Thanks for the information. I am on KE flight 8624 MNL-ICN tonight and will let you know what I see. On the other hand, what's the difference between new seat and ISPS?
I believe KE 35/36 ATL-ICN has new seats in Business Class but not in First. Definitely new seats in Business, but I didn't get a good look and have no experience flying in KE F.
Waiting here in MNL at the KAL lounge.... my seat is 7A and the aircraft has Y seats in upperdeck... so definately not new seats... I am disappointed.
It is highly changeable on asian routes - since the work is mainly for long haul. And KE does not have Y class on upperdeck except one 74E, maybe KE uses upperdeck as Y service C seat?
ISPS is the power code (100/250V, I guess) for notebook. KE installed internet and the power code to many aircrafts; now internet is gone, only power left.
I just translated the table on the KE website (Korea site)
I'm just curious that they put new equipment on short flights like Japan or Manila or Shanghai instead of long haul routes which haven't get it yet like Canadian routes, LAS, SFO or other Europe routes.
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In Aircraft Types it is suggested that all the flights listed have the new J seats, and that it is only the new F seats that are missing on KE11/12/etc.
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Any ideas about ICN-SYD on the 744? It would appear that this route is still being flown with with the old seats. Also, have the configurations changed on these planes? If so, SeatGuru is very out of date unfortunately.
I'm just curious that they put new equipment on short flights like Japan or Manila or Shanghai instead of long haul routes which haven't get it yet like Canadian routes, LAS, SFO or other Europe routes. still no YVR
In situations like this, the answer to the puzzle is usually aircraft-utilization. Certain upgraded aircraft flying long-haul routes will have enough time at home base to do a quick turnaround to a local short-haul destination, so the airline deploys the aircraft on that route simply to keep it in the air. Sometimes it works out well, like with an ICN-NRT turnaround that is surely a premium route, and sometimes it comes to funny results, like ICN-MNL that would probably not, all else being equal, warrant an upgraded aircraft at this stage. But that's how certain local short-hauls often wind up with upgraded aircraft while high-revenue long-haul routes are still waiting for more aircraft to get upgraded.
I don't know KE's schedule very well, and I haven't tried to line up the flight times, but (cutting myself some slack) it should work like this: KE's flight to SFO departs in the afternoon around 2:00 pm and arrives at SFO around 12:00 noon the same day; the same aircraft departs SFO around 2:30 and gets to ICN at 6:00 pm or so the next day. Assuming it's going to go back to SFO the next day, KE can deploy that upgraded aircraft for an evening flight to Japan, overnight in Japan, then first-thing-in-the-morning flight back to ICN, leaving tons of time to go out to San Francisco. But that aircraft couldn't have go out to YVR and gotten back to ICN in time for its SFO run the next day. Now, that's a gross simplification. You're dealing with lots more aircraft and lots more destinations that can have the times dovetailed much more snuggly by, for example, having the aircraft alternate the daylight and overnight roundtrips to LAX, with a daytime Japan shuttle squeezed in. But you get the idea.
Greetings to all from the Prestige Class Lounge at Incheon. I just stepped off KE 036 from ATL and can confirm that the upgraded seats are available. I want to say that F had the new seats, but I didn't get a clear look at whether they're the newest Kosmo sleeper seats (that put all those cute little animals in the ads to sleep) or the last-generation lie-flat-in-a-clunky-bed-surrounded-by-cheap-plastic. Either one would have been more comfortable than the seat I had, of course.
Quick follow-up: after playing closer attention to some of the promotional videos shown en route for the new Kosmo Sleeper Seats, I can confirm that the aircract currently plying the ATL-ICN route do not, in my experience, have the Kosmo's but rather the previous lie-flat beds KE used (squarish plastic white shell).
I can confirm that KE16 from LAX - ICN has the old business class seats. And I mean OLD. These did not even have personal video screens, let alone AVOD. Service was lacking - not once did they offer an adult beverage! I had to ask for one. And getting a glass of wine with dinner was a task.
Flight 603 from ICN to HKG had personal video screens, but not AVOD equipped.
KE drops to the bottom of the list for me for my trans-pacific flights.
I'm sorry, but you should take KE012 instead of KE016. Both are similar timing (only an hour difference), while only 012 has new seats and AVOD. If you searched this page before your flight, I'm sure you'll be satisfied with your flight.
I am disappointed.
