ThaiDan

After seeing Korean Air’s advertisements on the BBC, I was more than glad to give them a try. Clearly they have a new product and are spending considerable sums of money to promote it, so when my travel agent came back to me with an excellent fare on KE for my trip from Bangkok to San Francisco, I was open to her suggestion. What follows are my (highly opinionated) perceptions and impressions of my trip, together with some tidbits (like menus!) for other foodies. I apologize in advance for omissions or oversights.

Check-in and Air France Lounge at BKK

As I approached Rows M and N at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Wednesday evening, April 6, the passage of people narrowed to a squeeze. The reason for this? A vast assemblage of tour groups waiting to enter the check-in area for…you guessed it…Korean Air! Once I got past this mass of humanity, check-in was a breeze! I walked up to the Prestige counter and had my boarding passes in minutes. I whizzed through immigration (Thanks be to God and Fast Track!) and proceeded past the many people purchasing goods at various “duty-free” shops, and found my way to that bastion of civility known as the Air France lounge, which Korean Air (a member of the SkyTeam alliance) uses at BKK. Flashing my boarding pass gained me entry to a very comfortable environment for the upcoming 2 hours.

The lounge is set up as four rooms, all with views over the tarmac. The room to your far right as you enter contains a number of chairs at cocktail-sized tables and the buffet…more than adequate! More on this shortly. The next room (heading, I think, in the direction of Concourse F) contains twelve workstations in pods of three. There are three computers for public use, and free wireless Internet access is provided in the lounge for those who require this. Each workstation contains plenty of space to open up your laptop and spread out some paperwork should that be necessary. Next is a room with a television and a number of comfortable chairs, and a room looking both over the tarmac and the concourse follows, with magazines and newspapers, plenty of seating, and two massage chairs, as well as telephones which were free for local calls only…they cannot be used to dial Thai mobile numbers for whatever reason.

Based on my experience, this is one of the few lounges at BKK to contain its own restrooms, located at the buffet end of the lounge, and the gent’s contain the usual plumbing as well as two nice, clean shower rooms. There was a receptacle of used bath towels, so I would guess that towels can be obtained from the attractively attired girls at the reception desk. Hair dryers were also thoughtfully provided.

By 9pm, the lounge was hopping! Korean Air has two flights to Seoul every evening (there are seven other flights from BKK to Seoul departing between 10pm and 2am and only one day flight…I’m not sure why!) departing at 2240 and 2345, as well as an Air France flight to Paris at 2255 and a Kenya Air flight to Nairobi at 0035, and all of these use the Air France lounge, thus the reason for the business. That said, there seemed to be plenty of seating for everyone and despite the number of people, the lounge was amazingly quiet…a definite plus in my book.

I had not had dinner in anticipation of the buffet in the lounge, and I was NOT disappointed! The KE flights do not serve dinner upon takeoff, instead serving breakfast about an hour and a half before landing in Seoul. So…I was ready for a nibble or two, and was NOT disappointed here! The buffet contained a great assortment of finger sandwiches, small sushi rolls (with soy sauce, wasabi and chop sticks), an assortment of mini quiches, cheese offered with biscuits and bread, pastries (both sweet and savory), fresh fruit (papaya, watermelon, pineapple and apples), an assortment of cakes and desserts and packages of peanuts, mixed nuts and crisps. All was regularly replenished and never was one left wanting for anything.

The bar included wine from Michael Lynch…a Reserve 2008 Medoc and a 2009 Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc, as well as Smirnoff vodka, Bacardi and Captain Morgan’s rum, Gordon’s gin, Jack Daniels, Johnnie Walker Black, Chivas, 3 different Cognacs, Calvados and Cointreau. And that’s just what I can remember! A fridge off to the side included sodas, waters, and Heineken and Singha beer. A fancy contraption for brewing individual coffees and espressos was on the bar and hot water was provided for the assortment of Twinings tea, as well. All in all, a fine buffet for a light (well…) dinner prior to boarding.

One nice touch in the lounge are the oil paintings on the walls opposite the windows overlooking the tarmac. They are oversized and in an assortment of bold colors and really give some pizzazz to the otherwise rather antiseptic lounge. A nice touch!

