Review of Asiana Airlines flight Los Angeles Seoul in Business

Airline Asiana Airlines
Flight OZ 203
Class Business
Seat 4K
Aircraft Boeing 777-200ER
Flight time 13:10
Take-off 28 Dec 15, 00:30
Arrival at 28 Dec 15, 06:40
OZ 106 reviews
NGO85
By SILVER 7787
Published on 1st February 2016
Background:

This series covers my pilgrimage home to San Francisco for Christmas. For a detailed background, please refer to Part 1 of this series. As a reminder, the routing is:

Part 1 – NGO-ICN [OZ 121, Airbus A321, Business] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-12681.html
Part 2 – ICN-LAX [OZ 202, Airbus A380-800, Business Smartium] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-12897.html
Part 3 – LAX-SFO [AA 209, Boeing B737-800, First] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-13024.html
Part 4 – SFO-PHX [AA 477, Airbus A321, First] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-13075.html
Part 5 – PHX-LAX [AA 509, Airbus A319, First] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-13091.html
Part 6 – LAX-ICN [OZ 203, Boeing B777-200ER, Business Smartium] – You are here
Part 7 – ICN-KIX [OZ 114, Boeing B777-200ER, Business (First)] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-13135.html

This report will cover the 13-hour flight from Los Angeles to Seoul-Incheon. OZ has two flights per day; one is operated by an A380 and the other a B772. This report will cover the B772 service. As mentioned in the background, this flight was picked because I wanted to try both Business Smartium cabins and the flight times made more sense for my schedule. The other flight leaves in the early afternoon and gets to Seoul in the evening.




Pre-flight:

When I had purchased my ticket 4 weeks in advance, there were still quite a few seats available. The OZ B772s that have Business Smartium cabins are labeled “B777-200LR” by OZ to distinguish them from them normal “B777-200ERs” even though all of the planes are B777-200ERs. The even numbered seats are along the windows and the odds are aisles seats. The window seats in row 6 are missing a window. Given this information, I picked 4K.

photo 1

Arriving in TBIT, I walk over to Aisle C where the OZ counters are located.

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At 3 hours prior to departure, it is not too crowded and I’m quickly helped by a Korean-American agent. She pulls up my reservation and looks puzzled (I know why, but don’t mention anything). She calls over a senior agent and they discuss the issue (ironic, but they speak to each other in Japanese so I can understand what is going on). He types for a bit and everything is sorted out. The issue is that I actually changed my ticket over the phone and was told I needed to pay ¥4000 at LAX when I changed the ticket. This was mislabeled in the system and I was never asked to pay. The agent tags my bag to ICN, hands me my boarding pass, along with this nifty map to Gate 148 and the *A Lounge.

photo 141

At TBIT, there is a special security line for F and J passengers. TBIT is a zoo at night with an endless list of nighttime departures so this was an appreciated feature.

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Hanging artwork above the security checkpoint. So a candid shot to avoid TSA scrutiny.

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Clearing TSA, the main lobby of TBIT is very easy on the eyes and starts to mirror the more progressive airports in Asia in style.

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Mogoy even set up his own shop at TBIT.

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The nighttime spotting at TBIT is good with a bunch of heavies preparing to head to Asia and Oceania.

TN A343.

photo 8

CX B77W.

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VA B77W.

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QF A380.

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There are 4 flights a night that leave for TPE, each BR and CI send a pair of B77Ws.

The first CI B77W.

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One of the two BR B77Ws (the second one’s tail is visible at the adjacent gate).

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The second CI B77W.

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The KE A380 that we will give a head start to in the race to ICN.

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After making a loop of the airport spotting, I head to the *A Lounge which is accessed through the elevator right after security.

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My boarding pass was scanned and I was allowed in without a word said.

photo 17

The lounge was jam packed given the heavy traffic at night. The lounge looks nice on the interior and I thought the food offering was excellent for a US lounge. There was bar in there as well. I didn’t take photos given how crowded it was so I suggest you check out some other reports ex-LAX for photos. I found a table in the corner and ate a light snack while I waited.

photo 19

The lounge slowly thinned out as the flights departed, we were one of the last to leave since the NH flight to HND was a delayed departure. The view of the buffet from my seat.

photo 18

When the announcement was made in the lounge that boarding would start soon, I packed up and headed down to the gate.




