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Tashkent on oneworld

I need to go to Tashkent. Does anyone know of a oneworld route as I am keen to secure the Avios and TPs? I understand that S7 operates from OVB but am having trouble finding an itinerary and fare. Am aware of visa issues transiting Russia.

Many thanks in advance!

Difficult. If you're coming from LON, SU and TK are the best options. S7 flies Sundays from OVB, as you say, but that would obviously require two changes.

How about BA to Almaty in Kazakhstan and then Air Astana for the 90 min flight to Tashkent? No Avios or TPs with Air Astana, but it's one of the better airlines in Central Asia. With BA to Almaty you would get 140 TPs each way on a 767 with one of the older versions of CW. Don't expect much of a lounge experience at ALA however. I'm not sure if you would need a Kazakh visa if in transit and do not enter the country.

Was a BMed route but that ended about a decade ago.

I'd second the suggestion of routing via ALA and was very impressed with Air Astana J class on the short hop to TAS. Other routing might be into DEL and connect on Uzbekistan Airways.

Do leave plenty of time to get your visa. Hands down the most painful and incompetent experience I have had. I was sent away at least twice as "the visa wasn't ready" depsite it being well past the date they had given me and met several other people who had to change flights due to the embassy incompetence.

Do not take photos on the metro!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom (Post 22894755)

I see availability on some sundays. For example:
13JUL14 S7 3297 OVB-TAS dep 0900 arr 1010
20JUL14 S7 3298 TAS-OVB dep 1130 arr 1635
£383 in economy. £669 in business.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swanhunter (Post 22894884)

Do leave plenty of time to get your visa. Hands down the most painful and incompetent experience I have had. I was sent away at least twice as "the visa wasn't ready" depsite it being well past the date they had given me and met several other people who had to change flights due to the embassy incompetence.

Do not take photos on the metro!

I had no problem with my visa. Went in person to the embassy in Holland Park. They didn't accept payment there, so had to pay at a Barclays (I think) branch. I walked to Kensington High Street, paid the money in, posted one copy of the receipt to the embassy and they posted me the passports with visas within a week. The Tajik embassy was a different story - they lost our passports.

Baggage reclaim and immigration at TAS was quite an experience. Tip: you have to fill in the customs form in duplicate, so they can give you one to keep for departure. If you protest, as I did, they will let you leave without a copy, which will create trouble later :D.

Second tip: if you are flying out J, there is a completely separate check-in area which is not signed. Go to the far right hand side of the terminal and there is a VIP entrance. We queued for 90 mins in the main terminal to be told we could not check in there and had to go to the VIP terminal :mad:

Agree re. photos in the metro. They are really hot on it and there are reports of cameras being smashed, but I managed to get a few shots off.

Thanks for the advice everybody. How difficult do you think it would be to get a double transit (i.e. inbound and outbound) visa for Kazakhstan?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgiarc (Post 22895554)

Agree re. photos in the metro. They are really hot on it and there are reports of cameras being smashed, but I managed to get a few shots off.

Wonder why that is. Could the system be part of the country's "civil defence" infrastructure?

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyndavid (Post 22894860)

I always love the "lounge experience" in ALA :D
You get a voucher which you have to spend at the "bar"...however the voucher does not allow you to get coffee + croissant + water...just two items :D :D

This thread has now been moved into its new home, the oneworld forum.

Prospero
Moderator: BA forum

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom (Post 22899237)

Wonder why that is. Could the system be part of the country's "civil defence" infrastructure?

Uzbekistan is a police state - they are everywhere and their job seems to be to make everyone's life difficult. Shame photography is prohibited, as the metro is very interesting architecturally, but if it's not specifically permitted, then enforcing a prohibition gives the police something to do.

TAS airport is chaos with inadequate signage (and that's being nice). Follow someone who knows where they are going. Don't get caught up in Customs lines where they go through all Uzbek citizen's luggage - foreigners should be waved through the chaos with a growling smile and non interest.

On leaving TAS, absolutely 100% ensure your declaration of cash (in all currencies) shows you have less than you brought in. If you declare you have more (eg USD) than you arrived with, expect huge problems (ie you won't be ley out). They are most unlikely to actually check / count your cash. Note that USD cash was available from an ATM in one of the 5* hotels (can't remember which one).

In the end I decided to buy a ticket on Uzbekistan Airways. They fly direct so no transit hassles. Thanks for the advice though. :)

I am pleased to report that the flights on Uzbekistan Airways were excellent! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom (Post 23356970)

I am pleased to report that the flights on Uzbekistan Airways were excellent! :)

Photos please! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgiarc (Post 23357145)

Photos please! :)

See my TR!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom (Post 22972396)

In the end I decided to buy a ticket on Uzbekistan Airways. They fly direct so no transit hassles. Thanks for the advice though. :)

Note that since July 2014, nationals of a number of countries (including the US, UK, France and Germany) no longer require visas to enter Kazakhstan, simplifying the potential issues in connection with the ALA transit option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalf (Post 23374877)

Where did you get this information? According to Timatic a Visa on Arrival is available @ USD 80, but only if you have a letter of invitation ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalf (Post 23374877)

Quote:

Originally Posted by swiss_global (Post 23443194)

Where did you get this information? According to Timatic a Visa on Arrival is available @ USD 80, but only if you have a letter of invitation ...

