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28 December 2011   alexcheban Regional Services in Nepal The airport in Pokhara was probably the quaintest I’d ever seen. Old-fashioned mechanical scales, paper boarding passes, and of course a small, quiet plane whose route takes it directly to Kathmandu over the Himalayas. This report is about the colorful country and its airlines. To book our flight to Kathmandu, we walked into one of the many travel agencies in Pokhara. We were offered an initial ticket price of $120. After a bit of haggling this came down to $90. At this point, we got up to leave and, just as were heading out the door, the travel agent stopped us and made a final offer of $70 (“final price, my friend”), which we accepted. No electronics were involved. The agent made the booking over the phone and wrote the ticket out to us by hand. Before the flight I’d read a lot about the airport in Lukla, which is very difficult to land and take off from, but we never got to and flew only the Pokhara-Kathmandu route. The airport in Pokhara was built in 1958 and services only lo ...>>> Теги: Do 228, Sita Air 15 October 2011   AI-Russia Ulyanovsk – Moscow with Gazpromavia Yak-42 We took the flight at the beginning of October 2011 with Gazpromavia airline from Ulyanovsk (Barataevka airport) to Moscow (Vnukovo airport), the plane hull No RA-42439. Both the plane and service aboard were amazing. The old airport Barataevka deserves special notice. It’s a real museum of the Soviet air-epoch, quite unique nowadays in Russia. The plane Yak-42 appeared to be rather nice both inside and outside. The seats are comfortable, the armrests can be folded as you wish, ventilation and illumination are valid, the tables are also perfect. This flight was of keen interest for me, because I’ve not flown by Yak-42 for 10 years already. We took off 10 minutes later than it was scheduled. But it’s not too important. Before take-off the “Vzlyot” (“Take-off”) candies and free printed media (“Komsomolka” (KP) and “Kommersant”) were served. The plane took off perfectly. Later the breakfast was served: 2 pieces of fish, bacon & salami, tomato, processed cheese, bread-and-butter, bun ...>>> Теги: Yak-42, Gazpromavia 04 October 2011   AI-Russia From Moscow to Ulyanovsk with Utair ATR-42 This flight has been executed at the September the 30th , 2011, flight UT 171 from Moscow (Vnukovo airport, terminal A) to Ulyanovsk (Barataevka airport). The plane took off at 11:05 instead of 10:40 scheduled. The announced ATR-72 aircraft was replaced by ATR-42 of less capacity. The plane was obviously rather worn but in good condition. The illumination, ventilation, etc were valid. The plain itself is very cramped. It seems to be the vehicle projected by dwarfs for the dwarfs. First I expected some shaking during the flight, cause it was my first experience of flying by such a plane. But it appeared to be rather calm and smooth flight. The great disadvantage, in my opinion, was the absence of any kinds of entertainment onboard except the Utair airlines magazine – not enough for 2 hours 25 minutes flight. Now about the food on board: the meals are very poor – 2 slices of sausage, cabbage salad, bun, chocolate micro-bar and tea or coffee to be chosen. Everything’s fresh. The la ...>>> Теги: ATR 42, UTair 16 September 2011   AI-Russia Aeroflot and SAS: Moscow-Paris through Scandinavia SAS makes regular flights fr om Moscow to Europe with transfer in Denmark (Copenhagen), Sweden (Stockholm) and Norway (Oslo). I’m going to take one of these flights. Airbus A321-211 «S. Korolyov». No: VQ-BEI. © Erezms / www.airliners.net The first flight to Copenhagen under the Codeshare agreement is carried out by Aeroflot. It means the full free-of-charge Aeroflot service including food and beverage for the low-price ticket. It’s quite OK considering the round-trip ticket price (being not a low-coster SAS gives nothing for free). The standard breakfast consisted of the following: The stewardesses looked tired (or maybe sleepy), the aircraft itself was rather shabby. The cabin upholstery had come off somewhere, the stains could be noticed on the seats. The seat in front of me had a torn off magazine pocket. No more claims – the floor is clean, the lavatory is satisfactory: That day the weather in the North of Moscow was no good – we had to take off from runway 07L ...>>> Теги: A321, Aeroflot, MD-80, SAS 20 July 2011   SergeyDolya Business Class on an Emirates Airbus A380 Airbus’ new A380 series has raised the bar in terms of comfort during flight to an, as yet, unparalleled level. The entire second deck of the plane is dedicated to the business and first class. The reclining seats can be folded out to become a bed, and passengers are given sleeping pads for extra comfort. Every seat gets its personal mini-fridge with drinks and there’s even a bar towards the back of the plane where you can sit down and have a chat with the friendly and talkative barman. Not to mention the two shower rooms located at the front. For the first time ever, I didn’t want the flight to end. Before the flight, a friend of mine, Sergei Martirosyan, had finally helped me get my press papers, and when I showed these to the air hostesses, I got a thorough tour of the plane. The economy class and business class/first class areas are accessed separately. Passengers from each class have to take different ramps to board the plane: Each row only had 4 seats: Passengers w ...