Another Aeroflot horror story

[Rags]

I just got done talking to my wife about her flight back to Kyiv. Same story, different day...two hours late leaving SFO, another one hour delay in Seattle, missed connection to Kyiv in SVO (even with a scheduled 4.5 hour layover), luggage "lost" for two days, three hours in KBP filling out paperwork for luggage, rude/obnoxious stews, totally incompetent and unconcerned airport personnel. I'm really looking forward to my trip next month to meet her :0

I am going to have her put her property in her mother's name and get permission to live abroad so that we don't ever have to route through SVO again.

[wsbill]

... in response to Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Rags on Aug 3, 2002

Did she just say

"ahhh!...Just like the good ole'inefficent days".

[Rags]

... in response to Re: Was your wife cussing them or, posted by wsbill on Aug 4, 2002

She said that there were about forty other people saying "never again!".

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Rags on Aug 3, 2002

I have found Aeroflot to be fine as long as you stick to them the whole way (direct flight) from New York to a destination within Russia.  For Ukraine I had had an excellent RT flight on Austrian Air via Vienna to Kharkov and a good RT flight on Swiss Air via Zurich to Kiev.  The more changes ie. stops into different cities and switching of airline carriers the greater the chance of a baggage mixup, delay etc.  I am sorry for the hassle but I hope you now become penny wise ie. pay more for the most direct flight every time.

[Rags]

... in response to Re: Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Bobby Orr on Aug 4, 2002

This IS the most direct (ie. least layovers) flight on any carrier that I have found. Aside from (what is suppose to be a touch and go) a stop in Seattle, it is direct to Moscow and still they are three hours late. And what is the difference between catching a connecting flight to Kyiv and one to Socchi? You still have to go from SVO2 to SVO1 right?

Maybe I have become too accustomed to the western standards of service but when you can't make a connection with a four and a half hour layover, it's time to change companies. Besides, when you are consistantly running late, what do you think that does to the ground crew who has to service the plane. I think that things will get skipped and overlooked. My family's safety is worth more than $200/ticket, not to mention arriving at your destination on time and with you luggage.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Re: Re: Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Rags on Aug 4, 2002

Did you change carriers in SVO?  If you did not I have nothing to say other than you ran into very bad luck.  Unfortunately, it sometimes happens during air transport.  All you can hope for is you are not put next to an obese or extremely ill person, they do not lose your luggage and most importantly you arrive safely.

[Rags]

... in response to Change of carriers?, posted by Bobby Orr on Aug 4, 2002

No change in carriers, Aerofk all the way. And though they didn't LOSE the luggage (just misplaced it for two days), they made my wife and her friend drive (45 minutes each way) back to KBP to pick it up because they don't work on Saturdays.

BTW this same thing happened to me my last flight over last fall so at least they are consistant AND I WAS stuck between a 350 pounder and a guy (French) that hadn't taken a bath for a week on the eleven hour leg between Seattle and Moscow.  ;0

[BrianN]

... in response to Re: Change of carriers?, posted by Rags on Aug 6, 2002

Hey... is the flight between West coast and Moscow only 11 hours?  Are you for real?

[Rags]

... in response to Rags!, posted by BrianN on Aug 6, 2002

I checked my itinerary (RIGHT!) and if you discount the fact that they are ALWAYS late, you are scheduled to leave SF @ 5:00 pm and arrive in Moscow at 5:25 pm. Subtract 11 hrs time difference and 1.75 hrs to Seattle with a supposed 45 minute stop over, that leaves you with 11 hrs flight time between SEA and SVO. (I think its actually about 10 hr and 40 minutes without counting runway time.)

[BrianN]

... in response to Re: Rags!, posted by Rags on Aug 7, 2002

[greg2]

... in response to Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Rags on Aug 3, 2002

Hey Rags,

You live in Seattle area?

[Rags]

... in response to Re: Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by greg2 on Aug 3, 2002

[Jack]

... in response to Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Rags on Aug 3, 2002

Rags, I missed it earlier, why is it you fly thru Moscow in route to Kiev?

[Rags]

... in response to Re: Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Jack on Aug 3, 2002

This time it was because I still had credit for the return flight part of the R/T tickets I bought when she came over on her K-1. I felt that she deserved the comfort of knowing that if things didn't work out, she had a way back.

I was considering using the Moscow route later to avoid the hassle of getting the permission to live abroad (ie. using her Ukrainian passport when she departs Kyiv).
It's NOT worth it!

[Jack]

... in response to Re: Re: Another Aeroflot horror story, posted by Rags on Aug 3, 2002

Rags,

 Although there is a slight chance of a hassle, I would have no problem recommending having her fly directly into Ukraine in the future. If she does have any problems, which I think are minimul, I think a well placed $20 quickly will resolve most Ukraine problems. And if you are traveling with her, absolutely go straight into Ukraine as if she is flying with an American, most Ukraine officials do not want any negative-bad press being sent to the Embassy or American officials.