——————————-

Asiana Airlines, OZ 203
Equipment: Boeing B777-200ER [HL7739, delivered August 2005]
Departure: 00:30 (ATD: 01:15)
Arrival: 06:50 (ATA: 07:10)
Flight time: 12:55


My stead now at the gate (this gate originally had the CX B77W before mine was towed in from a remote stand). You can see the KE A380 leaving in the background.

photo 20

Boarding was called on time and priorities were strictly enforced. ID/document checks were done through the Business class line.

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Reaching the plane, the purser and 2 FAs greet me and check my boarding pass. One of the FAs walks me through the galley and directs me left. Entering the cabin on this B772, you can tell it’s an older style seat that closely resembles the old EY cabin. Everything is a little too yellow for my taste. I think a brown like the FA uniform would be easier on the eyes.

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My seat for this flight. Pre-placed on the seat are the pillow/duvet. The headphones and slippers are on the side table. There are no amenity kits on flights not originating from ICN (I asked the FA and she confirmed this information).

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The seat pitch is excellent of course.

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Welcome screen. The IFE is not as crisp resolution as on the A380s and the moving map is older.

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It is about 6000 miles from LAX to ICN and we will do it in just under 13 hours.

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The ottoman has this weird flip-up section, which I can’t rationalize a function for.

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This seat also has the world’s longest seatbelt/whip.

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There were papers on a trolley at the end of the jetbridge, but I didn’t grab one. One of the FAs noticed I didn’t have one and offered me a LA Times.

photo 31

As boarding continues, I’ll continue the seat tour. The yellow antimacassar

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The reading light above the side table.

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Fold-down tray table.

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The safety card is below the tray table.

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The safety instructions mention the over-shoulder seatbelt.

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The safety card for this B772.

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Below the side table is the slot for the “literature” and a power outlet.

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On the side of the seat is located the seat controls, IFE remote, a flip-up armrest (I guess this function is to allow more shoulder room when sleeping), and a USB port. The material in this area is really weird and makes the plane look ancient.

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Below the flip-up armrest is a cubby for the storage of personal items and around the corner is the headphone jack.

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The other armrest is retractable when the seat goes full-flat.

photo 45

And now for some amusement. When taking these pictures, I accidentally knocked my jacket behind my seat. I got up to go reach back there to pull it out. Instead, I find some gold! And by gold, I mean this yellow pillow. Who knows how long it has been wedged back there, but it looks like it must be from when this plane did a regional sector.

photo 46

Pre-departure drinks were offered. No champagne on the tray. So I took water and orange juice.

photo 47

The FA then came down the aisle offering Korean immigration documents and an OZ pen.

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The J cabin was about 75% full.

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Business Smartium sign on the bulkhead.

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The cabin manager came through, introduced herself, addressed me by name handing me the menu for this flight. She thanked me for flying and asked me to let her know if there was anything throughout the flight she could do to improve my experience. A couple minutes later, a FA comes and kneels at my side to take my dinner order. Nothing really excited me from the western menu, so I settled on the boring bibimbap option. For breakfast, I’m going to be very bold and go for the omelet. The drinks menu was identical as to what was offered on the previous flight (recycled photos).



We are nearly 30 minutes after our departure time when Y finally finished boarding. I guess this is the issue with the B772 when only one jetbridge is engaged. The safety video comes on as we get pushed back and taxi out at 1:10am.

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Not much to see at LAX at this hour, the only thing I catch out the window is this AS B737 taxing by a K4 B744F.

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No traffic at this hour, so we turn on the runway and go. We lift up over the airport and then disappear into the blackness of the night.

photo 54

We do the standard route out of LAX.

photo 55

As soon as we level off, the service starts with distribution of oshibori.

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There is no aperitif or amuse bouche service and the linens are immediately laid for dinner.

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The table is then set for dinner and my Makgeolli is delivered.

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I made my own OZ hashioki from the napkin ring.

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The starter was presented. I think it is interesting that there are different starters for the Western and Korean meals. As described, it is shrimp and pine nut dressing. Presentation is nice and I like how the dressing was served inside of the little tomato cup.

photo 61

The beautiful OZ tableware.

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After finishing my starter, my table was cleared and the bibimbap was served on a tray. It is served with condiments and kimchi. It’s not a fancy meal since it's essentially the same as that offered in Y, but it’s a good, filling meal.



