Central Asia frequent flier

Travels with David: Asia, Africa and The Balkans

When the Soviet Union broke up, its national airline Aeroflot suffered the same fate. The governments of cash-strapped new republics seized the aircraft sitting on the tarmac, repainted them in the new national colors and hoped they could round up enough spare parts to keep them flying. National airlines have since modernized their fleets, adding Boeings and Airbuses for long-haul flights, but Soviet-era planes are still the standard on most domestic and regional flights. Although “foreigners” prices and entrances have mostly disappeared, travelers still struggle with ling lines and bureaucracy at ticket offices and airports.