Translation of Slavasay’s post (RUS).

Our flight to New York didn’t go as planned. The plane from Amsterdam was unable to land in Almaty and flew to Karaganda, as a result of which we left 24 hours late. The return leg went just as smoothly. On leaving Amsterdam, the pilot warned us that the weather in Almaty wasn’t ideal, but we were going anyway.
When we reached our destination, the plane started circling over the airport. We did this for exactly three hours, after which the pilot announced that he was “very sorry,” but nothing could be done, so we returned to Karaganda. So far, flying back from New York has taken us over a day and a half, and no one knows when we’ll be home.

I have a few questions.

1. Why the hell don’t they change the winter flight schedule if they know Almaty constantly turns away night flights in January and February? I know Air Astana doesn’t get to land at convenient times in European airports, but why can’t we just be rational?

2. A few years ago, the Almaty government pompously unveiled new equipment that enabled “vessels of any kind to land in any weather conditions,” which “is particularly important given the fog in Almaty” (!!!). Who were the morons responsible? It doesn’t work and doesn’t help.

3. What kind of attitude towards customers does it show when I’m sitting in Karaganda, knowing that my flight has been delayed again and that we’re leaving the hotel to go to the airport at 10 pm, and the information desk obstinately claims the departure time is 9:15 pm. Why deceive the exhausted passengers and their relatives?

If I wasn’t preoccupied with this subject, I’d write an article. Could any of my colleagues help me? In the past, when I worked for agencies, we would stalk delayed flights and write about them. I never see that kind of news anymore.