I promised to report on my return flight with Aeroflot. I mentioned earlier that I used to fly in the comfort class at EVA AIR, but that will no longer be possible.
Arrived at Bangkok airport on 7th March to check in counter, no problem so far until the employee started tearing up the boarding passes and we were directed to the Aeroflot counter. There we were informed that we could only continue traveling the next day with flight SU 371, which left at 10.15 am, so there are 2 flights per day.
What now? The group grew. Upon inquiry it turned out that we were going to a hotel this night at the expense of Aeroflot. According to the employee, we did not have to worry, it turned out to be a very luxurious hotel.
We were brought there with 2 buses, everything arranged perfectly. We settled in the lobby with a book. It was indeed a good hotel, for every meal we had to sign a 0 receipt.
Up the next morning at 5 am, at 7 am by bus to the airport. Once there to the first class desk where we were checked in, very friendly treatment. The plane took off at 11am, no problem.
Arrived at Sheremetyevo airport. Then you think, I'm going to the next terminal. Forget it! You first have to go through passport control again to reach the next terminal and also another security check, but unfortunately we were not the only ones. A large number of people also had to go through that, panic everywhere. I think many people missed their flight because there were only 4 gates. This is comparable to Schiphol in the eighties, it should not bear the name international airport in that respect.
But then you're not there yet, then you have to walk to terminal 4, very far and then find the counter. Panic strikes! On reflection, I missed a text message from Aeroflot. What turned out? We had to be at exit 38. Then you have to go to the platform, there is a bus that takes you to the plane for Schiphol.
Fortunately, we arrived at Schiphol without any further problems. An additional advantage, because we checked in first class, our luggage came out first.
Summarizing
A great company, everything arranged very correctly, the big problem is the airport. My advice is, take a flight both there and back with a very long transfer in Moscow then everything will go well.
The comfort class is very affordable and recommended. Costs a bit more but the service is fine. I've never eaten so well, you get business class food.
In this class you can immediately reserve your seat at no extra cost, both outward and return. Doesn't make much sense but it is possible.
Hoping to have contributed to flying to Thailand.
Submitted by Rob
When I look on the Aeroflot website and try to book a ticket in comfort class, I keep getting the message that comfort class is “not available” for this trip.
I did not book directly with Aeroflot, but with Budgetair in Amsterdam, fine. But that will not go for the Belgians.
Seats were not occupied on both the outward and return journeys.
Why shouldn't Butgetair be for Belgians? I have already booked through Budgetair, in Belgium.! And with Aeroflot had no problems, when connecting for another flight, INDEED, first again through passport control, but that also went without problems. I have already experienced it differently at Brussels Airport, that it even took hours before I could go through the passport control on my return from Thailand.!. Big mess! and 2 counters open.! The inspector of the one counter then also left! I think it was time for his coffee, SCANDARIOUS.!
What about the control and maintenance of aircraft in Russia?
I understood that German engineers did aircraft maintenance in Russia and that this was due to
EU sanctions had to be withdrawn. Don't know if they did maintenance at Aeroflot.
I was about to book with Aeroflot before this occurred to me. It was cheap, but then couldn't choose a seat in the offer and as it turns out from the start story, it doesn't make sense either.
However, due to EU sanctions, decided not to book flights with Aeroflot.
But I also experienced a similar run at KLM. Once flew directly to Manila, Philippines and later this was converted to an intermediate landing in Taipei, Thaiwan. Unbelievable, because instead of turning right to MAnila, we turned left to Thaiwan. Once you got there you had to take your hand luggage and walk around with it to get back to the plane and wait there to board again. Policy KLM, according to crew. Also crew change in Thaipei. My booking said directly, I thought, and was surprised.
Made again later. Check your passport and boarding pass.
I've done it twice, flying with such a "cheap" airline, yes I'm hard of learning too. And both times a delay of a day. Not very……? unless your holiday days cost more than 200 euros each. My advice is, fly with a "normal" airline, which just flies on time as it should. Yes, they also charge a normal price. Cheap, expensive!
That extra vacation day taken can cost 200 euros, but a compensation from the airline due to a flight delay of one day nowadays yields at least double that amount.
If you are referring to the relevant EU legislation – Regulation 261/2004 – you are right, but unfortunately that regulation does not apply here.
Maybe still
“In the Emirates Airlines/Schenkel judgment, the European Court of Justice ruled that Article 3(1)(a) of the Regulation does not apply in the case of a round trip where the passenger first departs from an airport in the territory of an EC Member State and return to this airport on a flight from an airport in a third country.”
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verordening_261/2004
Not exactly, so. Indeed, that judgment confirms that in a situation similar to that described in the reader's submission above, the Verrordening does not apply.
I thought this was a judgment on Emirates.
Because the flight from a European airport to the Emirates was on time, but the connecting flight was not. Emirates said that in that case it did not apply because the connecting flight did not go to and from a European airport.
This judgment would then mean that the entire journey counts and if the return is also in a European airport. In that case, the fact that there are stops would not count.
So if you book a trip from Amsterdam to Bangkok and Bangkok-Amsterdam, it doesn't matter if a stopover is made along the way because this is part of the route.
At least that's how I remembered it anyway
The entire journey counts. I myself received the compensation resulting from that Regulation from Emirates because I arrived in Bangkok 5 hours later than planned after a transfer in Dubai (but that did require the announcement of a lawsuit). The route back to Amsterdam only falls under the Regulation if it concerns a European airline.
I'm not entirely familiar with it, but I don't think it says that it is limited to the outbound flight. I think the return flight also counts because it says “… where the passenger first departed from an airport in the territory of an EC Member State and returns to this airport with a flight from an airport in a third country.”
Well, fine. Can you keep busy?
Dear Cornelis, the District Court of Noord-Holland issued a judgment on 28-11-2018 (ECLI: NL: RBNHO:2018:10265), which can be found at http://www.recht.nl/rechtspraak
An Aeroflot passenger traveled from Amsterdam to Guangzhou with flight numbers SU2551 and SU0220 on 21/1/2017. Stopover in Moscow with a transfer time of 85 minutes, so 25 minutes more than the required minimum transfer time in Moscow of 60 minutes. However, flight SU2551 (A'dam-Moscow) was operated with a delay of 69 minutes, which meant that flight SU0220 to China was missed. The passenger was overbooked and arrived at the final destination more than 24 hours later than originally planned. Pursuant to EC Regulation No. 261/2004, the passenger demanded compensation. Aeroflot contested the claim by invoking force majeure. The decision of the subdistrict court was that Aeroflot was ordered to pay the passenger € 690 + the statutory interest on € 600. Aeroflot also had to pay the legal costs and the salary of the passenger's representative, estimated at € 200. I believe that legislation is decisive for flights that start at an airport at European airports.
I have the same experience but without delay, the flight is fine in economy, but idd. problem in the airport itself with that annoying pass control where I also had to queue in a long line , a Chinese plane landed when I was queuing , these people also had to go through that pass control and passed us very rudely .
Everything else was fine
The Russians have forgotten about the above-mentioned EU legislation/judgment, so Aeroflot FORGOT. Turkish Airlines ? IDEM.
Yes, but it is precisely stated in the judgment you quoted that the relevant article of the Regulation 'is not applicable'? That means it does NOT apply.
ok I'm not completely at home with it like I said.