I did notice a number of people dressed appropriately for a “front of the plane” lounge, however I was a bit disturbed to see one or two men in cargo pants and t-shirts and carrying oversized backpacks looking as if they had just rolled in from Khao San Road or one of the “hotels” near Patpong. One woman looked as if she was prepared to provide lap dances to anyone who was interested. Hmmm…not quite what I expected to find! While I have no problems with how people dress or where they go, I do feel that people should dress appropriately for their environment. I do feel that, when one travels in the front of the plane, one should dress as if one belongs there. I don’t mean to imply that jacket and tie are necessary, but that, as is often the case, appropriate dress has a lot to do with how others perceive a person and gives the impression to the staff and fellow passengers that one belongs there, resulting in better service across the board.

On that note, there was one “older” lady dressed completely in black and white…white slacks, a black tunic, white scarf, black hat with white trim (yes, a hat!). If ladies were allowed to wear pants at Ascot, she would have been perfect for the Ascot scene in “My Fair Lady”! She looked wonderful, as did several African women in their traditional attire (which I do not know the terms to describe…but they looked fabulous!). I would be remiss in failing to acknowledge several gentlemen in suits (and ties!), as well.

On another positive note, the three children who were in the lounge were VERY well behaved, and knew how to use tongs to serve themselves at the buffet…something that one or two of the adults (yes, the ones who looked as if they had slept in the same cargo pants and t-shirts for three days) could not comprehend.

Service from the lounge staff was discreet, unobtrusive and always professional. Tables were cleared quickly and efficiently.

KE 654 Bangkok to Seoul Incheon

About 2300 I left the lounge and headed to the gate for my flight. Boarding did not begin immediately, however First and Prestige class passengers did board first. I had no sooner stowed my carry-on and changed from my shoes into the slippers waiting for me at my seat than a flight attendant came by with a tray containing glasses of water, orange juice, and Champagne. Yes, CHAMPAGNE!! My holiday was now in full swing! I even managed to enjoy a second glass before takeoff. When we hit 10,000 feet, I immediately put my seat (8A, for the record) into the full flat position to get some shuteye, missing the hot savory that was offered (shrimp on a lemongrass brochette). Hot towels were also offered prior to departure, however the Champagne was much more important!

I did manage a glance at the menu before nodding off. Beverages on offer included Laurent-Perrier Champagne, Pouilly Vinzelles Vielles Vignes white Burgundy (2009), a Sauvignon Blanc by Kendall-Jackson (2008), Bourdeaux from Chateau Les Trois Croix (2006) and Robert Mondavi’s Private Selection Merlot (2008). Cocktails were top flight. They included Kir, Kir Royale, Campari, Tio Pepe Dry Sherry, Dry Vermouth, Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto, Martini, Tom Collins, Whisky Sour, Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Gin & Tonic, Chivas Regal 18 Years Rare Old, Johnnie Walker Gold, Glenfiddich 15 Year Old, Jack Daniel’s, Absolut vodka, Beefeater gin and Bacardi rum. To finish, there was Cointreau, Crème de Menthe, Crème de Cassis, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and Remy Martin Cognac X. O., together with beers of the world. Formidable! (And should you wonder…no, my memory isn’t that good. I copped a menu. There. I confessed.)

Further perceptions on my surroundings had to wait until a bit later in the morning.

I awoke a bit before the breakfast service began and made my way to the toilet. Inside, it dawned on me that I did not receive an amenity kit, which I discovered later is not provided by Korean Air. To compensate for this, next to the sink were individually wrapped toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, mouthwash, and razors and shaving cream, together with large bottles of lotion and fragrances for men and women.

As I returned to my seat, the flight attendants were bringing up the cabin lights to pass out hot towels and juice and to begin the breakfast service.

On offer was…

A selection of yoghurts

A choice of mains

• Korean style porridge served with savory Korean side dishes
• Omelette with tomato and peppers served with green baby asparagus, crispy streaky bacon and hash brown potato
• Oriental egg noodle soup with seafood, vegetables and shrimp dumplings

There was a nice selection of breads, as well…croissants, Danish pastries and muffins with jam and butter. A serving of fresh fruit followed and coffee, tea, green tea and ginseng tea were offered.

