SkyTeam - Aeroflot is a JOKE

Aeroflot is a joke! I have had the misfortune of flying with Aeroflot twice. They are a member of SkyTeam, but I have never received a single SkyMile from them. I have written tons of mail, email, and phone calls. I have finally given up on ever receiving my miles from them. I am a Delta SkyMiles Silver Medallion customer, and I have also had zero assistance from Delta either. At least Delta credits my miles as soon as I board a flight. As for Aeroflot, I will never board another aircraft owned by them.

Aeroflot is a joke! I have had the misfortune of flying with Aeroflot twice. They are a member of SkyTeam, but I have never received a single SkyMile from them. I have written tons of mail, email, and phone calls. I have finally given up on ever receiving my miles from them. I am a Delta SkyMiles Silver Medallion customer, and I have also had zero assistance from Delta either. At least Delta credits my miles as soon as I board a flight. As for Aeroflot, I will never board another aircraft owned by them.

Welcome to FT!

Don't give up. That'll get you nowhere with SU I promise you.

I expect this so I fax my SU boarding passes into Delta at the completion of every flight. 404 715 9220 is the number. Miles show up within 24 hours most of the time. Have you tried this?

I second that statement! They're still stuck back in the Soviet era and have a corresponding attitude towards it's customers. They once made me unnecessarily purchase a whole segment from the itinerary to which I already had the tickets, worth over $1600 and wouldn't refund it, even though it was due to their negligence. Likewise, I'd rather overpay with some other carrier than ever fly with them again!! But the previous poster is correct, send a copy of your boarding passes to Delta.

I fly them a couple of times a year and never had any problems getting miles to post on CO. They always post in a week or so. Customer service is really consistently bad, but inflight service in business class beats Delta every time in my view, but that has already been discussed here. Anyway, I would fax the boarding passes to Delta.

I second that statement! They're still stuck back in the Soviet era and have a corresponding attitude towards it's customers. They once made me unnecessarily purchase a whole segment from the itinerary to which I already had the tickets, worth over $1600 and wouldn't refund it, even though it was due to their negligence. Likewise, I'd rather overpay with some other carrier than ever fly with them again!! But the previous poster is correct, send a copy of your boarding passes to Delta.

I'm not trying to be an SU apologist but I'll ask you also did you file a complaint with SU over this issue? I recently posted here on FT (either in the Russia Forum or the SkyTeam Forum) that they did me wrong once in a similar situation. I filed a report and 13 months later they responded with a 100% credit to my AMEX. Dealing with SU will try your patience especially if you are accustomed to North America ways of customer service. It's not North America...or Europe for that matter. It's Russia and it is a whole different ballgame.

I'm not trying to be an SU apologist but I'll ask you also did you file a complaint with SU over this issue? I recently posted here on FT (either in the Russia Forum or the SkyTeam Forum) that they did me wrong once in a similar situation. I filed a report and 13 months later they responded with a 100% credit to my AMEX. Dealing with SU will try your patience especially if you are accustomed to North America ways of customer service. It's not North America...or Europe for that matter. It's Russia and it is a whole different ballgame.

I did not file a complaint, as I was unaware of that option. What I did instead, is I disputed a charge with Citi. But Citi took their side, so then I sued Citi in small claims and got the settlement. It took about 4 months before I got a negative response from Citi. It took few more months to determine the proper process server to Citi from the state of California. Everytime the court wouldn't process my claim because according to them there was no such server in CA. Finally, after I got it right, 10 days later I got a call from Citi paralegal and we came to a settlement. Took about 10 months total. Woulda taken a lot less if I filed with a proper server.

The whole Aeroflot experience, including the trip itself, the the unbelievably rude customer service at the airport, a missed connection which resulted in a placement in a hotel room with a stranger, a room which didn't have water in the bathroom, but did have a plazma TV, and dealing with the tix afterwards, just overfilled me with fury, disgust and whatever else U could think of. I'm originally from Belarus and it was the first time in 15 years I went back. It made me remeber all the similar stuff that was happening back then. I was hoping that after 15 years certain things would change. Apparently not.

woody125,
I'd like to read your post regarding your similar situation. Do you have the link?

