FaBSy

Hey there,

as I am relatively new to the FF community I noticed one thing which I don't really understand.
Due to being part of the AF/KLM FFP I do some segment runs do keep my status. In Russia it is very cheap to do LED-SVO/VKO a few times a day.
But looking at the ticket prices now I am very suprised.
When I booked the flights in the winter for (February/March) the price was 3200 RUB. Now when I look up the prices for the same months it is up to 5500 RUB. I checked the pricing over the last months and came to notice that when they changed to summer schedule all the prices went up. But I am also pretty sure that when they change to winter schedule again (October?) the flights will be cheap again. Could anybody explain me that?

And second question. Does anybody who is SkyTeam Elite Plus member (not in the Aeroflot Bonus Program) know if you can use all the domestic russian lounges ( http://www.aeroflot.ru/ru-en/information/airport/lounge ). You find a list at the buttom of the page. (With the Skyteam rules applied). Most of the lounges are not being displayed at the Skyteam page nor at my FFP's page. Would it mean I got no access then? The Aeroflot page says " ou may use our lounges (four hours before departure), if you are:- an Elite Plus Bonus cardholder of any SkyTeam Alliance partner". And my russian is too bad to ask at the lounge. One time I tried to ask I only got the answer: Business or Priority Pass, though the lounge is displayed at their website.

Productivity

Prices aren't based on underlying cost once they are beyond that point, they are based on what the market will pay. I imagine the market will pay a lot more in summer.

Ditto

The page you linked indicate that as a STE+ you do not get lounge access on domestic only sectors...

FaBSy

I know that, but assuming I always have a international connection via SVO I normally should have access at a province airport because of my same day international connection.

And to the first comment: I know people will pay a lot more in summer. But I don't get it how a flight on e.g. 31 Januar 2018 costs 100€ now, but when I book it in October it will only cost 50€
I mean I don't care that.. but for some segment-runners it may be good to know.

OpenSky

Check the Republics. Kazan and Ufa. , in addition to MSK and SpB

There's a deal with the federal government re: airfare tariffs. Also Aeroflot operates and Kazan-FRA flight specifically for the Tatar Government also ( to support industry)

Kazan is worth spending the night btw, if only to check it out.

Also it goes without saying that flights from Russia to the "territory" of Crimea is also attractively priced for the local market.

FaBSy

I know Tartastan pretty well, but my standard airport there is Nizhnekamsk(NBC) and not Kazan But even there notice a lot of germans..may be a good place to find a job there. Don't really want to fly to Kazan to take a few hours taxi then.. Always fearing for my life when being in a taxi in russia

Chuvash

From experience even though it says you don't get access, 9/10 they'll let you in because they are not aware of this rule. The only time I've had an issue was flying entirely domestic US itineraries on DL and that's because most F pax flying domestic don't get lounge access so the lounge dragons know about this rule.