Asiana review & opinions

Asiana Airlines (formerly known as Seoul Airlines) is a pretty standard national airline of South Korea, and has it's main hub at Seoul (Incheon International Airport). A midsized, global, full-service airline, the quality can bit a bit hit or miss: certainly in premium classes, there are some better airlines, but in economy it can come in cheaper than most. The soft product - such as the food and the service - can be better than you'd expect, but the hard product - the planes & seats - can be a bit hit and miss: often there is no way of knowing if you'll get a new plane with all the frills, or an older version with dodgy seats and entertainment.

Asiana Airlines has rapidly expanded since its establishment in 1988 , and now has a fleet of 69 aircraft. It flies to 21 coutries, and yet for many passengers, it can be an airline that they miss, or don't consider. The reason is simple: unless you want to get directly to Seoul, it can be a right pain to fly on it. In particular on the popular Kangaroo route from the UK to Australia, Asiana have exceptionally poor connections, taking 2 days in either direction, with an overnight stay in Korea.

Few western passengers route via Korea, and as such on board you can can very much feel like the odd one out as an English speaker, although all announcements are made in English, few staff will speak anything other than Korean, and inflight entertainment is definately a minus if you aren't fluent in Korean. Having said that, it does the job professionally, and the distinctly Asian touches can have a novel feel about it. It's certainly well worth trying if you're a bit bored with what other airlines offer.

Asiana Boeing 777 pushing back at Soeul Incheon Airport

Asiana Business Class cabin on the non-Avod 777-200

Asiana Classes, Seats and Fleet

Asiana Airlines is planning to return all of its leased Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft, while it has a plan to convert three B747-400M to freighters. In order to compensate for the loss of these passenger jets, Asiana will introduce two Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, which will be built as three class planes.

Asiana have recently changed their livery, from a rather drab grey to white, with an accented A and a more colourful tail.

Asiana Boeing 777-200ER

Asiana Boeing 777 at Sydney in old livery

Asiana's new Business class seat is sold as lie-flat, however it is a little behind the curve, and is best described as a second generation business class seat, because it doesn't go level, only reclining to 167 degrees, with a pitch of 58 inches. It really isn't very comfortable, and in lie-slope mode there is only a small metal bar to stop you from slipping off. This footrest will result in you getting a grove across the bottom of your feet after a few hours. Anyone over six feet tall with also find the seat too short, and you will end up having to sleep upright anyway. The new seats are in a 2-3-2 layout, and a privacy divider between the seats. Each seat has power with a standard Boeing plug.

Business Class facilites in the bathroom

There is however a 15 inch monitor, which is either screwed to the seat in front, or for row 1, on the bulkhead (which makes watching TV while in lie-slope mode rather difficult). There are two lights: one overhead (the switch is on the handset) and one on the little extendable metal stalk. This has two switches in the head, to switch it on, and to select the brightness level. In the armrest is the tray table, and the dividing arm also has two pullout wings (for the hot towels) and a central pullout section (for canapes) plus a pullout draw (for water bottles). There are also three slots in the seat infront of you, with a lip of a table (for water) a slot (for washbags) and below that a bin (for slippers and eyeshades).

Asiana Business Class seats

On the 777-200, there are three different models flying. Old aircraft, with the old seat, have five complete rows of seats in business class. If there are four rows (with 2 each seats in each side at row 5) you get new seats and AVOD, however the most common type is to have no row 5 at all (and no loos by the cockpit) where you get new seats but AVOD is missing. A simpler way of checking is to see if there is a small bar area in the foremost galley: if there is, there is AVOD.

The bathrooms are nicely equipped there are toothbrush packs with combs, mouthwash, 3 bottles of spray and moisturizer, plus a little bunch of flowers. There are also bathrooms at the back of the cabin so row 4 or 5 is least desirable.

Asiana Boeing 777 economy class cabin with AVOD

In economy seats are the pretty basic Boeing model, but with the joy of a 34" pitch. This is a couple of inches more than most airlines (like Singapore), and six inches more than some. You really do notice the difference: it's much less cramped. The seats are also in a 3-3-3 layout, giving more width than some airlines (like Emirates) which cram in 4 rows across in the middle.

Row 10 is a bulkhead, and row 30 an emergency exit, with a flip out video screen and table in the armrest (which somewhat reduces the seat width). Seats 15 A and 15 K are missing windows. On aircraft are equipped with an on-demand audio & video service or AVOD there is a 6.5 inch LCD monitor. Other aircraft have

Business Seat control & Avod handset

a 3 inch monitor. In both types of aircraft there is a magazine rack on the back wall of each bulkhead. These are normally stocked with a lot of Korean mags, Time and Business Traveller.

There is currently just one three class 777, that flies daily just to Chicago, however it will be joined by two others shortly which will be used on the flagship New York and LA routes.

Asiana Boeing 747-400

Asiana Boeing 747 at Seoul in old livery

Two combi's also have new First Class and AVOD on all classes. One combi does not, and it was supposed to be converted to an all cargo version. However cargo demand has been dropped sharply, so Asiana keeps postponing converting work for the dark 747 combi. This one mainly running on intra-Asia route, though.

