Transaero Airlines

Advantages: Some strong improvements in business class, western aircraft, western trained
Disadvantages: Most of the cabin crew don't aim for western standards, poor economy service

...fall of the Soviet Union, Transaero were the first privately owned Russian airline to set up using Western aircraft and trying to offer a western standard of service. They operated scheduled flights on main routes from Moscow airport using second hand Boeing 737 aircraft, as well as some Russian-built aircraft used for charters. They were doing well through the mid to late 90s, expanding, and the fleet expanded to include two new Boeing 737-700 ...
...operations because of financial problems. Transaero had their own financial problems and had to return some of the newer aircraft, and go through a period of restructuring. They’ve come out of the worst and are now back on the right track. They’ve dropped some of the less successful routes and although their route network is still pretty limited, I am quite sure that soon we will see more of them. They fly a few domestic routes in Russia (Moscow ... Read review

Advantages: Better than the opposition on most routes, especially in the CIS
Disadvantages: None especially

TRANSAERO is a good airline. It has a good range of routes within Russia and the CIS, and a good international network too. Unlike flying Aeroflot, which serves pretty similar destinations, flying Transaero will probably not frighten your family or make your business contacts laugh at you. The planes are all modern Boeings, the food is good, the staff are friendly, making reservations is easy. A lot of naïve westerners thought the whole of the ex-USSR ... Read review