For the next portion of my Aria Suite Adventure to Hong Kong, I flew Korean Air’s Airbus A380 first class on the 12hr55min flight from Seoul Incheon (ICN) to New York (JFK). Logically, one would assume this would be the highlight of the trip, given that it was my only flight in long haul first…
Continue reading: Review: Korean Air First Class Airbus A380 (ICN-JFK)
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
You forgot to mention the duty-free mall at the back of the main deck, which smells like toilet fumes!
Crap on the fruit, that kind of thing. That would yield zero stars for that particular first class.
The loss of SVP of Inflight Service is being felt.
Nothing significantly changed for a decade.
I think business class on any of the Japanese or Taiwanese carriers trumps this "first class" experience.
Are you sure you can't raise the wooden panel on the side of the seat? This guys mentioned it, and you can see that it is raised: https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airlines/korean-air-a380-first-class-review/
It’s so much better on the 747-8i. Loved my flight in First on that plane (and hope I get to do it again once my Asiana miles convert into KoreanAir miles)
...with the possible exception of JAL’s non-Apex Suite 787s, which really are a disappointment when it comes to the hard product.
That said, the competition in Northeast Asia, and JAL on the A350-1000 in particular, has blown away KE in recent years. That’s all the more reason to cheer for KE’s comprehensive transformation plan as announced in its rebrand video series, as it really looks serious in terms of regaining lost ground.
https://new.koreanair.com/experience
I mean whenever Ben complains about legitimately unacceptable things on a ticket an airline is selling for high four / five figures then there’s always a load of pathetic trolling on here along the lines of ‘first world problems, you are too privileged, blah blah’, so I guess it should be taken in that context.
The thing about reactive service being good in Korean culture but bad in other cultures is just a cultural difference. The solution is not to adopt a cookie-cutter approach and be reactive to all passengers or proactive to all passengers. In my opinion, the right approach is if a passenger does not look Korean (yeah, racial profiling, I know, but it's for a good cause!), ask them whether they want to be checked on or whether they would rather use the call button instead.
That's what I'm wondering, too. We need a new review of TAAG Angolan, perhaps? 😉
Good point or, even simpler, they can just say to their (non-Korean) customers "whenever you need anything, let me know by using the call button."
The caviar is an upgrade over the foil grais that was served in certain KE F routes.
Cathay has a similar policy in First Class (or they used to, not sure if they do), whereby they never patrolled the FC cabin but were there within seconds of you ringing the call button. And the service was always professional and polished but warm and friendly at the same time. No reason why Korean Air can't do the same.
Interesting that they would serve breakfast before landing on a flight that lands in the evening.
Likely to be severely ostracized by this comment but here it goes: Why is it when American's travel to other countries, we are expected to assimilate, but when other cultures come to America we are expected to be understanding and welcoming of the cultural differences?
Comment primarily applies to the conversation of using a sauna/onsen in Asia, but applies here too.
"we are expected to assimilate"
Seriously? Do you even know what "assimilation" entails?
They serve you in English, their menus are in English, their website is in English, they have a "Western" menu, and US Americans are THE ONES who are "assimilating"?!
@JustinB It goes even beyond what @hbilbao said. When we go to other countries they even have signs and announcements in English. Think about the signs and announcements made in English at the airports, on the flights (even within infra-Asia flights or flights within Europe, etc.), on the subways and even on buses. They have English menus for you at their local restaurants and there are service staff who can communicate with you in English. They are accommodating English speakers from the U.S., U.K., Australia, etc. For Justin’s sake this is what assimilation means: ‘ A process in which an individual or group takes on the traits of another culture, leaving behind the original cultural identity.’ I am sure that is how what is happening with you based on your comment.
I'm surprised that Korean just now realized that their first class needs updating. Feel like we've been lucky to have so many airlines to update their business and first class in past few years.
Like assimilating Americans. They do a pretty bad job brainwashing... sorry assimilating foreigners.
English menu is a very good example. In China, on the menu or supermarket I see a lot of food being f***.
Bad assimilation are also found in translation from Japanese Korean Hindi Thai Arabic Russian or even German.
The absence of Heather Cho to keep liberal Koreans happy at the expense of making KE competitive.
Sad that the once great Absolut Vodka branded 'Celestial Bar' ; has deteriorated to this rather dingy space.
"What’s perceived as good service in Korean is perceived as bad service elsewhere." - Elsewhere being the US? I think most of the world is perfectly fine with "reactive" service. If I press a call button and get attended in 30 seconds, how is that worse service than having to wait until crew randomly decides to "do a round"? I think this problem only comes from Americans being scared to use a call button when they want another drink or whatever, because US airlines scold passengers for doing so. Otherwise it's surely much better to get whatever I want whenever I want, and not be disturbed when I don't want anything.
