Business Class Lounges At Provincial Airports In Ex-USSR Countries
Oct 11, 2018, 3:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
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Business Class Lounges At Provincial Airports In Ex-USSR Countries
As an inexperienced flyer when it comes to flights out of provincial airports in the ex-USSR, I was wondering the following:
Many airports seem to have separate VIP and CIP terminals apart from normal check-in/departure lounges. As an elite member of Sky Team (Flying Blue platinum) - can you use such when flying Aeroflot in economy?
I'm looking especially at Shymkent (Kazakhstan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) as airport - especially Shymkent as flights originating from there seem to be at least $300 cheaper than Tashkent which IMHO is worth the detour there.
VIP service
The whole world of ex-Soviet airports is just a bit hard for me to comprehend compared to the logic of European, Asian and American airports and lounges!
Many airports seem to have separate VIP and CIP terminals apart from normal check-in/departure lounges. As an elite member of Sky Team (Flying Blue platinum) - can you use such when flying Aeroflot in economy?
I'm looking especially at Shymkent (Kazakhstan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) as airport - especially Shymkent as flights originating from there seem to be at least $300 cheaper than Tashkent which IMHO is worth the detour there.
VIP service
The whole world of ex-Soviet airports is just a bit hard for me to comprehend compared to the logic of European, Asian and American airports and lounges!
Oct 12, 2018, 1:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,925
At Tashkent there is one lounge that SU J passengers can use. It is a fairly pleasant place with a limited range of snacks. I never investigated the alcohol offered but there is a bar.
I have been to Shymkent but on domestic KC so cannot help there. Some Kazakh airports are were very basic; I remember landing on an earth runway some years ago at Taraz, but they have been upgrading them and I expect now most have a modern terminal. Whether they have good lounges I doubt. The international lounge at Almaty is awful although the KC lounges at Astana are now very good. Not sure whether SU passengers can use them as a few years ago neither TK, LH nor OS could.
I have been to Shymkent but on domestic KC so cannot help there. Some Kazakh airports are were very basic; I remember landing on an earth runway some years ago at Taraz, but they have been upgrading them and I expect now most have a modern terminal. Whether they have good lounges I doubt. The international lounge at Almaty is awful although the KC lounges at Astana are now very good. Not sure whether SU passengers can use them as a few years ago neither TK, LH nor OS could.
Oct 13, 2018, 9:09 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2015
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these VIP lounges/terminals are not available by elite membership of airlines , but either by your status (vip such as politician , artist . sport champion ....) , but often you can also pay for it but prices can be quite high
Oct 19, 2018, 5:22 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2017
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I can't say about Shymkent, but Tashkent won't be much special, albeit away from the masses of the pretty small terminal. I can definitely say Irkutsk and Khabarovsk are nothing to write home about either, although Khabarovsk is a bit better than Irkutsk!
Oct 23, 2018, 10:18 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Their services in that link are not unlike pay lounges run by airports in Latin America. Being available to avoid the bedlam for check-in, security and exit immigration formalities, and for arrival procedures including not having to lay out the baksheesh for customs (even when not doing anything even marginally bad like excessive cigarettes, etc.) is worth it.
The most expensive service listed is only $33 US. Arrival handling for $14? Do it.
The most expensive service listed is only $33 US. Arrival handling for $14? Do it.