After mixing.

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Soup.

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The FAs in action. They deliver food and then kneel to explain the dishes.

photo 150

Drinks were always carefully monitored.

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You could probably request a cheese plate with the Korean meal, but I just stuck with a fruit plate for dessert.

photo 73

Oshibori.

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For the Korean meal, there is no dessert. Instead, you are served Korean cookies with your tea/coffee.

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Bailey’s post-dinner.

photo 77

Water bottles are distributed and the cabin lights are dimmed after dinner.

photo 81

I fire up the IFE. The interface is presented in a very quirky Asian way that made me chuckle. The interface is old, but the content is the same as what was on the A380.

photo 78photo 79photo 80

The rest of the cabin goes to bed, but I decide to watch Jerry Maquire. The FA offers more coffee and Bailey’s while I watch my movie. I accept the proposal. She returns with my drinks and a small ramekin of nuts for me to enjoy.

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I go to the lavatory to change for bed. The lavatories are clean mid-flight. They have the full line of L’Occitane products as well as combs, toothbrushes, and mouthwash.

photo 84photo 85photo 86

Maybe you noticed in that last photo, but there was a cup with the amenities. It’s a cup of coffee grounds to help absorb smells. Very practical, but a little bizarre to see in a lavatory? Hopefully that’s not the same coffee grounds they’ll use for my breakfast coffee…

photo 87

The FA keeps me pampered as I watch my movie. She came out periodically to check on me and make sure my drink wasn’t empty.

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The pillow and duvet.

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The bed in full-flat mode.

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I lay in bed as I watch Tom put the moves on Renee.

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A cup of chamomile tea before taking a nap.

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I wake up a couple of hours later as we approach the date line. It’s morning in LAX, so I press the call button. Within 8 seconds, there is a FA knelt at my side. I ask for ramen. This time, I request the mild version.

photo 95

She lays a tablecloth and brings out my tray 5 minutes later. It’s served with kimchi and pickled vegetables.



After eating my ramen, I go back to bed and get another good 4 hours of sleep until here.

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2 hours prior to arrival, the FAs come through and offer orange juice as an aperitif as well as oshibori.

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Linens are laid and the table is set. Strawberry preserves again.

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Pastries are offered.

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Fruit plate and yogurt.

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Coffee and tea service was done by trolley.

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My main was presented. The omelet had vegetables cooked into it. It was pretty bland (nothing salt and pepper can’t fix), but thankfully wasn’t rubbery. The omelet was fine. The sausage was pretty flavorless and the potatoes were average. The best part was the tomato and vegetables. For a dreaded Western breakfast, it was okay.

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More pastries were offered during the meal and my coffee was always topped off.

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Meal service ended as we crossed the Sea of Japan.

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I got dressed, filled out my immigration documents, and sipped coffee with another oshibori.

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Exactly 30 minutes to arrival, we had the UNICEF and Incheon ads followed by the exercise video. Massage those temples…

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The lights of Seoul are now visible outside.

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The cabin manager comes through and thanks me for flying. The FA then comes through and offers water bottles for arrival.

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We are in final descent to ICN. Our arching flight path.

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The arrival information pops up on the IFE.

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The sun is starting to peek up on the horizon.

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The bridge to ICN.

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We touchdown about 20 minutes late on a chilly morning in Seoul (-4C).

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As we begin our taxi back to the terminal, the thank you message pops up.

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Our taxi brings us past the sea of KE wide-bodies sitting at remote stands overnight. There must be a huge gate shortage at ICN.

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Taxing past the “others” terminal.

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Your eyes aren't deceiving you; there really are 4 PR planes here this morning.

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LJ B772.

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MH A333.

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CX A333.

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7C B738.

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OZ B772 and A321.

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Another OZ B772.

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I’ve never seen an OZ A321 with sharklets before. I wonder if this is one of their new NEOs.

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We pull into a gate next to another OZ A321.

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Deplaning, the FAs thank me for flying.

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Our plane taking a breather after the 13h journey from LAX.

