Has anyone have much experience with aerosvit?

[wxman]

My fiancee, her daughter and myself are planning to fly from Kiev to New York this September via Aerosvit. I have noticed on the Borispil airport web site, that flight consistenly takes off one hour late. Is that a common occurrence with this airline? Also, how long does it take to get through customs at JFK, as we must make connecting flights and if the hour delay is normal, we then only have about 1 1/2 hours to catch next flight.

[Turboguy]

I can help with the JFK part.  I have been going through there every 6 weeks for a while.   There are two lines of course. One for you and one for your fiancee.    The USA line is usually about 10 minutes.    I have seen two times that it was backed up pretty badly, one was two weeks ago.   Badly might be 25 minutes.   The non us line is usually just a bit slower. 

After you go through immigration you must claim your bags, which is usually about 10 minutes wait, walk them through the green line and recheck.  That is fast.  Then you go to the left and go through a very undermanned security which is usually the slowest part of the process.  I would say 15 minutes here, and I have seen worse.  Then you are done.  I would say a half hour to 40 minutes on a good day and more on a bad one.  Never over an hour though.

I think I have flown Aerosvit but it has been long enough i don't remember much about it.

[jb]

wxman,

I'm sure turboguy is right about the two lines, one for US citizen and one for visitors, but if JFK is like all the other POE's I've seen, there's a third line with few people standing in it.  It's the one labeled "New Immigrants", your K-1 lady should go to that line and there she will hand over the infamose "brown paper envelope" containing  all the visa, medical exam results, and other immigraton papers.  She will then probably be directed to a waiting area while her papers are processed.  THIS MAY TAKE AWHILE~![/b] When my wife arrived the first time she was delayed by POE immigration officers about one hour and they actually conducted a little interview before they stamped her papers and gave her the "Welcome to the United States" speech.

On the first time through Customs and Immigration you should allow at least an extra two hours in addition to the hour you need to get between gates for the flight time to be on the safe side.

Just a little heads up.

[Turboguy]

I am pretty sure JFK does not have a new immigrant line but it sure won't hurt to look for one.  I have only ever seen two lines.   Perhaps I just missed it.   Most all of my flights have been through JFK lately but when I bring my gal over it will be through Atlanta. 

[jb]

The processing and waiting area for new immigrants is usually tucked away where you may not have noticed it, but I assure you it is there, somewhere.  Maybe someone who has brought a woman through NYC could clarify.

[Bruno]

About JFK :

"JFK is simply too big and too confusing and very inconvenient for connecting flights. I had to connect at JFK for a flight to Tokyo, and since my since my original flight was late, I barely made it to my connecting flight. The problem is, the only way to get to another terminal, is to take a bus, which goes in only one direction, and stops at every single terminal! I had to get from Terminal 7 to Terminal 3 and it took 25 minutes! It doesn't even take me that long to get to work!"

"Arrived JFK from Moscow on May 15. Passport check wasn't too bad, there were several TSA employees directing people to queues and I even got a 'welcome home' from the guy who checked my passport. Unfortunately, I have never waited so long for my suitcase; after waiting for over an hour for my bag to finally appear on the carousel, I hightailed it past the next baggage claim. Fortunately, I knew I was on a small plane for my connecting flight so I could gate-check my bag. If I'd have waited in that line to recheck my bag, I would have missed my plane. Next was security check and I was delayed there because my hardward on my overalls kept setting off the machine. The delay only lasted about a minute as they scanned me with the wand so this was no problem."

More on the forum at http://www.airlinequality.com/Airports/Airport_forum/jfk.htm

[wxman]

Sounds like a nightmare at times at JFK. I may choose to go through Amsterdam and to Minneapolis. Everytime I have gone thru MSP, the lines are short at customs both for US and foreign travellers. It will cost me a few hundred more, but may be worth it. Can I purchase round trip tickets for my fiancee from Minneapolis to Kiev, even though my fiancee will ride only on the flight from Kiev to MSP? Or is that not allowed. Roundtrip from Kiev to MSP is about $800 more even though it is the same airline and flights. Doesn't make sense to me. One way on KLM is ridiculously high priced.

[Turboguy]

Perhaps I am wrong but I think if you don't show for the first leg of a flight they cancel the second.  I don't know if that is true but I have been told that was the procedure. 

