Around the World in a Week, Part Thirteen: Asiana First Class Lounge ICN, ICN-FRA on Asiana in First Class

So, where are the pictures of Seoul? When you click on Seoul, it takes you to this page. Oh wait a minute. He doesn't visit the city where he travels to. Pathetic.

You sound very stuck up at the thought of having to fly business class

@ Bibimbap -- Sorry for the link issue, I'll correct it shortly.

@ Funflyer -- You might want to read my report a bit more closely (or maybe not just the way you want to read it). I explicitly stated I was concerned I had shown up for my flight on the wrong date. Not sure how much clearer I could be, though I don't want to spoil the fun for the peanut gallery either.

@Bibimbap - Just scroll down a little more on his blog to see the post, it was obviously a link error. Not like a 16 part trip report with around 30,000 words can't have mistakes. And I hope you enjoyed the Seoul part of the TR, since the link is now corrected, because I thought it was very insightful.

@Funflyer - Well, if you were on a first class ticket, wouldn't you be upset about being downgraded? Also, he states he was worried he showed up on the wrong date. Don't try and be all "high and mighty" because that makes you just like the other douche bag readers. If you don't like the blog, don't read it, and if you do read it, well...read it.

I am really looking forward to the LH segment of your report: Lufthansa First Class Terminal and FRA-SEA on Lufthansa in First Class. I will be flying LH in the future, so I am anticipating hearing about their service.

As always, I am loving the report, and have been very eager for you to post the Asiana segment, as one rarely sees reports for them. I am a very picky eater, and have even found LH F food to substandard (flame away) but the Asiana food looked incredible.

Lucky -- First, thanks again for the great trip reports.... and for eating all the food just for us! 😉 You can really see the difference in ground service for first class readng your Thai/Lufthansa report as opposed to Asiana/Singapore. As you said, I'm suprised Asiana (and Singapore) haven't figured out that the ground experience can be equally as important. Thanks again!

Had the same issue with the seatbelt sign on 2 flights with Asiana recently. MNL -> ICN and ICN -> NRT. They pretty much never turned it off and also did the ding dign turn off and back on thing for real turbulences.
Maybe thats their new policy to remind you to keep it on regardless of the sign ?
ICN -> NRT my business class ticket did actually seat me in first (747, 2K) since officially they don't have first class service. I also did like the seat and didn't notice its not lay flat but it didn't look like they were just installed. Must be the awful old fashioned color choice :-).
Short flight though so only napped for 30 minutes.

Thanks Lucky... I'm *really* looking forward to my Asiana F Flight myself now (I'm going on the reverse flight!

Looks a reasonably rounded product 🙂

Thanks for this whole report, but especially this section. Fond memories of our ORD-ICN-ORD flights in Asiana First several years ago. They were definitely world-class back then, and better now. We're finally flying Asiana again this Christmas, LAX-ICN in F and ICN-HAN in C. Can't wait!

Many thanks for your own best-in-class work.

David

Thanks for this report, Lucky: very informative (as usual).

How was the cabin temperature on your flight?

Great trip report so far lucky! I can't wait for the rest.

Awsome trip report so far! keep it up mate! ignore all the negatives,, these people have far too much time on their hands. Dont do many star alliance miles and BMI is pulling their generous frequent flyer programme so doubt i ll ever get on Asiana 1st class, but hey u ve provided excellent detail its like being on it myself! looking forward to the rest and future reports!

I much enjoy Asiana F. Their old seats were really terrible for long haul, the new ones ARE good BUT I personally find the 'kink' at the neck where it *almost* goes flat a bit uncomfortable, and the area above the ottoman is too narrow. But I'd happy fly them long haul in first any time.

The food and service ARE wonderful. The amenities are great. The deplaning gift is such a lovely touch. The food is VERY high qualty.

My very modest gripes, beyond nit picking the seat:
* The PJs arent just small, but if you wash them they shrink to almost nothing, they aren't the high quality material I've gotten on other top carriers.

* I'm surprised you had such good English speakers. I realize they're a Korean airline, and they speak English much better than I speak Korean! But still, I've often had a language barrier that has interfered with service (where they won't understand what I want or when I want it, eg if I want a coffee before my meal not after).

Their first class awards from the US were available really easily, for a long time, for quite awhile. But Chicago - Seoul has had 2-cabin equipment scheduled, and JFK has been getting a 777 with fewer seats, getting pairs of F award seats are much more difficult as a result.

