Favorite Airline

[ChrisH]

For adventure value, you can't beat MIAT the Mongolian national airline. They mostly fly Russian airliners that are so old the Russians gave up on them. The English translation of the initials is Maybe It'll Arrive There.

You don't have to worry about having your seat in the "full upright and locked position" as it doesn't lock. Tray tables? what's a tray table? The unexpected look at the aircraft wiring as we went hurtling down the runway provided interest on an other wise boring flight. If the stewardess was unconcerned as she closed the panel that popped open, why should I be worried?

Of course this is in a culture that admired a man who started laughing when suddenly surrounded by armed men pointing their weapons at him at close range. He said in effect "Go ahead shoot! sure you'll kill me, but I'll take 8 or so of you with me when the bullets go through me and hit the guy on the other side" Bravado does seem to count for something there.

Then there are the flight delays due to fog, even though the fog layer is so low the control tower is in the clear. It seems they have this problem with animals straying on to the runway sometimes, so they don't take off unless the pilot can see the end of the runway. Hitting a sheep on takeoff can ruin your whole day.

"Adventure is just a fancy name for trouble" - Louis L'amor