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I wouldn't. I watched an Aeroflot A320 take off from Munich in heavy snow without de-icing, much to the astonishment of everyone else on the frequency including the tower. You can get an alleviation from Airbus for minor ice contamination, but not for four inches of snow on the wing.
Likewise Turkish Airlines - they may have fancy new planes and cheap tickets, but I've been behind one that took off illegally in Jordan in poor weather and that's enough to ensure I never get on one unless they let me drive.
I wouldn't. I watched an Aeroflot A320 take off from Munich in heavy snow without de-icing, much to the astonishment of everyone else on the frequency including the tower. You can get an alleviation from Airbus for minor ice contamination, but not for four inches of snow on the wing.Likewise Turkish Airlines - they may have fancy new planes and cheap tickets, but I've been behind one that took off illegally in Jordan in poor weather and that's enough to ensure I never get on one unless they let me drive.
Interesting, I'm flying with Turkish Airlines in December. And I've just come back from Jordan (where you have to keep your seat belt fastened after take off for about 45 minutes until you've cleared the various surrounding not very friendly countries).
Most of what I can find about Aeroflot being bad seems to be based on old information. Recent reviews seem fine.
I've flown with other "dodgy" airlines, I'm still probably more likely to get killed cycling home tonight in the fog.
Well to be fair they appear to have a better safety record than Air France over the past 10 to 15 years, certainly better than Korean Air. Listening to my brother, who works in the oil industry and spent 4 years in the middle of nowhere in northern Russia, totally cut off in winter where getting around meant flying in dodgy helicopters or old knackered AN-2's, your average Russian pilot is more likely to be far more experienced and skilled in operating in snow and ice conditions. Anyway, just playing devils advocate as they certainly wouldn't be my first choice to fly with, but I think i'd take my chances compared with the Korean Air option, both on convenience and safety grounds.
However, its still worth remembering, the odds of being involved in an air Accident resulting with fatalities are so remote that if you were to choose at random to fly a scheduled service anywhere in the world, on average it would be over 200,000 years until you were involved in such an Accident or Incident - and even then the odds are you'd survive.
Taking off in clouds - not so much.
Agreed, I was staggered by the himalayas. We ended up grounded in Jomsom for a couple of days due to cloud, and eventually went during a "window". Not a big window.