Booking Asiana A380 First Class Award Seats?

What about Qatar's A380? I've heard they're targeting a Q1 launch.

After US becomes the new AA on OW and after UA devalues their award chart what will be the new best way to earn flights on carriers such as OZ?

I think there was a CAPA article saying it is LAX, but you are right that that is half the equation. The timing is the question to answer.

@ Peter -- Great question, they've been pretty quiet. My guess is that they'll send it to London first, though they have so many frequencies that I'm not sure which would get the A380.

@ Dax -- Great question, let me write a separate post about that.

I'm booking a one world explorer award in the next week for August travel and am just trying to figure out which port I want to leave the states on via Qatar. The A380 in the mix will be a fun gamble or a lucky chance. New York, Chicago, or Houston, let's roll the dice!

@ Alison Groves -- I certainly could be wrong, but I highly doubt they'll launch the A380 service on a US route. I think LHR or CDG would be far more likely. But I'd love to be wrong, since the US currently doesn't have any routes with first class service from Qatar Airways, so it would be a nice addition!

@lucky since we are speculating here, which of the two flight you think will be up gauged to an A380? And why?

Am I the only one concerned about OZ/South Korean pilots' skills after the SFO crash? Lack of manual landing experience, crew resource management? I love OZ premium product but hesitate now.

Dan: My feelings exactly. After Lucky's experience on RJ I'm a little surprised at his being ready to try OZ.

Why not ICN-JFK to compete with Korean air? or on FRA route?

Since CDG and LHR dont already have F service I cant see them putting it on those.

@ Andrew -- I would guess the 747, and perhaps the 777 frequency will be discontinued (though I doubt it).

@ Dan @ pssteve -- Yeah, it concerns me somewhat as well. And perhaps I'm *too* much over my Royal Jordanian experience as of a few months ago.

At the same time, statistically flying these airlines is still extremely safe, even if it's the planes (and not the pilots) flying themselves.

@ Mike S. -- Well the 777 they currently fly to New York has 243 seats, so I have a hard time imagining they'd want to double capacity overnight. I guess it's possible, but I highly doubt it. Meanwhile the 747 has 359 seats, so it would represent less of an increase in capacity, and therefore be lower risk.

I wouldn't be surprised to see them eventually fly the A380 to New York, though.

Hi Lucky - Just as a discussion pt...

I was curiously looking @ JFK-ICN flight per ANA tool and on Asiana itself... what I found was the new FC class cabin plane that's miscategorized as 77W, was changed to 772 on both website... Even revenue ticket $$ is $3000 cheaper when picking out a random day... just interesting point to note

Do you have plans to try the EY and QR 380s this year?
Another interesting TR would be the new Air Austral all Y 380s coming this year as well. 😉

@ Steve -- Noticed that as well when looking far in advance. My guess is that Asiana just hasn't "optimized" their schedule that far out yet.

@ Brad -- Absolutely, as soon as they announce routes I plan on trying the Etihad and Qatar A380s.

@Dan
The airbus is even more automatic than the Boeings
In the AF 447 crash, the 2 pilots each pulled up the nose at different times, as the controls are not synchronized on Airbus, so each did not know the other had already pointed the nose up!

This is totally totally OT but you have to see this:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/a-942916.html#ref=rss

Don't suppose you'll be in Sydney before Jan. 26?

I booked JFK-ICN next Nov. I hope to end up with a 1st suite either way [....]

OZ will need 2 A380s for ICN-LAX to be daily. So until it has 2 any speculative booking only has 3 in 7 chance (at best) of getting A380.

Curious if anyone knows rights of award traveler when asiana swaps aircraft and you were booked in first and the new aircraft no longer has first? Can you require them to put you in first on another aircraft originating from another US gateway city? Too complicate matters more what if you're using another airlines miles (united) for such award flight.

@ Susan -- Hah, saw it when it was in Hong Kong!

@ The Global Traveller -- Well, and I think that's another reason they do training flights within Asia first -- they wait till they have their second A380 and then start longhaul operations so that the route can be daily.

@ Seth -- It's a bit of a grey area, and rather tricky when dealing with partner miles. Assuming there's not first class award space on an alternative route I think it would reasonable to request that United contact a Star Alliance liaison to have Asiana open up first class award space on another route. The process will be an absolute pain, but it shouldn't be impossible.

@ lucky -- Excellent! 🙂

Thank you for this reminder! I agree with you that the first route will most likely be ICN-LAX and hopefully it will be!
@Brad, I thought Air Austral cancelled the all Y A380 order, no?

Do you know if any other A380 will feature an exclusive feature, like the shower and bar of EK or the suite of SQ?

@ Carlos -- Nope, don't think Asiana, Etihad, or Qatar have announced any onboard amenities yet.

Is there any flights in the fall with 2 first class award seats? Using United's website I didn't notice any in November or December?

@ Greg -- Yep, I see plenty of dates with two first class award seats for LAX-ICN for November. I'd suggest trying the ANA tool.

Hi Lucky,

According to a CAPA article ( http://centreforaviation.com/news/asiana-airlines-will-be-12th-operator-of-a380-to-use-a380-on-us-routes-299970), A380 service will begin May 2014 and on US routes. Does that mean the expected short-haul "training routes" within Asia will occur prior and be random (unscheduled)? CAPA cites Asiana's weibo feed, which may be something in and of itself.

@ Shanghai9 -- I didn't read that article to mean they'll start A380 service to the US in May, but rather that they'll start flying the A380 in May and plan on operating it to the US (eventually). I highly doubt it'll make it to the US by May, unfortunately.

I was flying Asiana F over the weekend and a FA confirmed A380 ICN-LAX route in August. She said the company has sent out internal communication already

[…] This is like triple hearsay but.... Someone on Lucky's blog reported speaking with an OZ flight attendant who reported that an internal memo confirmed A380 service LAX/ICN will commence in August. http://boardingarea.com/onemileatati...s-award-seats/ […]

Just booked LAX to ICN Business Class(Award Miles)on OZ201 for Nov and it will be the A380-800!
More information is now available on Asiana's website.