I opted for the omelette, which was nicely prepared, and a helping from the bread tray. Service was efficient and polite, with the staff calling me by name on several occasions. Staff cleared the main tray before offering fruit, and kept busy attending to the full cabin.

The plane was a Boeing 777-300 in Korean Air’s arrangement with 342 seats. The first row one was reserved for first class passengers (2-2-2 seating), followed by three rows of Prestige class (2-3-2 seating), a galley, two more rows of Prestige class, and economy (3-3-3). Blankets were of the older, thin variety, however as the cabin was not too cool, I never opened mine. Sennheiser headsets were at the seat upon boarding, but as I travel with my own MP3, I didn’t make use of them. I did look briefly at the AVOD, which looked to be the most promising of any airline I’ve flown. There seemed to be dozens of movies on offer, and hundreds of recordings. Passengers can prepare their own playlist (it looked too difficult for my slightly groggy mind) from a huge variety of contemporary, jazz, classical, and Korean offerings. It was very interesting, but as I had my own choices with me, I couldn’t be bothered…especially at that hour of the night. Or morning. Whatever. I’ll try to get a better handle on this on my return flight and post more details when I’m back in BKK.

Our route took us over northeastern Thailand (Issan) and Vietnam, north over Taiwan and on to Seoul. The landing was very smooth.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable flight…largely because I was able to put my seat into an almost completely flat position and get some good sleep.

Hyatt Incheon: a room for the day and lunch

Upon arrival at Incheon Airport, I cleared immigration (Visa on arrival) and customs and took my carry-on bag to the Korean Air desk in the arrivals area. As I had 9 hours in transit, Korean Air arranged for a room fir the day at the Hyatt Incheon, about 5 minutes from the terminal. This was a REALLY nice touch! Staff at the Transfer Desk gave me a voucher for the hotel and for lunch and directed me to the complimentary shuttle to the hotel which runs every 20 minutes between the hotel and the airport (a 5 minute trip). I was given a guest room on the fifth floor overlooking the airport. The view would have been wonderful had Mother Nature been cooperating…unfortunately, it was foggy and raining on April 7! Despite the double glazed windows, I could occasionally hear planes coming and going, however I could not see anything save the fog. Unable to enjoy the view (no fault of the hotel), I took the opportunity to get a little more shut-eye. I awoke about 11am, showered, and got dressed for my return flight, but first, lunch!

Yes, a voucher for lunch was included, and lunch at the Hyatt Incheon was truly a treat. The hotel offers a weekday buffet that begins with a selection of antipasti and salads (Cesar, tossed, and several seafood salads, including smoked salmon), fresh bread baked in-house (amazingly delicious!), and a cheese board. This was followed by the soup of the day (a thick and creamy potato last Thursday) and a pasta (penne arrabiata), both delivered to my table, then back to the buffet for a nice assortment of desserts…cakes and cookies.

Service was wonderful! The wait staff in the restaurant all spoke excellent English and were VERY customer-service oriented, continually refilling water glasses and quickly removing dirty plates. The décor is very up-to-the-minute, and the staff are attired in an equally hip fashion, with ear pieces and microphones to facilitate communication between wait staff, hostesses and kitchen staff throughout the dining complex (actually 8 different restaurants, but I’ll leave that to you to investigate!). For those who would prefer to order a la carte, that is an option, as well. I didn’t catch the value of the voucher, but it provides credit up to a certain amount and the guest pays the balance, should there be any. My apologies, but I didn’t even glance at the menu. That said, the buffet was scrumptious…truly a treat! Everything was fresh and delicious, just as my mother would make (were she Italian).

The hotel has a beautiful pool and a spa offering massages, facials and body treatments…something I didn’t discover until it was too late. The next time I take this trip (and after my experiences this time, there will DEFINITELY be a next time!), I will make better use of the hotel’s facilities and boost their revenue in the process.

