I was quite surprised as well, I didnt expect it to be on SU level, but it was not even close. I just booked them on DME-KBP again in April in J, will see what the service will be like. Not looking forward to their cash bar at DME lounge.

Also, their call center is atrocious, called them several times to make a simple seat request, first they dont understand the whole seat selection prior to checkin concept and keep telling me i can only select it at checkin. I tell them I am in Business and then they put me on hold and transfer to somebody else who I have to repeat the exact same conversation with. Then they tell me the seat can not b e reserved because the ticket was issued by American. Huh?! Completely annoying. After hanging up and calling again the same situation. An email to their customer relations solved that problem and I was assigned the right seat. My seat selections on another Business reservation with them are still unconfirmed.

Its like a bunch of kids got together and decided to play an airline.

Can someone else confirm there are no separate business check-in counters at LED?

Just the opposite, there is a separate business check-in counter. But it also has a line, because there are too many FF.

Is the business class check-in at LED for OWE/OWS or also OWR? If it includes all FF elites, I suppose the line can get quite long. Are there priority security lines at LED for Business Class flyers on S7?

I don't think it's part of OW policy to let the Rubies use business class check in. I only flew from LED once, so I can't really say if that's consistent, but that time two guys before me in the line held S7 Platinum (OWE) cards (and later I saw them both in Economy).

Yes, it is. All OW Rubies can use J class check-in where available.

There is business class check-in (there is also "no checked in luggage" desk, which is even faster :). There is business class security line in LED, it's one floor higher than check-in hall on the left. Quite near the business lounge.

There are 2 check in counters in LED for S7 , one for elites and one for economy , but in reality no one seem to care about which cabin are you flying in , or which card do you have.

Also, as nekstep suggested , you can go to the 2nd floor , and there is a security lane , for elite passengers , I have never been refused with my BA Silver , it is allmost often empty , as very few people are aware of it .

In LED , boarding (and deboarding) is via both stairs , but they will only allow you to board through the front exit , if you are in C .

As a OW Emerald cardholder, I just wanted to report on three recent experiences in Y on S7, all on domestic flights in Russia booked in the lowest available fare class. On one flight, traveling with three non-elite passengers (all on same booking), we were all seated in the exit row. Two of the four do not speak Russian, which on a domestic flight in Russia [where many pax may not speak English] I found this slightly troubling as a policy matter, but from a comfort perspective it was welcomed. On the next flight I checked-in at a kiosk, and was automatically allocated an exit-row aisle. On the third flight I again checked in at a kiosk, and was allocated an aisle about 60% back. When my BP was scanned for boarding, I was instead instructed to sit in 2C--business class. The seat in business class is like a domestic F seat in the US. The J snack (on a 70 min flight LED-DME) was pleasant (cheese, bread, a meat starter plate, choice of drinks, plus a pork or fish main that looked OK if one were hungry (which I was not), and tea and sweet). Business passengers also deplaned on a separate bus.

In DME, I also had access to the S7 "Business" lounge, which had a reasonably good selection of food (though alcohol may have been paid, at least on-basic alcohol) and was generally quite pleasant.

With two exit rows and an upgrade in three flights, S7 has probably become my preferred carrier for domestic travel in Russia.

I flew to DME recently from KBP on a redemption through BAEC with a non-status friend, and we were both upgraded to business class at the gate on both segments.^

Hi,
I got what is in the policy of the OW for sapphire.
I had some problems when trying to enter in the lounge at Saint Petersb. with a domestic flight DME-LED, it seems they are not used to see OW members out of S7 in that lounge.

I flew on coach but business seats are like in AA, 2 + 2 and an appreciated detail when flying on business, when landed they closed the curtain again until all business passengers came out of the plane.
Also if there is no finger but shuttle service to the terminal, business passengers have a separate bus (like in BA).

Hope my reply clarifies some points.
Cheers

I booked my daughter (BA Gold) an avios ticket in Y for IKT-DME today. Checked her in online to 5D. At the airport, she was upgraded to business class. That's really nice on a 6 hour flight. Very pleased.

my recent experience with S7 was positive: My wife and I, both OWE, booked a cheap Eco fare for LED-DME. The flight was full in Eco and we both got an upgrade to their business class. A 3-course meal and a choice of 3 main hot dishes was more than I expected for this short flight. Also the FAs were very friendly and attentive. On arrival at DME, business class passengers were transferred to the terminal in a seperate bus.

Upgrades on S7 are indeed very frequent,you dont actually have to be Emerald to get them,you can even score one if you are Ruby,largely because of a low number of status passengers on S7. Just wanted to give you a small reminder,if you were upgraded to J cabin,and there were no "real J passengers" (those who actually paid the fare),you are going to receive Y class service only. Was on the DME-LED service yesterday,and had the pleasure of having my own 8-seat J class cabin )))

Latest S7 experiences
 

Just completed two short haul S7 flights in C, HEL-DME-HEL. Service was a lot better than my last flight from Frankfurt. Used a jetway in HEL and dedicated Business bus for C passengers. Best part they give out fast track cards for immigration which uses Diplomatic lanes with dedicated hidden access with no line whatsoever.

Leaving Moscow, check in person could not be more indifferent. Instead of priority sticker (was transferring to JFK on AY in C) she attached a transfer sticker, which had my bag come out rather late at JFK. Lounge is a joke, probably the saddest selection of free food out of any International lounges at DME (their domestic lounges have even worse selection of food). They had an extensive menu for pay for food and drinks, but didn't I already pay for Business class ticket? They clearly took a page out of American lounge book.

Boarding through jetway, predeparture water or juice, however other drinks were very clearly explained after we took off, great service again, but the food was identical to the inbound. Plentiful but uninspiring to say the least. Just like on the previous flights, dessert was never proactively offered but was available if one asks. Consistently odd.

Overall, won't hesitate to fly with them, but that lounge at DME needs a complete overhaul in terms of free food and drink offerings and needs to be expanded in size.