How I saved $300 with Aerosvit and even got a complimentary blini

Keeping in line with this blog's new theme of post-Soviet adventure, I thought I'd post an email I sent to friends and family about a recent trip on Aerosvit, the Ukrainian carrier, on my Istanbul-Bangkok trip. As you may have surmised from the subject line of this post, I saved a good deal flying Aerosvit to Bangkok instead of the other cheap (Turkmenistan Air, Uzbekistan Air) and mid-range options (Gulf Air, Jordanian).

IST - KBP - BKK

The IST-BKK trip went off without a hitch, except for the fact that I spent my entire two hour layover in Kiev waiting in line for the ONE metal detector for transit passengers.

BKK - KBP - IST

The exciting story is the return flight. In Bangkok, we board the plane for our 6 am flight and wait an hour. Then we learn that for "security reasons" we must all deplane, go thorugh security again, and reboard. We all gather our things and stand up to get out. But nothing happens and we wait on the plane for 30-40 minutes. Finally they open the doors and we go through security and then wait about an hour, and we can see through the window that they are taking the luggage out of the baggage compartment and searching it. 2.75 hours after the original scheduled departure time, we are in the sky. One of the toilets don't work and all of them smell like urine. The meals (of course) are disgusting (Breakfast - egg and hot-dog and potato mash with questionable flavor. Dinner - fish that seems red on the inside and cooked on the outside, noodles and baby carrots. They have lost my vegetarian requests. Guy beside me says the same. But man in the middle row seems to be enjoying his stir fried vegetables).

Ukrainian flight attendants hide from us in the back, as they naturally want nothing to do with any request we may have. But at least they had a projector and played Jumper and 27 Dresses!


Seeing the sights in Kiev, or my evening at the Airport hotel

10 hours later I'm in Kiev. If my connecting flight left on time, I've already missed it. They've delayed some of the flights for the connecting passengers - I learn this by word of mouth, as there is no flight information board. I try to get information about my flight before I stand in the security line (Is it delayed? Has it left? When is the next flight?). You may remember from the first flight that the security line has only one metal detector, so again I wait quite a long time. If you are wondering why they only have one metal detector, perhaps you would be interested in the theory of the theory of the Swiss guy with the bargirl girlfriend who set next to me on the flight, who suggested they do this so they have ample time to search our luggage and see if there is anythign to steal.

A woman whose job seems to be communicating with foreign passengers tells me "Yes, Istanbul, upstairs." So I wait in the line for an hour. Once I get "upstairs" they tell me I have missed my connection and now I must wait for the flight at 0700 the next morning. I have to wait 3 hours (for 15-strong group of irate Israelis to stop yelling at the staff behind the check in counter... "I don't work for you, you work for me, I pay service, you help me now, this is called service, where is your manager? You are manager? I don't believe. Give me airport manager. None of your f****** bull****.") to ask key questions: Where is my baggage? (Downstairs) Will you give me food? (Yes, a fist sized sandwich and ONE cup of water) Will you give me a place to stay ? (No, but you can pay $45 to stay at the airport hotel) No longer a student, I think it is most likely not acceptable to sleep in the airport to save $45. Also I have travel insurance. Let's see if they reimburse.

Sidenote: of the 4 women behind the check-in desk, only one of them appears to speak any English besides "yes" , "no" and "wait." She just answers whoever is shouting loudest at her at the time. And if in the middle of a conversation someone shouts louder, she shifts her attention. Also there is no line for the check-in desk. There are two really angry Indian guys who keep shouting that they want to go to New York. I see no flight for New York scheduled on the flight board (yes, you can finally see the flight board after you pass through security).

The Aerosvit employee got some guy to help me get my luggage. She suggested I get my luggage immediately rather than trust they will be checked tomorrow because "Sometimes night staff, they make mistake with bag." Yikes. So this guy goes and bypasses all these rules and regulations (violating security codes that I am sure Ukraine must have - like bringing me in and out of secured areas without checks) to get me my bags, out of passport control, and ready to go to the hotel. So finally I get on the bus to the hotel airport, get ot the airport, check in, watch some TV and mess around with my luggage, and crash. Thank you jetlag, I am then up naturally at 3 am. Complimentary breakfast at 4 - with blinis! Bus to airport at 5 (actually it is only a 2 minute bus ride, but still, I don't have proper shoes for Ukrainian winter, and why the hell would you make an airport hotel not attached to an airport? I dont know I haven't actually stayed at one before).