Aeroflot has made a major turnaround from a seemingly everlasting bad reputation. Now a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Aeroflot has become a highly successful premium airline with global recognition, and was even named the Official Carrier of Manchester United Football Club in 2013. This is the result of continuous efforts, including heavy investment in modernisation, and the renewal of its fleet. Now, Aeroflot has one of the youngest and most technically advanced parks in Europe, including 156 state-of-the-art aircraft (mostly Boeing and Airbus) with an average age of less than four years.
Savvy travellers have been turning to Aeroflot for advantageous fares and well-planned flights for a while now
The axiom ‘newer planes – greater safety’ is confirmed by Aeroflot’s SAFA (Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft) results calculated by the European Aviation Safety Agency, the most reliable source on flight safety. Aeroflot’s impeccable performance under the SAFA programme is now comparable to its global peers.
An excellent record of flight safety has been complemented by punctuality. Aeroflot was ranked among the five most punctual European airlines in the FlightStats 2013 On-Time Performance Service Awards.
Convenient connections
Savvy travellers have been turning to Aeroflot for advantageous fares and well-planned flights for a while now. It may not be widely known yet, but Moscow is a convenient connection between the USA, Europe and Asia, saving passengers up to two hours in flight. Aeroflot flies through the new, modern terminal at Sheremetyevo International Airport, which offers all the amenities of a fully fledged international hub. A special transit system, the Hub Control Centre, cuts down the time passengers spend transitioning between flights and speeds up baggage transfers.
While other European legacy carriers, confronted by low-cost competitors, have been cutting costs and services, Aeroflot has been increasing its standards. Its service training programme, developed together with McKinsey, set new standards in Russia’s consumer industries. No wonder the airline received its third SkyTrax award in 2014, naming it best airline in Eastern Europe, reflecting its superior pre-flight, in-flight and on-ground customer experience.
High dining
One of modern Aeroflot’s most iconic features is its onboard menu, created by top international chefs. Courses for the onboard menu are voted for during a tasting ceremony by frequent flyers, show business stars, and media personalities. Flying Aeroflot is like visiting a high-class restaurant at 30,000 feet: meals in business class are served on chinaware with steel cutlery and linen napkins, accompanied by champagne from world-famous vineyards. There are also 15 delectable special meals to suit all ages, medical conditions, or religious beliefs.
In-flight comfort is just as important as food, and here Aeroflot is up to the mark too. All its Boeing 777 and Airbus 330 have business class cabins equipped with ‘cocoon’ full-flat sleeper seats with premium amenity kit, pillows and blankets, widescreens and the largest movie and music selection in Europe. For those wishing to keep in touch during the flight, wi-fi is available on Aeroflot’s long-haul jets. And let’s not forget about the highly trained, multilingual cabin crew in classy uniform – voted most stylish in Europe by Skyscanner users. All this is turning first-time customers into Aeroflot frequent flyers.
