New ICN terminal and Korean Air lounge
Mar 18, 2018, 1:05 am
#76
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
I am in the Terminal 2 KE F lounge right now and I agree that it is a bit underwhelming for new construction. A few thoughts (note - I have never been to the old T1 lounge):
- It is very small - one room with about ~25 pod chairs
- The chairs are very comfortable, especially the loungers facing the windows overlooking the terminal; also, quite private
- No service whatsoever while sitting at my chair over the past hour. I've gone to the buffet area and grabbed an espresso and a water on my own
- There is a buffet with 3-4 hot dishes, cheese, small desserts, ice cream fridge (HD ice cream), fruit, salad, etc. Very "business-class" like, and nothing really caught my eye
- I did order a la carte. There were four options, and I chose the Chicken Saltimbocca. Credit where credit is due - this is the best lounge entree I've ever eaten. This includes the flagship lounges of Lufthansa, Singapore, Cathay, JAL, etc. It was superb and would have fit in in a restaurant.
- Did not use/look at shower room
- Bathroom (which is gorgeous, btw) is single-use which is silly for a lounge but I haven't had to wait, given:
- I have seen a total of 4 customers over the course of my 1.5 hours in the lounge
- Would not come to airport early for this lounge, but it isn't a bad place to wait
Mar 18, 2018, 2:04 am
#77
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
- I did order a la carte. There were four options, and I chose the Chicken Saltimbocca. Credit where credit is due - this is the best lounge entree I've ever eaten. This includes the flagship lounges of Lufthansa, Singapore, Cathay, JAL, etc. It was superb and would have fit in in a restaurant.
Mar 18, 2018, 4:08 am
#78
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 16
Currently at terminal 2 flying to sfo
I was able to check out the KAL Prestige lounge, was very underwhelming. Only a few things to eat and drink. It is also a skyteam elite lounge, so the whole lounge was pretty full.
since I had time to kill and I have priority pass from CSR. I decided
SPC lounge
Matina lounge
to check out the Matina Lounge and SPC lounge. I prefer these 2 instead of the KAL lounge. Less people, better food choices. Among the 2 Matina had better food and drinks. SPC had less people but less food choices.
if you guys have priority pass. Check out those lounges before the KAL lounge in terminal 2.
since I had time to kill and I have priority pass from CSR. I decided
SPC lounge
Matina lounge
to check out the Matina Lounge and SPC lounge. I prefer these 2 instead of the KAL lounge. Less people, better food choices. Among the 2 Matina had better food and drinks. SPC had less people but less food choices.
if you guys have priority pass. Check out those lounges before the KAL lounge in terminal 2.
Mar 18, 2018, 4:37 pm
#79
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 108
Really sickening that they put food on top of newspaper, with the possibility of the newspaper ink and other chemicals leeching into the food. I know I've seen it years ago being done in Korea for street food, but even that seems to have stopped. Whatever organization is responsible for food safety in Korea should immediately shut down this disgusting lounge.
Mar 18, 2018, 4:49 pm
#81
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 108
Even if it isn't real newspaper, it's still paper with ink printed on it. do you mean to tell me they use special ink that's been certified to not contain any harmful chemicals if consumed? With any standard printing techniques, it is very likely the hot food and oils will create a chemical reaction with the chemicals used to print the paper. I stand by my reply - totally disgusting, and this lounge should immediately be shut down.
Mar 19, 2018, 11:58 am
#82
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Left Coast
Posts: 862
It is a food wrapper, and such wrappers are widely sold. Welcome to better living through chemistry in the modern age.
Mar 20, 2018, 9:37 pm
#83
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sonoma CA
Programs: DL DM&MM, DL KMwannabe, HH, AA, TG,
Posts: 1,257
[QUOTE=callmedtop;29538018]I am in the Terminal 2 KE F lounge right now and I agree that it is a bit underwhelming for new construction. A few thoughts (note - I have never been to the old T1 lounge):
- I did order a la carte. There were four options, and I chose the Chicken Saltimbocca. Credit where credit is due - this is the best lounge entree I've ever eaten. This includes the flagship lounges of Lufthansa, Singapore, Cathay, JAL, etc. It was superb and would have fit in in a restaurant.[/QUOTE
Last edited by Steve007NY; Mar 21, 2018 at 8:31 am
Mar 21, 2018, 12:04 pm
#84
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 31
Even if it isn't real newspaper, it's still paper with ink printed on it. do you mean to tell me they use special ink that's been certified to not contain any harmful chemicals if consumed? With any standard printing techniques, it is very likely the hot food and oils will create a chemical reaction with the chemicals used to print the paper. I stand by my reply - totally disgusting, and this lounge should immediately be shut down.