Sure, LAX-ICN is still often available (not the way it used to be, every darned day of the week and sometimes 4 seats!). But sadly no F on SFO/SEA-ICN. And not a whole lot of other routes with it, either (PVG, NRT don't count).

Excellent report and pictures! I'm surprised that OZ served Chinese cuisine instead of Korean for the first meal service.

I really loved the bowing on OZ, too. On FRA-ICN (777 in C), it seemed like they introduced each of the crew members in Korean.
And I loved having Korean food in flight.

Is the F lounge at ICN any different from the C lounge on the right side? From the looks of your pics, they seek the same (was in C there in March). I'm curious if there are any differences other than crowding.

LUCKY,

can you post a pic of the amenity kit? i like to see what's in it please.

JOSH

Coins,

Looks like you're recycling some of your pictures. Wink.
We flew ICN/JFK in business last fall. I heard good reports, and wasn't disappointed. Service was a well oiled machine.
I was surprised to see the 1st class lounge empty.

Lucky,

You're not alone with the ICN lounge "No photo" issue. I was at the business lounge last year and I've took a picture at the entrance. Upon entry into the lounge, the agent's first words are actually "no photos inside the lounge please". Everything else with Asiana was great but this gives me a funny feeling.

Fully agreed with the service part, they focused a lot on the details and it makes a difference for sure.

Actually they didn't install F seats on the existing 772, it is delivered as F, C and Y.

Regarding photos in F or C lounge, I certainly don't have problems taking photos, but I always try to be discreet when taking photos in lounges, certainly lounge people saw me taking photos, no one try to interfer with me either. I am not sure maybe they treat asian differently though, as Carfield also being asian also have no problems taking photos inside their lounges.

@David- Actually I find OZ is worser regarding their food than 5 years ago (before they change their brand identity). As I can clearly see they had cut cost even in F. Korean meal is still the same, but western meal have downsize a lot. They use to serve food from cart, where no food are pre-plated, you can ask for anything from the cart and the amount you want. The process took twice the amount of time, but it is truly F service from the old days. Besides, OZ used to serve Lobster Thermidor (in the shell) just like SQ no matter long haul F or short haul F, now it is gone. Short haul F food cut even further, the western entree now has tiny portions, OZ used to treat short haul F just like long haul F, full serving of food. Short haul F also has cut soup for western choice.

Korean Airlines has been my airline of choice when I visit Seoul for the summer/winter months (God knows how many times I've flown the JFK-ICN route). I guess it's time to give Asiana a try. Thank you for a great report, Lucky!

OZ is also one of my favourite airlines, along with SQ and CX, and also QR (minus the occasional horrible passengers). I fly in economy though.
I was upgraded to business once on KE, so I enjoyed the KE lounge in ICN. Took a number of photos and wasn't stopped at all.

@ORDnHKG--I had a lobster(with shell) between HKG-ICN F early this year. The size of the lobster was as twice big as SQ's

That was a great report. I'm booked on this same flight in December, but in a B744 Combi. Hopefully the cabin will be just as empty!

I noticed you made more than one comment about Asiana personnel's English speaking ability. If you want English, fly a European/American carrier. Or, better yet, learn to speak Korean, if you are capable of it.

@ SpeakAnotherLanguage -- I also made several comments about them being among the best crew I've had. I'm not faulting them for not speaking better English, though I don't think it's unreasonable to make that as an observation when I'm writing to a mostly US-audience, no?

I've flown 50+ airlines so as much as I'd like to be able to speak the native languages of each airline, I doubt that's practical.

@Lucky, thanks so much for your detailed blog on the ICN-FRA with UA mileage OT award. I'm flying out June 17th on the same trip. I can't wait! Thanks.

@ MaryE. -- Enjoy your trip!

@lucky
"-The captain came on the PA and in very broken English...
-I was surprised that announcements were just made in English and Korean, despite the flight being to Germany."

So what if it's in broken English? Be glad he attempted to tell you (mono-lingual Euro) in your language.

And surprised that no German was spoken? You now expect the Korean pilot to speak three languages, which includes another European one? You don't even speak German, so why are you complaining?

Not a single US- or European-carrier flight has announcements in any of the East Asian languages, so please write that in your very eurocentric reviews.