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Immigration was a long walk. Arriving, the first immigration checkpoint had all the foreign passport lanes closed. All foreign passport holders were sent to the checkpoint closer to the KE gates. Arriving there, it is a mess. There is a constant stream of people and the line just inches along. It took 30 minutes to queue the line. By the time I made it into the baggage claim, I couldn’t even find our carousel since the number had been taken down. Me and a Singaporean family that was also in J wandered around together looking for where the bags were coming off. We eventually noticed that they were already removed from the baggage carousel and were roped off in the corner. It took so long to clear immigration that they had already finished delivering bags for our flight. What a mess. ICN may be very efficient for transfers, but immigration is a disaster. With my bag finally in hand, I pick up a T-money card and charge it before taking the train into the city where I checked into the Conrad Seoul, showered, and started exploring the city.

I will leave off this series here as I begin my stopover in ICN before the final leg into KIX. Thanks for reading this report and please stop by for the end of this series!
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Verdict

Asiana Airlines

7.9/10
Cabin8.0
Cabin crew9.5
Entertainment/wifi6.5
Meal/catering7.5

Star Alliance Lounge Business Class Section - TBIT

8.9/10
Comfort8.5
Meal/catering8.5
Entertainment/wifi10.0
Services8.5

Los Angeles - LAX

7.9/10
Efficiency7.5
Access7.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness9.0

Seoul - ICN

8.0/10
Efficiency4.0
Access8.0
Services10.0
Cleanliness10.0

Conclusion

A satisfactory flight on OZ. Nothing bad happened, but there was also not much memorable about this flight. The seat was comfortable for sleeping, but not very pretty to look at it. The food wasn’t exciting, but tasted good. The crew was excellent and we got where needed to go with a slight delay. I guess OZ did everything they were supposed to do, but nothing special and nothing really stood out. OZ is a very solid carrier, but just lacks the wow factor (kind of like their FA uniforms).

Cabin comfort: The B772s are not as nice as the B77Ws. The plane felt old because of the colors they choose for the cabins. I prefer the Smartium seats on the A380, but these were just as comfortable for sleeping (just keep your eyes closed so you don’t have to look at them). The smaller J cabin feels more intimate. Plenty of privacy in the window seat. No amenity kit.

Crew: Excellent crew. The OZ crews are very professional. They aren’t a real sociable bunch, but on an overnight flight like this, I don’t really need a chatty crew. They were very attentive, polite, and thoughtful (anticipating needs and offering things).

Meal and catering: I wasn’t overly impressed by the menu on this flight. The mains didn’t really stand out to me. The bibimbap is good tasting meal, just not fancy. The snack was good. Breakfast is never great, but I though this breakfast was above average. Not the best of meals, and maybe not up to what I would have liked on OZ, but good nonetheless.

Entertainment: Newspaper offered and the standard seatback literature. The IFE was older and not as crisp and the content was just as limited as before. There are some good older movies that kept me entertained.

On-time performance: Left 45 minutes late and arrived 20 minutes late on a 13 hour flight, minor infraction.

Information on the route Los Angeles (LAX) Seoul (ICN)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 4 avis concernant 1 compagnies sur la ligne Los Angeles (LAX) → Seoul (ICN).


Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Asiana Airlines avec 7.9/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 12 heures et 55 minutes.

  More information

21 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 156609 by
    Nick 171 Comments
    What an extensive report! Seemed like you had a lot of space in that 1-2-1 seating arrangement on a 777. I'm glad you were able to get a seat with the table on the aisle. Looks like night and day in terms of privacy when you compare your seat with those directly next to the aisle.
    • Comment 333953 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Thanks for stopping by Nick! Yes, not all seats are created equal like in the Cirrus cabins. However, if you can score one of the window seats, I find this seat to be more private than the Cirrus seats. If you were on an aisle, you would be very exposed.
  • Comment 156610 by
    757Fan 632 Comments
    Good report, and it looks like you had a good flight with Asiana on the return the Seoul. The food looks good again, and sounds like the service was very personal and attentive. That must be the first time I've seen calorie counts for in-flight meals (referring to your menu picture). Wow!

    Thanks for sharing.

    Matthew
    • Comment 333954 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Thanks for reading Matthew!

      OZ has excellent service standards, but I find this cabin and catering to be less than what they offer on the A380s. The B772s are old and will probably just be run out until OZ picks up their first A350s starting this year (they have orders for 30).

      That must be the first time I've seen calorie counts for in-flight meals
      NH has the calories on their menus too (even in Y). I'm surprised the FDA hasn't forced this yet in the US. Obesity is becoming a growing problem in Asia recently with the rapidly increasing presence of Western fast-food chains.
  • Comment 156622 by
    indianocean SILVER 7572 Comments
    No amenity kits on flights not originating from ICN --> how weird? If I'm not mistaken, it's a red-eye flight...

