LOT refuses boarding!!!!!

[Wayne]

I believe you need a visa to enter Russia, even just to change flights. Remember, three main airports in Moscow: you almost always need to change airports.
 
The only flights being allowed now to or from Simferopol are through Moscow. All the seats are taken. BIL tried to get tickets, but was told that nothing is available until 1 April.

[Hammer2722]

Dude, sorry to say but you must have the worst luck in the world!!! What are the odds of all these things happening to you? Yikes! 

[GQBlues]

I believe you need a visa to enter Russia, even just to change flights. Remember, three main airports in Moscow: you almost always need to change airports.
 
The only flights being allowed now to or from Simferopol are through Moscow. All the seats are taken. BIL tried to get tickets, but was told that nothing is available until 1 April.

Wayne-

Listen.

Rambo got from Washington to Vietnam to Iraq with no money, carrying a grenade launcher, M1917 Browning Machine gun with bullets draped over his shoulder, and a 8" jagged-edged Army issued survivor knife, a pack of bad karma, an accent no one understands, in a pair of dirty boots, shot at, wounded, limping - all in sheer 'wannabe' right attitude.

If he can do it, you can do it. It's the 21st century, man and not all flights depart from Kuala Lumpur.

[Jumper]

Wayne-
 Have you checked the train or bus schedules out of Kiev ,Kharkov, or Odessa?It is very unlikely they are all shut down to Crimea?
It is a large peninsula, with no huge reserves of product, and products and people have to be going back and forth daily.

All three of those destinations are fairly easy to fly to.
 I do not believe if someone wanted to get to Simferopol ,and had the funds,  that they could not.  I've been on both the train and buses in and out of Crimea, they run often, and even with the unrest in the region its seems  unlikely they are all shut down

[jone]

Wayne-
 Have you checked the train or bus schedules out of Kiev ,Kharkov, or Odessa?It is very unlikely they are all shut down to Crimea?
It is a large peninsula, with no huge reserves of product, and products and people have to be going back and forth daily.

All three of those destinations are fairly easy to fly to.
 I do not believe if someone wanted to get to Simferopol ,and had the funds,  that they could not.  I've been on both the train and buses in and out of Crimea, they run often, and even with the unrest in the region its seems  unlikely they are all shut down

Jumper even knows how to get to Yalta by jet ski.

[LAman]

Wayne-
 Have you checked the train or bus schedules out of Kiev ,Kharkov, or Odessa?It is very unlikely they are all shut down to Crimea?
It is a large peninsula, with no huge reserves of product, and products and people have to be going back and forth daily.

All three of those destinations are fairly easy to fly to.
 I do not believe if someone wanted to get to Simferopol ,and had the funds,  that they could not.  I've been on both the train and buses in and out of Crimea, they run often, and even with the unrest in the region its seems  unlikely they are all shut down

As far as I know , the train is best way to leave Crimea. The border check points on roads can be a hassle.

[Wayne]

I have taken the overnight train between Kyiv and Simferopol three times in the past, but always with my wife along. It probably would be difficult for me to purchase tickets. Right now, the banks in Simferopol will only let you get $50 USD per day.
 
The most important thing is for my Wife to get healthy enough to travel.

[Jumper]

True she needs to get healthy.
I would be concerned she is getting good proper care.

and
 while  I probably wouldn't jet ski it lol (although i've gone further before on one)
 I'd consider that there are flights to and from  Odesa / Vienna are operating daily. If trains and buses arn't working i'm sure a personal driver could be arranged, or rent a car.
The roads arn't closed to Crimea?.
It's about a 6-8 hour drive

 I've been through the road check points , it was nothing.
Sure it might be more stringent now, but i'd really doubt  they'd turn down a US citizen with valid docs and reason to be traveling there.

I find it very difficult to believe that M14, M17 , M18 are not busy, with people going back and forth on them daily.While thats an unknown, the one thing I can guarantee,  if my wife was in Simferopol, i would  have that answer from a local and knowledgeable source.

