Review of Korean Air flight from Gwangju to Jeju City in Economy

Introduction

Hello everyone and welcome back to this Korean trip.

After a few days visiting South Korea from its capital city and Busan, it is time to see Jeju Island, as it was included in the tour I bought. For that, we'll depart from Gwanju Airport, the perfect occasion to test one of Korean Air's newest aircraft, the AIrbus A220.

Reading this review in a dark mode will be much more comfortable.

Our route

Welcome to Gwanju AIrport

We arrived around 3.00 P.M to Gwanju airport. This airport, although civilian, also shares its runway with a military base.

KWJ landside

The arrivals and departures screens. You may have noticed, Jeju Island (CJU) and Seoul Gimpo (GMP), are the only destinations operated by the airport.

Almost all korean airlines are here ; from legacies (Korean Air and Asiana Airlines) to low-costs (T,way and Jin Air) alongside, Jeju Air, the airline owned by the island at 51%.

Since KWJ is a very small airport, the baggage drop-off opens only 90 minutes prior the flight departure. So the group and I are going to wait to the upper floor, which there is a café, a restaurant, and a small grocery store.

A small art gallery.

The airport's "lounge" ; 2 000 wons (around 1,35€) for a 10-minute massage.

the check-in process

Meanwhile, I'll try to get my boarding pass and my baggage tag to the kiosk, but the fact I'm travelling in a group is blocking the process…

In the mean time, a check on FlightRadar, to locate our aircraft, an AIrbus A220-300 registered as HL-8091, currently at Cheongju (CJJ), a bit more in the north.

SInce we have a lot of time before our check-in, and the fact I already have all my seats booked on all my flights and their respective boarding passes, my travel companions will try to get their check-in online, but without some difficulties.

5:34 P.M: As it's almost time to go back to the check-in desk to drop-off our baggage, I noticed about our flight a "HOLD" mention.

After I noticed the guide about that mention, we're all going back to the check-in desk, as a corpulent check-in agent informs our guide that our flight has been… CANCELLED !!! 

And since the group is a real french-speaking one, obviously, it grumped so loudly that we could hear inside the whole terminal. Yet, the FIDS hasn't yet confirmed the cancellation.

06.11 P.M: Check-in agents informed our guide the flight is still scheduled but is expected with at least a 90-minutes delay. Also, the guide brought us back to the floor for having dinner in the airport's only restaurant.

As the meal was included into the Tour (no voucher from Korean Air), the guide ordered the same dish for all of us.

07.40 P.M : I'll get an e-mail innforming us the aircraft's scheduled time of departure at 9.20 P.M.

AIRCRAFT'S CHANGE

As the night is coming down, and by watching Flightradar, I see that HL-8091 has been replaced by another A220 registered as HL-8311. At that moment, it already took off from Daegu (TAE) and seems to face strong turbulences on its way to Jeju Island.

08h06 P.M: A quick check on FlightRadar about our aircraft ; it just landed at Jeju Island airport and is getting to pick us up. 20 minutes later, one of my travel companions, who was taking pictures from the outside was telling us… it started snowing !!!

8:40 P.M: Our flight's baggage drop-off is finally opened. The check-in would be done by the same check-in agent whom announced our so-call "cancelled flight", except he was friendlier that we saw earlier.

Interesting fact: When your baggage is about to be send to the aircraft, if the check-in agent did ask the dangerous goods questionnaire, the agent keeps your travel documents until the suitcase has successfully passed the security controls. 

If I didn't have any problems about that (especially thanks to my experience as a former check-in and boarding agent), almost everyone else has failed the test, and had to be escorted to the security office to remove the prohibited items by themselves.

After everyone has been checked-in, we were heading to the boarding gate. Also, we had to pass an ID check before the security check, in order to end in a very small boarding area…

The departures's screen are updating the aircraft's time of departure several times; first, 10.50 P.M, then 10.55 P.M, which is absolutely impossible, considering the actual time right now. If announcements were made, not a single one was english.

Boarding finally started at 10.50 P.M

Our aircraft's beak.

And its blue door.

My seat 37A. As I was about to take place, I didn't see the baggage rack was open I hit my head on it quite strongly. The cabin crew, which was a few rows behind, witnessed the scene and expressed quite a conerned mind about that incident.

The legroom.

A USB plug is available.

The roof.

Bad point for KE: As we haven't pushed back yet, the crew is asking to ALL windows to be covered. Not only, I can't take pictures from outside, but it's also a serious security breach, especially during take-off.

Sadly, this process seems to be connected with the military base next to the airport.

Boarding completed at 11.04 P.M for a 30 minute flight. Pushback at 11.07 P.M for a take-off at 11.20 P.M with a certain angle (60-70 degree)

Around 20 minutes after take-off, cabin crew made an announcement allowing to pull up the window cover . However, due to the delay, there's nothing else to see outside.

If Wi-Fi is availbale in this aircraft, I'll give it a try, but not successful.

Ergo, only distractions possible : the Morning Calm magazine and safety card.

BRACE !!! BRACE !!! BRACE !!!

Descent started at 11.41 P.M. The island's lights are finally visible. Another annoucement was done that no service has been done during the flight due to the weather during the flight.

No pictures of touchdown, as the plane will land roughly, going up again before setting the ground a second time, this time for good . Touchdown was violent that I almost crashed my head onto the front seat.

We'll be parked on a remote stand at 00.10 A.M, with almost 3 hours and a half delay.

Time to get up. For the anecdote, I just have to get up to bump my head on the baggage rack ONCE AGAIN !

We're leaving the aircraft under the rain and a strong wind, blowing us away straight to the bus.

… After a little ride in the bus…

…we finally arrived at the terminal's baggage claim, where baggage delivery has already begun when the group arrived and my suitcase has been delivered among the first.

CJU completely deserted, the bus was already waiting for us for the hotel.

To finally get my room around 2.00 A.M…

And thus, this flight going to Jeju Island, has come to an end. I hope that, despite the events, you enjoyed that review. If that's the case, please a like and eventually a comment. As for my part, see you soon for the next part of this Korean trip.

WHAT A FLIGHT…

The flight on Flightradar.