OZ 235 ORD-ICN
HL7775 (775) 3 class 777-200ER
Seat 2A F class
1am departure 1/22/09

Boarding was using only door 2L, when the FA saw my boarding pass, she brought me to seat 2A immediately.







After I had put my bag in the overhead bin, she hanged up my jacket, asked for my choice of beverage. I don't hesistate to ask for my favourite beverage on OZ, ginseng tea. The other FA brought me slippers, PJ, headsets, and amenity kit in the mean time. OZ is still using the old red slippers like several years ago I flew with them, PJ has the same color as the seat, and the Bvlgari BVL pour homme amenity kit.



Looking at the headset, can't believe they were still using the Y style headset like before, the Sennheiser PX2000, with the new seat why don't they also change the headset as well ? Even UA C has better noise cancelling headset !



Here is the ginseng tea with honey, the nuts are not pre-plated inside the galley, FA actually hold up a metal tray, and put the nuts on the small bowl you have. I had noticed OZ had changed to a different ginseng tea, it actually had tiny bits of ginseng, and it had a more strong flavor than before. The old one I know is from a small packet, after you pour the water, it is clear. Also there is no more of the beautiful design cup for ginseng tea anymore. The one they used to have is only to use for long haul F for green tea and ginseng tea.



The little area at the end of my seat they call it as guest seat, it is actually the extend part when my seat go to full flat 180 degrees, who can really sit at the tiny space below the TV monitor ?

IMG]http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss280/ORDnHKG/P1000741.jpg[/IMG]

Flight time today is almost 14 hours, I had done nonstop on UA ORD-HKG, it only takes 14 hrs and 30 min. I guess we have very strong headwind today. We scheduled to arrive ICN at 5:49am.





Pay attention at my photo on the top, it was showing in Japanese. It changes between Korean, Japanese, Chinese Simplified, and English, it is quite sophiscated, at least it show OZ target someone other than Koreans. This airshow is quite interesting, it actually show the map of ORD, and even after take off, it still show where is the plane now in a close up view, unfortunately, the pilot turn off this feature after an hour into the flight.



We leave the gate on time, when the engine start, it sounded like I was flying a UA 777, guess OZ is using PW4090 as well on their 772. We headed due north for Canada for quite sometime, just like flying ORD-HKG, perhaps we are using polar route ?



We have a total of 3 pax including myself, 1A is an older korean woman, which she actually set on her own bed right after the door close and go to sleep right away, I did see her coming into the F lounge just when I was leaving. FA actually put a red sticker at her TV screen, I didn't pay attention what that is, I guess it is "do not disturb" in korean. There is another korean man in 1K as well. On this 3 class 772, the pair seats in the middle 1DG and 2DG are good if you are a couple or have a companion, but those seats are clear lack of storage spaces except overhead bins. 1A and 1K has the side storage top, but you do have to hold on to your stuff as during take off your stuff may slide to 2A and 2K. 2A and 2K is best if you like to put some books on your side to read, not worry about who is behind you.

Turblence does not exist at all after takeoff, the captain turn off the seat belt sign rather quick. Since 1A woman was still sleeping, FA proceed to let me see the menus for meal order. The menus clearly from last month (December) as it show christmas drawings in the cover, take a peek at the peek, it is written "2008C4-20081201", confirmed it has been using this menus since beginning of December, hopefully I wouldn't see this menus for the return flight ICN-ORD in February.

I am too lazy my type my menus, so took a photo instead.





In the past, the three entrees are lobster therimdor, beef tenderloin steak and bi bim bap. The Lobster Therimdor was gone, it replace with something call "green salad with grilled scallop" Who would want a salad as a meal in F ?Although it has caviar in appetizer now. Many people like caviar, but I would want Lobster instead of caviar, not really a big fish egg eater, I would only care about those clear red salmon eggs.

The table is actually hidden at the side narrow top table, it is as huge as the one at the previous old F seat, although it cannot swing like the old one in case you need to go to the washroom during the meal.