Try some different sites.  I was originally coming up with the opposite.   I was getting $ 1200 for Pittsburgh to Moscow RT and $800 for Mocow to Pittsburgh round trip, same plane.   By the time I booked a few days ago it had gone up.  I ended up having GoToRussia make the reservations to make sure we would have seats together and ended up paying $ 1100 for each. 

 

[groovlstk]

I don't know if Aerosvit flies into Newark, but if so you might want to consider that option. I've flown from JFK, LGA, and Newark all my life and I always choose Newark if the price and routes are in the same ballpark.

[wxman]

Turboguy you are right about the tickets. I called KLM. If she misses first leg of flight, then she can not be on return flight. Technically it illegal to sell any round trip tickets, if the person doesn't fly both legs, but as the agent told me, if they don't know about it, they can't do anything about it.

Unfortunately Aerosvit flies to JFK from Kiev.

[ConnerVT]

If your fiancee (and child) are arriving with you at JFK, you will all be sent to stand in the US Passport line (there is usually several Immigration/Boarder Patrol types directing people to lines).

At the window, they will take a look at everyone's passport, Then they'll send you to the USCIS POE office (just beyond the Immigration checkpoint booths).  I'm sure it depends on the day/time/work load, but we spent about 90 minutes there before we were called.  Took the guy about 3 minutes to staple the various papers together and send us on our way.  No interview as jb described, but that may be because I was with them.

I'd leave LOTS of time between flights, just in case...

[jb]

Etna arrived through IAH in Houston where they ususally have about 8 or 10 lines open every time I come home because as luck would have it, all the jumbo jets seem to arrive at the same time.   The "New Immigrants" line is all the way over to the right side of the lobby area.

The long delay with getting through BCIS at the POE is because that's where her info is entered into the BCIS computer system, and her "A" (Alien Registration Number) is assigned.  If you are with her at this stage you should check that the "A" number entered into in her passport is the same as the one listed on the back of her her I-94, the agent transposed some numbers on Etna's and it took a very long time to get that mistake straightened out.

You might get lucky and be the first one called, but I wouldn't count on it, make sure you have plenty of time to get out of POE Immigrations and still make your connecting flight.

[START2]

Wx,

 many times i have purchased rt tics and not used the return flight. it's much cheaper to fly rt. nothing is ever said and i never hear from the airline. if you looked at aerosvit, their one way is cheaper than a rt. they only fly to jfk. all the other airlines are cheaper with rt purchase.

[wxman]

Thanks for all your advice. I have yet to figure out why flying RT from Kiev to MSP is more expensive than flying RT from MSP to Kiev using the exact same airlines, and the exact same flights. At least that is what I have found on all the internet sites. And it's not just by a few dollars, it's several hundred dollars more.

[acrzybear]

Thanks for all your advice. I have yet to figure out why flying RT from Kiev to MSP is more expensive than flying RT from MSP to Kiev using the exact same airlines, and the exact same flights. At least that is what I have found on all the internet sites. And it's not just by a few dollars, it's several hundred dollars more.

One of the reasons prices vary so much with the same airline is that everytime a plane lands the airline is charged a fee to help maintain the airport (runways, emergency services, air traffic controlers etc...).  Each airport has their fees set accordingly.  Usually the bigger the airport the more it costs to run and the more expensive it is to land. 

At least that's how it was explained to me by a friend's travel agent wife.

[BC]

Maybe some governments give a bonus to the airline for bringing tourists in to their country... or the foreign airlines give a break on the outbound RT so that more of their nationals have an incentive to travel(and fill empty seats) and balance it with higher ticket prices on inbound RT's. Could also be the day of the week (think tue/wed are less popular travel days so prices are a bit lower. Maybe depends where the plane has to 'tank up' and where fuel prices are cheaper. Or codesharing agreements between airlines that set outbound RT prices for shared flights and in return onward forwarding of passengers of the other airline at cheaper rates.

Probably a combination of many factors that would take a rocket scientist to really figure out.

[wxman]

It is impossible to figure out. I can fly from MSP to Kiev RT on NWA cheaper than Aerosvit RT from JFK to Kiev, but she can fly much cheaper using Aerosvit from Kiev to JFK, than from Kiev to MSP. Once she gets here, then travel arrangements to visit her home every year will be much easier. Too many BS Homeland Security rules for buying tickets, etc. Yea, like we are much safer flying now that we have created that wonderful agency. 

