NOTE: I have read numerous members on this website criticize Korean Air due to their rather bad safety record in the past. Truth be told, I had some apprehension about booking Korean Air due to their spotty record. However, when the Flying Blue desk told me the only award tickets available for my dates were on Alitalia and Aeroflot, I immediately sent my travel agent looking for alternatives and this was what we came up with.

Flash forward to now and two Korean Air flights later, I can honestly say that at no time did I feel the slightest bit uneasy about my safety. The cabin crew performed their safety duties impeccably and the cockpit announcements were abundant regarding flight status. In fact, I felt safer flying Korean Air than I do on some well reputable US air carriers where I have noticed time and time again cabin crew slacking on safety. I want to congratulate Korean Air on the progress they have made in the last couple of years and I look forward to more hours of flying with the airline.



Korean Air 656
Mumbai – Seoul Incheon
Airbus A330-323X (HL7585)
Seat: 8A
Scheduled Departure Time: 4:30
Actual Departure Time: 4:35
Scheduled Arrival Time: 15:15
Actual Arrival Time: 15:20

View Large View Medium Photo © Sam Chui

View Large View Medium Photo © Snorre - VAP

View Large View Medium Photo © Jan-Peter Seier

View Large View Medium Photo © Jan-Peter Seier

Check In: I arrived at the Air India Terminal just shy of 2am and was greeted by a huge queue for baggage x-ray. After a grueling 15 minutes in line, I noticed a sign right in front of the x-ray machine on an Air France board. “Due to strict policies that have been implemented recently by Airport security, only one hand bag is allowed, that includes lap top cases and purses.” A rather foul four letter word went through my mind at that moment as I had planned on carrying another hand bag in addition to my laptop case. Even so, I decided not to take a chance and have those both screened.

Once that ordeal was done, I proceeded to the little Korean Air booth that had been set up in front of the check in counter. I was greeted by a young Indian girl dressed in the rather elegant creamish-brown Korean Air uniform. The aqua blue scarf around her neck really looked stylish and for a brief moment thought I was talking to a model who was about to walk down a catwalk.

“Good morning sir. Welcome to Korean Air. I see you are flying to New York. Will you please fill this paper out for me with your address and contact information in the United States.”

Once the paper had been filled I was escorted by her over to the First Class desk where a gentleman greeted me. I asked him about the hand baggage situation and he smiled with an “I am sorry sir, these are the new rules implemented by the airport. If you take more than one hang bag, they will send you back out here to check it back in. I am afraid they have done that with a number of our passengers. We advise against trying to take two bags onboard.” Therefore, I began to empty the important contents into my laptop case and basically check in a rather empty unlocked hand bag. When that was accomplished, my bags were tagged all the way to JFK and my boarding pass to ICN was issued on Air India stock.


I then proceeded towards immigration with my lap top bag which had gained a significant amount of weight since I arrived. Clearing Immigration was a breeze and I headed over to the Clipper Lounge located at the corner of the terminal. I entered the lounge which was annoyingly full. The two guys behind the desk asked if I would not mind heading on over to the other lounge located across the hall. With a sigh I agreed to their request. For those of you familiar with my trip reports will know this lounge as the “red room.” I had written a rather unflattering commentary about it in my Malaysian Airlines trip report back in 2005.

Lounge:After a quick walk down the hall I entered the lounge and handed my invitation to the receptionist and sat down at an empty seat with a Fanta. Looking around, I realized the lounge had not changed much since January 2005. It still looks like someone threw a bunch of red paint all over the place which made it look rather dreary and rundown. At this point in time the lounge was packed, but soon enough boarding was announced for Air Mauritius followed closely by Ethiopian Airlines. The only passengers in the lounge at this point were Korean Air and Air France which were departing at 4:00 today. At 3:20, the Air France passengers were ushered to their gate and the lounge virtually became deserted.



Boarding: Around 3:50 I decided to take a leisurely stroll to the gate. Security was rather hassle-free except for the person in front of me arguing about having to go back outside to check in one of his bags. I guess the check-in agent was right. Would anyone care to explain the logic behind this idiotic rule that the airport has put in place? I have flown all over the world and this is the first time I have seen such a rule enforced by the airport and not the airline.


I approached the glass frame at 4:00 just as the doors were opened and wheel chair passengers were allowed down the Jetway. Following that, the huddled masses in the gate instantly got up from their chairs and charged towards the glass door despite the fact that boarding had not even been announced. This prompted the announcement of “Please form an orderly queue, we are not ready for boarding.” by the gate agent. All of the business class passengers stood to the side with our blue boarding passes trying to stay clear of the vicious crowd who seemed ready to tear anyone to pieces to get aboard. A minute later the agent looked at us in the corner and said, “Business and First Class, come on.” We proceeded down the jetway where the boarding passes were scanned, ripped and handed back.

I was greeted at door one by a male and female flight attendant. Both of them smiled, bowed, looked at my boarding pass and said “this way sir.” I proceeded through the First Class cabin which looked identical to the Business Class seats except with more legroom. Soon I had found my seat and sat down where a menu, ear phones, and a pair or slippers had already been placed in my seat pocket. A F/A then approached me, took my coat and welcomed me on board with a genuine smile that I have not seen since the last time I flew an Asian carrier. A tray of water, orange juice, and champagne was brought over almost instantly by another cabin crew member with a smile extending from ear to ear. Through out the flight, this F/A was smiling when she was performing her duties, her expression never faltered for one second. She seemed to have genuine enthusiasm for her job, something I have never seen displayed by any F/A, this was made even more amazing by the fact that it was early in the morning. I selected a glass of orange juice to go with my packet of peanuts.


I started chatting with my seat mate for a bit who seemed a bit disgruntled at the fact that boarding was through door 1L. “Someone should tell them that we pay a premium amount not to be disturbed like this.” I laughed and just pretended to agree with her. The original F/A that had taken my jacket came by to see if I had made a choice regarding lunch. She knelt down in the aisle so she was at eye level with both me and my seat mate and asked her in a very gentle voice “Have you had a chance to look over the menu? What would you like for lunch?”

The boarding door was closed and pilot welcomed us in a rather heavy Korean accent. My seatmate and I looked at each other to see if we could understand him, sadly we were both a bit lost with what he was saying. I think the lead F/A realized this and made an announcement almost immediately after him in English stating a lot of the same item things such as our route, flying time, etc…

We pushed back just as the safety video was played. Each cabin crew member stood in front of each aisle and bowed just before the video was played. I found that to be a nice little unique touch. Just as the engine was started there was a surge and the cabin went pitch black. The lights came on about ten seconds later but the TV’s screen did not and the safety video had not been finished. I saw the cabin crew scrambling and running around talking to each other in Korean. I can only assume they were having problems with the IFE. We then started taxing to the runway and the cabin crew commenced a manual safety presentation. The F/A that had served us the drinks with that beaming smile stood in front of the bulkhead directly in front of us. She looked at me, I smiled back and her smile grew even larger. I cannot tell you how happy she looked doing the safety demonstration, her grin never once wavering. It was as if her pearly whites could be seen all the way to the rear of the aircraft.

