Astraeus - What are they like?

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I'm flying with Astraeus on the 9th of August from MAN to AGP (Malaga). I was wondering if anyone has flown on them and what are your opinions. Is there a chance of going on G-BZZA (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/386343/M/)? Does it have the standard Astraeus cabin or the Buzz cabin?

Thanks
BAe 146-100 :)

[starbag]

Most MAN flights are on the purple seated joy that is ZA. Still has the buzz interior and white exterior. Catering is slightly different from the rest of the fleet due to smaller galleys. I fly out of LGW and after flying most of the charter airlines, I'd say our standard catering is up there with the best of them. What the catering is like on ZA I can't say. No inflight entertainment, so bring a good book, but having flown with several of the MAN crew, you'll have a mighty fine team of lads and lasses looking after you. Hope you have a great flight, and leave us your feedback at the website so we can make your next flight even better

[BAe 146-100]

Hi Starbag,

Thanks for your reply, I can't wait to fly on AEU! Do Astraeus have a in-flight magazine?

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[Banana99]

Just make sure your captain isn't called Danny Plyne (or something like that). Had him twice now - both the worst landings ever, and we got struck by lightning and we had to swerve to avoid another aircraft that pulled out in front of us!!!!!

;)

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I doubt if it was really that bad! ;) I was at MAN on Sunday and saw G-BZZA coming in on 24R, it made a hard landing, touching down way past the touchdown zone. Although winds were very high so it wasn't the pilots fault.

BAe 146-100

[Gaza]

The above was a joke.

Danny Fyne (a.k.a. Capt PPRuNe) the owner of these boards, earns his living as a Pilot with Astraeus. As does (or at least did)Bruce Dickinson, one time lead singer with heavy metal group Iron Maiden.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,812005,00.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/09/07/nbruce07.xml

[kopbhoy2]

Bruce is still very much the lead singer in the Maiden, currently on tour in the USA & their new album is out in the autumn...

[essouira]

I flew with them last month to Egypt and the cabin crew worked really hard to keep people smiling. They were excellent. The return flight was very badly delayed. Unfortunately, the travel company lied to us and did not let us know until we had our bags on the bus. That spoilt the return journey for most people as they ended up getting into LGW well after midnight after a miserable few hours in extreme heat. But,hey, you can't blame Astreus for that. Hope you have a good flight with them (the food is awful but show me a charted company where the food isn't !).

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Only 8 days to go until my flight with AEU! I read in Airliner World that Astraeus are planning to get a A330 or a 767 for long haul routes and a A319 for short haul routes. Does anyone know if this rumour is true.

Thanks!
BAe 146-100 :)

[pinni]

Dear Bae146-100

Hope you enjoy your flt with Aeu. I work for them, but am not on your flt.

Starbag is partly right. the interior is still very purple on ZA

The food however is standard on all our flights, the catering is very good in comparison to other charters, and you dont pay any extra!

The crew are all friendly, even Danny who is a FO!

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Do you get the breakfast that is on the AEU website.

http://www.flyastraeus.com/meals.htm

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[PAXboy]

Hey 146 - just to say: "I was at MAN on Sunday and saw G-BZZA coming in on 24R, it made a hard landing, touching down way past the touchdown zone."

Technically, a 'hard' landing means one that is VERY VERY hard. In other words, after such a landing, the a/c has to be inspected by engineers. What you saw may have been a 'firm' landing. Even if the pax thought it was 'hard' - it was not!

My reason for pointing this out is that, as this is a pilot's web site, those of us that are guests here must use their terms of reference for a hard landing. The subject has been discussed in threads in the TECH forum and others.

One thing that pilots do not like is pax making judgements on their landings, when they do not have the information to hand to assess why certain actions were taken. We have all got used to smooth landings and some times they are less so.

Before long, you will here the old line "Any landing where you can use the aircraft again - is a good landing." :O

[pinni]

Dear 146
Yes you do get the breakfast that is described. But dont get excited, it sounds better than it is.

