PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11253 posts, RR: 63 Posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 4757 times:
Whilst looking at aircraft to fly within the Ukraine I've noticed that several flights listed a few weeks ago as being operated by "An-24" have now become "Saab SF340A/340B", for instance;
Quote: Sunday, July 06, 2008
Departure: 14:00 Kiev, Ukraine - Borispol, terminal A
Arrival: 15:50 Chernovtsy, Ukraine - Chernovtsy
Airline: Aerosvit Airlines VV073 Aircraft: Saab SF340A/340B
I've tried searching the web to see if anyone has sighted these aircraft but drew a blank, I've also looked through the production lists spreadsheet and couldn't find any aircraft listed as being owned by AeroSvit - but then again this data is probably quite out of date!
I'd be very grateful for any information about the aircraft, and if they are really out there, the best rotation to fly on? Return fares are about $97 currently, so it certainly would be a good way to fly the SAAB for the first time.
JRadier From Netherlands, joined Sep 2004, 4599 posts, RR: 51 Reply 1, posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 4752 times:
From what I remember a shitload of Ukrainian aircraft were being banned due to missing safety equipment in the cockpit. Might be that the AN-24's fall under these.
For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and ther
Cornish From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 8187 posts, RR: 55 Reply 2, posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 4752 times:
Sounds like somebody else operating it on Aerosvit's behalf.
Another suggestion to get yourself on a Saab and a more unusual operator would be to try to Carpatair and their fleet of Saab 2000s and 340s out of Timisoara. I did OTP-TSR and return last autumn - and a nice little carrier they were too
Just when I thought I could see light at the end of the tunnel, it was some B*****d with a torch bringing me more work
Airevents From Germany, joined Jan 2002, 825 posts, RR: 3 Reply 4, posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 4684 times:
There is a new airline called MRK Airlines in the Ukraine and they operate two Saab 340. Besides, South Airlines from Odessa is said to have received at least one Saab 340 and they have operated aircraft on behalf of Aerosvit in the past. Had the pleasure to fly on one of their Tupolev 134s from Odessa to Kiev.
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11253 posts, RR: 63 Reply 5, posted (5 years 1 month 2 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 4644 times:
Quoting JRadier (Reply 1): From what I remember a shitload of Ukrainian aircraft were being banned due to missing safety equipment in the cockpit. Might be that the AN-24's fall under these.
Ah good point, I remember reading a snippet about that a while ago, I thought it might have been replaced or added by now though.
Quoting Cornish (Reply 2): Another suggestion to get yourself on a Saab and a more unusual operator would be to try to Carpatair and their fleet of Saab 2000s and 340s out of Timisoara. I did OTP-TSR and return last autumn - and a nice little carrier they were too
What were the fares like on them, or was the company paying and didn't it matter? I had planned to fly them (Carpatair) this summer, but I'm going the other way to the Caucasus instead after seeing the Ukraine.
Quoting JRadier (Reply 3): Aerosvit flights on the AN-24 were already operated (partly?) by ARP-410 airlines, the repair plant.
Had not heard of that airline before, would be an interesting one to add to the logbook though!
Quoting Airevents (Reply 4): There is a new airline called MRK Airlines in the Ukraine and they operate two Saab 340. Besides, South Airlines from Odessa is said to have received at least one Saab 340 and they have operated aircraft on behalf of Aerosvit in the past. Had the pleasure to fly on one of their Tupolev 134s from Odessa to Kiev.
I think MRK operated the 340A version, that would be cool to fly on. Shame the Tu134's are no longer in service, or at least not to my knowledge?
Cornish From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 8187 posts, RR: 55 Reply 6, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 4589 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 5): What were the fares like on them, or was the company paying and didn't it matter?
Well the client was paying, but as surface transport wasn't a sensible option.... I did a walk up and buy that morning for a day return OTP-TSR-OTP on Saab 2000s. I think it was around 80 quid or so but I'd have to check back at my expenses.
