seat38a

Have to agree on OZ J seats being uncomfortable. Just got back from 2 trips in United Business First and it was the BEST sleep I've ever had on a plane. I was never able to get a good nights sleep in OZ's A380 J seats.

Next time to Asia, I'll definitely be taking United over Asiana.

nme7

Normally I have problems falling asleep on planes, no matter where I sit. But on a recent long haul on Asiana sitting in J, I had the best sleep ever in a plane. I did not recline the seat to full flat but had the seat reclined to about 45 degrees. Granted sleeping on the side is not possible this way, but it was possible to sleep 3-4 hours.

hookthem

I'm glad I'm not alone in this experience. I have flown TPAC F 1x and J 2x with OZ this year and have nothing good to say. The UA SFO-ICN J service exceeds OZ in every aspect. I flew ICN-HAN J earlier this week and my FA was plain terrible. If I see the darn massage/pressure point video again this year, I swear I'll poke my eyes out.

Ducati

This is bad news. An American-based carrier outperforming Asiana? That's crazy talk. I may have to check out UA again (although I may regret it...as always).

Anyways, for those complaining about the cabin temperature, just ask them to lower it. Simple. No FA has ever refused my request in any airline I've flown in, so it never hurts to ask.

jon503

I've been waiting to chime in here, but have had a light flight schedule and was waiting for to have a recent OZ flight. I now just got back from ICN-FUK and return, J op-up outbound, Y inbound, so here are my general observations:

J service was attentive, if quite rushed (hard to be any otherwise on such a short flight if you're going to spread out the tablecloths etc., especially as some slight turbulence delayed the meal service by about 10 mins), no greeting by name, but hot towels were present, there was a meal card, etc.

Y service was generally fine, but no name greeting, no hot towels, no meal card and the meal was served in a cardboard box. I don't fly short distance very often, so I don't know whether this has always been the case on OZ or whether this is another cost saving measure.

Overall, it's really hard to say based on one flight that barely takes an hour, but my experience seems to confirm some of the cuts reported in this thread, but I saw no indication of FAs no longer being friendly or anything that drastic.

I might have an ICN-CAN flight coming up in October and have ICN-FRA in December, so I'll see what it's like on a short-medium distance and long distance.

Totally agreed on the pressure point video irritating me though, as well as the Unicef (it feels weird writing that, but it's the video that annoys me and not the concept) and especially that video about "I had a great time transfering in Incheon airport". But then, overly repetitiveness is the bane of the frequent flyer in general.

Kacee

Haven't flown OZ in a little while either, but was in the OZ business class lounge recently and the staff there were gracious as always, noticeably happier and more pleasant than in the (awful) KE lounge from which I had just escaped.

If you read around here, you'll see that most airlines are cutting costs these days. Nothing unique or especially surprising that OZ is doing it as well.

ORDnHKG

Actually not really, most airlines when they cut cost it is limited to Y, and not as deep as OZ, and very few airlines in Asia are cutting cost other than CX and MH, with CX's huge losses due to fuel hedging as the oil price is so low right now, and everybody already know MH's problem.

On the other hand, DL is now handing out slippers in Y for all flights to Japan in addition to the comfort kit, BR has just started giving out an amenity kit in elite class that looks like other airlines' C kit, GA is giving out amenity kit in Y as short as HKG-CGK, even OZ's main competitor KE still continue to have amenity kit in Y with slippers, so it is not "most airlines" as you said.

Kacee

There have been recent reports about cuts in F and J cabin amenities on BA and LH as well. Of course the cuts on CX are very well known. Also a thread on the TG forum on this subject. And I discoverd on a recent LX flight they no longer give out a real amenity kit in J. So I'm sticking by my original comment . . . nothing unique or special about cuts in OZ premium cabin

ORDnHKG

I don't see it with BA and LH, like LH continue to have Rimowa in F, it rotates in the winter months to Braun Buffel, had been doing just for quite a while now, the J amenity kit has lotion and lip balm now, previous none of those exist. I don't see anything with TG. As for LX, not sure what do you mean by "they no longer give out a real amenity kit in J" ? It is a real amenity kit, a more innovative way that is eco friendly and encourage to reuse, rather than same kit forever that most pax leave it without even touching. No difference than other airlines give out Ipad cases like TK, AA, LH, or UA giving out shoe bag from the PGA theme series.

