Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Global Airline Alliances > SkyTeam
Reload this Page >

Getting rid of SU's Tupolev 154s

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Getting rid of SU's Tupolev 154s

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 25, 2008, 12:33 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MOW
Programs: KLM Flying Dutchman forever, bmi Diamond Club (is there a theme here?), LH, BA, EK, DL nobody
Posts: 1,877
Thumbs up Getting rid of SU's Tupolev 154s

Now that the summer schedule is loaded, here are some of the highlights for anyone who wants to see the Tupolevs gone for good. This is based on a post on some Russian aviation forum but judging by the few routes I checked it should be all true.

The routes from SVO where they are replacing the Tupolevs with the A319/320/321 and the switchover date:

DAM, IKT (flights SU747/748 and SU749/750) - March, 30
KGD (will be served by wet-leased B735's, flights SU751/752, SU753/754, SU757/758) - March, 30
ZAG - May, 25
BEG - July, 1
OSL, KBP (flight SU183/184) - August, 20
KRR (flight SU771/772) - September, 25

All of the network should be Tupolev-free by January, 1, 2009.

In other news - AMS will get a second daily flight (A320) starting on June, 28 (to the total of 4 with the KLM code shares), KEJ will get a second daily (Tupolev 154) starting on March, 26, PRG gets a third daily flight (A320), STO and HEL each get a second daily flight (A320) and UUS is going daily from May, 17.

Hope it helps
apoivre is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2008, 12:57 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: DFW
Programs: OWE AA EXP;*A TK Gold; Marriott LTT; Hyatt Globalist; IHG Plat; National VIP
Posts: 3,097
Thats great news! I was happy when they got rid of Tu-134's, but now 154's will be gone also! Thats great, as I really enjoy their new Airbus planes, nice, clean, and new. Good going, SU!

Second daily to AMS is great also, as this is my main connecting point usually (along with FRA and CDG (yuck!)). Any ideas on what the timing of the flights to and from AMS will be now?
asnovici is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2008, 1:37 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SXB
Programs: FB Silver, BA Silver, BD Gold rememberer, IHG Diamond Royal Ambassador, Hilton and Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,583
So, what are options to fly Tu134 and Tu154 left next year? I missed the Concorde, so... I'd really like to fly something exotic...
Richelieu is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2008, 2:06 pm
  #4  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: 10 months VLC, 2 months everywhere else
Programs: *A
Posts: 3,770
Great news, my opinion of Aeroflot gets better, little by little. Will miss the old bucket of bolts, though.
GuyverII is offline  
Old Feb 25, 2008, 4:38 pm
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MOW
Programs: KLM Flying Dutchman forever, bmi Diamond Club (is there a theme here?), LH, BA, EK, DL nobody
Posts: 1,877
Originally Posted by Richelieu
So, what are options to fly Tu134 and Tu154 left next year? I missed the Concorde, so... I'd really like to fly something exotic...
So that's what it takes, Votre Eminence, to make you finally post something on FT? You must be really busy - when you're not having lunch with AF management, that is

Two of Aeroflot's 134s have been refurbished for their business charter operations, Aeroflot Plus - and they are quite nice, or so I heard. And both the smaller Tupolev and the biggish one will long be flying with other Russian airlines - so just come over here and have some fun. (Incidentally, I'm looking at flying the only Antonov 2 left in regular scheduled service in Russia come summer. Want to tag along?)

Last edited by apoivre; Feb 25, 2008 at 4:43 pm
apoivre is offline  
Old Feb 26, 2008, 11:44 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SXB
Programs: FB Silver, BA Silver, BD Gold rememberer, IHG Diamond Royal Ambassador, Hilton and Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,583
Originally Posted by apoivre
(Incidentally, I'm looking at flying the only Antonov 2 left in regular scheduled service in Russia come summer. Want to tag along?)

Indeed. I was looking into options for my summer holidays, and planing an holiday to fly interesting bird could fit the bill... And I might know some other FTer who might love it... On what route is it operating?

On a side note, applying for a visa, I'll have to specify where I'll be staying, which might be denied with a very unusual route...
Richelieu is offline  
Old Feb 26, 2008, 12:54 pm
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MOW
Programs: KLM Flying Dutchman forever, bmi Diamond Club (is there a theme here?), LH, BA, EK, DL nobody
Posts: 1,877
Originally Posted by Richelieu
Indeed. I was looking into options for my summer holidays, and planing an holiday to fly interesting bird could fit the bill... And I might know some other FTer who might love it... On what route is it operating?

On a side note, applying for a visa, I'll have to specify where I'll be staying, which might be denied with a very unusual route...
I believe you can get away with only specifying Moscow and StPete on your visa application. Anyway, there's nothing unusual in going to Kostroma, an old town on the Volga everyone sees as part of their Golden Ring tour. The bird should be flying out of the local airport to a couple of isolated villages in the wild north-eastern portion of Kostroma oblast. They only reinstated the flight last summer and it was full of local aviation fans. You can see some pics on this Russian blog. It's only 5-6 hours by night train from Moscow to Kostroma and then you can be back in Moscow the next day. Or take a boat down the Volga.