.As far as buying bus or train tickets, that is not difficult in Odesa,
and if she can't get money to leave,or get her immigration paperwork sorted on her own ,  all the more reason to travel there to help her.
As a US citizen you CAN go into the US embassy in Kiev and get help , or a letter to show the airline..etc, etc?

I hope she recovers quickly and fully.

[Anotherkiwi]

The roads arn't closed to Crimea?.
It's about a 6-8 hour drive

 I've been through the road check points , it was nothing.
Sure it might be more stringent now, but i'd really doubt  they'd turn down a US citizen with valid docs and reason to be traveling there.

"More stringent?"  Jumper, the whole peninsula is heading towards a full war footing.  Both American and British journalists have reported being turned back at the land "border" with Crimea, as they can't fly from Kyiv to Simferopol or Sevastopol.  I would have thought that their documents and reasons to travel would be as valid as anyone's.  I've also heard that there is no public transport crossing that "border," although I have no way of knowing one way or the other.

[BillyB]

My Wife had a stroke and is in the hospital in Simferopol.

Someone mentioned your wife may be a prankster. I hope you're not the prankster. When it comes to women, your life with them is full of drama.


Your ex FSU wife took care of the dog better than you, drained your money, didn't have sex with you since the honeymoon, took the new car you bought, and ran off with another guy.


Your current wife clearly lied to you in the past when she said an airplane had an accident and couldn't get home. It's the airplane's fault


She left America knowing her green card is expiring and recently was denied boarding by LOT airlines. Another reason she couldn't get back home. It's the airlines fault.


Now it's another fault beyond her control. She has a stroke weeks after she was denied boarding in a crisis zone she now can't get out of due to trains and airplanes lack of available tickets or restricted travel. You and your wife knew the crisis in Crimea was escalating but why didn't you hire a taxi immediately to get her out before this stroke and put her in a hotel/apartment in Kiev?


Now, yesterday the embassy write you a letter, 10 days after I wrote that your wife should get to the nearest American consulate to get the necessary documents for her to get out of the country. Why are you moving so slow? Before Crimea, Ukraine was almost in a civil war and you seemed to be taking your sweet time about getting your wife out or it seems your wife is putting up resistance to coming home. Two major reasons you should be acting quickly and she should be looking to come home IMMEDIATELY. One is for the safety of herself and daughter, the other is to be together.


Her medical condition and crisis in Crimea is guaranteed to keep her in Ukraine for an indefinite amount of time. You think travelling in her condition is bad for her, think about what war can do. Get her out ASAP. Most guys in your shoes would have already asked the question so, if she continues to put up resistance to leaving Ukraine, question her commitment to the marriage.

[Jumper]

"More stringent?"  Jumper, the whole peninsula is heading towards a full war footing.  Both American and British journalists have reported being turned back at the land "border" with Crimea, as they can't fly from Kyiv to Simferopol or Sevastopol.  I would have thought that their documents and reasons to travel would be as valid as anyone's.  I've also heard that there is no public transport crossing that "border," although I have no way of knowing one way or the other.

Good points and understood.
My thoughts-
1.I'd actually assume journalist would naturally be turned back.
A stray hubby worried about his wife in the hospital, perhaps not.
if anything he might be assumed a journalists using the story to gain access to a sensitive region and turned away?

2. I've heard flights would be reopened the 18th from Ukrainian airlines I called directly yesterday as well as  Turkish airlines.
Yes they may be optimistic about the timing after the referendum but in those shoes i would have booked the flights since they show a few seats available.
This is only what the airline staff can tell you, but its at least directly from the UIA airlines operating flights 65 /61 etc into and out of simferopol.
They have a few seats available over those dates. $260


Public transport maybe closed, we dont know, its assumption ?
I'd find out.
Also i'd find out if regular car traffic is permitted. it isnt a difficult drive from Odesa to Simf.  It may not be possible now, but i'd get that answer.

That is/was my point.
Unsettling times is all the more reason to know for sure,and it is not that hard to find out.
I don't have loved ones in Crimea, if I did I'd be talking to people and getting hard answers.If nothing to be done ,that understandable , but i'd not just assume that scenario.