The LX kit is called the modular collection, it has 8 different designs, 4 are bigger bags, 4 are smaller bags that can attach to the bigger bag, and all of them are made of PET bottles. Being an amenity kit junkie, I had collected the full set of 8 already earlier this year. (yes, this wasn't new this year, it was a while ago as well after they discontinue the tins). The modular collection is being given out in the summer months, for winter months, it is either a beanie or neck warmer.

Back to the topic, you probably haven't flown OZ much to know how much OZ had taken away compare to just 5 years ago for all classes, to how slow they are to reconfig their own planes for better hard product and now completely stop (given how small their fleet is, they would be able to finish installing Business Smartum for all widebodies in less than 2 years.

theasianguy

It's certainly sad to see how far Asiana has fallen behind these past 3 years. Service has been getting inconsistent, no hard product upgrade, and frequent flight delays.

2013:
Economy: amenity kit, hot towels, beef steak dinner, 33' pitch, and AVOD
Business: lie flat, all aisle access QS introduced when most other East Asian carriers were angle flat or 2-2-2

Today, hard product is still the same, and others have caught up. Not to mention service cuts.

Once the best economy product in the sky, they aren't #1 in any category anymore.
Seat: JAL SkyWider
Service: ANA, not even close
IFE: UA, DL, AA, CX, and SQ blow OZ out of the water
On time Reliability: ANA, JAL, DL (and BR has improved significantly)
Amenities: SQ, KE, BR, HU all provide amenity kits or slippers
Catering: No more steak or menus. SQ trumps all.
Website/Booking Ease: basically the worst, next to PRC airlines. US airlines still have the best.
Destinations: no new gateways added in 3 years, plus CX, NH, BR have significantly expanded both in North America and Asia

TLDR: they used to be an industry leader, but NH, JL, the US3, and especially BR have caught up. OZ does not lead in any category anymore.

CHCflyer

I am new to the OZ forum but thought I would submit some thoughts as they had a good fare in business from NZ via SYD/ICN via China (we have to take circuitous routings here in NZ).
They have the 333 on SYD (380 this southern summer). It is a dated product that neither NZ nor QF would dare offer on a ten hour sector. Food was good and really plentiful. Made a one hour connection at ICN to find I was on the same plane I arrived on, but very clean. Short haul was good given it was the 330.
I didn't have time to use the lounge on the way out but on the way back I did and it is heaving. About 15 in the queue ahead of me to register but all paying to get in. There must be a HNL flight or one to GUM as it more like a crèche. Constant foot traffic and not a relaxing break from downstairs. And by the way, never ever try the tomato juice. It is the most hideous flavoured and sugared red drink I have ever tried.
Waiting to board the flight to SYD and I know I won't get much sleep on their lumpy seats with noisy motors whirring around the cabin.

jon503

Welcome to Korean tomato juice - it was a shock for me too the first time I had it, being used to savory European tomato juice. By contrast, many Koreans find European tomato juice gross, it's a very different concept of what tomato juice should be it seems. I, for one, am fully on your side of this issue though - can't stand the stuff over here.

CHCflyer

Thanks for that insight - it is the one thing I have found objectionable in several trips to Korea (delightfully charming people, super food, great service) - I genuinely thought I had made a mistake - seeing a tomato juice tin on display and picking up something else. I do like a good tom juice (with liberal Worcester sauce). Fortunately they have the decent stuff on board the Asiana flights - I did check before ordering.

One thing about the ten hour flight to SYD is that you will never go hungry on OZ. Main meal, decent snack then another main meal, with a load nibbles in between.

Daawgon

Next time ask makkolli, the Korean, milky rice brew - it's really nice. I had it for the first time in Vietnam at a Korean BBQ place, and also on an OZ flight. It's a little hard to find here in the States if you don't live near a Korean market.

CHCflyer

Down side to my trip on OZ is that they have yet to credit points to my Air NZ account. Got to do a painful retro claim for four sectors.