English signs and menus don't exist to "accommodate English speakers from US, UK Australia, etc". It's the lingua franca of the world and it's there for everyone not local. They are equally used to accommodate Italians, Swedes, Czechs, Estonians, Indians, Japanese, and so on.
It makes absolutely zero sense but it's a good way to save money, so sadly most airlines do it. Even in premium classes where such penny pinching really isn't appropriate.
The seat itself (in almost all respects) reminds me of the current default First Class seats on JAL's 777's. Very open and no privacy (with Business Class seats having considerably more).
As someone with both western and eastern (though not Korean) passports, I do prefer the approach to service wherein service is invisible when not needed, but at your beck and call when summoned. It's a delicate balance, but there is a lot to be said about getting the bill at a restaurant with just a glance and not a single word spoken. I am focused on the people in my party, and we don't want to be interrupted unless to deliver something that we specifically asked for.
@yoloswag420
I agree that the SkySuite III is not so bad, but I gotta say that JAL's service and food play an outsized role in making it so, especially on flights of over ten hours.
As exemplified by some previous comments, the issue seems to be that for some US Americans having to accept a cultural difference, despite one too many other accomodations, is the same as being "forced to assimilate."
@Samo No matter how you view it those who know English benefit from it because English is the ‘international’ language. My point was people like JustinB should stop complaining about so called assimilation and how people from English people speaking countries already have it so easy when traveling abroad. Some don’t even know a second language and more than likely can get by with just knowing English. Imagine someone who only knows one language that is not English and have to travel abroad without any signs or announcements in his or her language. Yet, Americans, Brits or Australians can travel more easily because of just knowing English. Like Ben has posted so many times about TSA agents yelling at passengers in English but they do not know English and yet the answer is to shout louder with a nastier attitude.
I've never flown Korean, so I have no personal experience.
The 747-8 would be my choice of aircraft, but of course, if that is not on the route one is flying, one has to accept the aircraft provided.
With regard to main course of your first meal, the steak did not resemble a rib eye .. it was more like a filet, or as it is often known in the US, a tenderloin.
Happy flying !
I would still fly this if SkyPass were partnered with transferrable currencies. It's a perfectly acceptable first class method to cross the Pacific and connect onward in Asia.
Folks are right about CX having reactive service as well. But it was better than that, IME. They didn't approach unless requested but they had an eye on the cabin at all times. If you were clearly done with your meal or drink, they were there in a minute or two. Best F service ever.
I usually avoid generalizations but I feel comfortable asserting that in the last 20 years, Americans have become petrified of interaction, across all ages. Maybe it was a function of the Covid pandemic, maybe a function of smartphone usage for everything, maybe a little of both and then some. Young people in particular seem terrified of asking for help and have a lot of anxiety about interactions going south suddenly or being rebuked. It's a problem.
No ostracizing, maybe your comment was intended more culturally than in terms of language. But IME it's been easier than ever before to speak only English in countries across the globe. From Madrid to HCMC to Lagos, everything is in freaking English lol. In Frankfurt last year, everywhere I tried to speak my crappy German, I would be gently directed to continue in English.
You go to Seoul now and the signage in almost every casual restaurant screams American English slogans and the menus have translations, even in far-flung neighborhoods.
I can't tell if this is better than AA Flagship First (also tired aircraft, although 777-300ER isn't as cool as A380). AA has culturally appropriate service too (i.e. American and Bad, vs Korean and Reactive), probably worse food, equally tore up cabin, and similarly cheap mileage redemption being the only reason you'd choose AA Flagship First.
For KE: better food. For AA: The swiveling seat is cool, way nicer lounges/etc groundside, the AA amenity kit is maybe better, and there's Internet, so I think I might give AA the win.
I wonder why they don't serve any Korean alcohol apart from beer. You'd think they could offer Makgeolli, soju, plum liquor and the various rice wines they have over there...
It goes a long way into saying they are not very intent on displaying what their country can offer. If anything the Japanese French, Gulf or Swiss products have shown premium travellers are suckers for this kind of attentions. Especially if just connecting. Gives a taste of the country and might make you want to come back.
Don't BA also fly the 747 and A380? I've flown both with them in the recent past at least.
They did but the 744s were axed some years ago. I drove past their Kemble boneyard a few years ago, a sad sight. Many BA Club World regulars mourned the loss of the 744’s extra cost, 48-seat, two FA, dedicated galley, dedicated lav upper deck business class cabin. Especially the last row where both yin and yang (forward aisle and rear facing window) seats had unimpeded aisle access.