Welcome to the last in a series of reports I wrote on a recent trip I took to Japan. In part one I take a Lufthansa Regional Jet from Basel to Frankfurt in Business Class and then have the pleasure of sampling Asiana’s excellent First Class service from Frankfurt to Seoul. You can read that report here:
Asiana First Class: Via Frankfurt To Seoul (by Knightsofmalta Jun 3 2012 in Trip Reports)

In part two I travel in Asiana Business Class from Seoul to Fukuoka in Japan. You can read that report here:
Asiana Business Class From Seoul To Fukuoka (by Knightsofmalta Jun 3 2012 in Trip Reports)

In part three I sample All Nippon Airways’ domestic product on a flight from Fukuoka to Naha, on the island of Okinawa. That report can be found here:
Air Nippon - ANA Economy Class, Fukuoka To Naha (by Knightsofmalta Jun 3 2012 in Trip Reports)

In part four I travel in Asiana Business Class back to Seoul from Okinawa. That report can be found here:
Asiana Airlines Business Class, Naha To Seoul (by Knightsofmalta Jun 3 2012 in Trip Reports)

Date: 02 June 2012
From: Seoul
To: Frankfurt
Airline: Asiana Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing B 747-400
Class: First Class
Seat: 2K


THE LOUNGE EXPERIENCE
The story begins just as I make my way to the Asiana Airlines First Class lounge. The place is not busy and I nearly have it all to myself. The most guests I count during my stay, including me, is twelve.













The lounge is well stocked with amenities, food and drink. Even so, I must admit I am not the greatest fan of the interior design. It is hard to describe it really. It reminds me a bit of one of those old chalet hotels you still find in the Alps in some of the less popular resorts. Still, it serves its purpose and even has free wi-fi.





I'm a sucker for dim sum.









More empty books.




DEPARTURE
As the departure time approaches, I start to get that nice fuzzy feeling one gets before getting on a Jumbo. At least I get that every time. So I decide to step out of the lounge and go for a walk-about for some distraction and to take some pictures of my bird.









This bird was parked at the next gate.



Not sure how many IL-62 they see these days in Seoul...



When eventually they do call the flight, I make my way to gate 45 and queue up at the back of the line for Business Class and First Class. An Asiana ground attendant is surreptitiously glancing at the boarding passes of the passengers in my queue. As she spots mine, she asks me to follow her to the front of the line and butts in just as the gate agent is about to scan the boarding card of the first passenger – he is travelling in Business Class – at the front of the line. I mean, after all that is what you pay First Class for, but it is still slightly embarrassing. The attendant then escorts me to the entrance of the plane. As we walk she explains to me how she went to the lounge to pick me up and could not find me. And I start to feel guilty – just a wee bit. Before the plane she bows and bids me a safe and pleasant journey.

SERVICE
As I enter the First Class cabin I am greeted by one of the flight attendants working up front and we have a good laugh as we recognise each other from the outbound flight from Frankfurt to Seoul the previous week. We have a nice little natter and I ask her where she has been in the intervening days and she inquires how I liked Korea and if I also visited other countries. What a charming young woman!

Service is the same as on the outbound. First the newspaper, amenity kits, earphones, pjs and slippers are delivered. Then come the drinkies with warm nuts. This time I have a Perrier with lemon and ice.

























THE MEAL
First up, the table is set for the meal. To drink I have Perrier and a Chardonnay.







Olive oil with Balsamico and butter for the bread, and the rose.















First course: Mousse of Foie Gras with a truffle, ginger and mixed herbs on blinis.





Second course: Caviar service.













Third course: grilled tuna in a pepper corn crust, with chives and carrot julienne.





Fourth course: pickled mushrooms with chickpeas and mixed greens.



Fifth course: cream of chicken soup with a ball of risotto.



Sixth course: tenderloin of veal stuffed with lobster, with a horseradish sauce, mushroom ragout and wilted cabbage.









Seventh course: cheese with an apricot and grape chutney and crackers.



Eight course: Puff pastry filled with vanilla cream on a blackberries sauce.



And to finish that, a cup of Earl Grey tea.



And now I am stuffed. For the time being at least.

Around five hours before we arrive in Frankfurt I start to feel peckish again. That – together with my curiosity about the kind of ‘snack’ Asiana has on offer in First Class – entices me to try their ramen noodles in chicken broth.

And here it is: ramen and shitake mushrooms in a spicy chicken broth with kimchi and pickled turnip. It really was divine, but it was so spicy I had to keep running to the loo to blow my nose (The Koreans and Japanese find it tremendously rude to blow your nose in public).







About two hours before arrival the lights go on and the second service begins. First comes another hot towel, which is followed by a glass of fresh orange juice.





The meal consists of a salad of grilled beetroot, with heirloom tomatoes (I do not think I’ve ever encountered such a strange looking and tasting tomato before in my live…), greens and boiled quail’s eggs.





This is followed by a Korean dish with spare ribs in a spicy soup, which turns out to be indeed very spicy but extremely tasty!



Sauce for dipping.



Korean veg.



Dried shrimps.



Not sure...but tasty.



Two different kimchis.



Rice.



The ribs.



And then comes dessert. It should be some sort of vanilla parfait with coconut shavings. But it just looks strange really…



And another tea to finish.



After the meal I sit back and relax. I start to watch Thor and end up asking myself what on earth has happened to good cinema and good movies. And to think that such a great actor as Anthony Hopkins should sink so low as to play Odin is simply tragic.

ARRIVAL










But I digress. The flight attendant I had on the outbound flight comes by to bid me goodbye and wish me a safe onward journey. On this flight, passengers can choose between a CD, a handbag and an iPhone holder as a farewell gift. I am now the proud owner of an iPhone holder with ‘Asiana Airlines’ written on the inside cover.







And then we land, and my delightful Asiana experience ends. I say my goodbyes and disembark. Outside the Asiana rep who asked me what I wanted to eat the previous week is already expecting me with a Lufthansa branded reprint of my boarding pass to make sure I get into the lounge. So considerate.

Frankfurt is nearly pleasant when I arrive, there do not seem to be that many people travelling today. I head for the Senator lounge and wait for my onward flight to Basel.