Visiting Belarus Since 24 February 2022 Comes With Surprises… And Questions.

Visit To Belarus- March 2022 

Does not matter whether members of the armed forces of Belarus have crossed the border into Ukraine.  The government of Belarus permitted the Russian Federation to use Belarus territory from which to invade Ukraine- particularly focusing upon the city of Kviv to the south of Belarus. 

Belarus (population approximately 9.5 million) will be subject to additional sanctions (financial, commercial, civil aviation) to those imposed since 2020 for election irregularities and for forcing a jetliner to land and then arrest a citizen. 

Travel time from Istanbul, Turkey, to Minsk (population approximately 2.5 million), the capital of Belarus, prior to sanctions upon the government of Belarus, Belarus airspace, and Minsk, Belarus-based Belavia Airlines, implemented by the EU and United States in 2021 was two hours, then increased to four hours, and is six hours with flights having to traverse country borders.  Flight path includes Kazakhstan and Russian Federation (including near the city of Moscow).  Fuel cost for a round-trip was US$10,000.00 and today is US$30,000.00.  To save, there are two flight attendants for the fourteen passengers in Business Class and two flight attendants for 170 passengers in Economy Class.  There had been three and up to four flight attendants for Economy Class.   

There are occasions when pilots and flight attendants will make the roundtrip journey in one long fifteen-hour shift.  Employee extra hour payments have been steadily reduced- 70% of normal.  The aircraft crew receive and divided amongst themselves 8% of total revenues from onboard duty free sales, which are obtained in currency only- Belarus Ruble, Russian Ruble, U.S. Dollar, Euro. 

The aircraft used on the Istanbul-Minsk route is a Boeing 737-800 absent electrical outlets or wi-fi or proper First Class/Business Class seating- separating the cabin and leaving the middle of three seats empty.  Belavia Airlines had four Boeing 737-Max aircraft ordered; one was delivered but remains not operational and the others remain in the United States.  The Russian Federation will not permit the Boding 737-Max to operate in its territory to a dispute with the United States. 

The Belavia Airlines flight was a code-share with Turkish Airlines which sent an email and text message confirming that flight was to depart 13:20 rather than 15:20, but the flight departed at 17:50.  An email to Belavia Airlines customer service received a prompt automated response followed soon after by a email from a customer service representative with information about the flight. 

An extraordinary moment… visiting galley to speak with crew.  A flight attendant obtains a small plastic tray, places a ceramic teacup and saucer on the tray, obtains a tea bag, a bag of cookies.  Then, reaches into a storage area and obtains a white ceramic tea pot.  Fills the pot with water and then departs to present to passenger.   

A tea pot.  Not a cup with a tea bag.  A tea pot.  Perhaps, count on one hand, if it takes that many digits, to identify an airline that provides passengers with a tea pot.  British Airways does in its First Class cabins on long-haul flights. 

The meal was brought from Minsk- no using Do&Co known for its quality offerings in Istanbul.  Beverage service was with glasses etched with diagonal pattern. 

Flight attendant motioned that should anything be needed, just ask- and use buzzer if desired.  How many flight attendants want a passenger to use the buzzer? 

Seatmate is from the Russian Federation.  Shared that United States President Joseph Biden is the problem- making Ukraine situation worse; Trump would have been better.  Just listen.  Reality- had then United States President Donald Trump earned a second term, and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin had ordered an invasion of Ukraine, the response by the second-term Trump-Pence Administration (2017-2025) would have been similar to what the Biden-Harris Administration (2021- ), EU, UK, NATO, and other countries have implemented.  Why?  Because the individuals leading the National Security Council (NSC) at The White House, the United States Department of State, United States Department of Defense, and United States Department of the Treasury would have been more aggressive than President Trump- which was basically what happened during the first term of President Trump- he would distance himself from harsh decisions by his administration, but take credit for them. And members of the United States Congress would have had the same intensity as they do today towards the Russian Federation.  

Hotel has 20% occupancy. 

Watched as restaurant hostess carefully cleaned a table, using all COVID-19 protocols even though masks are no longer required in the hotel.  Made certain that placements were perfectly aligned with the edge of the table, tableware was perfectly aligned, napkins carefully centered. 

Yana (whose name in Belarusian means “mercy”), front desk receptionist, was immensely gracious to provide interpretation services.  An amazing young woman who could have said no. 

At a castle near Minsk, the basement restaurant resembles an underground vaulted beer hall.  The restaurant has a female chef.  A specialty is chicken breast cooked over a stewed pear.

Minsk International Airport Duty Free retail stores have both Havana Club rum and Bacardi rum.  From the display sign, even though Belarus and the Republic of Cuba have a commercial, economic, and political relationship, travelers are preferring the Bermuda-based brand rather than the Havana-based brand.

Belarus is loosing its young people, its future, and specifically its talented technology foundation as they depart for Georgia, EU-member countries, Ukraine (yes, before 24 February 2022 the city of Kharkiv was an IT hub, a magnet); and to other countries.