Hello from Turkmenistan! Well, okay, hello from India… you thought you were going to get Wi-Fi at Ashgabat Airport? Lol. I am downright giddy, as I just fulfilled an avgeek dream I’ve had for years, which is to fly with Turkmenistan Airlines! Specifically, I flew the carrier’s ex-Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER on the 4hr35min flight from Frankfurt (FRA) to Ashgabat (ASB).
My conclusion? I demand my money back (even though I paid “just” $1,000 for my full fare one-way business class ticket from Frankfurt to Delhi)! The flight was way too normal for my liking. I was expecting to be reporting back from a prison in Turkmenistan, awaiting deportation to North Korea, ideally on an Air Koryo codeshare flight (okay, I’m kidding, before anyone yells at me).
Instead, I had a rather pleasant, drama-free flight, and it was only mildly strange… I even got tucked in when it was time to sleep, due to my own awkwardness. Heck, I took dozens and dozens of pictures, and no one yelled at me. This isn’t what I signed up for!!!
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However, arguably Turkmenistan Airlines is one of the most mysterious airlines in the world, and for years I’ve been talking about how I want to fly the airline. That largely comes down to the country, Turkmenistan. Side note — it’s a very rich country, with the world’s fourth largest natural gas reserves (even if you wouldn’t know about the wealth based on how individuals live).
More interestingly, though, it’s also one of the world’s most secretive countries. I’ve heard it described as the North Korea of the “stans,” in terms of travel restrictions, censorship, etc. For example, you can only visit the country as a tourist if you have a guide with you at all times.
So I’ve been curious to fly with the airline. The carrier operates a limited network to Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and within Central Asia. I’ve largely heard that the carrier’s flights are mostly empty, and the primary motivation for the network is to move cargo. I’ve also heard that the onboard experience is just bizarre, that no pictures are allowed, and that Ashgabat Airport is a ghost town, with essentially a 1:1 ratio between passengers and guards.
So, how was my Turkmenistan Airlines business class flight?
I’m going to keep this section brief, so that there’s still a little “meat” to the full flight review, which I’ll publish soon.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
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