Well This is my first Flight Report, and i hope that you will like it. Then i will continue with the other legs of this Trip that consisted in many flights: SCL-GRU/GRU-MAD/MAD-DME/DME-ROV/ROV-SVO/DME-MAD/MAD-GIG/GIG-SCL.
Despite this is not the initial flight, but i would like start with this that adds a new airport to the database (Rostov-Na-Donu) and a new airline (Donavia) despite it doesnt appears, this airlines belong to Aeroflot and had codeshare to this airline.
Well, it really wasnt started at Rostov-on-Don, but in Shakhty, the city of my wife. It took us about 1 hour and 10 minutes to reach the airport from Shakhty by taxi at no so expensive fare (a bit more than 1.000 rubles). It wasn't so far, just 60 kilometres, but russian highways are not like the ones in my country, so by that reason is better to take some time.
We arrived around 2 pm, and we were one of the first passengers to make Check In. My wife complained about why so earlier, but i replied why so late and risk to lose the flight.
Rostov-on-Don Airport is an international one, but is a little airport. some 8 desks for check in. Then if its too earlier to go to airside or arrived earlier, is posible to go to the second level where is located a big waiting room with a bar, lot of seats and a subway a quick pass thru security that for foreigners includes some revision of passport, registrations at cities, and some questions. Then you are in the airside room that is quite enough to hold passengers of three or four flights in the domestic area.
We could spot some exotic planes, one for me, and other for my wife. For me was an A320 of Uzbekistan Airways, and for my wife a Fokker 70 of Austrian.
the other plane were typical visitors here. An B734 and B752 of UTAir (the second for charter flights), A320 of S7 and other A 319 of Donavia.
I tried to take pictures in the airside, but the seller at a store of caviar and sturgeon from Astrakhan start to complain, so i decided not to take more pictures to avoid problems with russian authorities.
We waited about 30 minutes before boarding started. Rostov-on-Don airport doesnt have fingers to board, so we had to do it by bus, with all the stress what it means to wait until last passenger that could be packed into the bus, then to wait outside the plane until you can do it.
We went into the plane. It was one of the last A319 that joined the Donavia fleet. Despite being a subsidiary company of Aeroflot, it has its own magazine, and stewardess doesnt look younger and bright as the one of Aeroflot. But they offered a good service.
The legroom was tight, but not a torture. (I'm taller, 1.85). After everyone boarded the plane, we were offered some candies.Also we were offered newspapers.
The takeoff was without problems and on time. And after 20 minutes it started the food service. The meal consisted in bread, butter, salad, and pastry, and a glass of juice.
View of Cabin, full house in this flight
The flight was quite normal. We arrived 10 minutes ahead the programmed time.
Aproaching to Moscow :)
The old Terminal F of Sheremetyevo, feud of Aeroflot, subsidiaries like Donavia, and friends of Sky team like Air China and Korean Airlines
We descend by stairs and then by bus to the Sheremetyevo' Terminal D.
But when we arrived to the bagagge delivery, it took about 30 minutes to wait until the first bags appears. I don't think that is something personal, but two years ago, arriving from Sankt Peterburg happened something similar. It would be that the baggage of a passenger of a weird little country as Chile needs special check. But anyway, i'm not paranoid about that, but worried for the time wasted in the waiting.
See more
Verdict
Donavia
7.1/10
Cabin7.0
Cabin crew8.5
Entertainment/wifi5.0
Meal/catering8.0
Rostov-on-Don - ROV
5.8/10
Efficiency5.0
Access5.0
Services5.0
Cleanliness8.0
Moscow - SVO
6.5/10
Efficiency5.0
Access7.0
Services7.0
Cleanliness7.0
Conclusion
A good flight, correct service and a new experience with russian airlines (flown before with Aeroflot, S7, Transaero and Ural Airlines). Recommended if you want to flight with the Sun of the southern Russia :)
0 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
There seems to be little English in the signage at ROV (???????????????? ?????? - ???? ?????? is easy enough to understand, though ;) Boarding by bus may be less confortable, but it provides opportunities for good pictures from the tarmac. No restrictions about that, apparently ? :) It is great to welcome a new contributor providing an excellent first FR and exciting travel patterns to seldom described areas. Welcome on board !
You make strong for a first FR: a new airport and a new airline. But it's good to have new reporters on special destinations. The livery of Uzbekistan is very nice, I think. It is flashy. Your plane looks clean and modern, which is not the case of some in Russia. But it is modernizing more quickly there. The Antonov are replaced by Airbus and it's not so bad! Thank you and welcome again!
Flight-Report is a free website hosting more than 500 000 pictures and 17 000 reviews, without ads, this website can't exist. We understand that ads can be annoying, this is why we only display a maximum of 2 non-invasive ads per page.
To continue using Flight-Report, we invite you to add Flight-Report to your blocker's "white list".
1 reviews
6 Comments
Great routing : the first flights were with Iberia ?
A new airport and a new company that's nice for a first report
The catering doesn't look appealling but at least it's something to eat
Air China is a Star Alliance company not Skyteam
See you soon for your next report
Boarding by bus may be less confortable, but it provides opportunities for good pictures from the tarmac. No restrictions about that, apparently ? :)
It is great to welcome a new contributor providing an excellent first FR and exciting travel patterns to seldom described areas. Welcome on board !
The livery of Uzbekistan is very nice, I think. It is flashy.
Your plane looks clean and modern, which is not the case of some in Russia. But it is modernizing more quickly there. The Antonov are replaced by Airbus and it's not so bad!
Thank you and welcome again!
Welcome to Flight-Report!
KevinDC
Community Manager
Login to post a comment.