>>> Теги: A380, Emirates 10 July 2011   AI-Russia Moscow – Norilsk with Continent TU-154М We experienced the flight with this airline from Moscow to Norilsk in June 2011. The plane took off from Vnukovo airport to a minute. The landing was also strictly to time. There was the only trifling delay with the ramp driving in. The plane is my favorite TU-154, familiar from early childhood. We eagerly estimated its excellent, spacious, clean and comfortable cabin with the seats in new blue covering. The plane flies as lightly as a feather. Before take-off we traditionally received the branded candies. The food is wonderful: two salads, filleted chicken with smashed potatoes for the main dish, bread, bun, butter, ketchup, cake, tea or coffee. The drinks are available during the whole flight time. So, I give this airline the excellent mark! ...>>> Теги: Tu-154 09 July 2011   amarchukov Charter Flight from Moscow to Antalya on a Transaero Airlines Boeing 747 Transaero Airlines is currently the largest Russian air charter operator and the only airline in the country to use the enormous Boeing 747. I had the chance to experience Transaero service firsthand in May 2011. The charter flight, from Moscow to Antalya, was aboard a Boeing 747-300 with tail number VP-BGY, departing from Terminal F of Sheremetyevo International Airport and docking at Terminal 2 in Antalya. The plane used on the flight (picture taken by Jens Breuer, of Airliners.net) Passenger Area The Boeing-747-300 has two decks. On the upper deck are the cockpit and the first- and business-class seats. The entire lower deck is dedicated to the economy class. The passenger area is divided into several sections, so it is impossible to look down the entire length of the plane. It’s especially engaging to sit in the very front of the plane, where the hull abruptly narrows towards the nose, allowing you to see almost straight ahead through the windows. This Transaero airline ...>>> Теги: B747-300, Transaero 26 June 2011   ATO Flydubai – the Distinguished Low-Cost Carrier of the Arab Emirates Established by the government of Dubai, the low-cost airline company flydubai (Dubai Aviation Corporation) has been conducting commercial flights since June 2009. Today their fleet consists of 13 Boeing 737-800NG jets. Each plane is outfitted with the latest Sky Interior design, which offers better soundproofing, more comfort and more luggage space. Their route network covers 28 destinations, all within 5 hours’ flying time from Dubai, and including several airports in Russia and the CIS, such as Baku, Yekaterinburg, Samara and Yerevan. In the near future, flydubai plans to expand its network with the help of newer passenger jets. The trip described in this section was a flight from Dubai to Beirut in the autumn of 2010. Planes used by flydubai are easily recognized by their bright livery. The imaginative design was created by Martin Snelling. The orange streaks are meant to represent warm climate and friendly attitude, while the blue lines represent the sea and sky. As expect ...>>> Теги: B737-800, Flydubai 21 June 2011   AI-Russia Omsk – Antalya with Red Wings airlines It’s common knowledge that recreation begins at our first step aboard the airplane. We were lucky to board the airplane provided by the splendid IMHO Red Wings airline. Having reached the airport we faced the rather long queue at the international terminal. By the way, the terminal shown in the picture is the domestic one, there is no picture of the international terminal available. This terminal is also inaccessible for people before the checking in starts. We had to wait out-of-doors, not so bad since it was summer. After having passed through all the formalities and customs we gathered at the holding room and my whole attention was captured by our plane having been prepared for the long-time flight. The boarding was at last announced and the bus took us to the boarding ramp of the plane. Two pretty stewardesses met us at the entrance and all the rest members of the crew were waiting for us in the cabin. It was great fortune for me to fly onboard of this plane because I’ ...>>> Теги: Tu-204, Red Wings 12 June 2011   amarchukov A Flight within the US: New York-Miami with American Airlines My flight to Miami from New York with American Airlines took place in April 2011. This is the plane used for the flight, a Boeing-757-200 (photo courtesy of Darren Wilson, found via Airliners.net): The New York-Miami flight has two classes – economy and business. Economy class with American Airlines is no different from flying with low-cost carriers: the tickets were cheap, but the flight offered minimal service; there was no luggage allowance, and no meals. In LaGuardia Airport, passenger flights of American Airlines and feeder airlines operating under the name American Airlines Eagle all dock at the same terminal. The company encourages passengers to check in at self check-in machines. The stands are meant only for checking luggage. A distinctive trait of flying within the US: you have to pay for every piece of checked luggage separately. The fee for the first suitcase is $25, the second costs another $35. There are no additional fees for carry-on luggage as long as ...