Yuzhno/Sakhalinsk,Russian Federation

[oldpax]

For those of you that do not know this airport.It is "International"and "domestic",formerly a military airfield and still looks it apart from civilian aircraft.On the International side passengers arriving walk from the aircraft to Immigration,this is a room just about big enough for all from an A 300 to crowd into ,two passport control officers take about an hour to process everone and then you collect your luggage from the next small room!Departures are the normal check in and wait and flights are generally on time except when mother nature plays up which is often here.The domestic side is busiest with flights to various Russian cities,most flights to Moscow are Transeuro or Aeroflot.If anyone is complentating flying here contact me!!Incidentally after flying here I take a night train for 14 hours and then a two hour car journey to get to work.The local airport(Nogliki)has had lots of money spent by an Oil/Gas company to upgrade to International standards but is not allowed to use it yet!!

[Tom the Tenor]

A pal of mine living in Russia flew with Transaero from Moscow to Sakhalinsk about two years ago on an Irish reg 767. I remember asking him about at the time and from a bureacratic point of view the experience was smooth. Then again after nearly 15 years of living in Russia I am sure my pal has adapted well to the local ways of deal with officialdom.

[oldpax]

I first came out here on a business visa but after a month was fined (company paid as everone here had the same!!)and then got a work permit.I believe tourist visas can be got as there is a kind of tourist scene here.Lots of Oil/Gas money pouring in .Good hotels if a little pricey and do not come during the winter!!November until may!I am not up on the technical side on airports but its probably just got enough equip to satisfy whatever agency licences it!I fly with Asiana from Incheon which is OK ,there is a local outfit which I have flown with called SAT ,they fly OLD 737s but the flightwas OK!