loopflyer

Flt: 272 ICN-SEA 777-200, Smartium Business Class

Aircraft: I booked this day for this flight because it was listed as a 777 Smartium fully lie flat seat equipped vice their A330 with angled flat. OZ still operates both aircraft types on this route and so you have to look for the days that they are scheduled to use the 777, but even then they could do a no-notice swap of the type!

Transfer: Arrived late on THY flt. from IST, parked at end of satellite terminal making the distance to OZ gates that much further. Met by OZ rep. to escort me to make OZ connection, got me in front of transit security, but rep. was running and asked me to hurry, hurry. The distances at ICN are formidable! Exhausted, no time for the lounge. They should have had a golf cart ready for that distance.

Seat: Comfortable, had Smartium lie flat in 1-2-1 config. which I needed after coming off a 9 hour red-eye with little sleep. Seat condition showing age, cleanliness an issue. Seat also a bit narrow, duvet quilt, small pillow provided.

Food/Drink: Just OK, nothing to really write about.

Amenity kit: Out of Seoul OZ still gave a brown canvas zipper'd L'Occitane kit as I can cofirm. Haven't opened it, but I'm sure it has the usual items. Combs, toothbrush kit available in lavatories.

Service: Polite and attentive, but rushed service. I had a Chinese attendant, and experienced the same hastiness on other Asia flights with Chinese cabin crew, e.g. Air NZ PVG-AKL. English comprehension was a challenge (but my Korean is no good save for saying thank you).

IFE: Screen quality (clarity, sharpness) not good, movie selection was enough for this 9 hour flight.

Baggage: With only a 50 minute ICN connect time due to late arrival, my bags made it aboard the OZ flt. and picked them up at SEA.

Summary: Not a bad way to fly, certainly, but I wouldn't go out of my way to fly it again. A one off for me. I found ANA J NRT-SEA 787 much better.

Other J int'l flights flown: LH, AA, US, LX, BA, SK, NH, JL, AC, OS, TK, BR, SN, CX, QR, TG

TennisNoob

What'd you think of the price and value?

Yes I prefer NH as long as both flights are direct.

benjahman

If flying to Asia from US and vice versa, I would most likely choose NH over OZ and maybe even CX. Something about Japanese airlines and the overall efficiency, cleanliness, respect, and in my opinion food, that puts it at the top of my list.

TennisNoob

Yup but OZ is always cheaper ime

benjahman

This sounds terrible but I'm such a jaded mileage burner that I didn't even think about price. You are correct though, OZ fares are very competitively priced.

loopflyer

I used Avianca LifeMiles - 63K for the oddball IST-ICN-SEA routing in J on Turkish and Asiana. You can sometimes get a 2 for one routing like this. I could have flown TK faster to the states, but this gave me the chance to try OZ J as well! But it was an exhausting 24 hour trip instead of a 14 hours. Oh, and buying 63K miles at 1.47 cents per mile, well, a decent deal.

TennisNoob

That's an heck of an value. Good luck once Avianca gets bought

Kacee

Now that's the FT spirit!

RobOnLI

Can you clarify your comment about 24 hours on OZ but it would have been 14 hours if you flew all TK?

Your options on TK are IST-ORD/SFO/IAD basically that will connect to UA as part of *A. No way you can do that in 14 hours. I think 17 might be possible but even that's a stretch. IST-ORD/IAD are both 11 hours. Add 2 hours to connect and either another 3.5 or 5.5 hours depending on ORD or IAD to SEA.

But your point is made - flying all TK would have been a shorter experience. I just don't think 10 hours shorter.

-RM