>>> Теги: American, B757-200 23 May 2011   amarchukov From Moscow to Kiev with AeroSvit on a Dniproavia Airliner This trip from Moscow to Kiev took place in April 2011. Flight VV-404 departs from Vnukovo International Airport. The plane was a Boeing-737-500, tail number UR-DNC. Although the tickets were purchased from AeroSvit Airlines, the plane used for the flight had the livery and logo of Dniproavia. At the same time, the uniforms of the flight attendants, headrest covers and other paraphernalia bore the logo of AeroSvit. These inconsistencies are a result of the merger of three airlines companies—AeroSvit, Dniproavia and Donbassaero—into one alliance under the name Ukrainian Aviation Group. Vnukovo airport, right before take-off. Overall the flight left me with very good impressions. The most striking of all was how sparkling clean the cabin was. The plane is by no means new, considering that the Boeing-737-500 has long been discontinued, however the plastic paneling, upholstery and carpeting were all in top-notch condition. Everything looked very fresh, clean and simply pleasing to the ...>>> Теги: AeroSvit, B737-500, Dniproavia 08 May 2011   SergeyDolya New Boeing 737-800 of Globus/S7 Airlines On 28 April 2011, the airline company Globus, a member of the S7 Airlines group, received a new Boeing 737-800 fresh off the assembly line in Seattle. This was the first Boeing 737-800NG to be acquired by a Russian airline company directly from the manufacturer. During the assembly of the plane intended for S7 Airlines, Boeing made a very cool video documenting the entire process in time-lapse. It looks exactly like a model aircraft being put together. I highly recommend taking a look: Loading Player window.bxPlayerOnloadbx_flv_player_286418134 = function(config) { if (typeof config != 'object') config = {'file':'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvU-zrClsks&feature=player_detailpage', 'height':'480', 'width':'700', 'dock':true, 'id':'bx_flv_player_286418134', 'controlbar':'bottom', 'players':[ {'type':'html5' }, {'type':'flash', 'src':'/bitrix/components/bitrix/player/mediaplayer/player.swf' }], 'logo.hide':'true', 'repeat':'N', 'bufferlength':'10', 'provider':'youtube', 'abou ...>>> Теги: B737-800, Globus, S7 Airlines 29 April 2011   Avianews Kharkiv-Istanbul with Pegasus Airlines In October 2010, the Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines introduced a new route between Kharkiv and Istanbul. Flights going either way are scheduled at night. Departure from Kharkiv is at 3:15 AM (flight PC 751), and from Istanbul at 11:40 PM (flight PC 750). The trip described below was made in December 2010. Kharkov International Airport The easiest place to buy tickets is online from www.flypgs.com. It’s fast and easy. Departure from Kharkov took place at the new terminal, which is currently open only during the fall months. The area around the building is open and clean, and the structure itself is well-lit, making it hard to miss from even a few hundred yards away. Inside it’s quiet, well-lit and warm. There are only a handful of passengers around at this time and no lines. The new building of the Kharkiv airport definitely deserves the title of best air terminal in the Ukraine. The high, illuminated ceilings prevent it from getting stuffy and uncomfortable. Two cafe ...>>> Теги: B737-800, Pegasus 19 April 2011   amarchukov Domestic flight in Russia: Krasnoyarsk–Moscow by UTair This trip on the flight UT-572 from Krasnoyarsk in Siberia to Vnukovo Airport, Moscow, took place on 23 August 2010. Currently, UTair performed flights between Krasnoyarsk and Moscow twice daily, morning and evening. UT-572 is the morning flight from Krasnoyarsk, departing at 7:25 AM and arriving in Moscow at 08:30 AM, local time. The plane used for the flight was a Boeing-737-500 (tail number VP-BYM), with 2 seating classes: business and economy. Passenger seats in the business class section Passenger seats in the economy class section The takeoff and climb were fast and smooth. The plane was almost completely packed (the end of August is a high season!). Onboard service: refreshments—a selection of mineral water, juices and wine (served twice during the flight and also by request), food—a selection of meat, chicken and fish, with various side dishes. The servings were quite generous and easily sustained me through the trip. Also available were a variety of newspapers ...>>> Теги: B737-500, UTair 11 April 2011   AI-Russia Aeroflot, Moscow to Havana I’d like to share my impressions of my Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Havana (Aeroflot is the flag-carrier of Russia). Sheremetyevo International Airport. We departed from the new C Terminal. We started by registering at the automated check-in. At the Sheremetyevo Airport before take-off. View on the Terminal F: Moscow-Havana is a very long flight, more than 13 hours total, but, thanks to the airline company, was surprisingly relaxed. For a start, there was a lot of media available to watch, including movies, concerts, cartoons, etc. of all kinds. I watched two movies in a row (I just couldn’t handle any more). The in-flight food was very good (probably, some of the best I’ve ever had on any flight). We were served meals twice, with servings of fancy ice cream in between. It was a nice touch. The staff was very polite, patient and even-keeled. When I was having trouble with my earphones, the stewardess brought me three sets of replacements, and checked over the so ...>>> Теги: A330-200, Aeroflot

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