I left about 1:40pm on the free shuttle back to Incheon Airport to enjoy the Korean Air lounge before departure.

The Korean Air Lounge at Incheon

The Korean Air lounge, together with the Bibimbap on my upcoming flight, were two things that I was really looking forward to on this trip. The lounge has one wall of glass overlooking the tarmac, which means the space is flooded with lots of natural light (even on an overcast day) and has very high ceilings, which give a great sense of space to the room. Catering in the lounge is provided by the Hyatt from which I had just come. Sadly, I pigged out a bit too much at lunch at the Hyatt and had no room to try the various offerings, however I can report that they included the same pasta as I lunched on at the Hyatt (penne arrabiata), as well as a pork stew (it smelled fantastic!), pumpkin soup, dim sum, sushi, wonderful cheese bread with cranberries (yes, I DID try that!), cakes, fresh fruit, and red and white wine, beer, sodas and water, coffee and tea, as well as a smattering of hard alcohol. I’m sorry…I was just too full to enjoy more food at this point. I’ll endeavor to pay better attention (and take notes!) when I pass through again on 28 April.

I can report that the lounge includes a business center with computers and printer, a luggage storage room, numerous comfortable chairs, and very nice shower rooms. The staff was very attentive and courteous, assisting guests whenever they could. I enjoyed my table overlooking the tarmac, from which I could watch the unending parade of planes coming and going. Reading materials (newspapers, magazines, Korean Air timetables and city guides) were in good supply.

A fine staff, a great space, and an appetizing buffet all combine to make this lounge a great experience. Well done, Korean Air!


KE 023 Seoul to San Francisco

I left the lounge about 1520 to head to the gate for my 1605 flight to San Francisco. After a further security inspection immediately before boarding, I boarded the plane and found my seat (again, 8A) and sat back to enjoy the pre-flight service of hot towels and Champagne. The Boeing 777-200 contains a total of 248 seats. First class features Korean Air’s new Kosmo sleeper seats in rows 1 and 2 (1-2-1). Prestige Class passengers have Prestige sleeper seats (2-3-2) in rows 7 to 10. A galley, toilets and doors 2L and 2R are located between rows 8 and 9. Economy seats (3-3-3) are in two cabins.

The AVOD II system seemed identical to that on my earlier flight. Bulkhead seats have a pop-up TV monitor which is a bit smaller than the monitor for the non-bulkhead seats in Prestige class. Non-bulkhead seats have a 15.4 inch monitor…plenty big enough for my needs. There is also a privacy screen that separates you from your neighbor should you have need to work on confidential information while in flight, or simply want to isolate your neighbor’s snores from your ears.

The drinks selection was identical to that on my earlier flight. About an hour and a half in, after several rounds of drinks service, dinner was served in five courses, with each setting being removed before the next course was served. Drinks service continued simultaneously, which was a very nice touch. Needless to say, the cabin attendants worked hard throughout the beverage and meal service.

Dinner

Pre-Drink Service: Roasted cherry tomato on cucumber
Appetizer: Grilled tuna with orange served with olive oil dressing
Soup: Pumpkin cream soup (offered with western main course)
Main Course:
• Korean ‘Bipimbap’ offered with minced beef and seasonal vegetables accompanied by sesame oil and “Gochuhang” (Korean hot pepper paste)
• Grilled beef tenderloin with meaux mustard sauce with mashed potato, asparagus, roasted cherry tomato and sautéed bell pepper with onion
• Mixed seafood with lazo sauce served with egg fried rice, mushroom and garlic bak choy
Cheese tray with Chaumes, Comte, and Saint-Andre
Dessert: Ice cream or blueberry mango cake
Bread Selection: potato rye roll, mini baguette, steamed Chinese bao
Coffee / Tea / Green Tea / Ginseng Tea

The menu notes that all beef dishes are prepared with only New Zealand and Australian beef and the majority of the vegetables and grain is of organic products.

