The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Asiana Business Class Hong Kong to Seoul Incheon

The Last Aeroplan Hurrah

More from this series:

• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Introduction
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: United Global First Lounge San Francisco
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Lufthansa First Class San Francisco to Munich
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Le Meridien Munich
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich, Swiss Business Class Munich to Zurich
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Swiss First Class Lounge Zurich, Swiss First Class Zurich to Bangkok
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: St. Regis Bangkok
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Thai Airways First Class Lounge & Spa Bangkok
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Thai Airways First Class Bangkok to Hong Kong
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Ritz Carlton Hong Kong
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Exploring Hong Kong
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: United Club Hong Kong and Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge Hong Kong
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Asiana Business Class Hong Kong to Seoul Incheon
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Hyatt Regency Incheon Airport
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Asiana First Class Lounge Seoul Incheon
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Asiana First Class Seoul Incheon to Frankfurt
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Sheraton Frankfurt Airport
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt, Lufthansa First Class Frankfurt to Seattle
• The Last Aeroplan Hurrah: Four Seasons Seattle

After a 15 minute walk from the Thai Airways lounge we made it to gate 17, where boarding was well underway.

Our plane to Seoul Incheon

Our gate

Asiana 722
Hong Kong (HKG) – Seoul Incheon (ICN)
Friday, March 23
Depart: 1:30PM
Arrive: 5:50PM
Duration: 3hr20min
Aircraft: Airbus 330-300
Seat: 4H (Business Class)

Once aboard we were directed to the far aisle, where we were seated in the second to last row in business class. Asiana uses their old longhaul business class product for the route, so it really can’t be beat for a three hour flight around Asia. The seats are angled flat with large entertainment screens.

Business class cabin

Our seats

View from our seats

Seat controls

Within a few minutes of settling in we were offered pre-departure beverages, with the option between water, orange juice, and champagne.

Pre-departure beverages

That was quickly followed by hot towels.

Hot towel

Within about 20 minutes the boarding process was complete and the doors were closed. Before we pushed back the captain came on the PA to advise us of our flight time of 2hr40min, anticipating an on-time arrival in Seoul Incheon.

Cabin

After pushback we taxied to the runway where there was a bit of a queue for takeoff.

Terminal

Taxiing to the runway

Cathay Pacific Airbus 330 landing

After holding short of the runway for about 15 minutes we were airborne with a rather abrupt “jerk” of the joystick.

Climbing out

I started playing around with the entertainment system, though unfortunately I had seen most of the movies. In the end I settled on “Jack & Jill,” which I hadn’t seen before. It’s a comedy starring Adam Sandler. I like comedies and I think Adam Sandler is funny, so it can’t go that wrong, can it?

Well, it was a friggin’ trainwreck. At least the first 20 minutes before I decided I just couldn’t take it anymore. Someone please tell me this move is a bad joke.

Entertainment system

About 15 minutes after takeoff the flight attendants came around the cabin with menus for lunch, which read as follows:

About five minutes after distributing menus the flight attendants came around to take orders. The only aspect of Asiana service that frustrates me is that they take away the menus as soon as they take meal orders. I can understand they maybe don’t want people to keep the menus, but I always like to reference the menu as I’m eating since I rarely remember what exactly the description was. And there’s often a language barrier with Asiana flight attendants, so they’re not any help in describing food either.

As the flight attendant took my friend’s order he asked if he could do the western appetizer and dessert, and then the Korean main course, which was met with a blank stare. She said she’d go ask the purser if that was alright, which I found a bit strange, given that the cabin was maybe 1/3 full, so I assume they had a decent amount of food catered.

Either way, the meal service was really impressive for a flight of under three hours.

The first course consisted of a chicken and apple salad along with a side salad. Both were delicious.

Starter and salad

After the starters and salads were served, the flight attendant came around with the breadbasket.

Bread

The flight attendants first cleared all the starter plates and then served the main courses.

My steak was delicious, as is usually the case on Asiana.

Steak

And my friend enjoyed the Korean Bibimbap as well

Korean Bibimbap

After plates were cleared the fruit and cheese plate was brought out, which was delicious.

Fruit and cheese plate

And that was quickly followed by the dessert, which consisted of tiramisu.

Tiramisu

And the meal was finished off with some pralines, which is pretty rare for business class.

Pralines

On the whole I’d say Asiana’s regional business class meal service is on part with the first class meal service on many airlines.

I also have to say that the crew was really friendly. They were constantly smiling, and also attentive and sincere. There is a bit of a language barrier on Asiana compared to the likes of Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, but they more than make up for it with the effort they put into everything.

After a smooth touchdown and quick taxi to the gate, we headed straight for immigration where there were no queues, and then to the shuttle for the Hyatt Regency Incheon.

Terminal

Baggage claim