I've booked OZ three times in the past year and a half and flown it twice (got rebooked to a different carrier on one flight), and I can't help but notice how tired or sometimes 'detached' the OZ staff are (mainly ground and phone staff). Has this been a general trend since announcing the takeover by KE? Or perhaps I was just unlucky?

On a one-way flight from SIN-ICN-KIX, my initial segment was delayed two hours, then four, then six, but I was already going to miss my connecting with the original delay. It took 2 hours to figure out who was responsible for rebooking me. Seoul head office said it was the responsibility of the point of sale office (USA), USA office said it was point of departure. But SIN office then said it was SIN airport staff who should take care of me but they were still closed and had to wait an hour. They then had to manually ask other airlines for available seat (good thing I checked which airlines could get me to KIX in time for my meeting).

More recently, I was flying from MNL-ICN in business class as a star gold. Check in agent was a trainee and said I needed to consolidate my three check in bags to two because the third one was overweight. My bags were 15 + 14 + 12 kg, respectively. He said I was only entitled to two. I insisted I was entitled to three. He asked the agent on the adjacent counter (a lady wearing an OZ uniform and clearly not a trainee). She said I was only entitled to 23 + 23 + 9kg. Trainee told me to then consolidate/ transfer contents. I again protested and we were going back and forth. Lady on the adjacent counter told trainee to report me to the supervisor. (At any point, I wasn't raising my voice but just standing my ground). Supervisor came. Calmly looked at my booking. After which she very copiously apologized for the mistake and told everyone it was okay. I asked for a verbal clarification about the situation and she read back that I was entitled to 32x3pcs. The supervisor stood there until the trainee finished checking me in. Trainee also apologized. While that was happening, I could hear the supervisor ask around if everyone understood the luggage allowance policies. At one point the Trainee told Supervisor about the other lady, and the latter promptly deflected blame by lying, "I did not say anything. It was all his fault." What a toxic relationship.

Planning on using OZ one last time later this year, if they are still with Star Alliance.