    I’ll continue the seat tour. The yellow antimacassar --> what is the tag for?

    I love bibimbap but I cannot eat it so often.
    The ramen noodle looks also good despite the color of the broth. I believe it was spicy as well.

    I'm not impressed by the catering either.

    Thank you for sharing.
    • Comment 333956 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Merci^^

      how weird? If I'm not mistaken, it's a red-eye flight...
      - They only offer amenity kits on flights originating from ICN. I find this really strange, but the lavatories at least have most of the products you need.

      what is the tag for?
      - That is the over-shoulder seat belt. They have a tag at the end so it is easier to grab.

      I love bibimbap but I cannot eat it so often.
      - Me too, but I picked it because all of the Western options didn't sound good :(

      The ramen noodle looks also good despite the color of the broth. I believe it was spicy as well.
      - Yes, the ramen has a very red color, but it was not spicy this time. They offer both spicy and mild broth. I found the spicy to hot for me on the last flight, but this mild ramen was fine.
  • Comment 156629 by
    Numero_2 TEAM BRONZE 10410 Comments
    Thanks for sharing !

    All began in a quite good way with the LAX *A lounge ; all the reviews read here about it are good, so no surprise to see you've enjoyed your stay.

    What could I say about the flight... Sadly, everything but the service seems (above) average.
    From the old grey cabin (I find the TG J cabin coulour scheme definitely better than this one), to the old yellowish lighting, the old style IFE, the not-so-appealing wine list, and the average catering (also served in First lol)... It seems that fliying OZ Business class is only interesting in a A380.
    The good point about the catering is the on demand ramen which looks tasty.

    Btw good job for the night spotting !
    • Comment 333957 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Merci Clement^^

      all the reviews read here about it are good, so no surprise to see you've enjoyed your stay.
      - It is a very nice lounge and it had some signs advertising the awards it has won. I guess we should be thankful *A didn't let UA run a lounge, lol^^ However, at night, it is very crowded and maybe it is just me, but I didn't think the lounge was that large in size.

      It seems that fliying OZ Business class is only interesting in a A380.
      - I'm glad I tried the B772. The one advantage is that the cabin feels roomier than the A380 (less curvature), so sleeping was more comfortable. These cabins are old and the B772s feel old. Hopefully when the first A350s are delivered this year, they will bring a better hard-product. It is not often that I open a menu and see nothing that interests me :( And the Korean carriers have to dump the bibimbap, there are other Korean foods...

      The good point about the catering is the on demand ramen which looks tasty.
      - I should have tried something else from the on-demand menu to see what it looked like, but I prefer ramen and am too little to eat so much, lol.
    • Comment 333969 by
      jetsetpanda 2283 Comments
      but I prefer ramen and am too little to eat so much, lol
      - And I thought everything from Texas was BIG. :P
  • Comment 156642 by
    aussenrist 225 Comments
    Thanks for sharing this report! Nice spotting in both LAX and ICN even the former one is at night! The new main TBIT lobby looks spaciousness.

    I don’t like OZ J cabin color design since it looks very old. IMO OZ and EY have similar cabin color tone (yellow) but EY has a much better looking.

    “I fire up the IFE. The interface is presented in a very quirky Asian way that made me chuckle.”
    - I also laugh immediately when I see the IFE’s artworks and it looks like playing cartoon. The safety radio is still showing the old J seats???

    For the catering, the bibimbap looks tasty even it is same with Y. But the breakfast is very average especially the omelet (I instantly recall the UA one lol) BTW good crew services of continuous drinks refill.

    Look forward to your next report!
    • Comment 333958 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Thanks for all of your continued support and comments!

      The new main TBIT lobby looks spaciousness.
      - It's a very nice terminal, it feels a lot more like an Asian airport (maybe since it is mainly used by Asian carriers^^).

      I don’t like OZ J cabin color design since it looks very old.
      - It is very yellow. I think the color schemes on the A380 will hopefully be the standard.

      “I also laugh immediately when I see the IFE’s artworks and it looks like playing cartoon. The safety radio is still showing the old J seats???
      - The safety video was for the B772, which has 5 different cabin configurations. Those old J seats are still very much active, lol. They are in the next report, but I was able to get a seat in the F cabin.

