Asiana Club - Asiana JFK-ICI question

Hello all - first post, so thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

I'm flying Asiana business class from JFK to Seoul, and onto Hong Kong in a couple weeks on their 747 (not the combi) - wondering if anyone has any experience with this route/equipment. I've never been in business class or on a flight longer than 5 hours before, so I really don't know what to expect in terms of general experience on a 15 hour flight. I normally am not a good sleeper on planes, so I'm kinda dreading the 15 hour flight! I've heard Asiana 747 biz seats are pretty crappy, but I haven't been able to locate a good picture of them or find anyone who has actually sat in them. Any info you could provide on the seats specifically, or handling a 15 hours flight generally, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again in advance!

-TT78

.....I've heard Asiana 747 biz seats are pretty crappy....

That sums it up!:p Think early 90s style business class seats on UA. I would avoid 747 C on OZ at all costs. Try upgrade to F or reroute through LAX or SFO to fly on the 777s. It is not difficult to upgrade using OZ miles. I was stuck in 747 C once and it was a dreadful 14 hours. :p

ugh, you're really not making me feel any better about this flight! :p

Hopefully being upstairs will at least be a little better/quieter...

Does anyone know if these are still the seats used on the JFK-ICI route in biz class? These look AWFUL. Do 747 biz even have in-seat IFE on Asiana?

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0569221&WxsIERv=Obrvat%20747-48RZ&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Nfvnan%20Nveyvarf&QtODMg=Frbhy%20-%20Vapurba%20Vagreangvbany%20%28VPA%20%2F%20EXFV%2 9&ERDLTkt=Fbhgu%20Xbern&ktODMp=Sroehnel%2020%2C%202004&BP=0&WNEb25u=Fnz%20Puhv&xsIERvdWdsY=UY7428&MgTUQtODMgKE=Hccre%20qrpx%20Ohfvarff%20Pynff%20bs% 20Nfvnan%20shyy%20cnk%20747.%20Frng%20ner%20puhaxl %20ohg%20pbzsbegnoyr.%20Terng%20freivpr%20naq%20yh apu%20ba%20n%201.5%20ue%20syvtug%20sebz%20CRX%20gb %20VPA%20ba%20BM332.%20%5BAvxba%20Q100%5D&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=9967&NEb25uZWxs=2004-05-03&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=28552%2F1160&static=yes&width=1000&height=677&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Obrv at%20747-400%20%28NY-1%29%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Nfvnan%2 0Nveyvarf%25%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QR FP&photo_nr=2&prev_id=0638566&next_id=0064129&tbl=CABIN

Upstair or downstair is the same, no difference. It is well known to everyone F and C seats on OZ's 74M and 744 are extremely old. Even with people complain about UA, UA's current C seat still much better OZ on their 747. That is also propbably one of the reasons it is so easy to get award seats in F and C on OZ.

There are several pictures on Airliners.net. Just use the search engine and look for Asiana, 747 and cabin interior pictures. The seats are not hardly great by today's standard but if you have never been in C on a longhaul, you won't know the difference!:p It is much better than Y class in any case with resonable pitch just poor recline and really bad footrests. There is a small screen at each seat but it is not on demand. They loop through a group of films and shorts throughout the flight. I generally bring my laptop with DVDs but keep in mind there is not power outlets on the Asiana seats.:( The food is pretty good. The Korean specialty (can't remember how to spell it!) is interesting. They don't offer allot of alcohol but it is available if you ask. Service is very good and the lounge in ICN is very nice. ICN is a very nice airport and worth taking some time to just walk from one end to the other.

There is a hotel in the airport on post security side (there is actually two, one on each end). The JFK flight gets in at 4:00am and is often earlier than that. I have had a longer layover and have gotten a room, taken a shower and gotten a few hours of sleep on a real bed. It has made a big difference and allowed me to hit the ground running.

Enjoy and let us know what you thought of the flight.

Thanks for the info, Hoeg! I saw all the pics on airliners.net, but I guess I just couldnt believe my eyes! Considering I don't normally sleep well on planes, the "requesting of alcohol" may be very necessary. :p I have heard good things about the lounge at ICI, which is helpful since we have a 5 hours layover before climbing back onto another dated 747 and heading to HK. I'll be sure to give a full review when I get back; I know you'll all be waiting with baited breath to hear how Asiana hasn't updated their equipment since 1992!

Don't work yourself up too much. The seats are kinda like sitting in a lazyboy at home. Much better than coach will ever be and not all that bad. I always get a window seat and an extra pillow so I can lean against the window if nothing else works. Remember to use the earplugs! Enjoy HK! Go eat something very weird.

I think you mean ICN (which is Incheon), right ;)

Right you are, my bad!

The seats are not wonderful, but I 've slept 6 plus hours on several flights in them. Row 11 (exit row) or row 7 (front of the bus) are better than others in my view.
The leg rest can raise quite high if you find out how.
The service is usually great and makes up for the seats.
Don't bash your head on the suspended video screen in the dark, e.g. when finding your way to the bathroom.

I was thinking about taking this same route to Hong Kong from JFK (thru Seoul). I was looking on Asiana's websight and i see that there is a much different seat shown then what is described. What route are these nice seats on?

this is the seat they show

http://us.flyasiana.com/Global/US/en/homepage?fid=INFO13110

Those seats are on the 330s and 777s. The 747s and 767s have the older seats.