After the manual safety demonstration the cabin lights were dimmed and we lined up for the runway. Take off was quick and quiet, just like any other A330.

The Flight: Once we reached cruising altitude I pulled out my PTV and decided to see what was on offer today:

Channel 10:Gridiron Gang
Channel 11: School for Scoundrels
Channel 12: The Departed
Channel 13: Step Up
Channel 14: Invincible
Channel 15: Scoop
Channel 16: Hearty Paws
Channel 17: KBS Daily News
Channel 18: Band du Lac – One Night Only

After careful deliberation, I decided to watch “School for Scoundrels.” As the screen flicked on, a hot towel was passed around to anyone who was awake. About ten minutes into the movie the cabin crew came around to serve breakfast. This is what was listed in the menu today:


I think the continental breakfast was a perfect idea. By the time it was served, it was past 5am and most of the cabin was sleeping. Only about four passengers including myself had breakfast. I first selected a bun from the bread basket followed by a croissant the second time. The basket was offered once more, but I declined as I wanted to stay light till lunch. The service during the meal was conducted with elegance and style, something that can only be found on Asian airlines.


Once the meal service was completed, I put my seat all the way back and watched the rest of the movie. While the seat was the old generation “cradle seat,” it was comfortable for this seven hour journey. I however would be rather displeased with the seat if I had to fly in it to Australia or Cairo which are over 10 hours long and are also served by the A330-300. As I watched my movie, a bottle of water was placed on my armrest with a smile once again. Once the movie was over I pulled the blanket over me and went into a comatose state.

I woke up somewhere over China with the smell of bread emanating from the galley. The moment the cabin crew saw me awake, they rushed over with a tray full of drinks and a hot towel.

After sipping my drink for a while, the cabin crew appeared with white table cloths for our tray table. One was placed on my tray table with a “good morning sir, I hope you had a pleasant sleep.” The flight attendants first came around with a tray full of small “nibblers”. I declined this service as I cannot eat bell peppers and am not too fond of eggplant. A few minutes later a tray gently placed in front of me with a smile. The menu for lunch today:

At first glance, there were no shrimp in the plate and I looked at the flight attendant.
“Excuse me, is this the vegetarian option?”
“Sir this is what we serve everyone, you are getting your chicken for the main course later.”
“No I understand about the chicken, I was wondering if I could get the shrimp instead.”
“Yes, sir you are getting your non vegetarian chicken after this.”
At this point I grabbed the menu out of my seat pocket and pointed to the vegetarian appetizer followed by the shrimp and said
“This is what I have here, I want this.”
She looked at me for a second and her face went beet red.
“Oh my sir, I am so sorry. I did not know we had two appetizers. Please let me change that for you.”
The poor thing was so embarrassed at her mistake despite my numerous “its all right, its not a problem.”
She then offered me a bread basket which had multiple rolls of bread, naan, and garlic bread. Once I pointed to my selection it was placed in my bread plate with a “please enjoy sir.”

The shrimp was excellently seasoned and the garlic bread was piping hot and really crispy. Once I was done with the appetizer, a bowl of soup was brought over.

The soup was warm and full of flavor. I am normally not a fan of pumpkin but I could not taste it in this soup as the spices added a lot of flavor.

A trolley was brought around with everyone’s pre-ordered dishes on display. My empty soup bowl was exchanged for a casserole like dish containing chicken, pasta, and vegetables.

Sadly this is where the meal took a turn for the worse. The two pieces of chicken were rather dry and tasteless despite the mushroom sauce. The pasta was over heated to the point that it was crispy from the top and soggy from the middle. This meal was lacking in taste, texture and inspiration leaving me disappointed. My tray was cleared with a smile and the dessert/cheese trolley was rolled around. Despite the attempts by the cabin crew to offer me everything, I settled on the ice cream.

The ice cream, a mesh of vanilla and mango, was simply delightful. Much to my enjoyment it was not frozen like a rock but instead smooth and creamy.

The crew then came around once again with a coffee and tea cart. I settled on a much needed cup of coffee.

Just as I lifted the cup to my lips, the captain came on to inform us that we would begin our descent into Seoul shortly and that we would be landing early. Hot towels were passed around once more and the lead flight attendant came around with a list in her hand and talking to each passengers individually.
“Mr Tamboowala, you are connecting to New York John F Kennedy airport, yes?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Your flight will be leaving from Gate 30 and boarding will begin at 7 O’clock. I hope you had a great flight today to Seoul. It was my pleasure serving you, thank you for flying with us.”


Arrival & Transit: Touchdown was one of the smoothest ones I have experienced in a long time. We taxied to the terminal where we docked at the gate around 15:20. I collected all my stuff and proceeded towards the door where the cabin crew were bowing with a “good bye.” Once in the terminal there was a representative just off the jetway asking where everyone was connecting to.
“JFK.”
“Los Angeles?”
“No, New York.”
“Ah, Kennedy, go to the left line.”
I proceeded towards the left line which was made up of all North American connections. The first representative checked all my paper work, making sure everything including my visa was in order. I then waited my turn to get to the makeshift table that had been set up with a bunch of boarding passes.
“New York, Prestige Class?”
“Mr. Tamboowala, here is your boarding pass. Boarding will start at 7 O’clock and will be at gate 30. Please proceed to the transfer desk, go upstairs and then find an escalator to one more level. The lounge is located on the fourth floor. Thank you.”

I proceeded towards the security transfer area where my boarding pass was checked. I then emptied the contents of my pocket out and placed my lap top case through the x-ray machine. Once the security personnel were satisfied that I had nothing hide, I continued up the escalator towards the departure level. Almost immediately I spotted a sign for the Korean Air Lounge and proceeded up another level.


As I approached the podium I was greeted by a smile and a “welcome sir, can I see your boarding pass? Your flight will begin boarding at 7 O’clock at gate 30. Please enjoy yourself till then.” I passed a large scale model of a 747-400 with a see through side, something I have not seen in years, I thought it added a bit of nostalgia to the atmosphere.

Upon entering, I found a seat on the side bar table set up for use with laptops where at I plugged my lap top in and enjoyed the view out of the window. Almost immediately an Asiana 767-300 in the new livery pulled into the closest gate to the lounge. Accompanying it were two Korean Air 747-400’s and a single Korean Air A330-330; the aircraft I had just flown from Mumbai.


After attempting to log onto the wireless network, I approached an agent who very happily handed me a tiny piece of paper with the password. I then proceeded towards the snack area and was impressed with what was on offer. There was an abundance of sandwiches, cheese, breads, cakes and hot food. Having just had lunch I settled on a two sandwiches containing crab and ham and a Coke.




