FLYMSY

Google knows.

sosafan

I was in St. Petersburg (LED) this week, on a Lufthansa flight, and my wife and I went to the "Pulkova Lounge" which had Lufthansa on the sign out front. They were going to let me in, but not my wife. They said that Lufthansa doesn't allow a guest. Apparently *A lounges are supposed to allow a guest, but not necessarily an airport lounge. I'm pretty sure that if it wasn't a Lufthansa flight (or another airline on the sign) they wouldn't have let me in either. I'm actually glad they wouldn't let us in, because it was smoky.

spkg

Do i need my 1p card to enter the LH or LX lounge, or will my boarding pass do? Also, i've got my skyteam E+ with my NW Platinum, wonder if i can enter the SU lounge, i do have a DTW-YXU on NW following my DEM-IAD flight.

Axey

This is correct. If you get an anal agent who knows the rules at checkin, they will not allow you to board. It is a technicality but they are well within their rights to do this and it has happened plenty of times before.

worldtrav

Having been to Moscow 3 times in the last 6 months I can tell you the Russian authorities will not give a rat's a** what is in a PNR, nor would they even have access to it.

MilesDependent

Of course... That's not my point. Who cares once he gets to Moscow, what are they going to do, send him back on the first flight. My point is around check-in at IAD and getting UA to let him on the IAD-DME flight.

As for not having access... I wouldn't be so sure. At least here in Australia the customs authorities have access to all in-coming passenger's PNRs. That is largely how they profile people in advance. They look who the PNR is linked with (i.e. people with a record), who booked the ticket and their location, what other destinations they have travelled to on the PNR etc. I suspect most countries do this. But, that discussion is for another topic. You are right in that they certainly wouldn't care about any visa notation!

iwillflytheworld

You need your 1P card. LH is well known to be particularly insistent about this. You can always ask though, worst they can say is no.

No, you need to be departing DME on a ST flight. Again, you can always ask.

the_happiness_store

The Russian visa office in DC says it is not necessary.

202 939 8913 or
202 939 8907

ozstamps

As I posted before I left, there was no issue with no Visa.

The ESSENTIAL part is to get the USA UA folks to print the DME-IAD boarding pass or you are TOAST is my guess.

LH lounge welcomes Star G.

IAD 1K

I left on Wednesday on a flight with almost as many crew deadheading (from the cancelled Monday Flight) as passengers. Most were talking about the extra days of sightseeing they were afforded in Moscow, a city few had visited before.

DME is certainly a vast improvement on SVO; modern with "regular" style check in counters. At SVO, I was often subject to bag exam and content questioning before check in and a rather lame lounge. (Not to mention the myriad copper circles on the ceiling.)

I used the LH lounge which has great views of the flight line. I was quickly waved in with my RCC card. Bar, snacks and steam table. Four computers in a separate room.

A cursory exam shows that the "duty free" prices were much lower at the stores on the lower level than at the first store after security.

Boarding was standard UA procedure with local staff reading the announcements from the official UA book o' speeches. Channel 9 was on with the usual 767 whine, but like the incoming flight, interesting to hear the Russian ATCs.

They now have Russian prepared meals in lieu of deadheading in supplies from IAD as on the first week. Like Ozstamps, I was in row 20 with a blocked seat adjacent. Chicken or Pasta.

Good flight, and certainly easier that the connex at FRA I've been making for years.

ozstamps

My detailed trip report is here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...-new-post.html

No need for any kind of Visa I found.

Full OFFICIAL wording is on there to prove this is the case - in both Russian and English languages.

I'd strongly suggest BOTH are printed out and taken with you for those doing same day turns as I did.
.

NH_Clark

Great report!! You guys convinced me to do a MR to DME. I'm headed there on 4/25

TPJ

1. SU doesn't serve DME.

2. Believe me, you will NOT want to go to the SU lounge at SVO. I flew SU only twice and it is a decent airline (in Business Class), but the lounge at SVO is a JOKE. After the visit, I realised there is a Diners Club lounge at SVO, which I should have used (as nothing can be worse than this SU lounge). You need an invitation to get to the SU lounge, that will be printed for you upon check-in.

wayfarer613

Hi all -

I'm flying UA's IAD-DME route later this month for a two week sojourn in Russia. I'm looking for general advice and intel about the route, and Moscow travel in general. I've already read MatthewLAX's superb review here, but could stand to learn a bit more, and get general advice.

-Lounges: there are varying reports on FT about who can access what lounges at DME - OS, LH, LX all appear to have lounges there. *A's website only lists the LX lounge though. I'm in UA Business, and am a 1K. What have experiences been there? Which would you go with?

-Times: How early did you arrive to come back to IAD from DME? If my experiences at the NYC Russian Consulate are any guide, lines are little but a suggestion... so I can only imagine what a security checkpoint might be like...

-SIM Card for a phone: I have a totally unlocked iPhone 3GS i bought while in Hong Kong, and will need to get a SIM in Moscow - preferably with data service. Any advice?

Any other general advice and suggestions would be appreciated as well!

Большое спасибо!

LGACIC

I used the OS lounge in DME last time I flew through there and was very pleased. Nice views of the (I believe) Eastern runway, pretty good food, definitely good liquor. It's a bit of a walk from the United gate, further than the LH lounge if I remember correctly, but nothing too bad.

I don't remember security being particularly difficult, maybe 5-10 minutes more than your usual busy American airport. I've never had a bad time going through DME security.

Can't comment on a data plan since I usually just get a cheap phone when in Russia.

счастливого пути!