Korean Air Skypass - Korean reveals GRU schedule; LAX nonstop increase to 20 wkly

http://airlineroute.blogspot.com/2008/03/korean-launch-sao-paulo-lax-increase-to.html

Korean Air will resume the long-awaited 3 weekly Seoul - Los Angeles - Sao Paulo service with 777-200ER from 02JUN08. At the same time, service to Los Angeles on the nonstop service will rise from 17 to 20 weekly.

Seoul - Los Angeles - Sao Paulo
KE061 ICN2045 - 1545LAX1930 - 1100GRU 772 135
KE062 GRU1330 - 2130LAX0130+1- 0550+2 772 135

Seoul - Los Angeles
KE017 ICN1500 - 1000LAX 744 D
KE011 ICN1930 - 1430LAX 744 D
KE015 ICN1955 - 1500LAX 772 135
KE061 ICN2045 - 1545LAX 772 135

KE012 LAX0030 - 0450+1ICN 744 D
KE062 LAX0130 - 0550+1ICN 772 357
KE016 LAX0130 - 0550+1ICN 772 246
KE018 LAX1230 - 1655+1ICN 744 D

Korean Air also operates daily Seoul - Tokyo - Los Angeles service

Hmm.. almost 4 hours layover at LAX for all passengers between ICN and GRU on both ways. This makes KE061/062 not the fastest way to get there - DL's ATL stop is faster than KE061. Also too many ICN-LAX on Mon, Wed, and Fri. Not sure this is optimized schedule for passengers. Still exciting that KE really resume GRU this year! Thanks for sharing this information.

Also KE will use upgraded 772 on this route.

Excellent news! I am sure KE will do well in GRU, especially as Brazil-US demand is now so strong.

Rgs,

I'd don't know if anybody else noticed, but why isnt it yet bookable anywhere? Korean Air's Website doesn't even make a mention of it


Excellent news! I am sure KE will do well in GRU, especially as Brazil-US demand is now so strong.

Rgs,

KE GRU flights are booakble via, for example, Amadeus.net It has not been integrated into KE website yet.

KE will use GRU Terminal 2, which is the same terminal used by interline partner RG/G3. I am note sure which business lounge KE will use considering that both AF Salon and DL Crown Lounge are situated in GRU Terminal 1.

KE will be 8th SkyTeam partner to land in GRU: AF, KL, AZ, AM, CM, DL, CO, all operate in GRU.

Rgs,

please... show me what your seeing? I can't find it in Amadeus.net, nor expedia.com, nor anyother such site



KE GRU flights are booakble via, for example, Amadeus.net It has not been integrated into KE website yet.

KE will use GRU Terminal 2, which is the same terminal used by interline partner RG/G3. I am note sure which business lounge KE will use considering that both AF Salon and DL Crown Lounge are situated in GRU Terminal 1.

KE will be 8th SkyTeam partner to land in GRU: AF, KL, AZ, AM, CM, DL, CO, all operate in GRU.

Rgs,

please... show me what your seeing? I can't find it in Amadeus.net, nor expedia.com, nor anyother such site

Are you doing the right search? Note that the flight only starts from 02 June 2008. Here is a copy from Amadeus:

Flight 1:

Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Departure: 20:45 Seoul, Korea Republic Of - Incheon International
Arrival: 11:00 +1 day(s) Sao Paulo, Brazil - Guarulhos International, terminal 2 Note: includes 1 technical stop(s)


Airline: Korean Air KE061 e Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/200ER

Flight 2:

Thursday, June 26, 2008
Departure: 13:30 Sao Paulo, Brazil - Guarulhos International, terminal 2
Arrival: 05:50 +2 day(s) Seoul, Korea Republic Of - Incheon International Note: includes 1 technical stop(s)


Airline: Korean Air KE062 e Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/200ER

I'd don't know if anybody else noticed, but why isnt it yet bookable anywhere? Korean Air's Website doesn't even make a mention of it

Sometimes airlines will load the schedule and availability into GDS first then announce it few days later.

Hmm.. almost 4 hours layover at LAX for all passengers between ICN and GRU on both ways. .

I was thinking maybe pax have to clear US customs and immigration and then go back through security at LAX meaning KE needed extra time?

I was thinking maybe pax have to clear US customs and immigration and then go back through security at LAX meaning KE needed extra time?

I think a couple of hours will be more than enough. I became to know that the kinda weird schedule (for someone, it would be perfect schedule, though.) may be related to GRU airport's slot problem. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

I think a couple of hours will be more than enough. I became to know that the kinda weird schedule (for someone, it would be perfect schedule, though.) may be related to GRU airport's slot problem. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

You are right: GRU has slot restrictions and slots in GRU nowadays are valued as "gold".

Rgs,

Wouldn't it be better if they revise it to...

KE 061 ICN 1445 - LAX 0945, LAX 1300 - GRU 0530+1 772 246
KE 062 GRU 0800 - LAX 1600, LAX 1930 - ICN 2350+1 772 246

You can still connect to major Asia countries even as late as 2350 as they could incorporate red-eye flights at around 0130 to 0230 to places such as Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singpore, and Bangkok.

If you don't need to get connected, then you can just go home =3 Although a flight near midnight would be... kinda harsh for pick-ups.
--
...or they could simply just make flights fly between GRU and LAX.