I had the Bipimbap, a signature dish in Korea. The word literally means ‘mixed meal’. It is a mixture of seasonal and sautéed Korean vegetables and beef combined with warm rice and chili paste. It is served quite artfully and the diner adds the rice and chili paste (I opted for half a tube, which was fine for me) and mixes the whole thing up and Voila! A wonderful taste of Korea is the result! I had it over 7 years ago when I first came to Thailand on holiday (and was given tickets on Korean Air by a good friend in San Francisco) and was looking forward to having it again on this trip. It was wonderful! I also especially enjoyed the cheeses...very nice!

Once through with dinner, I put my seat back and got some sleep. I thought about asking about the refreshment menu at one point, but in a move that is very much atypical of your faithful scribe, decided to wait for breakfast instead.

Whenever I opened my eyes, the service staff was always passing through the cabin offering drinks or towels. The service on my flight was fantastic. Mr Lee, the Purser, and flight attendants Ms Kim, Ms Jeong and one more whose name I did not note (my apologies!) took excellent care of all passengers in Prestige class. Whenever we needed someone or something, one of them was there. Great job to all!

* * *

Refreshment
Ramen with side dishes
Fresh cookie
Pizza Margarita
Onigiri
Snack

* * *

Breakfast
Yoghurt selection
Main course
• Korean style beef bone soup served with steamed rice and savory Korean side dishes
• Asparagus mushroom quiche with tomato, Lyonnaise potato, spinach and crispy bacon
Seasonal Fresh Fruit
Bread selection: Pumpkin bread (wonderful!), croissant, Danish pastry, butter and jam
Coffee / Tea / Green Tea / Ginseng Tea
A Continental Breakfast with yoghurt, fresh fruit and bread is also available.

The quiche was wonderful…a real treat! A very enjoyable breakfast at 37,000 feet with the same attentive service I had come to expect from Korean Air. Well done!

Seats in Prestige Class recline to a full 180 degree flat, excellent for sleeping. I found them to be a tad narrow, however it is only because I have broad shoulders and was lying on my back. (I didn’t try sleeping on my side [my usual and preferred sleeping position] as I had failed to change into my pajamas and didn’t want to completely mess up my shirt. I’ll do that on the return trip [change into my pajamas, that is] and will report back.) Seats are 21.6 inches wide and 74 inches long. One nice touch was that there were two buttons within easy reach when sleeping to allow one to return one’s seat to either a full upright position or to a reclining position without having to fiddle with the control panel and erroneously signal the cabin attendant, turn on and off the reading lamp, and create general mayhem in the cabin while fumbling for the correct button.

At one point when most of the passengers were sleeping, I asked one of the cabin attendants about the first class menu. She went up to the first class galley and came back with both a menu and a wine list, which I reproduce herewith for all curious Flyertalkers…

Beverages

Cocktails and Aperitifs
Dry Vermouth
Campari / Dry Sherry Tio Pepe
Martini
Bloody Mary / Screwdriver
Tom Collins / Whisky Sour
Gin & Tonic
Kir Royale (available on all flights except Japan and China)
Kir (available on all flights except Japan)
Choya Umeshu (available on Japan flights only)

Spirits
Johnnie Walker Blue
Glenfiddish 15 Years Malt Whisky / Jack Daniel’s
Beefeater Gin
Level Vodka
Bacardi Rum

Brandy & Liqueurs
Cognac Remy Martin X.O.
Cointreau / Crème de Menthe
Crème de Casis
Bailey’s Irish Cream

Selected Beers of the World

Champagne
Laurent-Perrier Alexandra Rose 1998 (available on Paris and New York flights)
Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle (available on all trans-Pacific, Europe and Middle East flights except Paris and New York)
Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Brut (available on Southeast Asia and Oceania flights)

White Wines
Albert Bichot’s Chablis 1er Cru 2007 (available on all flights except Japan)
Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Mambourg 2007 (available on SE Asia, China and all Europe flights except Germany)
Kendall-Jackson (California) Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2007 (available on trans-Pacific, Oceania and Middle East flights)
Riesling Auslese 2006 (available on Germany flights only)

Red Wines
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2004 Bordeaux
Robert Mondavi Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (available on trans-Pacific, Oceania and Middle East flights)
Ca’Marcanda Magari 2005 (available on Italy flights only)
Bouchard Pere & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru 2004, Cote de Deaune, France (available on SE Asia, China and all Europe flights except Italy)
Founders Reserve Porto, Sandeman

