Relatives or friends on the TU 154 in Surgut?

[WARREN-IRINA 1]

Is there anyone here on RUB who had relatives or friends on the TU 154 the exploded and burned in the western Siberian town of Surgut today? The Russian pop group Na-Na were on board and were not injured. Kyiv Post says "Emergency services spokesman Vadim Grebennikov said the fire, which began in one of the engines as the plane taxied for takeoff, caused a powerful blast that destroyed the Tu-154 aircraft." Three people dead and 43 injured, including six who were badly burned.

May God bless and comfort the families and friends of the dead and injured.

Irina and I were supposed to fly from Moscow to Kaliningrad on a TU 154 in Sept.09 but Aeroflot changed the flight to an Airbus and removed all TU 154s from service a year ago today.

[Neonred 3,564]

No relatives on that plane, but it made me think of the many times I have flown in TU-154's. I especially remember my first trip to Russia boarding one at SVO-1. As I prepared to get on the plane I looked down and saw bald tires with cord showing through. Got in the plane and saw that the seat backs flipped forward and had to push my seat back up to sit down. Started to look around and noticed a really poorly done paint brush repaint of the interior of the plane. I thought "so this is how my life ends". I had just come off a smooth and steady Delta flight and when this plane took off it was like a military exercise. Fast climb followed by a steep bank, loss of altitude and another fast climb. On my last trip this airline, Aeroflot-Don, had switched to the 737's and I think recently changed their name.

[visaveteran 1]

The now defunct KrasAir (bought out by Aeroflot) used those cold war antiques too. I got canceled once because they couldn't shut the luggage stowage door. Had to get off the plane and get on those horrible, unheated and barely seated buses back to the terminal where nobody spoke English. I borrowed an Englishman's phone (long live the Empire!) and called my wife to return to the airport. Needless to say, my next 48 hours were not much fun.

But, to their credit, Aeroflot took pretty good care of me once I got to Moscow. Put me up in a decent hotel. Gave me some meal tickets. Took the free Aeroflot bus to the hotel and back. And when I got to Heathrow, amazingly, there was my luggage waiting for me neatly sitting in a group of other luggage. I love the British...they're so neat and orderly. And the airline, can't remember which one now, up-graded my seat.

So, all in all, it turned out OK. But I did panic at first, back in that Siberian airport.