After about an hour I decided to use the shower facilities. I proceeded to the same agent that had given me the password for the free wireless internet.
“Are any of the showers available?”
“Yes sir, we have one open. Can I please have your boarding pass?”
I exchanged my boarding pass for a towel with a key and I was on my way in no time.

The shower room was not overly large but it was more than adequate for what was needed. Baskets had already been set up with everyday amenities that we are no longer permitted to carry including toothpaste, hair gel, hand cream, after shave and much more. Two bottles had been places in the shower, one contained Dove body wash and the other one was Pantene shampoo.


The shower felt amazing, all those hours I had spent at the KLM Crown Lounge in Amsterdam just seemed like torture in retrospect. Feeling somewhat more human once again, I decided to head out and explore the airport and see if it was up to the challenge of Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.



I walked from one end to the other and can honestly say that I was impressed. The airport is bright and full of shops. The layout is very easy to use and there is an abundance of restaurants and food shops, not that I needed any. During my walk I happened upon the Northwest WorldClubs lounge and for a brief second contemplated visiting it. I however decided that the Prestige Lounge would suffice for today; I would be in a WorldClub within four days anyway.



In summary the terminal was nice, one of the nicest I have ever had the pleasure to travel through, however it felt rather cramped. I was bumping elbows with people as I walked through the hallways and that is something that never happens at Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur or even Detroit. I headed back towards the Prestige Lounge to rile away the time till boarding started.






Once back, I grabbed a plate of shrimp in chive aioli along with an ice tea and surfed the web until about 18:40 when I headed towards the gate.

Korean Air 85
Seoul Incheon – New York/JFK
Boeing 777-2B5/ER (HL7734)
Seat: 7A
Scheduled Departure Time: 19:30
Actual Departure Time: 19:47
Scheduled Arrival Time: 19:01
Actual Arrival Time: 19:38

View Large View Medium Photo © Sam Chui

View Large View Medium Photo © David James Clelford

Boarding: I reached the gate around 18:55 just as an announcement was made, “Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to delay boarding by fifteen minutes to 19:15 due to late arrival of aircraft.”

At 19:05 I proceeded to the right side of the gate as that’s where the First and Business Class signs were located. My passport was once again checked to make sure all my US visa’s were in order. Then, at exactly 19:10 boarding began and I was the third passenger onboard. I was greeted at the front door with a smile and a bow,
“Hello sir, welcome onboard. Your seat is down here on the left.”





I stowed my laptop case and my jacket was hung following which I sat down and noticed the standard menu, headphones, and slippers were placed in the seat pocket in front of me. I also noticed that the PTV’s were wall mounted rather than in the armrest which was a large benefit in my opinion.

The seat controls were the standard electronic glow in the dark buttons that most next generation business class seats have, each equipped with their own massage feature.

Once everyone was seated, a tray of drinks was brought around with a packet of peanuts. I selected a simple glass of water to tide me over until we backed up. A flight attendant also came around with a tray full of newspapers, bent down in aisle and politely asked if each passenger individually if they cared for one.

Our Australian captain welcomed us onboard and informed us that our flying time today would be 13 hours and 15 minutes. Once the captain had finished his speech, the lead flight attendant came around to each passenger individually.
“Hello sir, my name is Hyung Kim and I shall be your flight leader today. Welcome onboard. If there is anything you need to make your flight more comfortable, please let one of the flight attendants know. Enjoy your flight to New York with us.”

The main cabin door was closed and push back occurred seconds later with the safety video being loaded up on the screens. The cabin crew took their seats and we waited for an Asian A330 and Cathay Pacific A330 to take off before us. Our take off roll was long and noisy, this may have been the heaviest 777 take off I have experienced to date and I was a little aghast at the noise level.

The Flight: Before we had even reached cruising altitude, the cabin crew were out and about handing each passenger a hot towel. Once they were collected another flight attendant came around to take our meal choices.
“Sir, what would you like for dinner?”
“The beef please.”
“The beef? Ummm….”
“Bimibap.”
“Ah yes sir. Is this your first time trying it?”
“It sure is.”
“Excellent choice sir, what about breakfast?”
“Korean porridge please.”
“Certainly sir; your first time trying this as well?”
“Excellent; I am sure you will enjoy it.”

Now it was time for me to use the PTV. I flicked through all the movies that were on offer and I would say there were over 50 modern Hollywood blockbusters on offer. As I was a bit tired and did not feel like putting a lot of energy into watching a movie I settled on “Beerfest.” After about 20 minutes into the movie, I utter an explicit under my breath and decided this movie was not worth wasting my brain cells over. I chose to proceed with “Lady in the Water.” Not much of better a choice in my opinion but it would have to do for the dinner feature.



Before I delve into the dinner service, here is the menu.



First the standard white table cloth was placed on our tray tables with a smile. One flight attendant then offered everyone a pre drink amushe broche which consisted of marinated feta cheese on sun-dried tomatoes. Another flight attendant followed close by with a tray of drinks: orange, lime and grapefruit juices.


Not being a large fan of sun dried tomatoes I made sure every bite did not have any in it, but the feta cheese was excellent in my opinion, a great way to start this long flight. The empty bowls were collected and a tray was brought around with our appetizers on them.

The balsamic dressing was a perfect accompaniment for the shrimps, however, the container looked rather cheap. Still, the shrimp were fresh and perfectly chilled. The accompanying salad was fresh and not large in quantity making sure no one over stuffed themselves with salad before the rest of the meal. The plates were cleared and a flight attendant came around the aisles with a wooden basket containing four bottles of wine. I selected the merlot and it was gracefully poured into my wine glass.


A trolley was rolled around a short while later with everyone’s entrée dishes. Three bowls were placed on my tray, one full of fish broth, one with rice and the third one full of vegetables and minced meat. The flight attendant who had taken my initial order placed all three on my tray and said,
“Since this is your first time, let me explain what to do with this. You take the rice, fish broth and mix it all together with the content of the bowl. You add as much sesame oil and chili paste as you would like. Please enjoy and if you need anything please go ahead and ask me.”


With that I commenced my mixing procedure with the metal chopsticks that had been provided with the silver wear. Thankfully having lived in the Far East for most of my life, I used the chop sticks like a pro to a point that when the flight attendant came around to check up on everyone she comments,
“I see you are doing a good job of mixing the dishes. I was about to ask you if you needed an extra set of forks but I can see you are doing just fine with the chop sticks. Please enjoy.”

Normally I do not like spicy food but I added most of the chili paste as I felt it was rather mild. However once I mixed everything and finally got to eat it, I knew I had made the right decision with dinner. The dish was excellent, flavorful, tasty and overall fun to eat. In fact, it was one of the best Asian meals I have had on any airline. My tray was cleared a short time later and the cheese and dessert cart was rolled down the aisle. I declined the cheese but opted to just have the ice cream today and not the pear cake.