I do agree the wife's health would absolutely come first, before any of the other, yet in the time it takes to type this I feel i could have the direct answers to my travel questions so i could plan accordingly.

This  doesn't mean I'd hop the first flight to kiev or odesa, there seem other options,questions and concerns. It means I'd know if I could,and a yes or no answer if I could travel to Simf by other means.or equally important, if she could travel through those routes by plane bus train or taxi,  if healthy enough to.

Its similar to the alleged  plane crash, i'm sure you would have gotten solid answers if it was your loved one as to whether there was crash of that flight, if they were involved ,or if it was just a misunderstanding/mis-communication..

[GQBlues]

If the wife had a stroke one would think he knows where and what hospital she was taken to. Yup, same hospital they took the survivors of that fateful airplane crash she was on.

The bright side if this is, at least Wayne had already paid for a brand new home for her to live in.

[Maxx2]

If the wife had a stroke one would think he knows where and what hospital she was taken to. Yup, same hospital they took the survivors of that fateful airplane crash she was on.

The bright side if this is, at least Wayne had already paid for a brand new home for her to live in.

[Wayne]

I received another email from the US Embassy saying that they had all the proper documents and that LOT was wrong!  They have something new called "boarding foils". It requires a trip to the embassy and could take four days to obtain.
 
My Wife worked very hard, long days earning about three or four times as much money as I did during the same period of time. She is using all money that she earned to build our new home. She is acting as her own general contractor, for anyone who knows anything about construction.
 
When the revolution started in Ukraine, most of it was in Kyiv. Crimea stayed rather calm. Now, everything is directly centered in Simferopol and Sevastopol.
 
 
 
 
 
 

[jone]

A general contractor and having a stroke at the same time.  Wow.  That is kinda beyond my scope of understanding.

[BillyB]

LOT was wrong!

We don't know if LOT was wrong since we don't know if they even had the opportunity to talk to your wife. This story could be made up like the airplane crash. If you wife really wanted to come home by now, she'd be in your arms already based off the information you've obtained.

They have something new called "boarding foils". It requires a trip to the embassy and could take four days to obtain.

It's been over 2 weeks since this supposed LOT incident happened. Your wife should've had the "boarding foils" before the stroke incident since it only takes 4 days to obtain. Why is everything taking so long?

My Wife worked very hard, long days earning about three or four times as much money as I did during the same period of time. 
 

Does she work in America or Ukraine? If in America, what does she do? I'm hoping my wife can make much more money than I.

She is using all money that she earned to build our new home.
 

Why aren't you chipping in? How do you feel your future home will be in Ukraine Russia? You'll need a visa to get there and Russia has made it very difficult for ex-pats to be living in their country for any length of time.

[ML]

How do you feel your future home will be in Ukraine Russia? You'll need a visa to get there and Russia has made it very difficult for ex-pats to be living in their country for any length of time.

This is a great understatement.

The whole reason for Russian invasion of Crimea was to keep ethnic Russians from being 'mistreated.'

But there was never any mistreatment of ethnic Russians in Crimea.

Now, however, there is and will be substantial mistreatment of ethnic Ukrainians in Crimea.

Ochka has  told me of Ukrainians coming from Crimea today who tell of armed persons coming to the door of their apartment who tell them to get out now or risk attack.  They are only able to grab a few items of clothing and some documents and flee.  Reminds exactly of the Jewish people in German occupied areas before and during WWII.

There will soon be a flood of such ethnic Ukrainians who are under real attack from their Crimea ethnic Russian next door neighbors.

I don't see how Americans or Ukrainians married to Americans will be able to stay in Crimea at all.

[Wayne]

The men on the expatua forum who live in Crimea are plenty worried!
 
This was a peaceful, beautiful place to live, with nice climate compared to most of Ukraine. There are a lot of very beautiful natural areas. The population is not dense. There are a lot of interesting things to see and do.
 