Wouldn't it be better if they revise it to...

KE 061 ICN 1445 - LAX 0945, LAX 1300 - GRU 0530+1 772 246
KE 062 GRU 0800 - LAX 1600, LAX 1930 - ICN 2350+1 772 246

You can still connect to major Asia countries even as late as 2350 as they could incorporate red-eye flights at around 0130 to 0230 to places such as Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singpore, and Bangkok.

If you don't need to get connected, then you can just go home =3 Although a flight near midnight would be... kinda harsh for pick-ups.
--
...or they could simply just make flights fly between GRU and LAX.

KE doesn't have redeye flights to SE Asia around 1:30 or 2:30 am. The planes are already in SE Asia and turning around to go back to Korea around that time, so that they can connect to the morning flights bound for the US. The major KE redeyes fly SE Asia-ICN, not ICN-SE Asia.

From KE website, now official:

Korean Air to Launch Nonstop Service from Los Angeles to Brazil
LA’s largest transpacific airline will operate the only nonstop flight to Sao Paulo


(Seoul, Korea – March 24, 2008) Korean Air will launch new, nonstop service on June 2nd from Los Angeles to São Paulo, Brazil’s economic center. The service between the commercial hubs is Korean Air’s third nonstop destination from LAX, joining Seoul and Tokyo.

“Korean Air’s non stop flight between LAX and Sao Paulo is a key route for people who want to conduct business in the world’s second largest city,” said Jong Eun Lee, Korean Air's regional vice president for the Americas. "Korean Air already offers the best options for travel to Asia, but we’re also a global airline that will now provide the much needed passenger and cargo service between Los Angeles and Sao Paulo that no other company has the scope to do.”

Subject to government approval, KE061 will operate Monday-Wednesday-Friday flights between LAX and São Paulo (GRU) beginning June 2nd using Boeing 777-200 aircraft in a three class configuration (First, Business, Economy). Every seat will feature Korean Air’s award-winning audio-video on demand entertainment system.

The flight is tentatively scheduled to depart LAX at 7:30pm and arrive in Sao Paulo at 11:00am the next morning. The return flight will leave Sao Paulo at 1:30pm and arrive LAX at 9:30pm the same day. Korean Air will be the only airline with nonstop service between Los Angeles and Brazil.

Korean Air is the largest cargo carrier in the world and carries more air cargo at LAX than any other passenger airline. The airline also is the largest transpacific passenger carrier out of Los Angeles, and flies from more cities in the Americas to more cities in China than any other airline in the world. This new service will provide an important air cargo connection between Asia and Brazil that will generate a significant positive economic impact on the Southern California economy.

Korean authorities finally approved KE's flights to GRU and MUC and now booking is availabe on KE's website to both Sao Paulo and Munich starting 02 June and 01 June respectively:

http://www.koreanair.com/local/kr/gd/eng/ft/ne/eng_ft_ne_20080408.htm

KE will have introductory fares LAX-GRU selling at USD1,066 for June and GRU-LAX at USD 1,206 for July and August, only available on KE's Americas website.

Rgs,

By the way, KE now stops 015/016 flights (ICN-LAX 3 weekly flight), so the number of ICN-LAX direct flight is still 17 weekly.

Also KE's winter 061/062 schedule is now available. Overall same, only slight changes are there. Hope KE will make GRU->LAX overnight someday.

I bought a RT TPE-to-LAX in C for about $2575 before KE added back the twice weekly 01:10 departure from LAX to ICN. So my return leg back from LAX is on the seven-days-a-week KE12 departing at 00:10 on a 747. I probably would not have gone for the 777 anyway considering I like being in the 747 "bubble" for the intimate feeling. (Others may say "claustrophobic, but that is a matter of taste.)

I suppose I could rebook (no cost for this fare class I think) for the shorter connection time by taking the 777 an hour later, but I don't think its worth the bother.

It is interesting that RT TPE-->LAX is a lot cheaper than LAX-->TPE in biz class. As far as I know, TPE-->LAX is the last "semi-cheap") premium far east-to-west coast fare in existence (except for CMB of course). The TPE fare isn't even all that good considering it is kind of pricey to get from TPE to anywhere else such as HKG.

The 20 weekly flight will be operated between 29JUN08 and 30AUG08

Any guesses how the GRU-LAX bookings are looking now that we are one month away from the start of the route?

Rgs,

Korean is giving a very high commission to travel agents in order to capture the Brazilian market:

GRU-LAX: 6%+8%
GRU-ICN and Asia: 6%+3%

http://www.rextur.com.br/info/0363ko.htm

Rgs,

Also KE recently started a last minute promotion for LAX-GRU on their website. Now the price is $849 in June.

I'll be on this flight (GRU-LAX) next month and will travel with my 2 toddlers. What can I expect from boarding to on-board service? I've never flown KE before and we're quite excited about the nonstop trip.

How is KE doing in GRU after 2 months of operation of the route? Information so far is that the route is showing good results.

Anyone with any updated information and results for the route?

Rgs,

DL is applying to operate (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=860772&page=1)this route 3x weekly too. The days of DL's proposed operation haven't been posted on FT yet, but if DL and KE alternated their days with broadly similar operating times, they would have coverage on the route 6x/week.