Haagen Daas Strawberries and Cream was the flavor of the month and as far as ice creams go, it was good. Not rock solid but not soft either. It was a nice ending to a very nice meal. A bottle of water was placed on our armrest once the meal service was done and the lights were turned off.

I put my seat back and watched the end of the movie. By the time it was finished, I was exhausted and decided to put the seat back all the way into sleep mode. The seat was excellent, one of the best angles flat beds out there in my opinion. I slept for a solid five hours before waking up to the aroma of cookies emanating from the galley. I put my seat back in the relax position and a flight attendant appeared with a tray of cookies.
“Sir would you like some cookies?”

I gladly accepted a couple with a glass of grapefruit juice. The cookies were soft warm and absolutely delectable. One consisted of peanuts while the other one had chunks of peanut butter. I watched an episode of Friends as I devoured this savory treat. The fight attendant came over once I was done to collect the empty plate.
“Is there anything else I can get you sir?”
“I was wondering if I could get a bowl of the ramen noodles with a coke please?”
“Most certainly sir, it shall take me a few minutes to prepare however.”
“That is not a problem. Take your time.”

I settled on a new movie “The Departed” and was just getting into it when the flight attendant brought out a tray for me.

The large bowl of noodles contained two pieces of shrimp, one fish ball, carrots, and a couple pieces of mushroom. It was excellent, the noodles soft and not overcooked or undercooked and everything was spiced perfectly. I was extremely happy I took the opportunity to order this snack. Once I had finished the tray was taken, I relaxed watching the rest of the movie. The Flight Attendants were constantly about the aisle checking up on the passengers that were awake and had trays full of water and juice.

With the movie over, I headed to the lavatory as I wanted to brush my teeth and splash some water on my face. The lavatories were well stocked with toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, combs, shaving kits and much more. There were cans of “Jeju – Facial Spray,” something very similar to the Evian Facial Spray Air France carries onboard. After brushing my teeth and spraying some of that spray, I felt wide awake and somewhat less self conscious about my breath.



I sat back down in my seat and a tray of water and juice was brought right over with a smile. The one thing I cannot accuse the Korean Air F/A’s of being is being lazy, they were constantly up and about and no request was too much for them. I browsed through the movie selection again and decided on “The Black Dahlia.” During the movie I was asked by one of the flight attendants if there was anything I would like from the Duty Free cart. I happily said yes and pointed to a bottle of cologne. It was brought over five minutes later in a bag discretely and placed on my armrest. I handed her my credit card and she returned almost immediately with a receipt. The entire process was quick, easy and painless.







Just as “The Black Dahlia” was finishing up, the cabin lights were turned on for breakfast. I immediately decided to sneak another movie in before landing and opted for “Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties.” Hot towels were first handed out to everyone followed by the customary white table cloths. A tray was delivered a short while later accompanied once again by another beaming smile. I selected a cup of coffee to go with my fruit plate this morning.



The Kiwi-Apple yogurt was a different choice but tasted excellent. The fruits were mildly chilled and tasted fresh and juicy. A couple of minutes later a trolley was rolled down the aisle with bowls on congee.
“Sir we have prawns, seaweed and green onions as toppings; would you like all of them?”
“Go ahead, put all three on please.”

I proceeded to shred the beef teriyaki that had been placed on my tray and dumped it all on as well. Overall it was an excellent dish and while I have never been much of a porridge guy, I still enjoyed this unique and different treat. Once the trays had been collected descent started almost instantly.

As the cabin was being pre-pared for landing the lead flight attendant approached me,
“I hope you had a good experience with us on Korean Air today sir?”
“I certainly did. The flight was excellent, thank you.”
“My pleasure sir, thank you for flying with Korean Air.”
She then proceeded to every passenger in the cabin and individually ask them about their flight. By this point the sun was setting it was becoming dark again. The captain came on to inform us of a minor hold we would have to encounter due to some heavy traffic within the vicinity. The flight attendant that had been serving us for most of the flight approached me,
“How was your flight sir? I hope you found the service all right?”
“The service was excellent, thank you for making the flight great.”
“No problem sir. I hope to see you on another Korean Air flight soon.”
“Me too.”



Arrival: We touched down and had a quick taxi to a rather full Terminal I passing numerous Air France, Alitalia and Lufthansa jets. We docked at the corner gate with a Maxjet 767 docked at the adjacent gate and waited about ten minutes for the jetway to be hooked up to the aircraft. I got to spend five minutes standing in the First Class section and I have to say the seats looked amazing, I may decide to burn a bunch of miles and try it out in the not too distant future.

Once I proceeded down the escalator I was greeted by a deserted immigration facility, the joys of not flying through Terminal IV. My immigration officer was not particularly friendly but the standard finger printing and picture were taken with minimal effort. My passport was stamped and handed back to me with a “welcome back.”

Baggage claim was equally deserted when I got to it. The bags eventually started coming out about five minutes after I had arrived. I spotted both my priority tagged bags within minutes. I proceeded towards customs,
“We you coming from?”
“India.”
“That’s all you have with you, two bags?”
“Yes sir. I like to travel light.”
“I can tell, go ahead.”
Within no time I was heading towards the AirTran station to catch my shuttle bus for the Ramada Plaza JFK.

Verdict: I was not expecting much from Korean Air as I had heard some negative comments about the airline. However I was pleasantly surprised, so much so that I would rank Korean Air right up there on my top five airline list. They are easily in the same league as Cathay Pacific, Malaysian and Singapore while being miles ahead of many other well reputable carriers such as Emirates. The Asian meal choices are excellent and the PTV system was one of the best I have ever used. Seoul Incheon is one of the nicest airports I have had the pleasure of flying through. Finally, the Prestige Class lounge in Seoul is large, bright airy and full of everything one could ever want in a lounge.

Though, in my opinion the strongest aspect of Korean Air was their cabin crew and employees. Genuine warmth and friendliness was abundant through out my travel with the airline. The in flight service I received on my Korean Air flights would make the “Singapore Girl” blush with embarrassment. In fact I think Korean Air has some of the best cabin crew I have ever encountered on any airline. The flight attendants were constantly on their feet throughout both flights and never once did their smile falter. Service was neither mechanical nor plastic like some of their Asian counter parts.

Overall I was extremely pleased with my decision to try out Korean Air. The service was of top order and never once did I feel the slightest bit uneasy regarding my safety. Korean Air has a lot of hard working and dedicated employees not just in the air but on the ground as well. I believe in rewarding an airline whose employees go out of their way to make passengers feel special and cared for. Watch out Singapore, Cathay Pacific, and Malaysian; you have some strong competition coming your way from further North!