There are a lot of beautiful beaches, even some nude ones!
 
Now, the cost of living will increase there.
 
A permanete residence permit is more difficult to get in Russia than Ukraine. Russia wants to take over all the Ukrainian military bases in Crimea. I think there might be about 9 or 10 of them.
 
It really messes up our plans!

[pokerintherear]

Parliament announced they would nationalize all Ukraine property and asked the United Nations to recognize them as an independent nation. The UN Security Council met on Sunday to pass a resolution that condemned the referendum, but Russia vetoed it.

Crimean Supreme Council Chairman Volodymyr Konstantynov told parliament Crimea will disband Ukrainian military bases, but the soldiers will remain as residents.

    "We shall certainly nationalize everything that is here. The units will be disbanded. Those who will want to live here - you are welcome. Those who want to take an oath - these matters too will be considered. There will be a normal process of reorganization," Konstantynov told reporters on March 17.

    Asked about the fate of the Ukrainian army servicemen, he said: "They have an opportunity to get into a normal, serious army and receive good and worthy pay and serve our country."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Well it looks as if your property will be nationalized. The parliament travels to Moscow tomorrow so Val can address them. Seems he would travel to Crimea to address and wave to the masses

[GQBlues]

...
There are a lot of beautiful beaches, even some nude ones!...

LOL.

...It really messes up our plans!

What?!? Having the need to get a visa just to go to the nude beaches now? That sux, eh?

[Wayne]

I thought they were talking about taking all the government owned land, not private land.
 
Does anyone know about land ownership in Russia for non-Citizens? For Ukraine, there is a restriction on farm land, but you could own a flat or dacha.
 
Also, Ukraine is just going to start having property taxes. What about Russia?

[Wayne]

Having read this, I think they are talking about public or government owned land changing over to Crimea ownership. I hope they are not going to take private land!

The Crimean parliament declared that all Ukrainian state property on the peninsula will be nationalized and become the property of the Crimean Republic. Lawmakers also asked the United Nations and other nations to recognize it and began work on setting up a central bank with $30 million in support from Russia.

[GQBlues]

Wayne!

What the....

How is your wife doing?

She just had a stroke and all you're concerned about is if Putin is going to take your 'home' away...who cares about LOT and who cares what the embassy says...shouldn't you be more concerned of your wife's condition? Have you talked to her at all, or have you even tried to contact her?

[Hammer2722]

Wayne!

What the....

How is your wife doing?

She just had a stroke and all you're concerned about is if Putin is going to take your 'home' away...who cares about LOT and who cares what the embassy says...shouldn't you be more concerned of your wife's condition? Have you talked to her at all, or have you even tried to contact her?

If my wife had a just had a stroke, I'd be on the first plane to Ukraine. Something here does not smell right......

[Rob5939]

If my wife had a just had a stroke, I'd be on the first plane to Ukraine. Something here does not smell right......

I have read this forum-drama entirely and can't help thinking the same.

Wayne, have you spoken to anyone at the hospital ?

A doctor ? (Involved in her care) a nurse? A hospital admin ?

Also, Im not a doctor but I am in the medical business and my understanding is right sided of the brain stroke effects the left side of your body. Right sided strokes effect the ability to speak and communicate.   But you mention in your post that her right side is being affected, Hmmmmm.... You may want to google "left sided stroke" and "right sided stroke". The statements you have spoke of your wife's condition don't seem to add up. I would be demanding medical diagnosis and prognosis upon first word of my wife's attack. Have you done this ?

It just seems to me (hope I'm wrong) there are more unanswered questions than there are REAL answers.

When you toss in previous deceptions as posted in this thread hairs on the back of my neck begin to tingle and send alarms to my gut that says, "WTF.... is really going on here ?"

The fact that you are here and not pounding your fist on someone's desk over there (embassy or airlines) with your wife at your side also is telling of other possible issues. Again, I hope I'm wrong but I'm just wondering if your wife is possibly liking the Russian changes in Crimea and Isn't making a case to just stay..... Possible ?

Peace