[ronin308]

Firstly, the quoted report about JFK is out of date.   I just flew through there on UAL/LOT to WAW then Lviv.  They now have an efficient airtrain system than can haul quite a few people so getting from the international terminal to the domestic terminal is a snap. 

Something I have noticed about eastern european airlines is that they will typically delay transcontinental flights to wait for passengers on connecting flights.  LOT did this on both of my flights, meaning I was 1 hour late coming in to Warsaw (of course the connecting flight to Lviv was also late so no biggie) and 1.5 hours coming into chicago which meant I missed the last flight to LA and I had the pleasure of staying in a hotel that night.  Talking with a few UKR-US regulars, it's very common to see this on both Aerosvit and LOT.

 

[Bruno]

[user=307]ronin308[/user] wrote:

Firstly, the quoted report about JFK is out of date.   I just flew through there on UAL/LOT to WAW then Lviv.  They now have an efficient airtrain system than can haul quite a few people so getting from the international terminal to the domestic terminal is a snap. 

I agree that the first quoted report about JFK is old, they have the airtrain... but the second quote is from the 15 May 2005... not one month ago... Plane from Moscow with connection and very long waiting time for baggage...

From all i have read on other site, JFK is not really bad but old... always apply some "patch" for make it more modern in place of destroy fully a old terminal and build a new one... but not easy with a airport with so much traffic...

About easter airlines, i have know the same situation... about 1 hour waiting in the connection flight in Budapest because a woman was too late :X... but they  have wait me at the return because the flight from Odessa was too late

[wxman]

If they do consistently run late, I wish the FAA would crack down on them. I know domestic carriers can be fined for consistent violations, as delayed flights can cause back up on the system during peak times. Granted, Aerosvit is a foreign carrier, but the FAA can take action such as re routing the flights, changing when they can arrive, or as a last resort, deny them landing rights. But of course doing that would cause a tit for tat.

[GregfromGa]

I have no use for Aerosvit. They try to overcharge anyone that they think might have a little money on over weight bags.

[philb]

I flew Aerosvit from Kiev to Cyprus last year and had a less than stellar experience.  They cancel flights when they do not sell enough tickets.  When I asked why I was not notified of this cancellation they responded that it was my fault for not purchasing my ticket thru a travel agent.  I purchased mine from Aerosvit directly.  Now,  I do believe they exhibit better performance on their flights to North America,  otherwise they would not be allowed landing priviliges.  I just do not know how much better their performance is on these flights.

[BC]

I have no use for Aerosvit. They try to overcharge anyone that they think might have a little money on over weight bags.

A standard procedure I've experienced in RU quite often and one that will certainly expand worldwide as fuel prices rise and 'low cost'  practices prevail.

Extra KG=extra fuel. I don't like it either but is 'fair'.

[GregfromGa]

I can understand it if your bags are actually overweight.  My wifes bags wasnt even close and they milked her for another $100 on her way to Warsaw a couple of years ago. I called them and they would do nothing so the next time I had to fly them which was last year I stole 3 bottles of Baileys from the back of the plane. I know that doesnt get us even,but I'm working on it. I'll never fly them again if I can help it,but when I do I'll be waiting on them to turn their back.

[groovlstk]

I called them and they would do nothing so the next time I had to fly them which was last year I stole 3 bottles of Baileys from the back of the plane. I know that doesnt get us even,but I'm working on it. I'll never fly them again if I can help it,but when I do I'll be waiting on them to turn their back.

Greg, I laughed so hard when I read this that I spilled my coffee on my keyboard! Maybe we ought to start a crusade against Aerosvit and liberate as much Bailey's as possible--we can call ourselves The BaileySvit Brigade 

[anono]

i think i've flown RT twice now, JFK-KBP aerosvit.

it is one less leg for me. i used to have to catch three flights from STL to get to KBP.

on these two trips, the JFK to KBP was not packed like the flights home. it is not as nice as the lufthanza airplanes but they are ok. i remember my aisle of seats did not have working headphone jacks for the movie. it's a little more relaxed and laid back. i did sit next to a ukrainian man on one flight home. it happened to be my birthday so he invited me to join him in the chicken and vodka he brought aboard.

when i go through passport control and customs at JFK, usually i am "fast tracked" and given some colored card that allows me to drop off my suitcase and get checked in for my connecting flight to STL. once my luggage was delayed a day but on the trip home that is never a problem. i have all i need at home and carry my notebook and other necessities in my carry-on. the airline delivers it to my home the next day. i plan on it being late. i just want to catch my connecting flight.

the only hassle with the airtrain thing is you have to know what terminal you need to go to. it was not clearly marked which terminal for which airline. i lucked out with a guess.

aerosvit is ok, i guess, it's just another long jet ride.