We could probably base our long-awaited Moscow DO around this?
apoivre is offline  
Old Feb 26, 2008, 3:24 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SXB
Programs: FB Silver, BA Silver, BD Gold rememberer, IHG Diamond Royal Ambassador, Hilton and Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,583
Originally Posted by apoivre
We could probably base our long-awaited Moscow DO around this?
That would be an interesting twist. On the other hand, the do would be limited to 12 attendees total. Beginning of september, why not...
Richelieu is offline  
Old Feb 26, 2008, 7:04 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: BA Gold, A3*G
Posts: 1,121
Hoping to see the Sukhoi Superjet soon
sjefenole is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2008, 3:35 pm
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: New York/Moscow
Programs: Aeroflot Gold, DL Silver, Marriott Gold, Global Entry, NEXUS
Posts: 243
Arrow "Unusual route" for Russian Visa

Originally Posted by apoivre
On a side note, applying for a visa, I'll have to specify where I'll be staying, which might be denied with a very unusual route...

I believe you can get away with only specifying Moscow and StPete on your visa application.
I run a travel company in the US, focused on Russian/FSU travel, and can tell you that the problem with an 'unusual' destination isn't in getting the visa (generally), it's in registering it. As another poster said, Kostroma is not an unusual destination.

Marc David Miller
[email protected]
MaecDavidMiller is offline  
Old May 6, 2008, 3:43 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
To raise an old thread, but, what exactly is wrong with TU5? I've flown them many times. Indeed, on many carriers older ones (more more often than not the 154B variant) are pretty shabby, but newer ones (154M) that Aeroflot has are nice, clean planes, no worse than 737s or 320s.

Someone enlighten me please.

On a side note, I wish they used more IL96s on long-haul routes. I think that besides lack of entertainment (which I don't care for), that plane beats their 767s.
herzmeh is offline  
Old May 6, 2008, 7:14 pm
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MOW
Programs: KLM Flying Dutchman forever, bmi Diamond Club (is there a theme here?), LH, BA, EK, DL nobody
Posts: 1,877
Well, Aerfolot has its share of 154Bs as well - these are the first to go, or so I hope.

I actually happen to think it's an amazing plane to look at. But it's just too cramped even for me in Y (and I'm a fairly small guy).

And it's bad for the airline - it's not nearly as fuel-efficient as the newer Airbus or Boeing models. And then there's the image problem - even here on FT, where you would expect people to know a bit more about aviation than the average Joe, most people tend to think it's a dangerous contraption destined to go down the moment it takes off.

(On a recent trip to LED I happened to stand right behind two guys speaking with some German or Nordic accent and the moment they saw the plane we were to fly on, one of them turns and says - and the relief was audible - 'Thanks God it's a Boeing'. Oops, it was an Airbus, but who cares? )
apoivre is offline  
Old May 6, 2008, 7:23 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: OTP
Programs: PC
Posts: 507
Originally Posted by herzmeh
To raise an old thread, but, what exactly is wrong with TU5? I've flown them many times. Indeed, on many carriers older ones (more more often than not the 154B variant) are pretty shabby, but newer ones (154M) that Aeroflot has are nice, clean planes, no worse than 737s or 320s.

Someone enlighten me please.

On a side note, I wish they used more IL96s on long-haul routes. I think that besides lack of entertainment (which I don't care for), that plane beats their 767s.
As pointed out by apoivre, the TU5's cabins are quite small...the IL96 is bigger inside than its Western counterparts and I also like it a lot, but the TU5 is much noisier (both inside and out, those engines are LOUD) and really offers no advantage except for the exotism factor...also, have you ever been to the back toilets? That area shakes quite a lot in mid-flight because of the engines all around it...
lecter is offline  
Old May 7, 2008, 11:15 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
Originally Posted by apoivre
Well, Aerfolot has its share of 154Bs as well - these are the first to go, or so I hope.

I actually happen to think it's an amazing plane to look at. But it's just too cramped even for me in Y (and I'm a fairly small guy).

And it's bad for the airline - it's not nearly as fuel-efficient as the newer Airbus or Boeing models. And then there's the image problem - even here on FT, where you would expect people to know a bit more about aviation than the average Joe, most people tend to think it's a dangerous contraption destined to go down the moment it takes off.

(On a recent trip to LED I happened to stand right behind two guys speaking with some German or Nordic accent and the moment they saw the plane we were to fly on, one of them turns and says - and the relief was audible - 'Thanks God it's a Boeing'. Oops, it was an Airbus, but who cares? )
Agree on the fuel thing. I actually found cabin to be pretty normal.
It's pretty sad that people have a bias against that bird. I don't see them crashing more often than 737s and 320s, wood trim is pretty cool.
I've only had a pleasure of being on 154B twice, thankfully, but Ms I was on were nice and clean, much nicer than 320s of a certain US carrier

I would've made a nice smartass comment to those two guys.
herzmeh is offline  
Old May 7, 2008, 11:18 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,220
Originally Posted by lecter
As pointed out by apoivre, the TU5's cabins are quite small...the IL96 is bigger inside than its Western counterparts and I also like it a lot, but the TU5 is much noisier (both inside and out, those engines are LOUD) and really offers no advantage except for the exotism factor...also, have you ever been to the back toilets? That area shakes quite a lot in mid-flight because of the engines all around it...
I haven't looked into it, but I guess TU5's initial low price price savings get eaten up by high-fuel comsupmtion. Now, the only time that IL96 scares me is during the take-off when every single panel shakes and lav lock mechanism is funky! Otherwise, I love that plane, especially the bulkhead in Y or last few rows where seats turn into 2s. Oh, and the recline, the recline on that thing!
herzmeh is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.