Aeroflot airlines?

[mockingbird]

Anybody any experience with them?

 

They seem to be offering good deals at the moment, but I must confess that I'd never heard of them until recently.

[fanjita]

If you get to the destination alive then it was a good deal.

[stevenl]

Fine airline, I just really don't like the airport in Moscow for any kind of stop over. Not enough seating, chaotic, unfriendly.

 

But I'd book them again.

[Esso49]

During the soviet era they had one of,  if not the worst safety record.  All their old ,  poorly maintained Tupolev aircraft I should think have either all crashed now or consigned to the scrapyard to be replaced by a more modern fleet .  Flown on one of them in recent years and I am here to tell the tale.  If only they could have more friendly cabin staff.

Edited September 17, 2018 by Esso49

[luk AJ]

If you want a cheap ticket to Europe, you can try Turkmenistan Airlines Bangkok- Ashgabat-Frankfurt.


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[shadowofacloud]

I did fly with them a few times, no issues whatsoever. True, SVO is not the friendliest airport out there.

 

Also check out Ukraine Airlines, some really good deals with the same caveat regarding the airport. KBP is really bad - but they do have a half-decent lounge.

[1337markus]

Not the best of airlines. Lost my same luggage twice in two consecutive flights took them 3 days to find it SVO airport Moscow. Alcohol free flights, no meal menu, no inflight entertainment.

[SS1]

To be avoided. Flight was delayed from Brussels to Moscow, so I was made run like crazy at Moscow to catch the connecting flight to BKK. However, after sitting down all sweaty the plane didn't move anywhere for 3 hours. Announcements only in Russian, "technical problem". They still didn't manage to get my luggage into the plane in this time, so it stayed in Moscow and I was only able to get it 24h after landing. Never again! 

[Jane Dough]

Alcohol free flights. But if you have ever seen drunk Russians you would know that is a great idea. 

 

As another poster has said their safety record has improved post Soviet era. It could hardly have got worse...if you are not a frequent flyer try going on to Wiki to see their accident record from 1930s to 1980s. It is staggering even if Aeroflot is one of the biggest airlines in the world. 

[Mangkhut]

Have travelled 3 times Oslo-Moscow-BKK and return with them the later years (2013, 2016 and 2017) Nowadays they are a great airline, just check their ratings) Cheap flights, new airplanes, decent food, even smiling airhostesses...?

Back in the Sovjet area with russian airplanes it was a completely other story of course. But thats along time ago.

 

Ok - there was a problem with the plane when returning the first time I flew with them on the last leg of the trip as we were about to board. So we were taken back to the departure hall. There wasnt much information available but within 1,5 hours they had arranged another plane and off we went. I dont think many airlines have the capacity to do that when one plane get problems. 

[Laza 45]

I remember a few years ago they banned cooking with little gas stoves on board.. should be ok now... 

[thailen]

Do you feel comfortable flying in one of these:

• 15 Boeing 777.
• 21 Boeing 737.
• 22 Airbus A330.
• 33 Airbus A321.
• 69 Airbus A320.
• 30 Sukhoi SuperJet-100.

If you do(and I've done it 3 times), you'll have no more problems than with most other airlines re luggage, takeoff and landing delays.  All airlines members of IATA must serve 1 or more meals, depending on the length of the flight. I would worry more about getting on a Middle Eastern Airline flight than "Aeroflot, regardless of the politics of Russia. Enjoy your flight and your meal(s)!

[my friend I]

Good food, friendly staff. Worth getting a stopover in Moscow. 

[tifino]

from the past...

any aircraft equipped with bomb aimer's windows, is an aircraft expected to survive it's missions...

even when the cargo is human

[Stocky]

When I worked in Russia I would take the Bangkok - Moscow flight in an Ilyushin Il-96 - huge damn thing that seemed to take forever to get airborne. Then they started to modernise the fleet, I remember my surprise boarding a flight from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to find myself on a brand new Airbus A330.

 

Aeroflot aren't big on frills, but they're perfectly adequate at getting you from A to B. Moscow airports are another story, Moscow Domodedovo is OK, but Moscow Sheremetyevo is a nightmare.