[wxman]

I have checked the KLM web site. If you click on Ukraine as your country, and then select flight, the round trip ticket from Kiev to MSP is much cheaper than if you went through KLM using US web site. The only problem, I fill out pasenger names for tickets, and then when I go to pay with credit card, it assumes the same person is paying and has Ukraine address. I have not gone past that as I do not want ot get charged yet. They also have a phone number I can call, and I will use that if cc entry does not work. I do not know if they will allow me to purchase since I am in US, if not, I can have my fiance purchase in Ukraine. So KLM is just a cheap as Aerosvit if one purchases tickets from KLM Ukraine site, or in person at KLM in Ukraine.  

[soaring16]

Amazing the differences in prices you find on the net.

Take a look at this web page from AeroSvit. Looks like it hasn't been updated for quite some time but check out the prices.

http://aerosvit.ua/eng/actions/

 

Bob

[dorogoyroberto]

Those prices are for round trips originating in Kiev...

Roberto

[soaring16]

That was the point! Cheaper one direction than the other.

When I first saw those prices I checked into JFK to Kiev round trip and they were double for the same flights..

[dorogoyroberto]

The difference, as my travel agent back in New York, is that airport fees are lower at Borispol than they are at Kennedy...rather does work out better for me, true...

Roberto

[Michelangelo]

My experience with aerosvit was good.  I took their JFK/Kiev flight and Kiev/JFK flights in April 2005.  The plane was new, clean and service and food was good.  It left on time from both JFK and Kiev and arrived early.  

[Son of Clyde]

The prices are probably higher during the summer months.

My lady paid a lot more for her round trip tickets originating in Kiev to JFK airport.

Maybe that link shows prices for November and not July.

I am afraid to say what I paid for her tickets.

[GQBlues]

wxman-

I'm less forgiving on certain things in life when there are 'options' available. The airline industry is one of them. When I flew Aeroflot last, I vowed to never again use them if other companies are available - EVEN if I had to pay a higher price. IMO - this is just me. It wasn't so much about their scheduling, but rather their 'ground' business/public relations.

jb said:

"..When my wife arrived the first time she was delayed by POE immigration officers about one hour and they actually conducted a little interview before they stamped her papers and gave her the "Welcome to the United States" speech...."

WOW jb, once again, you're right on the money. That is exactly what happened to my girlfriend. She came through LAX. I thought LAX officials just gave people causes of frustration, but in reading your post, it did eased a bit of my frustration why she had to go through that again.

 

[jb]

Matt,

Perhaps it would be instructive to remind everyone that the U.S.State Dept gives out the visas, but the BCIS has the final word on who gets into the country.  A person having acquired a visa is still not assured they will gain entry.

Hence the little interview at the POE.

[BC]

Take it as a compliment.. BCIS only interviews the good lookin gals at port

jfobst

[GQBlues]

jb/BC-

Not to take anything away from wxman's thread, but her Moscow interview were met with a lot of 'inappropriate' lines of questioning/remarks...

She was 'asked' why a young, beautiful woman like her would want to marry at this point in her life....then added, there'd be a lot fo things she's bound to miss in her life....then asked her how many 'boyfriends' she had before we met, etc....

Then when he found out on one of my email, where I asked if she received the money, he asked her how much and what she did with it? (I was sending her 2,500 rubles/month - 80-100 USD) It's not much money but it bugs me why he would even asked how she spent it...

I'm not lost in my duties and obligations of the laws in our country. I strongly abide by them (for the most part), but I just felt I dotted my 'i's and crossed my 't's, and while it's OK for them to exercise their duties as interviewer; I believe that the chosen lines of questioning were way off the intent of the interview....