Korean Air 747-8 Business Class In 10 Pictures

I flew KE business a few years ago and remember being annoyed by the small beverage glasses, small pillow, and same odd meal timings, so interesting to hear that nothing has changed. Even though their first class really isn't anything special, it might be worth the premium in miles just to avoid those annoyances.

White people splainin' jazz in a musical with two people who can't sing. Moonlight on the other hand is spectacular.

nice mini review. I'll be flying this product on the 777-300ER in a couple of weeks (IAD-ICN). Maybe I need to bring a pillow.

One bottle of water? What if you're thirsty and need something to drink after you've finished your one bottle? You've got to drink something else? Or, do they have water, just not in individual bottles?

Plus, I am SO TIRED of hearing City of Stars. SO TIRED.

@lucky, when you say that it was 'the best business class product out there' are you just referring to the hard product or to the combination of both soft and hard?

@Ben Holz - i'd assume just the hard product.

A good way to stay hydrated on a plane is to bite the bullet and avoid alcohol and caffeine altogether 😉

I find young Korean women so attractive. Just the right mix of stupidity, innocence and arrogance.

Always fun to fly Korean air, even economy. Wish they were less conservative.

I flew the same route and upstairs product in December and loved it. The meal timing is odd, but I thought I remembered fresh baked cookies as well. I tend to drink lots of water when flying, and had no problem being constantly replenished of bottles. Upstairs is definitely private and seemed to be less occupied as well over the downstairs J class. On my outbound the crew spoke limited English, which seemed odd and the pilot decided to "rest" next to me in the almost empty upstairs, and read with his light on all "night". Still loved it and love your perspective.

Thanks, Ben - do you know on which routes KE flies the 747-8? Also, I agree with your POV on La La Land. I'm a huge fan of musicals. It could have been great if they had trusted the material enough to hire great singers and dancers, upped, the choreography, and not felt the need to use A-list stars. I hope that someone figures that out. Plus, Moonlight is one of the most exquisite works of art and representations of the human condition I have ever seen.

Thanks for the clarification @David W 🙂

Thank you for your writing skills..... loved the dash of 2 hours watching LaLaLand (totally agreed it was all ...........*what!???*.......... with that hype?!).

Lucky, not sure where to post this, but given how much you like Emirates, here is a video from Emirates' Facebook page about the first Arab female captain of an A380, and also youngest A380 female pilot in the UAE.

https://www.facebook.com/Emirates/videos/1110622232380858/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

Just to clarify, the captain is Egyptian, the first officer is Emirati.

hey Lucky -- I also flew 747-8i from AKL-JFK (stopover in ICN). I also sat upstairs in the middle behind the emergency doors. For the first part of my trip, my seat controls were half-broken (can only go in lie-flat mode or upright and my remote control was also broken (however touch screen works so it was a pain to get up to the screen whenever you wanted it paused, volume changes, etc.).
however, after the 2nd plane onwards to JFK, everything worked well and I agree that upstairs on the 747 was very private and the service was top-notched.

Hmmm, no packaged nuts available? 😉

@panda : i'll use a nicer term to describe passengers in first class LMAO

Did a LHR-ICN rotation last October on a 777-300 out and A380 back and was disappointed in the old, three-in-the-middle hard product. Good western food out, terrible back some hideous fish and pasta combo. Crew were great but very hard to understand. The 'lounge' areas front and back of the A380 top deck are very sterile and seating limited. They need to put the Apex suites across the fleet and revamp the soft product, gimme Emirates any day.

Lucky, How did you find the seats as a couple traveling? It doesn't seem very conducive to having a conversation. Did you find that to be true and if so, are there any seats/area you would recommend for couples more than others? Thanks.

Thank you always for your insightful reviews. Your personal insights are good.

I have a question about WiFI and how Korean does not have Wifi on board - "Unfortunately Korean Air doesn’t have wifi".. For me no WiFI would be a blessing (especially on a business trip (and even a vacation)); to let me relax without the need to worry about the internet: I wonder if have no WiFi is a deliberate Korean Airlines choice: thoughts?

Appreciate the info and pictures - I'll be flying a similar route next month. Very much looking forward to it.

There are no good meal time options on a flight leaving at that hour. I don;t want to stay up until 2am eating. This is crying out for pre-flight dining and then sleep, with the second mean being served on demand or not at all.

But the bubble deck looks great

Agree completely with your opinion on the bedding. It's not as big a deal on the newer seats, but on the older Prestige Sleeper, even a basic mattress pad or at least a bigger pillow would make a world of difference.

Where is the macadamia nut?

@Ben The 'spaghetti' looks more like thick, yellow egg noodles, which are popular across Asia

You don't like La La Land?!?!? Either you like La La Land or your wrong. On a more serious note, it seems like an accurate quick recap. The seats do looks awesome and much better than their previous version.

Hi, Lucky. Thanks for your review of Korean air. Actually end of this month, I am scheduled to take B747-8i from ICN to HKG and already chose the seat on 18B. I really expect this plane.

@J Dee

Egg noodles are not popular in Korea.

Korean Air always serves the second meal just as I'm finally drifting off to sleep, and then everyone else on the flight seems able to get back to sleep again except me.

@betterbub

"...which are popular in many Asian Countries excluding Korea"

Happy now?

I agree with you that Apex Suites are relatively rare on transpacific flights given all the options out there, but at the same time, of the three airlines that have them, two of them (and also the only two that fly to the US) fly transpacific routes...

Will be booking soon for August from San Francisco or LAX to Bangkok. My plane choices are the A380 or the B747-8i in either business or first. Never done any of them. Which would you recommend?

Hi Folks, loving reading your comments, I'm flying London-Melbourne later this year, and I hear that Korean Air are swooping the 777 for a 747-800 I can't get a reply from Korean, anyone have any news ? I would much prefer the 747. Thanks

I just told them I was very thirsty and needed lots of water and they delivered. You just have to ask for what you want. They don't know you are King Lucky!

Thank you for the excellent report, I'm looking forward to flying on the KE 747-8 from Seoul to Sydney on the overnight flight.

I understand that there is no pyjamas handed out, but are they making up the beds to sleep? (mattress covers, sheets).

I also wonder whether the meal times on a strictly overnight flight (departing 7pm, landing 7am, 10 hrs flight time) would also be strange - it would definitely be odd to have a meal around the midway point of such a flight!