Onboard sandwich/snack - with a sandwich better than BA offers these days. But then RO still give you a full cooked meal on LHR-OTP flights, so buy on board clearly hasn't caught on in Romania yet
Just when I thought I could see light at the end of the tunnel, it was some B*****d with a torch bringing me more work
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11253 posts, RR: 63 Reply 7, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 4556 times:
Quoting Cornish (Reply 6): Well the client was paying, but as surface transport wasn't a sensible option.... I did a walk up and buy that morning for a day return OTP-TSR-OTP on Saab 2000s. I think it was around 80 quid or so but I'd have to check back at my expenses.
Onboard sandwich/snack - with a sandwich better than BA offers these days. But then RO still give you a full cooked meal on LHR-OTP flights, so buy on board clearly hasn't caught on in Romania yet
Thanks, that sounds pretty good. There are absolutely no hints as to the fares on Carpatair's site, but £80 for a walk-up sounds highly reasonable to me, perhaps my summer holiday in 2009 will be Romania!
Nighthawk From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 4992 posts, RR: 38 Reply 8, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 4547 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 5): Had not heard of that airline before, would be an interesting one to add to the logbook though!
im not sure if ARP-410 are an actual airline or if they are just the owners of the aircraft - my impression was they had repaired the aircraft and they were leased to AeroSvit who operate them.
If you do fly AeroSvit be prepared for a treck around kiev to try and locate your tickets! We visited 3 ticket desks and 2 airline offices before we could collect our tickets last year!
DYflyer From Norway, joined May 2006, 674 posts, RR: 16 Reply 9, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 4507 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 5): Quoting JRadier (Reply 3):Aerosvit flights on the AN-24 were already operated (partly?) by ARP-410 airlines, the repair plant.
Had not heard of that airline before, would be an interesting one to add to the logbook though!
If you hadn't dropped out of the meet last year you would have flown with them . Jurgen, Gavin and i got to fly with them from Kiev to Dnepropetrovsk.
Quoting Nighthawk (Reply 8): im not sure if ARP-410 are an actual airline or if they are just the owners of the aircraft - my impression was they had repaired the aircraft and they were leased to AeroSvit who operate them.
I believe they might have started out with operating planes instead of getting paid for repairs. Now they seems to have 8 AN24s and 1 AN26 of their own.
Life is like a book. If you don't travel, you only read one page.
Viasa From Switzerland, joined exactly 8 years ago today! , 1815 posts, RR: 7 Reply 10, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 4448 times:
Quote: South Airlines (Ukraine)
Hub: Odessa | IATA: YG | ICAO: OTL | details
C/N MSN last update model registration remarks former airline former reg. delivered to
225 0 NEW S340 B UR-IMS Carpatair YR-VGR Crossair
Quote: MRK Airlines
Hub: Kiev Zhulyany | IATA: 6V | ICAO: MRW | details
C/N MSN last update model registration remarks former airline former reg. delivered to
97 0 S340 A UR-CGQ Air Nelson N771DF Swedair
124 0 S340 A UR-CGR Air Nelson N340JW Delta Air Regionalflugverkehr
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (5 years 1 month 1 week 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 4439 times:
There's no wetlease information published in the schedule, so it looks like they might be VV's own aircraft. Config shows C6/Y24.
Quoting Nighthawk (Reply 8): If you do fly AeroSvit be prepared for a treck around kiev to try and locate your tickets! We visited 3 ticket desks and 2 airline offices before we could collect our tickets last year!
VV are busy implementing E-tickets across their network (they migrated to Amadeus in November 2006, so they should be completely e-ticket pretty soon. It does depend on the airport set up though).
Quoting PlymSpotter (Thread starter): I'd be very grateful for any information about the aircraft, and if they are really out there, the best rotation to fly on? Return fares are about $97 currently, so it certainly would be a good way to fly the SAAB for the first time.
All bookings in the name of "SCRUFFBAG/DAN MR" will be summarily cancelled without refund ! BwuuAHAHAHAH !
Sponsor Message: 
From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11253 posts, 
From Netherlands, joined Sep 2004, 4599 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 8187 posts, 
From Germany, joined Jan 2002, 825 posts, 
From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 4992 posts, 
From Norway, joined May 2006, 674 posts, 
From Switzerland, joined exactly 8 years ago today! 
, 1815 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
Printer friendly format 