Dinner
Pre-Drink Service
Seared Shrimp on grapefruit jelly and yam crabmeat ball on crème cheese

Caviar Service or
Combo Appetizer
Crabmeat with tomato and avocado puree stuffed yam and cream cheese

Soup
Green pea soup (offered with western main course) or
Mung bean porridge

Salad
Seasonal garden greens served with a choice of garlic balsamic dressing, dijon mustard sherry vinegar dressing or kiwi dressing

Main Course
• Koream ‘Bibimbap’ offered with minced beef and seasonal vegetables accompanied by sesame oil and “Gochuhang” (Korean hot pepper paste)
• Sauteed beef tenderloin with port wine sauce served with mini pumpkin broccoli puree, glazed beet and roasted whole garlic
• Sauteed filet of black cod with orange carrot sauce served with carrot puree and mixed vegetables

Cheese Tray
Camembert, Chaumes, Comte

Seasonal Fresh Fruit
Dessert
Mini choux and ice cream

Bread Selection
While wheat Swedish, rye roll, mini baguette, Korean ‘Magkeolli’ rice roll

Coffee / Tea / Green Tea / Ginseng Tea

* * *

Refreshment
Ramen with Side Dishes
Fresh Cookie
Pecan Pie
Onigiri
Brownie Cake and Snack

* * *

Breakfast
Yoghurt & Cereal Selection

Main Course
• Korean beef-rib soup served with steamed rice and savory Korean side dishes
• Scrambled egg with puff pastry served with smoked salmon, sautéed ‘Sesongyi’ mushroom and roasted tomato
• Waffle with maple syrup served with pan-fried pineapple ring, crispy banana and fresh cream

Seasonal Fresh Fruit

Bread Selection
Olive oil bread, potato rye roll, croissant, muffin
Selection of jam and butter

A Continental Breakfast with yoghurt, fresh fruit and bread is also available.

Coffee / Tea / Green Tea / Ginseng Tea

I returned to my seat with my newfound treasures, and as I was perusing the dining options for the very front of the plane, one of the flight attendants came to my seat and invited me to the First Class section of the aircraft to check out the seats. WOW!!! They aren’t suites in the same sense as the suites on some other airlines in that they do not have closable doors to ensure 100% privacy, however they do have privacy screens on the aisle-side of the seat that can be raised electrically to shield the passenger from passers-by. Additionally, there is a further screen between the two seats in the middle section to shield you from the passenger in the adjacent seat. Seats recline to a truly flat 180 degree position, and are very comfortable for sleeping. When extended to the full flat position, seats are 79 inches long and 26.5 inches wide…a very comfortable size, to be sure, even for my broad shoulders. Additionally, there is a seat position designed specifically for eating, which is a bit more upright and forward (a bit more like a traditional dining room chair) than the usual sitting position during taxiing.

There is a guest seat (with seatbelt) opposite the main seat and the dining / work table is plenty big enough for two should you wish to have someone join you for a meal or a drink, or to work on a PowerPoint presentation. There is plenty of storage space for various items while you are in your seat, and the television screen is truly huge…23 inches! I wanted to try the Bose noise-reducing headsets, but didn’t want to wear out my welcome, so that will have to wait for a future trip. Slippers provided are nicer than those provided in Prestige class. I didn’t see the blankets so cannot report on them. My final evaluation: the new Kosmo Suite seats are truly wonderful! I hope that I have the opportunity to experience them for more than ten minutes one day. I’ll be sure to post my observations here when that time occurs.

Again, a very smooth landing at SFO (Thank you, Captain!). There didn’t seem to be any other flights landing at the International Terminal when we touched down, so we…well, at least I…managed to breeze through Immigration. Bags for Prestige class passengers came off the belt first (not quickly, but first!) and I cleared Customs and headed to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to continue my journey.