Score:
Korean Air 656
Check In: 8 (Nothing to complain about, if not a bit congested)
Lounge: 6 (Not a KE run lounge but very unimpressive; beats the terminal though)
Boarding: 9 (No announcements but, orderly and fast)
Seat: 8 (Pretty good for a old generation, but it could use more legroom)
Aircraft: 10 (Not a spot on this aircraft)
Crew: 10 (Cabin crew on this leg were faultless, in ever way possible)
Meal: 6 (Main dish was an utter disaster but everything else was pretty decent)
Entertainment: 8 (Old system but it worked fine for this length of a flight)

KAL Prestige Class Lounge: 10 (Everything I could ask for in a lounge, hot food, showers and wireless internet)

Korean Air 85
Boarding: 10 (Hassle free and seamless)
Seat: 10 (No complaints here, great for sleeping, eating and relaxing)
Aircraft: 10 (Immaculate from the inside and out)
Crew: 10 (Once again amazing cabin crew, absolutely wonderful)
Meal: 10 (The Asian entrees are the way to go on KE)
Entertainment: 10 (One of the best AVOD systems I have ever used)
Arrival: 10 (Considering this was JFK and I was out in less than 30 minutes, it’s a miracle)

Total:145/160=.906
Korean Air scored a 90%

I hope you enjoyed the read, even if it was a bit long. If you have any tips or concerns for my future trip reports, please let me know. Thanks.

SR 103

This was a DE LUXE report. Great pictures and text.

The combination of that two tell me that KE in C is worth the money and time.

This could (or should) be the "INDEX100" for all here that post a report.

YES, i give it 10 stars!

[Edited 2007-01-28 00:02:29]

Wow, great tripreport! I really enjoy the overall experience of Korean Air: the cabin colors, seats, meals, cabin crew (especially their uniform which look very smart and elegant) and Icheon.

Perfect score on KE085!!
Your report is impressive and so detail, feels like I'm in there. I'm gotta eat bibimbap now, or ramen with shrimp in it!

It seems two flights are almost full in C class. You've got a perfect service on full load, that's great.

I've been reading your reports for some time now, and is this the first time you've gone via Asia to return to the U.S. from your homeland? If so, seems like you made the right choice. I've always wondered what KE's service is like now a days and have seriously considered including them in my travels this year. I can understand the apprehension you felt towards KE...what more me coming from Guam where one of their planes crashed 10 years ago this year. They've under gone a remarkable transformation, and I think they're now well positioned to compete internationally. They fly daily to GUM using their 777 (two flights now due to winter season...one 777, one 744) and now I'm excited as ever to experience the level of service you did. Was that the first class cabin in front of you (ICN-JFK leg)? Seems like it was empty from the pictures. What did it look like?

Thanks again...your reports are always a pleasure to read.

Tamboowala does it again!!!!

Excellent trip report as usual. I would not hesitate trying KE if they ever choose to come here and ICN looks like the McNamara Terminal, but with more glass.

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 2): This was a DE LUXE report. Great pictures and text.

Thank you, I am glad you found my trip report to be that good.

Quoting Bofredrik (Reply 2): The combination of that two tell me that KE in C is worth the money and time.

Considering they were cheaper than Air France or a KLM/NWA combo, I could not agree with you more

Quoting Ardian (Reply 3): Wow, great tripreport!

Thanks, I am glad you liked the report.

Quoting HeeseokKoo (Reply 4): Your report is impressive and so detail,

Thank you again.

Quoting HeeseokKoo (Reply 4): It seems two flights are almost full in C class. You've got a perfect service on full load, that's great.

BOM-ICN had about five empty seats while ICN-JFK was full in the front part of the cabin and had one seat empty in the rear cabin. Service was flawless regardless of the full load.

Quoting Salvation (Reply 5): is this the first time you've gone via Asia to return to the U.S. from your homeland?

Actually I flew Malaysian back in January 2005. I even posted a trip report on here:
Malaysia: Asia’s Best Kept Secret?(W/pics)

Quoting Salvation (Reply 5): Was that the first class cabin in front of you (ICN-JFK leg)? Seems like it was empty from the pictures. What did it look like?

That was First Class and there seemed to be a non revving employee up there who seem to just have slept the entire flight. If you want to explore the First Class cabin, here is a link to that can provide you with more information.
First Class 'Kosmo Sleeper seat'

Quoting LHboyatDTW (Reply 6): Tamboowala does it again!!!! Excellent trip report as usual.

Good to know this report met my previous standards.

Quoting LHboyatDTW (Reply 6): ICN looks like the McNamara Terminal, but with more glass.

It actually does in a way. The McNamara Terminal is still my favorite terminal in the United States and it’s a good thing too with all the NW flying I do.

SR 103

[Edited 2007-01-28 07:13:04]

Hola!

Great trip report again... I really enjoyed it and looking forward to flying KE in the future.

Thanks for sharing.

Salut,

Roger

Awesome report .....the food looked great!

KE must have a huge dry cleaning bill with those uniforms. Every kind of stain is going to show up!!

very nice trip report. enjoyed reading every word of it...

Great report! I just came back from Korea. Incheon airport is amazing. Korean people are great. Great culture, great nation. I must say I am not a great fan of Korean food.

Michael SFO
 

I enjoyed your report and the pics very much. Is Prestige Class like Business Class on KE?

Mr. Tamboowala!

I have been anxiously waiting for this BRILLIANT TR   I have never been on KE and ever since i learned from you that you'll be flying them, i kept checking to see if the TR was up  

Quoting SR 103 (Thread starter): Genuine warmth and friendliness was abundant through out my travel with the airline.

This is what i believe all Asian carriers excel at. After all, this is one main aspect that i believe will more than suffice for the perfect travel experience in any class of travel. You can have all the rif-raf, but without a wonderful set of cabin crew to deliver a decent service, you'd be far from satisfied.

Excellent TR buddy, and thank you for posting it. I have now added KE on my list of must-fly's. In fact, this TR brought back memories of my fabulous CX trip not too long ago.

Best of luck this semester!

Regards,

Roni

What a great report - as usual! - and yet more proof Asian airlines continue to beat their European and North American hands down in many aspects. My experiences with KE have been mixed, although I have to agree that they have come a long way in the past couple of years, and they are probably a bit struggling to overcome their reputation from the past.

That said, you have been lucky enough to enjoy the retrofitted cabins for your longhaul flights, but quite some 12-hour flights continue to see the old cabins, which is a bit of a shame because the fares are basically identical.

As for burning some miles on the new KE First Class, I have heard rumblings that there are some issues with that. For sure, NW Worldperk Members no longer have access to the KE F inventory for award seats, and I have heard similar stories for Flying Blue Awards, although I don't know how accurate that information is.

what more can i say?!.. a really excellent trip report with lots of captivating pictures and a suitable amount of text. i like the fact they are more captions rather than essay style. also great is your end verdict..  

which brings me to say, once again, i really must try KE soon. weighing it up in my own head, i can only think of two things that don't match CX standard.. that is, a hub with more space (no fault of KE's though) and also a better sense of cabin aesthetics. i like the colour scheme and especially the uniforms but those white shells on the j seats are fugly.. CX wins hands down here.

but overall, a top class asian carrier, which, like you say, has competition from other parts of the world walking out the door..   