      For the catering, the bibimbap looks tasty even it is same with Y.
      - And F, it's the socialist meal. OZ believes in equality for all :) Not very impressive catering on this flight, but at least all of it tasted good even if it was boring.
  • Comment 156695 by
    jetsetpanda 2283 Comments
    For being a 5-star rated carrier, one would expect to be swept off the floor. That is not to say that OZ does not merit its accolades and reputation. It is a very solid carrier with great service and there are two things that I love about this airline:

    #1 the FA's who are stunning, unfailingly attentive and always well groomed. They are fabulous!

    #2 the traditional chinaware. Absolutely gorgeous and so representative of Korea.

    The *A lounge in LAX looks great and maybe one of these days I will have the chance to check it out.

    Thank you for this great FR as usual.
    • Comment 334013 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      5-star rated carrier, one would expect to be swept off the floor.
      - That's why SKYTRAX ratings are fairly meaningless, they attach unnecessary expectations to carriers. Have you ever flown HU before? I'm skeptical, but I have been looking for some way to get aboard one of their flights to try myself and see.

      #1 the FA's who are stunning, unfailingly attentive and always well groomed. They are fabulous!
      - I had great crews on every flight. They are not chatty, but they are extremely well polished in their service. It is very professional feeling, but there was still some warmth to their service.

      #2 the traditional chinaware. Absolutely gorgeous and so representative of Korea.
      - Can you buy these somewhere? They didn't have a manufacturer listed on the bottom.

      The *A lounge in LAX looks great and maybe one of these days I will have the chance to check it out.
      - You will :)

      Thanks for stopping by Adan!
  • Comment 156806 by
    socalnow 976 Comments
    Thank you, NGO85, for this great look at OZ's J class.

    The nighttime spotting at TBIT is good with a bunch of heavies preparing to head to Asia and Oceania.
    -Afternoon bank full of A380s and the nighttime bank with some more rare birds are both fun to witness. Great photos.

    There are no amenity kits on flights not originating from ICN...
    -Odd, this. I mean I understand that the washroom has just about everything you could need but then why one direction vs. the other.

    It’s a cup of coffee grounds to help absorb smells.
    -I certainly haven't seen this outside of Delta where it's not unusual to find a filter bag full of grounds hanging on the coat hook in the lav!

    Presentation is nice and I like how the dressing was served inside of the little tomato cup.
    -Wow! That is quite fancy. The meal and beverages on the whole seem excellent to me. I don't mind a bibimbap in J on a Korean carrier. I did think it was out of place in F on ANA.

    The service provided by OZ sounds stellar and it comes of no surprise considering their reputation.

    Thanks again for the excellent report and happy travels.


    • Comment 334355 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Afternoon bank full of A380s and the nighttime bank with some more rare birds are both fun to witness.
      - I prefer nighttime for the wealth of B77Ws.

      I mean I understand that the washroom has just about everything you could need but then why one direction vs. the other.
      - Logistics of getting them to their destinations or weird tax rules on cosmetics? No idea, but sounds like the same reason why some carriers don't offer alcohol on the ground in some countries.

      I certainly haven't seen this outside of Delta where it's not unusual to find a filter bag full of grounds hanging on the coat hook in the lav!
      - Right after posting this, I saw it on a domestic flight in Japan. Definitely not common though, but very practical. I prefer the aroma of coffee over feces any day of the week ;)

      I don't mind a bibimbap in J on a Korean carrier. I did think it was out of place in F on ANA.
      - It's offered in F on OZ.

      OZ will hopefully come out of their financial problems stronger. With lots of new planes arriving, hopefully the hard-product catches up to the soft (for most carriers, the opposite problem is true...). Thanks for stopping by!
  • Comment 156834 by
    KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6658 Comments
    Nice to be able to compare the two smartiums.

    The window seats in row 6 are missing a window.
    - Doh! Good to know. Just one window missing right? Not all windows are missing I hope. Did you find this out from seatguru? I find the information there isn't always reliable.

    The issue is that I actually changed my ticket over the phone and was told I needed to pay ¥4000 at LAX when I changed the ticket. This was mislabeled in the system and I was never asked to pay.
    - Sneaky!

    The nighttime spotting at TBIT is good with a bunch of heavies preparing to head to Asia and Oceania.
    - It sure is! Great night spotting; love it!