[luk AJ]

When I worked in Russia I would take the Bangkok - Moscow flight in an Ilyushin Il-96 - huge damn thing that seemed to take forever to get airborne. Then they started to modernise the fleet, I remember my surprise boarding a flight from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to find myself on a brand new Airbus A330.
 
Aeroflot aren't big on frills, but they're perfectly adequate at getting you from A to B. Moscow airports are another story, Moscow Domodedovo is OK, but Moscow Sheremetyevo is a nightmare.

Domodedova airport is completely renewed, where are the times of the cold and very unfriendly airport! I also remember the IL 96 in business it looked more like an old movie theatre with a big screen with curved corners. At that time probably the best pilots in the world!


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[Odin Norway]

Used them the last time in 2009.Same time the red and yellow shirts blocked BKK airport.All other planes where cancelled but they flew and  landed at Utapao Pattaya.No flights to get from BKK to Phuket in that time so I ended up taking a taxi the 950k.But I did get home in that time also.No bad things to say about the airline.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Odin Norway

[Chivas]

Used them in 1994 when they had an IL96 (think it was)  on the Moscow Bangkok leg. I swear to god it scraped its arse after trundling down the runway for over 2 minutes. It was big I remember that no idea what seat pitch was but very big

Then once again in 1999 when they had just received their first 777

The seats were very small pitch with those clam type economy seats. I remember standing entire flight at the back apart from take off and food served. Never flown them since albeit they're never cheap anyway

[swissbie]

1 hour ago, Odin Norway said:

Used them the last time in 2009.Same time the red and yellow shirts blocked BKK airport.All other planes where cancelled but they flew and  landed at Utapao Pattaya.No flights to get from BKK to Phuket in that time so I ended up taking a taxi the 950k.But I did get home in that time also.No bad things to say about the airline.

The blockade was 2008 and we flew in with Turkish Airlines, they also used U-Tapao. Aeroflot is quiet ok nowadays, i used them in Sovjet times too, but i wasn't because of the quality..

[khunPer]

14 hours ago, mockingbird said:

...I must confess that I'd never heard of them until recently.

You surprise me, as Aeroflot is old, from 1920'ies, and quite infamous, or perhaps their reputation has improved recently, so they become famous. When Soviet was at it's top, Aeroflot was considered the largest airline in the World, with a fleet larger than all US' airlines combined.

 

In reply to the newsletter heading "Anyone used Aeroflot airlines?", my answer is yes.

 

I used them twice, first time outbound from Europe to Bangkok, and "never ever again" last time returning from Bangkok – I had unfortunately a return ticket some friends, I was travelling together with, had bought for me – and with a background in aviation, I should add that it's the only time in my life, I've been afraid when flying. This monstrous Russian build plane could hardly lift off, and everything was shaking during the for ever lasting take off run. I figured out that big video-projector way over my head, in a cabin sized like made for transporting armored military vehicles, could fall right down on me. The man sitting next to me was a Russian airplane construction engineer, he also didn't like it; made me feel better, I was not alone. When we were finally airborne, a huge babushka of a stewardesse came with a catering trolley, and asked if we wanted chicken or pork; everybody got fish, smelling fish. On the way to Bangkok we got a pillow at sleeping time, on the way back, a blanket instead.

 

However, that was in 2001, and Aeroflot might have improved very nicely since then – I don't know, because after that experience I didn't mind paying a little extra to fly with someone else, and they were actually sometimes cheaper than my bargain ticket via Moscow...?

[Pdavies99]

Aeroflot nowadays is good, in general there planes are new as they have to meet international standards, they have quite a lot of leg space etc.

 

Moscow airport is okay as well nowadays, but expensive, take your own food and drinks if on a budget!  I would not want to spend a long time at Moscow airport, so timings are important between flights! I would suggest no more than 5 hours between flights.

 

Someone else mentioned Turkmenistan flights, they are ok as well.  Recently I flew with Sri Lanka Airways, very very good, comfortable, clean, good food and timings were great etc as well as price.

 

Good luck.

[Pdavies99]

28 minutes ago, khunPer said:

You surprise me, as Aeroflot is old, from 1920'ies, and quite infamous, or perhaps their reputation has improved recently, so they become famous. When Soviet was at it's top, Aeroflot was considered the largest airline in the World, with a fleet larger than all US' airlines combined.

 

In reply to the newsletter heading "Anyone used Aeroflot airlines?", my answer is yes.

