my camera case and that surprised me a lot. I even had a easier time leaving and this is where I had heard all type of stories of how they harris people.... When I went they did not even look in my luggage and I still had about 500.00 US dollars on me and they asked me how much I was taking with me so they had knowledge of it .... I was waiting for them to hint to a bribe but it never happend... We will see if im lucky next time like this. Yeah the taxi drivers are something .. I was lucky there too I think my Fiancee had told all of them she was there to pick me up so I did not have a single one come up to me and offer a ride. Well How did you like Odessa? I had a blast there.

Dave

Posted by: ranjon

Ukraine is a very interesting place. I had a great time. My fiancee is from Nikolaev, so didnt spend much time in Odessa. But I went same time as you - July 14-23.

I like Ukraine and would love to go back, but probably wont. Cant afford it. I do not have a lot of money and am saving everything for her trip here and exam and Visa and AOS (which will come to about $3700). I am working all the overtime I can, and should have that amount by the time she comes here (which should be December-March). I only make $11/hour, but am saving about $700 per month for her expenses. Plus, I send her a little ($50-$100 per month).

But I have it figured out and I could go back and stay for 3 nights and 4 days for only about $1600. That is $950-ticket, $200-hotel, $100-transportation, $250-food and expenses (about $60/day), $30-translator, $70-extra just in case. I just dont have an extra $1600, but I would love to go back and surprise my fiancee with a 3 night/4 day stay with just me and her. I have it all planned, but lack having the "dengi."

I maxed my credit cards out last trip, but am almost doubling the payments, but wont have enough payed off to cover trip. Would love to go in October, but that is just a dream for me!
(I am probably the lowest wage earner who ever made a trip to Ukraine - but I know how to make the dollar stretch! - smile)

Anyway, back to the subject - here are some interesting things I noticed when I was there in Nikolaev.

·There is no iced tea in Nikolaev. When I asked for it, they didn’t know what I was talking about. So I drank hot tea during my stay.
·From the balcony of my hotel, I could see the neighbors walk out their back door and into their outhouse.
·Street signs are on the sides of buildings, and very hard to see (unless, of course, you have lived there all your life). The people I was with had no problem spotting them, even some I couldnt find for the life of me!
·Apricot trees are everywhere. So in all the markets, you will find apricots for sale. Also, very many fields of sunflowers.
·You would see very nice dressed ladies coming out of apartment buildings that looked worse than the slums.
·All roads are in disrepair. Think of the worst road you have driven on here, and that will be better than the best road there! As a result, all cars need shocks very bad, and all rides were very bumpy, to say the least. Of course, the people there didn’t blink an eye, because they were used to it.
·No water fountains anywhere.
·On the few stoplights they do have, yellow comes after red. So most people inch along at red light, and as soon as it turns yellow, they go through. Many, knowing the light will change to yellow, do not even stop at red light. There were no police downtown and I only saw a few policemen at one location. Other than that, I did not see any policemen during my whole stay in Ukraine.
·Toilets are holes in the floor. When we went to the Black Sea, my friends pointed out a new bathroom, and that the charge for using it was because it was the only new one there. I paid and went in. The person gives you about 3 pieces of toilet paper (which is brown and course) and a receipt. The toilets were very new.... porcelain holes in the floor! The people I was with brought their own roll of toilet paper. The toilets, being just a hole, were not clean, as obviously some people miss the hole.
·Poor, lame people beg in front of the churches, and in front of many large stores.
·The tickets to the zoo and museum looked like they were from 100 years ago. The paper the tickets were printed on is thin and brown and small.
·The airport in Odessa looked like a shop from the 40s. Very dark and very old chairs and booths. They load you on small bus, and drive you out to the airplane.
Fortunately, the sign for men’s restroom is “M.”

Buy it is the home of my Fiancee and I love Ukraine. Would love to visit again (probably will in the future with her), but just wouldnt want to live there permanently!!

Posted by: Ray50

When my plane lands in Kiev on November 3, I hope I will be singing with joy but how will I know what song to sing? This is an interesting thread. I will be arriving from Frankfurt on Lufthansa airlines at Kiev Borispol. Can someone give me details about this airport? As far as Kiev itself, this is my first time and I have never heard any negative comments about Kiev. Everyone who goes seems to love it. But November might be a difficult time to visit. I'm glad I enjoy winter weather.