A Guide to Adventurous Flying

Czechoslovakia's CSA is the best of a dubious bunch. Its pilots are relatively prudent, and its stewardesses--who tend to be long-limbed, cool blondes--are the most stylishly dressed. They serve Pilsen beer and the standard Eastern European airline fare of cheese, salami and black bread. On the ground, too, CSA is more efficient than the others. Prague's airport is modern and attractive and has a reasonable restaurant. Taxis are usually available.

Yugoslavia's JAT flies Western-built aircraft on international runs. Pilots like to dive at airports on landing. Stewardesses tend to be dark, curvaceous; they serve slivovitz with abandon. The airline rates poor on ground efficiency, but Belgrade's airport is modern and relatively well served by taxis. The airport restaurant is mediocre at best.

Poland's LOT has all-Russian equipment. Pilots are noted for roaring down runways and lifting off from the last foot of concrete. Stewardesses are stylish, tall and haughty--but there are no cabin attendants at all on some domestic runs. LOT is short on ground efficiency, though Warsaw has a newly opened airport. Its restaurant is poor and taxis are scarce.

Rumania's Tarom has new, British-built BAC-111s on its international flights, but little else. Pilots hamhandedly overcompensate on the controls, giving each flight the quality of a roller-coaster ride. Stewardesses are plump and cheerful. Breakfast sometimes consists of cold roast pork and sliced green peppers. Bucharest has a modern terminal, but ground service is slow and surly.

Hungary's MALEV flies only Russian aircraft. Its pilots are competent at take-offs and landings, but specialize in bouncy flights in between. Stewardesses are petulant but pretty. MALEV rates second after CSA in ground efficiency. Budapest's airport is dowdy, but its restaurant is better than most in the East.

Bulgaria's Balkan is hardly the traveler's dream airline. Pilots do not land; they slap the planes onto the ground. Darkly exotic stewardesses dispense local drinks in tranquilizing amounts. Balkan rates last in ground efficiency, ends its flights at a scruffy terminal in Sofia. The restaurant is poor, but has a captive clientele since taxi service is worse.

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