Originally Posted by irmster
I have just tried to use up my 30,000 Aeroflot bonus miles which gives me exactly enough for a return business flight to Moscow (thanks to the 1000 extra miles I just got for my birthday!).
You can only book by phone - they can't tell you availability - you give them the dates and then 3-4 days later they tell you there's no seats, so you give them more dates and wait another 3-4 days etc etc.
I'm not holding out too much hope....the LHR-SVO route is quite profitable for SU and they are less than keen on non fare paying passengers.
BA award availability to DME is also pretty dire for the same reasons I suppose.
Amazingly SU has just hiked its J prices on LHR-SVO. We used to buy at £800 fully flex (half of BA's rate, and equal to BA's Y). Now its all gone crazy, they now charge the same £1,600 for flexible J, presumably that's what people pay! So, yes it probably is one of SU's most profitable routes, just like it is one of BA's too.
On a separate note, not a good use of miles. You can get there cheaply (£150 last time I looked) on LH, OK, LO, AZ etc with good connections. Or £500 or so in J. Ay has good fares too, for double the TP's.