Great report, captured the trip brilliantly. Looks like KE has definitely stepped up a couple of notches. My experiences with them flying regionally in E-SE Asia have not been too happy, but then I was in cart class. Will def try them again if the opportunity arises. Though from my part of the world EK has most competition beat at the moment with the exception of SQ and CX, with MH and TG getting honourable mentions.

Cheers

Nice pics and an awesome report!

Hi Anoosh--how you been doing maan glad you enjoyd your flight.

Nothing short of Excellence emits form your report and also the service you recieved from an underdog carrier [if i may use that term] like KE>

Thanks for sharing your experiece with us as always---Would you recomend KE in biz class over an EK/NW/CO----- on the India-US route.

I remember having a decent experience with them way back in 1996 on the BOM-BKK route on a A300-600--.

The reason i prefer not to travel on KE is because they do not offer PTVs on their A333s in economy and it can be a pretty long boring flight to connect all the way from SEL

Karan

Anosh,

superb trip report. Had the pleasure of flying FRA-ICN-BNE in April 05 and BNE-ICN-BNE in October 05 with KE in their "old" style business class. Just as you stated, I found their service to be top of the line except for the western meal which was a disaster. Made the mistake and had the steak on 1 flight otherwise always had the Korean/Asian food and really enjoyed every bite. ICN is a great airport to transit and the lounge certainly offers great services. Looking forward to your next report.

Cheers,

Peter

WOW

AMAZING TRIP Report! Please keep on travelling so we can keep reading your reports. great pictures

Simply excellent trip report!

Quoting Rogerbcn (Reply 8): Great trip report again... I really enjoyed it and looking forward to flying KE in the future.

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed it.

Quoting EGBJ (Reply 9): Awesome report

Once again, thanks, good to know you enjoyed reading it.

Quoting Buck3y3nut (Reply 11): very nice trip report. enjoyed reading every word of it...

Thanks, glad you found it a good read.

Quoting 777-500ER (Reply 12): Korean people are great. Great culture, great nation.

I could not agree with you more.

Quoting Triple7man (Reply 13): Is Prestige Class like Business Class on KE?

Korean Air calls its Business Class "Prestige Class."

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 14): This is what i believe all Asian carriers excel at. After all, this is one main aspect that i believe will more than suffice for the perfect travel experience in any class of travel.

You can travel the globe on a number of different airlines, but you know the difference when you board a Asian carrier. There is simply no substitute for Asian hospitality and warmth.

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 14): Excellent TR buddy, and thank you for posting it.

Glad you liked it. When can we expect one from you?

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 14): Best of luck this semester!

We are going to have to talk about that one soon....

Quoting HB-IWC (Reply 15): What a great report - as usual! - and yet more proof Asian airlines continue to beat their European and North American hands down in many aspects.

As I said above, there is no substitute for Asian airlines. Asian airlines know what service is.

Quoting HB-IWC (Reply 15): but quite some 12-hour flights continue to see the old cabins, which is a bit of a shame because the fares are basically identical.

I agree with you here. It can be a problem, but with the 744's and 772's being re-fitted, one can only hope KE refits the 330's as some of them do go as far as Europe and Australia.

Quoting HB-IWC (Reply 15): and I have heard similar stories for Flying Blue Awards, although I don't know how accurate that information is

No, don't tell me that... ah well; guess there is nothing I can do? I believe there is still an agreement with Malaysian and Flying Blue. As nice as Air France First Class is, I would love to use my miles on a First Class ticket with a reputable Asian carrier.

Quoting CXtra (Reply 16): a really excellent trip report with lots of captivating pictures and a suitable amount of text. i like the fact they are more captions rather than essay style. also great is your end verdict..

I am glad you liked the style of the report. I do try to keep text to a minimum due to the pictures.

Quoting CXtra (Reply 16): CX wins hands down here

CX still remains my all time favorite airline. However I do think cabin crew on Malaysian and Korean are much better. CX and SQ can be spotty at times but still are some of the best airlines around.

Quoting BigTom (Reply 17): Great report, captured the trip brilliantly. Looks like KE has definitely stepped up a couple of notches.

I don't know what they were like before, but they are definitely a class act at this point in time.

Quoting BigTom (Reply 17): Though from my part of the world EK has most competition beat at the moment with the exception of SQ and CX, with MH and TG getting honourable mentions.

This is going to be where we disagree a bit. I have been flying Emirates for years and it has got to a point where I prefer to fly other carriers now. Emirates has a lot of consistency issues, they can either be great or absolutely dreadful. I would much rather fly the competition these days, even if they are European.

Quoting MSNYX (Reply 18): Nice pics and an awesome report!

Thank you, glad you liked it.

Quoting Karan69 (Reply 19): Nothing short of Excellence emits form your report and also the service you recieved from an underdog carrier [if i may use that term] like KE>

Thanks for the compliment, and I have no problem with that term.

Quoting Karan69 (Reply 19): Would you recomend KE in biz class over an EK/NW/CO----- on the India-US route.

Most definitely I would recommend KE over the competition. The fact that Korean Air was cheaper than AF,KL,NW, and the like speaks volumes about my decision. At the end of the day, EK has become a "I will fly them if nothing else is available" carrier for me. NW and CO can never hold a candle to their Asian and European counter parts. E-mail me if you have specific questions about who is worth it and who isn't. My opinions may cause a few members to grumble so I'd rather not open that can of worms.

Quoting Karan69 (Reply 19): The reason i prefer not to travel on KE is because they do not offer PTVs on their A333s in economy and it can be a pretty long boring flight to connect all the way from SEL

I completely understand where you are coming from. In you case I would say stay away till BOM is upgraded to a 777 or the A330's are re-fitted with new cabins.

Quoting BPS3458 (Reply 20): I found their service to be top of the line except for the western meal which was a disaster

Good to know I am not the only one who feels the same.

Quoting KLM685 (Reply 21): AMAZING TRIP Report! Please keep on travelling so we can keep reading your reports. great pictures

Thank you so much for the compliment. As far as traveling goes, no major international plans for the moment, but I may write one or two domestic reports sometime in the future.

SR 103

A very nice report about one of my favorite carriers! While I haven't flown with KE in several years, I always found their crews genuinely friendly and attentive, and the food was always good as well. It was interesting to read about the BOM-ICN sector, as in the past Indian clients told me that KE crews treated them badly. I'm glad that's no longer the case!

Quoting SR 103 (Reply 23): Glad you liked it. When can we expect one from you?

I do not have anything adventurous lined up at the moment. I may go to Jordan sometime soon though. I will post something for sure if it happens (i'm thinking about QR or EY maybe).

I'll be starting my new job soon, and once that happens, i will be flying more hehe.

Quoting SR 103 (Reply 23): We are going to have to talk about that one soon....

Anything i could do to help!