[KVS Availability Tool 7.4.2/Diamond - TIMATIC: Country Information: Visa]

Code:

[Visa Information] Kazakhstan (KZ)



Visa required. 



 Visa Exemptions:

- Nationals of Kazakhstan. 

- A max. stay of 90 days for nationals of Armenia, Belarus,

  Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova (Rep.), Mongolia, Russian Fed.

  and Ukraine. 

- A max. stay of 30 days for nationals of Azerbaijan, Serbia,

  Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

- A max. stay of 15 days: 

 - for nationals of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea

   (Rep.), Malaysia, Netherlands, USA and United Arab

   Emirates;

 - for holders of British passports.

- A max. stay of 14 days for holders of Hong Kong (SAR China)

  passports. 

- A max. stay of 90 days:

 - for holders of diplomatic or service passports issued to

   nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,

   Israel, Korea (Rep.), Macedonia (FYROM), Romania and

   Slovakia; 

 - for holders of diplomatic passports issued to nationals of

   Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy,

   Lithuania, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, United Arab Emirates

   and Vatican City (Holy See); 

- A max. stay of 30 days:

 - for holders of diplomatic or service passports issued to

   nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina, China (People's Rep.),

   Cuba, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Pakistan,

   Philippines and Turkmenistan; 

 - for holders of diplomatic passports issued to nationals of

   Egypt and Poland; 

 - for holders of diplomatic, official, service or special

   passports issued to nationals of Viet Nam. 

- Holders of a  Laissez-Passer  issued by the United Nations.

- Holders of a Residence/Re-entry Permit issued by Kazakhstan.



 TWOV (Transit Without Visa):

- Holders of onward tickets for a max. transit [[TIRULES/R32]] 

  time of 24 hours. 



 Merchant Seamen:

- Visa is not required for Merchant Seamen provided they are

  nationals of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,

  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova (Rep.), Russian Fed.,

  Tajikistan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan. 

- Merchant Seamen arriving by air in order to board a ship, or

  if arriving by ship in order to board an aircraft must

  travel on duty and hold a Letter of Employment or Letter of

  Guarantee from the shipping company. 

- Merchant Seamen can transit without a visa when continuing

  when continuing to a third country by the same aircraft

  without leaving the airport.



 Crew Members:

- Visa not required for operating crew. Passport and General

  Declaration are required. Duration of stay is based on

  flight information papers. 



 Military:

- Same regulations as for passengers apply. 



 Visa Issuance:

- Holders of a letter of invitation can obtain a single entry

  visa on arrival, for a max. stay of 1 month, provided visa

  is pre-arranged by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Fee:

  approx. USD 80.-. Applicable only at Aktau(SCO),

  Almaty(ALA), Astana(TSE), Atyrau(GUW) and Uralsk(URA)

  airports.



 Additional Information:

- All visitors staying longer than 5 days in Kazakhstan should

  register at the OVIR office. Failure to do so will result in

  penalties upon departure. 

 - Not required for nationals of Australia, Austria, Belgium,

   Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia,

   Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland

   (Rep.), Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Latvia,

   Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta,

   Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland,

   Portugal, Romania, Russian Fed., Saudi Arabia, Singapore,

   Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA,

   Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. 

   Staying up to 90 days without registering at the OVIR

   office is allowed provided the registration card contains 2

   stamps from immigration control (stamped on arrival). 

- Holders of a transit visa must also hold documents required

  for their next destination. 



 Warning:

- Visitors who are visa exempt but do not hold return/onward

  tickets could be refused entry.

 - Exempt are nationals of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,

   Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova (Rep.), Russian Fed.,

   Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. 

- Holders of a transit visa are required to also hold onward

  tickets.

- Passengers holding tourist visas must also hold hotel

  vouchers.



CHECK [[TINEWS/N1]] - EBOLA OUTBREAK UPDATES



29 Aug 2014 / 22:04 [UTC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom (Post 23356970)

I am pleased to report that the flights on Uzbekistan Airways were excellent! :)

I didn't think that I'd mention this beforehand, but when a friend of mine flew Uzbekistan Airways one of the doors came loose, and the cabin crew spent the flight either holding onto it or doing a mixture of crying and praying. This was a while ago though.

Apparently the in-flight magazine was announcing that they were proud to have recently in-sourced maintenance from Lufthansa.