    There are 4 flights a night that leave for TPE, each BR and CI send a pair of B77Ws.
    - Crazy what a huge market that is. You would think one of the U.S. carriers would have tapped into that. With SkyTeam and Star already on the route, AA would complement it nicely with some oneworld action.

    Did you not go out to the outdoor terrace in the *A lounge? I would imagine there were some spotting opportunities there too.

    Everything is a little too yellow for my taste.
    - Even the safety card is yellow. But for the cabin look in general, I wonder if it's the lights on older 772s that make everything look more yellow. I've seen the same yellowness on other 772s on night flights where the seats didn't have any yellow accents, AF, for example.

    There are no amenity kits on flights not originating from ICN (I asked the FA and she confirmed this information).
    - That's not very 5*

    And by gold, I mean this yellow pillow. Who knows how long it has been wedged back there,
    - Blech...what did you do with it. I hope you told a FA

    A couple minutes later, a FA comes and kneels at my side to take my dinner order.
    - Gotta love the high level of service on Asian carriers!

    There is no aperitif or amuse bouche service and the linens are immediately laid for dinner.
    - Hmmm...it's not like they don't have time on a 13h flight. Maybe because of the late departure time?

    The interface is presented in a very quirky Asian way that made me chuckle.
    - Haha, that's so cute! And so stereotypical :-P

    I press the call button. Within 8 seconds, there is a FA knelt at my side.
    - Hah! what a difference with your AA experience. It's funny how pressing the call button in the U.S. is often perceived as rude, lazy, or entitled.

    The catering looks good, but not extraordinary. I like Bibimbap, but you're right that it's almost as good in Y from reports I have seen.

    I’ve never seen an OZ A321 with sharklets before. I wonder if this is one of their new NEOs.
    - I don't think it can be. The first NEO was delivered to LH like 2 weeks ago I think.

    Sounds like a great flight with a perfect crew! Thanks for sharing







    • Comment 334356 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Just one window missing right? Not all windows are missing I hope. Did you find this out from seatguru? I find the information there isn't always reliable.
      - I saw this on Seatguru, and it was accurate in this instance (not always true like you say). One window is missing from the last row.

      Sneaky!
      - It's not my fault. The whole thing was weird from the start. Why tell me to pay for a change on the ICN-KIX sector at LAX and also pay it in JPY? Their loss, my gain :)

      Crazy what a huge market that is. You would think one of the U.S. carriers would have tapped into that. With SkyTeam and Star already on the route, AA would complement it nicely with some oneworld action.
      - I actually misreported that, there is a 5th flight^^ BR has an afternoon departure. So they send 3 B77Ws daily.

      Did you not go out to the outdoor terrace in the *A lounge? I would imagine there were some spotting opportunities there too.
      - Never saw it, the lounge was really crowded and I was still trying to mentally regroup after back-to-back crappy flights with AA.

      I wonder if it's the lights on older 772s that make everything look more yellow. I've seen the same yellowness on other 772s on night flights where the seats didn't have any yellow accents, AF, for example.
      - It isn't that yellow, and the lights do make it look more yellow. It's definitely not great to look at, but it's not as bad as the photos suggest. In the OZ114 report, I took a picture mid-flight when the lights were turned off and the cabin doesn't look as yellow. (http://cdn2.flight-report.com/photos/s5uCm1bZbE/65.JPG)

      Blech...what did you do with it. I hope you told a FA
      - I used to underneath the headrest to prop it up a little. I'm a little MacGyver ;)

      Maybe because of the late departure time?
      - I assume this was the case of it being a supper service. It was almost 2am by the time the service started.

      The interface is presented in a very quirky Asian way that made me chuckle.
      - Haha, that's so cute! And so stereotypical :-P

      It's funny how pressing the call button in the U.S. is often perceived as rude, lazy, or entitled.
      - On JL and NH, I've noticed this too. The FAs don't hawk the cabin, they give people privacy. If you need them, you press the button, and they immediately come to serve you. People often find this lazy or not proactive.

      The catering looks good, but not extraordinary. I like Bibimbap, but you're right that it's almost as good in Y from reports I have seen.
      - Catering was better on the ICN-LAX sector, so I think I just got a bum menu. Still good food though.