You should see the pictures of our crew food, bears no resemblance to what we actually get.;)

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Technically, a 'hard' landing means one that is VERY VERY hard. In other words, after such a landing, the a/c has to be inspected by engineers. What you saw may have been a 'firm' landing. Even if the pax thought it was 'hard' - it was not!

Yes it was "firm" landing. But it was excusable because it was windy.

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[PAXboy]

146: "But it was excusable because it was windy."

Uumm, 146, I think you missed the point. I was trying to (gently) say that it is not for us standing on the sidelines, who do not fly aeroplanes for a living, to 'excuse' anything that they do.

We may observe and ask questions but the process of landing a passenger airliner produces a blizzard of information and the pilot handling may have less than one second to weigh up a large number of factors. A slightly firm landing is nothing to comment about.

Many happy take-offs and landings and enjoy the trip later this week. Let us know how it went and what you thought.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

PAXboy, I know a slightly firm landing is nothing to comment on. I'm sorry if I offended anyone. :(

BAe 146-100

[Aksai Oiler]

I flew Astreaus last week to the "wonderful" city of Uralsk. Astreus seem to do the hop to the best places - Malabo, Etzion (know to you guys as Taba International), Uralsk, Murmansk to name a few, but I digress

The flight and service to Uralsk was faultless. The landing on the concrete pad runway was rough - but I can't blame that on the pilot because it feels the same in the Air Kazakhstan Yak 40, Yak 42 and 737-200.

Seem to remember one Flight Attendant in particular - the guy sat next to me was a Septic Tank who insisted that the food and ice had bacteria problems - but then again he could have been a relative of Michael Jackson ! But she just pulled him rotten and he deserved it.

Astreaus - :ok:

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Aksai Oiler, was the flight from LGW? How long was the flight? Was it a 737-700.

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[robmac]

Paxboy

Get back in your box and give the guy a break, not everyone who loves aeroplanes is lucky enough to fly them, but I am sure that anyone who spends a lot of time standing at the end of a runway is qualified to hold up score cards !!

I saw it once in Gib, when a Nimrod took four attempts to get in on a very windy day, the entire ground crew stood in front of the aircraft when it parked and held up score cards which said "luxemburg nul points".

aksai oiler

A man who knows Kazakhstan, tell me is Tescos still in business at the Czech camp ?. Next time try to let them route you through Almaty, and go for sunrise at Tequilas, the "views" are exquisite.

BAE 146

Personally the only airlines I am interested in flying these days, have flat beds that let you sleep from gear up till gear down. If this lot fly to Aksai, they are probably not at that end of the market. I understand your love of aircraft, but interest in in-flight breakfasts ? you are a very sad man:D

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

robmac, thanks for your comments :ok:. I haven't got a interest in in-flight breakfasts :D, I just wanted to know what food you actually get on-board ;).

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[PAXboy]

robmac: "Get back in your box"
Well, from my stand point - I couldn't give a monkeys what people say about landings or takeoffs. The reason behind my post was this: I have seen some of the old lags on PPRuNe give a really horrible mauling to those that breath a word about how a landing was or should be.

There was one such thread only a few weeks ago, in Tech I think and some of the young lags do the same! Since 146 is new to these halls and (according to his profile) younger than most, I was trying to give advice in a gentle fashion before some old codger came along and stomped on all that wonderful enthusiasm. I may have been too subtle but thought it best to do so in the forum, rather than with a PM.

146 replied in a smart and honest way and I was impressed that he took it in the way that it was meant. I though he 'stepped up to the mark'.

OK, with that bit of self defence, maybe I am now sounding less grown up than 146! :rolleyes:

[Aksai Oiler]

Robomac

Tesko's is still very much in business - they had a pretty good "Beach" Party last weekend. I suppose your mate told you there is nothing else to do here in Aksai.

Most times I fly though Almaty for business reasons - haven't come across Tequila's - know Soho, Arman, Petroleum Club, etc, so I'll look up on the 23/24 th this month when I'm there.

I was pleasantly surprised with Astreaus - after our previous charters with European, Cougar, Eurofly & Malev. However, it's going to be interesting to see what happens in the wee Winter months when it's frequently down to -40C.