Aeroflot is a joke! I have had the misfortune of flying with Aeroflot twice. They are a member of SkyTeam, but I have never received a single SkyMile from them. I have written tons of mail, email, and phone calls. I have finally given up on ever receiving my miles from them. I am a Delta SkyMiles Silver Medallion customer, and I have also had zero assistance from Delta either. At least Delta credits my miles as soon as I board a flight. As for Aeroflot, I will never board another aircraft owned by them.

Welcome to FT!

Aeroflot is a joke because SU miles didn't post to your Delta SM account? That seems to be a stretch resembling "the sky is falling!" sentiment. I never had a problem with SU miles posting to my NW account (now DL). Regardless, I do agree that SU customer service is horrible (in-flight service is well above most other SkyTeam carriers though), but it also looks like a DL issue. All you have to do is to fax your SU boarding passes to DL for mileage credit, if they don't post them, its a Delta issue. I do assume you kept your boarding passes, like a savvy traveler would?

"In Russia, the planes fly YOU!"

/obligatory? ;)

peace,
~Ben~

I did not file a complaint, as I was unaware of that option. What I did instead, is I disputed a charge with Citi. But Citi took their side, so then I sued Citi in small claims and got the settlement.

You filed a lawsuit against the CC provider because the carrier didn't issue you FF miles??? :eek:

That's a pretty ridiculous approach considering that sending the BPs in to DL should have gotten you the credit. On the flip side, I suppose it is a great way to fly for free. :rolleyes:

You filed a lawsuit against the CC provider because the carrier didn't issue you FF miles??? :eek:


Apparently you have confused two posters' different experiences. You might want to re-read post 3.

;)

I don't understand why you're (referring to the original poster here) going on and on about how Aeroflot is ignoring your requests for mileage credit. What you should do is just submit the documentation along with your boarding passes and ticket/itinerary photocopies to Delta's SkyMiles center.

Beyond that, I'd just suggest to calm down a bit. Not all SkyTeam computer systems are integrated, and I've had the occasional missed credit on virtually all partner airlines. It happens. And, guess what - it's not the end of the world. Saying that they're a joke because you don't think that they showed you enough respect is bit self-centered, don't you think?

Apparently you have confused two posters' different experiences. You might want to re-read post 3.

;)

Indeed, I did confuse the two. Mea culpa. :o

I agree with the comments here, just fax your bps to delta.

Aeroflot is a joke! I have had the misfortune of flying with Aeroflot twice. They are a member of SkyTeam, but I have never received a single SkyMile from them. I have written tons of mail, email, and phone calls. I have finally given up on ever receiving my miles from them. I am a Delta SkyMiles Silver Medallion customer, and I have also had zero assistance from Delta either. At least Delta credits my miles as soon as I board a flight. As for Aeroflot, I will never board another aircraft owned by them.You should not contact Aeroflot, but Delta Skymiles!

woody125,
I'd like to read your post regarding your similar situation. Do you have the link?

Check out the whole thread here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/russia/877781-flot-follies.html) but mine is post #6.

I, too, had issues with them. This was three years ago and they were still on the paper ticket system. Thankfully I had all my documentation that I booked and paid for the correct dates even though they kindly sent me a ticket for the wrong date a mere day before I was supposed to leave.

AFter lots of letters to Aeroflot, I finally got the refund for the ticket I had to purchase on the spot in Moscow b/c of their flub and got the miles from Delta (similarly had to send BP to DL b/c even though DL FF# on BP they did'nt process on their end).

Personally, I would avoid Aeroflot at all costs. However, I have only flown Aeroflot on internal (within Russia) flights. This is the only time I have ever been terrified flying - I fully expected the plane to explode because of all the avgas I could smell and all the incredibly drunk Russian passengers ingoring the no smoking rule. Anyway, I have been told that international Aeroflot flights are OK.

Aeroflot is a great airline if things work to plan. If they don't, they have a rather unique, and rather frustrating, way of dealing with problems (e.g. they made me fill in 4 forms just because my bag didn't make a connection). They will solve the problem in the end, but you'll have to deal with mountains of paperwork and/or a fair bit of running/calling around. That doesn't make the airline a "joke"- it's just the way a lot of things are done in Russia.

Alternatively, you can fly AF and rest assured that any problems you may have will remain unsolved until they receive the legal paperwork from your solicitor! :p

Thank you STBY for the totally out of date analysis of Aeroflot.