Roni

Quoting LH459 (Reply 24): A very nice report about one of my favorite carriers!

Thank you for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it.

Quoting LH459 (Reply 24): It was interesting to read about the BOM-ICN sector, as in the past Indian clients told me that KE crews treated them badly. I'm glad that's no longer the case!

This is a very touchy subject and will be hard for me to address. Let me first state that even though I have flown my fair share of airlines in and out of India I am not be the best person to comment on this. As my friends can attest, I look nothing like an "Indian". Instead, I'm more often than not mistaken for Greek, Italian, or Spanish. Therefore, service tends to be better on the BOM sectors due to my “foreign” looks and American accent.

With that said, I have been observing for years if cabin crews treat their passengers differently due to ethnicity. Sadly, I can list the number of carriers that show no difference in service on only one hand.
1. Malaysian
2. Korean Air
3. KLM
4. Swissair (no longer in existence)

The biggest culprits when I've observed practicing segregated service are Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qantas. To reiterate, this is merely my personal opinion from the numerous experiences I have had and I am sure many members will disagree with my views.

It is, however, hard to lump an entire airline into this category and I believe it depends mainly on each individual crew member. I have seen the majority of CX F/As treat every passenger with the same kindness and courtesy while a few have decided that if you are not white, you don't deserve a smile let alone anything else.
I have also come to the conclusion that the Indian routes are not the best way to judge an airline, not because of the cabin crew behavior, but rather the way some Indians behave. At times I am embarrassed at the way my countrymen behave in public and can not help but think they deserve the cold shoulder that many of the cabin crews give them.

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 25): I will post something for sure if it happens (i'm thinking about QR or EY maybe).

Can't wait to read it.

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 25): I'll be starting my new job soon

Good luck with that, you will have to let me know how it goes.

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 25): Anything i could do to help!

I'll send you an e-mail. It is actually not that bad, just not crazy about having a certain moody professor for another class! I think you know who I mean.

SR 103

Quoting SR 103 (Reply 23): This is going to be where we disagree a bit. I have been flying Emirates for years and it has got to a point where I prefer to fly other carriers now. Emirates has a lot of consistency issues, they can either be great or absolutely dreadful. I would much rather fly the competition these days, even if they are European.

No arguments that EK is more than a bit up and down. My meaning was that from Dubai, where I am based, EK is generally the most convenient option. But as far as service and overall experience inflight goes, I prefer SQ/CX and then MH/TG in that order.

To repeat what I said earlier, excellent TR. Keep them coming.

Cheers

One word - PHENOMENAL!

Quoting SR 103 (Thread starter): “Hello sir, welcome onboard. Your seat is down here on the left.”

I have to say that I am very impressed with the levels of English that was spoken by the cabin crew. Did ALL of them have no problems with the language at all?

Quoting SR 103 (Thread starter): A flight attendant also came around with a tray full of newspapers, bent down in aisle and politely asked if each passenger individually if they cared for one.

The wonders of hospitality on board an Asian carrier. It is little actions like these that makes all the difference.

Quoting SR 103 (Thread starter): The in flight service I received on my Korean Air flights would make the “Singapore Girl” blush with embarrassment.

I'd say! What you experienced seemed to be all the traits of an excellent service rendered minus the robotic manners.

Wow... You have really topped yourself with these 2 reports.

I was looking at the photo of the line up of cabin crew of various races in KE's uniform. Hate to say this but doesn't that Caucasian lady look a little strange posing like that? I can imagine someone of Asian origin placing their hands like that in that manner but not this... Gawd... next thing you know SQ will be putting a Giselle-like specimen in a kebaya in an attempt to "refresh" the image.

You mentioned that you learned about the chopsticks living in the Far East. Well, let me tell you that I was using the chopsticks wrongly for the first 11 years of my life, much to the chagrin of my elders (great-granny). My parents failed to correct my embarassing "ailment".

Ironically, I learnt the "correct" way of using the sticks from a paper chopstick wrapper i got from a chinese restaurant in Anaheim, California.  

Very nice report, good detail and pictures. I'm glad you enjoyed Korean. Two Decembers ago I flew them and if I can ever extricate myself from UA Mileage Plus I would seriously consider switching to Korean as my primary airline back to the US.

Quoting BigTom (Reply 27): To repeat what I said earlier, excellent TR. Keep them coming.

Thank you for the compliment.

Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 28): I have to say that I am very impressed with the levels of English that was spoken by the cabin crew. Did ALL of them have no problems with the language at all?

Most of the cabin crew had no problem with English. The lead F/A on the BOM-ICN flight did have a very strong accent but other than that I had no problems regarding the cabin crews and their English skills.

Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 28): Wow... You have really topped yourself with these 2 reports.

Wow, thank you. I am honored that such an excellent trip report writer as yourself thinks that.

Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 28): Hate to say this but doesn't that Caucasian lady look a little strange posing like that?

She does look a bit out of her element. However I never did see a Caucasian F/A at Korean. I think they were just used for the commercial. If you want to see the actual TV commercial, here is a link:

Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 28): My parents failed to correct my embarassing "ailment".

I learnt the fundamentals of chopsticks back in First grade when I was in Hong Kong. My Chinese teacher made sure of that. I even remember our test being picking up a oiled peanut which as a six year old can be a daunting task.

Quoting Christao17 (Reply 29): Very nice report, good detail and pictures

Thanks.

Quoting Christao17 (Reply 29): Two Decembers ago I flew them and if I can ever extricate myself from UA Mileage Plus I would seriously consider switching to Korean as my primary airline back to the US.

I remember that trip report. I know how you feel about the mileage though. Being an AF/KL Elite myself, I rarely stray away from Skyteam, the miles are too enticing.

SR 103

Quoting SR 103 (Reply 26): I'll send you an e-mail. It is actually not that bad, just not crazy about having a certain moody professor for another class! I think you know who I mean.

LOL .. BRM i suppose  

r

You know Anosh... I was just reading your report again. Suddenly, I dont even feel like clicking onto another "NW MSP-LGA First Class, Excellent Service", or another "AA Tanscon LAX-JFK" trip report anymore.

Everything else seem to pale in comparison and I know nothing on any US carriers, no matter how warm the cookies are in First Class or how delicious the sundaes look, will ever match up to what you experienced on KE.

Excellent TR! These are the TR that I like the most, full of PICs of any detail.. love the TR..

THANKS!!

Lovely report, the seats on the B777 look much better than the old generation 333 version,

Sam 

Quoting Ronerone (Reply 31): LOL .. BRM i suppose

See, you do know!  

Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 32): Everything else seem to pale in comparison and I know nothing on any US carriers, no matter how warm the cookies are in First Class or how delicious the sundaes look, will ever match up to what you experienced on KE

I agree with you there. However are you saying that if I post a trip report on Northwest First Class you won't read it? LOL  

Quoting RICARIZA (Reply 33): Excellent TR! These are the TR that I like the most, full of PICs of any detail.. love the TR..