As I write this, I am on a wonderful ranch about 2-1/2 hours due east of San Francisco, relaxing in the peaceful surroundings far from interruptions like noise of any kind (save the birds chirping, the wind blowing through the trees, and an occasional warning bark from one of the dogs here), enjoying lots of great food (thanks, Mom and Dad!) and plenty of California wine. Ah, this is the life.
Sadly, it will all come to a close at the end of April, when I return to SFO and continue on to Bangkok…once again in the front of Korean Air. More after I’m back in Bangers.

Cheers, Your Faithful Scribe

PresRDC

Very good report.

I think I'd argue that you have a little bit of a problem with how people dress.

ThaiDan

Well. OK...you're right. I like it when people dress appropriatly for the situation. I wouldn't go to the opera dressed the same way I usually dress for my local pub, and I wouldn't dress for front of the plane the same way I dress for the back (or for a discount carrier).

Point taken and acknowledged.

Cheers.

OttoMH

That's a pretty good drinks selection for Business Class! ^

jacob_m

Nice report! I still think KE is quite a nice airline.

The drink list posted is the one from first class.

No way they would serve Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle and JW Blue in business class.

oontiveros

Great trip report. I have tried their Prestige class product between Tokyo and Singapore and several J flights throughout the years from CGK/BKK etc in the old seats...the one thing I found, even though I like the service and food, etc, is that the cabin was always (this also in Asiana though I have limited experience there - just 1 ICN-USA flight, forget where, and domestic Korea flights) quite warm, if not hot. To me, 24-25 C is too warm and even with repeated complaints, crew always seem to end up turning the temp up after an FA changes it down to 23C for me. (I also notice this in Korea indoors and in cars/busses in winter, no air and stuffy.) I now really do not choose KE or OZ when I fly due to this, fairly or unfairly.

So I guess the question is, how was the temp?

I guess I am silly about this but I really hate falling asleep and waking up sweating....I am fine on basically all other carriers, except China Airlines once between HKG and CGK where it was steaming.

bakedpatato

Cool TR! A rare KE TR to be precise!
OP, it sounds like you flew on both Prestige Plus and Prestige Sleeper equipped flights?

HawaiiO

Do u get an amenity kit in Prestige class?
If so, what's in it?

Thanks!

ThaiDan

Wow! It's nice to see people reading what I wrote!

The trip report contains drinks lists from Prestige Class on both flights (the list was the same...it is posted under the original flight from BKK to ICN and referenced on the flight from ICN to SFO). I also posted the First Class drinks list on the Transpacific flight for anyone who is interested. You can read the trip report for details of how I came into that and for other tidbits about First Class on that flight. Yes, the First Class drinks list looks VERY nice!

I found the temperature to be fine...not too warm and not too cool. I didn't change into my jammies (I will do that for the upcoming return flight), and was wearing a long sleeved shirt with an undershirt and dress slacks. I was never cool, and never used my blanket during either flight. I find that China Airlines and EVA are both on the cool to cold side, so I dressed for that. I was pleasantly surprised that the temperature was, for me, very comfortable.

There was no amenity kit offered, however the rest rooms contained an ample supply of toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, razors and shaving cream and mouthwash. There were large bottles of moisturizing lotion as well as cologne and after shave.

I did get to try both Prestige Plus and Prestige Sleeper seats. I thought that both were great, however I preferred the Prestige Sleeper (...and I would prefer the Kosmo Suites in First even more!!!).

Most importantly, service was EXCELLENT on both legs, as well as in the lounges. It was a great experience, and I'm looking forward to my return trips at the end of the month. ^^

Boraxo

Sounds like a great experience.

Wondering if you have flown in C on UA on this route and how you would compare the products.

skywalkerLAX

Given the circumstances of the recent KE 'Special' I was reading this and it sounds indeed interesting.

Thank for for writing this!

I was wondering about the Champagne being served in F and honestly I am a bit surprised that an asian airline doesn't bring on one of the big names.

thaidai

Good heads up re buffet in BKK pre flt. Flying F on ". The Deal". Should I bring my own LH,TG,LX,TK ,
PJs?

btbx11

I'm pleasantly surprised that an Asian (or Gulf) carrier would pass on the big names and choose the better product. (LP Grand Siecle).