      I don't think it can be. The first NEO was delivered to LH like 2 weeks ago I think.
      - Oh, okay. Didn't know deliveries were that slow. OZ has leased a lot of A321s to fill their fleet while they wait so it must be just one they picked up off another carrier.

      Thanks for reading Kevin!
  • Comment 156864 by
    Rl 777 802 Comments
    Thank you for sharing this FR with us!

    Fantastic night spotting shots from LAX! I never manage to take decent shots in low-light.

    The seats aren't the best in the industry but look to be perfectly fine. The ottoman looks to be of good size.

    The meals don't look very luxurious on this flight but seem to be alright.

    A good crew on overnight flights can't be found everywhere, I'm glad you had one on this flight.

    Fantastic shots from ICN! I just love those long line-ups. That OZ 321 with Sharklets isn't a NEO as the first A321NEO hasn't been delivered it (first test flight very soon). The 321 you caught is one of their newly delivered CEOs from September or October last year. They currently have 2 regular A321s with Sharklets and still have 5 more on order. They also have 25 A321NEOs on order, delivery from 2017 IIRC.

    Oh well, I hate that issue. The situation with the bags happened to us in SIN when it took an hour to clear immigration, fortunately the bags were placed right next to the first baggage carousel. It's sad that the immigration is horrible in an airport like ICN, good to know if I ever visit Seoul.

    Overall it looks like Asiana offered a solid flight experience, nothing extraordinary but satisfactory.

    Have a good one, see you!

    • Comment 334357 by
      NGO85 SILVER AUTHOR 1955 Comments
      Fantastic night spotting shots from LAX! I never manage to take decent shots in low-light.
      - You have to pick the edges of the window where there is less back-light. It's a difficult art to master. Not always works out great so I normally take 4 pictures and pick the best!

      The seats aren't the best in the industry but look to be perfectly fine. The ottoman looks to be of good size.
      - I like these seats, they may be tired looking, but they are very comfortable for sleeping and very private. And since they are along the windows, easier for photography than the Cirrus seats.

      The meals don't look very luxurious on this flight but seem to be alright.
      - Not as nice, but still very good tasting. I'm not a big airplane foodie so for me that is what I value least.

      A good crew on overnight flights can't be found everywhere, I'm glad you had one on this flight.
      - Definitely true, the CX red-eyes I've had were very underwhelming.

      They currently have 2 regular A321s with Sharklets and still have 5 more on order. They also have 25 A321NEOs on order, delivery from 2017 IIRC.
      - As I had mentioned to Kevin above, they have a lot of leased planes right now, so didn't know if it was just one they picked up from a different carrier who had gone with the sharklet option. I went back to the original photo and tried to blow it up, but the registration is in a shadow, but it looks like it is HL8038, which is leased and was delivered in September of last year.

      It's sad that the immigration is horrible in an airport like ICN, good to know if I ever visit Seoul.
      - Very bad, the transit security is very efficient, but actual immigration into the country is slow. They market the airport as an excellent transit airport, so they aren't lying... kind of.

      Thank for stopping by and commenting!
  • Comment 158487 by
    BombieFlyer 93 Comments
    Hello NGO85!

    Another excellent flight report! Thanks for that

    Wow.... the cabin is like yellow fever! I am not sure I will ever get used to that :) It's also super mind blowing the amount of traffic between Seoul and Los Angeles. I've only done this route with KE so I can't say how OZ is doing but based on my experience KE is doing quite well in this regard.

    Based on the two long-hauls you had with OZ, it seems that their flight attendants are magnificent. I mean, just like you said, the food is good but not mind blowing, the seat is comfortable but not the most up to date, but the crew... so attentive! It's very nice when they kneel down on your level to whenever they communicate with you. It's small gesture but very warming and creates a lasting impression in my opinion.

    I've been in ICN a couple of time and I have to agree with you that immigration is really their weakest point. Both entering and leaving the country has always been a problem with me. The line is always very long. Once, it took me a good one hour just to pass immigration as the queuing line extended all the way to check-in area.

    Anyway, I look forward for more adventure!
  • Comment 160924 by
    cloud_rider 825 Comments
    Thanks for this very well written FR. It was a pleasure reading you. I did not get the chance to exit LAX through the TBIT but your pictures confirms that it is definitely a nicer terminal than LAX vintage T4. It is my first time reading an FR on OX J cabin and it offers a very nice product and service.

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