Personally, I would avoid Aeroflot at all costs. However, I have only flown Aeroflot on internal (within Russia) flights. This is the only time I have ever been terrified flying - I fully expected the plane to explode because of all the avgas I could smell and all the incredibly drunk Russian passengers ingoring the no smoking rule. Anyway, I have been told that international Aeroflot flights are OK.

Thank you STBY for the totally out of date analysis of Aeroflot.

My thoughts too.

When was your experience, STBCypriot? I had excellent internal and international flights on SU last year. In fact, SU is my favorite SkyTeam carrier.

My thoughts too.

When was your experience, STBCypriot? I had excellent internal and international flights on SU last year. In fact, SU is my favorite SkyTeam carrier.

I agree with graraps's previous comments about Aeroflot, but the SVO "experience" just ruins it all for me.

People speak about Aeroflot like it is a comparable choice for most of their flying!! You only fly Aeroflot if flying to, within or through Russia, and quite frankly they do a better ob in modern times than 80% of their int'l competitors on the int'l routes to/through Russia, and are better that about 100% of their competitors within Russia. Yes the SVO experience stinks, but in Business Class, short haul Aeroflot has the best product in EUROPE. Long haulwise their biz product is quite decent. When I consider the fact that when I use them occasionally to fly from Europe to Asia via SVO, the Aeroflot anti-premium, that allows me to pay half as much in Business than many Euro carriers means in essence that I am not too fussed if SVO is dirty and unruly....

People speak about Aeroflot like it is a comparable choice for most of their flying!! You only fly Aeroflot if flying to, within or through Russia, and quite frankly they do a better ob in modern times than 80% of their int'l competitors on the int'l routes to/through Russia, and are better that about 100% of their competitors within Russia. Yes the SVO experience stinks, but in Business Class, short haul Aeroflot has the best product in EUROPE. Long haulwise their biz product is quite decent. When I consider the fact that when I use them occasionally to fly from Europe to Asia via SVO, the Aeroflot anti-premium, that allows me to pay half as much in Business than many Euro carriers means in essence that I am not too fussed if SVO is dirty and unruly....

"SVO, the Aeroflot anti-premium"

I love that. Will have to pass it on to my friends working at State unlucky enough to still be routed through SVO.

Aeroflot is a great airline if things work to plan. If they don't, they have a rather unique, and rather frustrating, way of dealing with problems. They will solve the problem in the end, but you'll have to deal with mountains of paperwork and/or a fair bit of running/calling around. That doesn't make the airline a "joke"- it's just the way a lot of things are done in Russia.

If SU ever gets their own forum on FT those words should be the intro everyone has to read before entering the forum the first time and maybe every 5th time as well.

Wise words indeed...^

If SU ever gets their own forum on FT those words should be the intro everyone has to read before entering the forum the first time and maybe every 5th time as well.

OK, which do you guys reckon will happen first, SU getting a separate forum on FT or SVO3 being up and running? :D

OK, which do you guys reckon will happen first, SU getting a separate forum on FT or SVO3 being up and running? :D

SVO3

Being inagurated for full commercial use in Aug 2009. Dates are still a close kept secret because of the high profile guests list. Still not decided if its gonna be VOVA or DIMA. Don't worry you will hear full details soon.

The terminal is indeed a class act & SU has gove over the board with the goodies. Although I guess if they will have the appropriate human resources to provide the service with a smile.

Get ready to say good bye to SVO2 & welcome to SVO3.

Lastly to mate woody125. Mate your SU Gold will be of good use in SVO3.

Cheers

EGT

People speak about Aeroflot like it is a comparable choice for most of their flying!! You only fly Aeroflot if flying to, within or through Russia, and quite frankly they do a better ob in modern times than 80% of their int'l competitors on the int'l routes to/through Russia, and are better that about 100% of their competitors within Russia. Yes the SVO experience stinks, but in Business Class, short haul Aeroflot has the best product in EUROPE. Long haulwise their biz product is quite decent. When I consider the fact that when I use them occasionally to fly from Europe to Asia via SVO, the Aeroflot anti-premium, that allows me to pay half as much in Business than many Euro carriers means in essence that I am not too fussed if SVO is dirty and unruly....

Excellent summation. ^