 

I used them twice, first time outbound from Europe to Bangkok, and "never ever again" last time returning from Bangkok – I had unfortunately a return ticket some friends, I was travelling together with, had bought for me – and with a background in aviation, I should add that it's the only time in my life, I've been afraid when flying. This monstrous Russian build plane could hardly lift off, and everything was shaking during the for ever lasting take off run. I figured out that big video-projector way over my head, in a cabin sized like made for transporting armored military vehicles, could fall right down on me. The man sitting next to me was a Russian airplane construction engineer, he also didn't like it; made me feel better, I was not alone. When we were finally airborne, a huge babushka of a stewardesse came with a catering trolley, and asked if we wanted chicken or pork; everybody got fish, smelling fish. On the way to Bangkok we got a pillow at sleeping time, on the way back, a blanket instead.

 

However, that was in 2001, and Aeroflot might have improved very nicely since then – I don't know, because after that experience I didn't mind paying a little extra to fly with someone else, and they were actually sometimes cheaper than my bargain ticket via Moscow...?

Quite right, but you are as you say talking about 17 years ago, things change!

Edited September 18, 2018 by Pdavies99

[Fairynuff]

There are so many reasons why I wouldn’t use them, being Russian is just one. I remember seeing a documentary about the airline many years ago (may not have been specifically about the airline) it wasn’t great and drunk pilots don’t sit well with me.

[shamrock09]

Absolutely fine but no alcohol.

No bad thing. The Russians all brought booze mixed with Coke and got very noisy before dinner. However, once dinner was served all was quiet.

 

[drayger]

Seems they have improved alot reading these posts, my only experience with them was 20 years ago on IL 96 from Moscow to Bangkok it was the only time I had been scared to get on a plane didn't look like it would stay in the air for a 10 hr flight. At take off I honestly thought the pilot had found a overland route as it took so long to lift off. It was also full of drunken Russians who were very aggressive.On landing at Bangkok we bounced so hard that we nearly veered onto the golf course . I was not brave enough to take the return leg and booked another flight and haven't considered them since

[Eaglekott]

Oh No, I flew with them one time, Worst experience ever. Rude male flight attendants. No overhead compartments over the middle seats. Had to stop by Moscow airport, The worst most smoky I have ever seen. Took the passports from all when we landed, and took us long time to figure out where to get back. And we was not even leaving the terminal, just off to next flight.

 

Ok This was maybe 6-7 years ago, things might have improved (I hope it has), but I never choose them again.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Eaglekott

[Mangkhut]

Whats so bad with the Sheremetyevo airport? Yes its big and if you have to walk from one departure area to another its a bit of walking but its very well marked - thus no problem to find your way. 

And yes its a bit expensive, but what airport in Europe isnt?

 

Last time there I bought some snacks and soft drinks to have for the waiting time and for the flight, and I aimed to pay with card. But unfortunately I had forgot that the regional lock was on my visacard (my bad) so I wasnt able to pay my stuff. So the attendant in the shop asked me if I had some Euro or USD on me, and accidently I had a 10 USD bill in my wallet. Thats fine she said even though my purchase was something like 12-13 USD. How great is that? Wouldnt happen anywhere else me thinks...

Edited September 18, 2018 by Mangkhut

[thaipo7]

I flew on this airline as a Charter flight from Bangkok to Moscow.  Later I learned they had the worst safety record of any airline.  This flight was $1000 total for me and my Thai wife and it took us 7 days to get to NY from Bangkok.  Spent 3 days in Moscow.  I remember a stop in Pakistan,  spent a day in Denmark, a day in Iceland and I am sure we also stopped in Hong Kong and missed the transportation to the hotel and the hotel sent a Mercedes to the airport to pick us up.

 

[mettech]

do they let you bring live chickens and pressure cookers on board??

[stevenl]

17 hours ago, 1337markus said:

Not the best of airlines. Lost my same luggage twice in two consecutive flights took them 3 days to find it SVO airport Moscow. Alcohol free flights, no meal menu, no inflight entertainment.

Alcohol free only on certain flights, for me Phuket-Moscow was alcohol free, Moscow Amsterdam with alcohol. Has to do with the customers on board. Meal menu on all occasions, excellent inflight entertainment.