My brother is an ATCO at Atlantic House - his mates seem to want to come here and fly around in a Yak-40 and take the SCAT Airlines flight from Aktau to Baikanour and then onto Astana - they are all bonker's if you ask me.

Unforuntately I agree with you regarding the flat beds, after 11 flights last weekend.

BAe 146-100
It was G-STRA, a 733 and it was a glorious 4 hrs 40 minutes

[robmac]

Aksai Oiler

Salamat Sizba, Privyat

Not my mate who told me about it, I' ve got the T shirt, was in Aksai on consultancy jobs a few times in 96/97, when it was still wild east (probably still is I don't see it changing too fast).

Tequilas is at the bottom end of town, every taxi driver knows it, and lets say it is not as "upmarket" as the likes of Petroleum and Arman (never been to Soho), but a hell of a lot more fun...

Was there two weeks ago, it never changes.

Robmac

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Was the flight from LGW?

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[pinni]

Maybe I can answer your question BAe 146 100

We do not do these flights from MAN. So it had to be from LGW. May I ask why you are so interested?:confused:

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I was just wondering because normally on the longer flights AEU use the 737-700.

BAe 146-100

[pinni]

True BAe 146 100. But 4 hours 40 isnt too long. You certainly know a lot about aircraft!

Enjoy your trip. Hope you find Astraeus to be good.;)

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Thanks pinni :ok:, I'm sure I will enjoy the flight.

BAe 146-100 :)

[814man]

If I could make a couple of points here:

1. Flew Astraeus from Manchester to Jerez and back last week and was very impressed by the all round level of service.

2. Robmac. What you are describing in Gibraltar where groundcrew hold up scorecards to mark landings is standard practice in the RAF at many overseas bases, particularly detachments where personnel will be waiting for routine re-supply flights to bring in mail, replacements etc. In my experience it certainly used to happen in Belize when I was there in the late 80s with the weekly VC10 flight, as well as more recently in the Falklands with the twice weekly Tristar. I should add that it is all very much tongue in cheek, every flight I saw come into Mount Pleasant International Airport on the Falklands got a 6 (top mark) from those waiting who were simply happy that it landed at all – high winds being a particular problem at MPA which often resulted in flights carrying precious mail from home being diverted to Montevideo.

[robmac]

814man

Your profile says RAF Sergeant, and 814 would tell me Policeman, but they have taken away the Qs and given the rest to the Regiment.

You must be nostalgic for the old days.

I have fond memories of the Q in Bruggen.

All the best

Robmac

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

AEU 463 MAN-AGP is now on Astraeus Flight Arrivals (http://www.flyastraeus.com/AeuArrivals.htm) and is showing on time :ok:.

BAe 146-100

[jmc_757-200]

Hi,
BAe 146-100 is a friend of mine so I was just wondering if anybody can tell me which aircraft operated his flight this morning(e.g - G-BZZA)?

Thanks

jmc_757-200

[814man]

Robmac
Well deduced! However “the rest” as you put it no longer exists either. The last WE177 was taken from Honington to Burfield in April 2001 (I know because I was on the convoy as the my last of many 814 duties).
I don’t know if nostalgic is quite the word I would use. I spent what seemed like most of 1984 and 1985 in one of those little boxes that were spread around the Q at Bruggen. Then got promoted and spent 1985 and 1986 in one of the towers!
Stand downs made it all worthwhile though.

Regards

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

The aircraft was G-BZZA, I was really impressed with Astraeus :ok:. When we checked in at MAN we were given a "Welcome to Astraeus" leaflet which told you about the airline and the service. Flight was a 1 hour delayed because it was late inbound from Corfu. Meal was good and the cabin crew were friendly.

Thanks
BAe 146-100 :D

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I was on the G-BZZA when these photos were taken! :D

G-BZZA 24L At MAN 9th August (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/400700/M/)

G-BZZA Landing At AGP 9th August (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/400039/M/)

BAe 146-100 :)

[pinni]

Hi BAe 146-100

Im really pleased you enjoyed your Astraeus flight.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Thanks pinni :ok:.

BAe 146-100