Mar 21, 2018, 9:26 pm
#85
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 2,028
[QUOTE=Steve007NY;29549029]
A bit condescending, no? I wrote in my original post that I had been to the flagship lounge of Singapore, which is the Private Room.
I am in the Terminal 2 KE F lounge right now and I agree that it is a bit underwhelming for new construction. A few thoughts (note - I have never been to the old T1 lounge):
- I did order a la carte. There were four options, and I chose the Chicken Saltimbocca. Credit where credit is due - this is the best lounge entree I've ever eaten. This includes the flagship lounges of Lufthansa, Singapore, Cathay, JAL, etc. It was superb and would have fit in in a restaurant.[/QUOTE
Mar 21, 2018, 11:28 pm
#86
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,266
Mar 23, 2018, 7:40 pm
#87
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: ATL
Programs: Skypass, IHG
Posts: 161
Mar 23, 2018, 7:42 pm
#88
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: ATL
Programs: Skypass, IHG
Posts: 161
I was able to check out the KAL Prestige lounge, was very underwhelming. Only a few things to eat and drink. It is also a skyteam elite lounge, so the whole lounge was pretty full.
since I had time to kill and I have priority pass from CSR. I decided
SPC lounge
Matina lounge
to check out the Matina Lounge and SPC lounge. I prefer these 2 instead of the KAL lounge. Less people, better food choices. Among the 2 Matina had better food and drinks. SPC had less people but less food choices.
if you guys have priority pass. Check out those lounges before the KAL lounge in terminal 2.
since I had time to kill and I have priority pass from CSR. I decided
SPC lounge
Matina lounge
to check out the Matina Lounge and SPC lounge. I prefer these 2 instead of the KAL lounge. Less people, better food choices. Among the 2 Matina had better food and drinks. SPC had less people but less food choices.
if you guys have priority pass. Check out those lounges before the KAL lounge in terminal 2.
Other than food and drinks, which one do you like better?
Mar 24, 2018, 7:45 pm
#89
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,166
The new KE F lounge is terrible:
1) Lounge employees do not proactively clean food plates in the lounge chairs left by other pax.
2) They also do not offer the a la carte menu first unless you specifically ask for it. Basically if you don't know they have a menu, then you won't be able to order food.
3) There is ONE single washroom that only ONE person can use at a time (one each for men and women). This means the washroom is almost always occupied and if you need to use the washroom quickly, you need to leave the lounge and use another washroom in the airport.
KE's first class onboard experience is also pretty bad but I won't go into the details about that here as this thread is about their lounge(s).
1) Lounge employees do not proactively clean food plates in the lounge chairs left by other pax.
2) They also do not offer the a la carte menu first unless you specifically ask for it. Basically if you don't know they have a menu, then you won't be able to order food.
3) There is ONE single washroom that only ONE person can use at a time (one each for men and women). This means the washroom is almost always occupied and if you need to use the washroom quickly, you need to leave the lounge and use another washroom in the airport.
KE's first class onboard experience is also pretty bad but I won't go into the details about that here as this thread is about their lounge(s).
Mar 25, 2018, 8:38 pm
#90
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Seoul, Korea
Programs: KL-PEFL
Posts: 51
The new KE F lounge is terrible:
1) Lounge employees do not proactively clean food plates in the lounge chairs left by other pax.
2) They also do not offer the a la carte menu first unless you specifically ask for it. Basically if you don't know they have a menu, then you won't be able to order food.
3) There is ONE single washroom that only ONE person can use at a time (one each for men and women). This means the washroom is almost always occupied and if you need to use the washroom quickly, you need to leave the lounge and use another washroom in the airport.
KE's first class onboard experience is also pretty bad but I won't go into the details about that here as this thread is about their lounge(s).
1) Lounge employees do not proactively clean food plates in the lounge chairs left by other pax.
2) They also do not offer the a la carte menu first unless you specifically ask for it. Basically if you don't know they have a menu, then you won't be able to order food.
3) There is ONE single washroom that only ONE person can use at a time (one each for men and women). This means the washroom is almost always occupied and if you need to use the washroom quickly, you need to leave the lounge and use another washroom in the airport.
KE's first class onboard experience is also pretty bad but I won't go into the details about that here as this thread is about their lounge(s).