Here is the table setting



Like Carfield had mentioned in his previous LAX-ICN-HKG trip report, no more cart, and no more silver dinnerware, everything is pre plated. My appetizer Sauteed Mushroom on half Tomato, lobster tail, Proscuito Ham





Tomato and garlic soup



Korean Royal Cuisine "bi bim bap"



Side dish



Desert: Cheesecake and tea



Ms 1A actually woke up when I almost finish up my dinner, I saw that she actually order the green salad with a whisky I think. I walk past her to go to the washroom to change to my PJ to get comfy, I also saw that she had the same amenity kit as I do. I wonder where is the round shape female kit like it pictured in the OZ website ? I don't really care since I has mine, but did ask the FA about the C kit. She told me C pax got no kit, C kit only has it on flights out of ICN. F on this flight is served by 3 FA, all assistant purser, with the senior purser walking back and fourth all 3 classes. Unlike UA F on the 772 and NH F on the 77W, there is only one washroom on this OZ 772. Therefore, this washroom is bigger than most.





The side panel on the left can actually come apart to use as a padded seat rather than sitting on the toilet but actually not using it.



F washroom amenities from left to right, toothbrush/paste sets, mouthwash packets, towels, combs, evian water spray, eau de cochas fragrance, biotherm lotion, and facial pads.





I also took stroll to the C washroom to see what it offers, basically is the same minus evian water spray, no biotherm products and replace by Charmzone.





Here is the Y washroom as well, I guess not bad, as least it has lotion and aftershave, comb, as well as toothbrush/paste sets. Many airlines provide nothing in Y.





After a heavy late dinner, I felt really sleepy, FA set up with the duvet, and change into a bed, I went to sleep as the flight was really smooth, no turblence at all, didn't wake up til we are getting out of Alaska.

I saw my first ever robot on OZ, this particular FA has no smile at all when she walks by, whenever she talked to me, always called me "Sir", rather than my last name. With only 2 pax in F, there is no way she couldn't memorize names. (1K turn out to be relieve captain, he went to the cockpit midflight) However, robot did offer some fruits to me after I wake up, proceed with the mid flight snack, I had the udon soup. OZ still has the same offerings as in several years ago, udon soup and hot ramen. NH in my opinion has the best mid flight snack in F of all carriers. I always love their shark fin soup in chinese noodles, others love their super cheese burgers.



Here is my fruit appetizer, and then udon with shrimp





I also turned on the airshow to see where are we, little to I know it looks like indeed we are doing a polar route, we are just a little south of north pole. If we fly a little more north, it would be the routing to HKG.



After that I watched several movies and several short subjects, Mama mia, Wall-E, an old episode of Hell's Kitchen and also several episodes of Thomas the train engine. The system was easy to use, no need to search through the movies in the program guide.

While I was still watching Wall-E, FA start to prepare for breakfest. There were three choices, but no Korean option. Cheese omelet or Banana Crepe or Pancake. I don't like all three choices at all, it should have one local option. I just choose the Banana Crepe.



Once again some fresh fruits appetizers



With the yogurt, I passed on the cereal



Banana Crepe
Served with Maple Syrup
Accompanied by Bacon and Grilled Tomato
The sugarery banana crepe, all I have eaten are the tomato and the bacon



Here is what I waited for a long time, OZ signature "Thank You Gift" for long haul F pax. Like what Carfield mentioned, other than the usual Versace Rosenthal gave out in the past, OZ now has two additional gifts to choose from, a golf CD, and the pyongyang concert CD, these are two useless unattractive gifts, I wonder what are the OZ management thinking ? Btw, I saw Ms. 1A also pick the Versace gift.



Other than the robot, the other two FA are ok, but not exceptionally from my past OZ flights, English is really lacking on all three FA in F, much worse than NH FA, nontheless I still took a photo with one if them, the other one was too shy for a photo, I was wearing OZ's PJ.

Pay attention to the black arrow I draw, that is supposed to be where the Boeing Certificate located on the 777 (next to door 1R), and there is nothing inside !!!!! I wonder if OZ had taken it away or simply doesn't have one ! This is a 2 months old 777.



Another photo in my seat



My flight actually didnot arrive ICN til 6:15am, in a really dark morning.