Thank you very much. I am glad you liked the large amounts of pictures and details.

Quoting A340600 (Reply 34): Lovely report, the seats on the B777 look much better than the old generation 333 version,

That they certainly are. I have not heard about what KE's plans are for their A330's, hopefully they include an upgrade.

SR 103

Sr103- once again, a great report. I've been contemplating KE for a trip in the future and now have no more hesitations. Glad you had a good trip. BTW - are you still at Riddle? You must be done by now eh?

AZJ

Thanks for this excellent report. I also wanna visit Korea, Land of the Morning Calm. Normally I fly with SAS and Lufthansa.....I wonder why?  

Nothing beats Asian carriers!

Anosh, great report and awesome photos. Really felt like i was there alongside you on the flight.

With respect to Korean Air, I feel the way you did before you took your flight. The safety aspect is one thing that they have overcome now, but the stigma still exists. Nonetheless I still feel some hesitation to flying on them. I don't really know what it is, but its not the safety.

I think when you have a number of world class airlines which have all the basics in place, do all of them well, and have a lot of additional awesome features (such as the fantastic lounge in Seoul that you went to and the PTV system) then your feeling on the airline comes down to a lot of the intangibles and at least on the cabin crew and service front, it seems like Korean Air scored very highly and for that they deserve to be applauded.

For me, there is still a massive stigma in my mind regarding Korean Air and its all to do with the intangibles - if faced with the decision to fly an airline that I know isn't quite at the same level as Korean, but that makes me feel warm and cozy inside, I still think I would fly would that airline instead of Korean Air. One day I'll fly them and be convinced, but I don't know that I would choose Korean Air over something rubbish like Northwest if given the choice, lol.

Thanks again for the report.

Great to see the airline is still continuing its excellent service.

I travelled KE frequently from 2001-2003...and found them to be my prefered choice in Asia (flown SQ/CX/TG back then but not MH)...i think its the crew that make the difference. Even though the aircraft had no PTV's...the crew were always on hand to keep you entertained!!! They are genuine people, whom you can tell love their jobs immensley and take great pride in not only their grooming but the way they carry their work and MOST of all ...their company!!!

Fantastic report, once again, and i must get back onboard Dae HanHang gong!!!

Gomapsumnida!

Quoting Azjubilee (Reply 36): once again, a great report.

Thank you.

Quoting Azjubilee (Reply 36): I've been contemplating KE for a trip in the future and now have no more hesitations

Glad to see I was able to help you out there.

Quoting Azjubilee (Reply 36): are you still at Riddle? You must be done by now eh?

Not quite done yet, doing a Masters now.

Quoting Scandinavian (Reply 37): Nothing beats Asian carriers!

You are absolutely right!

Quoting AirxLiban (Reply 38): Anosh, great report and awesome photos. Really felt like i was there alongside you on the flight.

Thanks, I am happy to see you enjoyed the read.

Quoting AirxLiban (Reply 38): if faced with the decision to fly an airline that I know isn't quite at the same level as Korean, but that makes me feel warm and cozy inside, I still think I would fly would that airline instead of Korean Air.

For me that "cozy" airline is good old KLM and given the choice, I think I may actually pick Korean over KLM. Strange to think all I used to fly a a short while ago was KLM/NWA.

Quoting Airnewzealand (Reply 39): i think its the crew that make the difference

That has always been my belief.

Quoting Airnewzealand (Reply 39): They are genuine people, whom you can tell love their jobs immensley and take great pride in not only their grooming but the way they carry their work and MOST of all ...their company!!!

I could not agree with you more. Their employees really do take pride in their work, something that is not too common in this day and age.

Quoting Airnewzealand (Reply 39): Fantastic report, once again

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

SR 103

Are there caucasain F/A's on KE?

Or is the adv just showing new uniform for ground crew also?

Quoting SQB7E (Reply 41): Are there caucasain F/A's on KE?

I do not think so, I did not spot a single one on my flights; but I could be wrong.

Quoting SQB7E (Reply 41): Or is the adv just showing new uniform for ground crew also?

Ground staff do wear the same uniform and I think that may be where they got the idea from. I noticed some Indian girls wearing it in BOM and one Caucasian lady at JFK.

SR 103

Fantastic, fantastic report.

Thanks for writing that. Loved the pictures as well.   

Hi great report. I didnt know much about KE but now I do, they look really nice.

Thanks

OA260

Quoting AAce24 (Reply 43): Fantastic, fantastic report. Thanks for writing that. Loved the pictures as well.

Glad you enjoyed it.

Quoting OA260 (Reply 44): I didnt know much about KE but now I do, they look really nice.

They really are a great airline, I do not think my trip report did them enough justice. Truly one of the best airlines I have ever flown, and I have flown a lot!  

SR 103

I love your TR's

Very detail oriented and thorough, its truly a pleasure reading them.  

KE definitely seems to have a good product in the C class. Loved the different foods. I don't think any North American or European airlines can boast of such service.

Can't wait to read and see more TR's from you in the future.

Maybe next time i fly IAD-DEL, i will definitely consider flying KE (hopefully by then, they would have an ICN-DEL service).  

Extraordinary TR!! Very informative and great pictures. I've the pleasure to fly into and out of ICN when I was in the US Army. Truly a magnificent airport. The first airport I've been to than was aesthetically pleasing, as opposed to the utilitarian layout of most US airports. I never got the chance to fly KE, I was always on UA, but definitly regret not flying KE home to ORD when I left Korea. Keep the great TR's coming!

Did you move back out of the US since your a Flying Blue member now?

I also found it interesting when I opened up the picture of the entrance to the lounge in ICN that the skyteam board they had with the airlines didn't have NW on that, is that because the of WC there in ICN?

[Edited 2007-05-02 18:28:34]

Quoting SR 103 (Thread starter): When that was accomplished, my bags were tagged all the way to JFK and my boarding pass to ICN was issued on Air India stock.

So I guess you had to re-check-in in ICN? Any reason they couldn't issue you boarding passes for both flights in BOM?

Quoting SR 103 (Thread starter): The menu for lunch today

Looks like Bibimbap are on all the menus...I know for sure they are also served in Y class, but not nearly as elegant as the one you're getting. When I flown with them 3 year ago NRT-LAX, during meal time I really couldn't hear what the F/A is talking about. Maybe the accent with the GE90 (was on L3 emergency exit seat), but I got the "western" choice. The hottie next to me got the bibimbap. It looked a lot better than my pasta, though. That's Korean cuisine for you.

One more thing...
Take a closer look at the 747-400 model in the Lounge in ICN.
That's not a 747-400 AT ALL!
The upper deck length was wrong, and the 4 engines I could swear looked like JT9Ds.
If I guess correctly the model manufacturer just took an old 747-200 model and slapped winglets on them.
I don't think KE realizes this either.

I'm glad you were having fun. First rate report, too.
The picture of the food makes me drool...