Guest Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 BEST-KEPT TRAVEL SECRETS Passengers Just Rated 1 Million Flights and an Airline That Came Top Is One You'd Never, Ever Expect Of all the airlines in all the world, I'd bet you never imagined this one would be admired. By Chris MatyszczykOwner, Howard Raucous LLC@ChrisMatyszczyk Best Global Airline in Europe? Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. Too often, the airlines that win awards tend always to be the same. Yes, Singapore Airlines is very good. Qatar, too. Virgin America was loved by many before being gobbled by Alaska. However, the recently-announced Passenger Choice Awards offered at least one winner that will surely make you want to bring your seat into the upright position. The awards are run by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and they "recognize airlines for excellence in seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverage, entertainment, and WiFi." In the North America region, Virgin America, may it rest in the sky, won for seat comfort and entertainment. Southwest carried off the prize for cabin service, JetBlue for WiFi and Alaska for food and beverage. As for the best Global Airline, naturally it was United. I'm so sorry, that was entirely my mistake. The winner was Delta. This was all largely predictable. Waft over to Europe, however, and you may collapse in stupor. Yes, Virgin Atlantic won for best cabin service and food and beverage. I apologize, I've been teasing you. I'll give you 30 seconds to imagine which European airline was voted not only best for seat comfort, but best overall Global Airline. (Comes back from getting a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.) No, not KLM, Air France or even British Airways. It was Aeroflot Russian Airlines. I feel sure there are those for whom flying Aeroflot isn't on their bucket list. I suspect many might imagine the Russian airline flies buckets with wheels. Yet here it is scooping not merely an award for comfort, but for global excellence. I turned to Google to see what people search about Aeroflot there. The first search question I see is: "Is it safe to fly Aeroflot?" The second is: "Does Aeroflot have seats, as well as benches?" Forgive me, I may have made that last one up. Still, when I look at reviews for the airline, I see surprise, praise for the entertainment, yet objections to, oh, the narrow seats and overly expensive WiFi. A peek at AirlineRatings.com offers a mere 4.3 out of 10. Sample AirlineRatings review 1: Surprised! Very positive experience. Departure and arrival on time!!! and that during a busy summer holiday period. Very clear fleet, Friendly flight crew. Special attention for kids, even if they are already teens. Excellent meal served even in economy class, and that for a flight of only 1 hour! Sample AirlineRatings review 2: Most horrible airline ever! I have flown several times with aeroflot because KLM works with them and they are the worst! Flight canceled or delayed 2 hours before. Even when i had a transfer in SVO they canceled my connecting flight to VOZ without warning or saying anything. I waited at the gate and only there i found out it was delayed for 8 hours!! And what i get for compansation [sic]? Nothing!!! I fear, then, that one or two of more skeptical bent will sniff that the airline's success in the Passenger Choice Awards must be down to a little nefarious Russian interference, be it via computers, hotel room videos or the rumble of approaching rubles. I cannot confirm that -- after this remarkable win -- the president has chosen to fly Aeroflot, rather than Air Force One, to his upcoming summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. PUBLISHED ON: JUN 30, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Author looking for an argument to foster comments....... what a joke........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 15 minutes ago, Kip Powick said: Author looking for an argument to foster comments....... what a joke........... Kip: as it said in the first line: Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo32a Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 I flew on Aeroflot from Seattle to Moscow and I can confirm the service and seating was excellent. I'm not sure what the seat pitch was at the time (B767) but I could get up from my window seat and shuffle in front of the seated passenger out to the aisle. At the time they allowed smoking on board in the last 10-15 rows, but five rows ahead of that you couldn't smell any smoke at all. And that was Russian cigarettes. I would definitely fly with them again. Now as for the domestic flying within Russia - not so much. I felt I was risking my life on every flight, bad equipment, wild maneuvering to avoid no fly zones etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fido Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 3 hours ago, mo32a said: I flew on Aeroflot from Seattle to Moscow and I can confirm the service and seating was excellent Me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conehead Posted July 6, 2018 Share Posted July 6, 2018 On 7/3/2018 at 4:20 PM, mo32a said: At the time they allowed smoking on board in the last 10-15 rows, but five rows ahead of that you couldn't smell any smoke at all. And that was Russian cigarettes. They must’ve kept the outflow valve cracked open a wee bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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