Asiana Boeing 747 economy seats

If your seat wasn't lie-angled flat, then yours is the dark one. Refurbished ones have huge monitor at the back of front seats, which is AVOD. The only dark 747-400 combi without the new C seats and AVOD and the old F seats is HL7417 in the old Asiana livery. That plane mostly runs flights between Hong Kong and Seoul.

Asiana Boeing 767-300

Asiana's 767 Business class seat is pretty good: seats are in a 2-1-2 layout, giving slightly more width (20")than you'd expect, and a 50" pitch, and 168 degrees of recline. However on full recline, the seats to feel a bit hemmed in. However in business, there is a full AVOD inflight entertainment system with 15" seatback TV. Economy is however pretty basic, in a 2-3-2 layout, starting in row 10. Row 26 is an emergency exit, with lots of space ahead of you. There are no seatback TVs, just overhead monitors, in economy.

Asiana Airlines Airbus A320 / A321

The A320s seat 135, in economy with a 3-3 layout. Row 17 and Row 18 are the overwing emergency exit - if you ask to sit here, you will get 2 inches more legroom. Row 18 is highly prized, as the seat here reclines fully. Pitch is 33" and width is 17"

All models have large 14 inch fold down LCD TV screen under the overhead lockers for both classes. Service can be a bit slow, with only a single isle for service.

Asiana Inflight experience

Asiana Boeing 777 business class cabin

There is proper priority boarding, even at Heathrow, for Business Class and Star Golds (plus Special Needs and Families), which starts half an hour before the published push back time. Newspapers are on a trolley at the door.

Service on Asiana is a unique Korean variant of the Asian service model: it's either charming or annoying, depending on your athetic principles. The big plus point is that the staff are very attentive, and will for example always top up your glass if it's half full. This can however become annoying if you just want to watch a film.

Seoul Business turns left

The staff can sometimes also seem even more robotic than on Singapore (which is saying something) because they will always go through the mechanical process of offering you wine to taste (in Business) and showing you the label as you drink it: there is little room for flexibility. However the first few times you encounter this, it is quite charming.

Longhaul in Business Class as you sit down the crew will hover and hang your jacket (although there is a hook on the seatback for this), and then come around with trays with water, orange Juice, or Champagne. After takeoff on late night flights, such as the LHR departure, the crew will work fast to server dinner very quickly to maximize sleep for passengers - and themselves. Menus and hot towels came quickly and are followed by the orders being taken for food and the first drink. Menus are always taken away at this point - you need to hide yours to hang onto it, even though it contains the tasting notes for the wine.

Asiana Boeing 777 economy class cabin

A curious lack of understanding of western meals also comes to the fore with, you've guessed it, wine. When your drink order is taken on takeoff, it is assumed that you will stick with it for the duration of the flight. There is no understanding of the usual order of champagne, cocktails, and then a different wine for each meal, ending with the port. If you do try this, it utterly throws the crew, who make frantic scribbles in their lists as to what you are drinking.

There service pattern is equally unusual. Two crew man a trolley down the left aisle first serving drinks and Western starters, then return back down the aisle to repeat the process on the right side. Then on the left another crew member commences the Korean service (often with no starters). So to get served early, and get your choice, sit on the left, and take the Western meal. Later a cheese plate comes round, with a bottle of port. Then dessert, and so does the brandy with coffee. After diner is cleared, it is completed by more hot towels and water bottles being handed out.

777 seat nuts with flip out wings

The second meal service commences two hours before landing at Seoul. Even on night flights, when you are waking up, this is generally lunch or dinner. As a results, so it doesn't feel too odd, you may want to wake up an hour earlier, and get the crew to bring you a cup of tea. In business you also get a pillow (a smallish yellow rectangle thingy with not a huge deal of padding) and a blankets (a very thin grey 'staticy' affair).

Longhaul in Economy (or Travel Class, as Asiana call it) service is a cut down version of economy. There are hot towels before the meal service and before landing. There are two trolleys that go down both isles, and which also serve the drinks. There is a second drinks run, but after that you have to visit the galley for top-ups. Bottles of water are handed out overnight.

Asiana Inflight Entertainment

New Boeing 777s with AVOD have again, two variants. The latest system has a selection of 30 movies and the same number of short films, while the older system has 9 movies and 15 short films. The AVOD is pretty good: you can stop and resume playback at your discretion, with the controls on the handset.

AVOD welcome screen

Older 777s & 747s without AVOD just have the films on a loop: listen to the first inflight announcement and they will tell you at what intervals the films repeat at: this announcement is quite import because there is no onscreen counter or count down: the films just start when the crew want them to, and without it, you can miss the first 10 or 20 minutes. You can operate the films in two modes: if the handset says VID you can scroll through the channels with the Channel up and down buttons. Or if you press the Mode button and put it into INT mode, the screen tells you what you are watching, but it's then harder to reverse out and select another channel. For non-Avod flights, the films are played out on tape, and this can wear very badly by the end of the month.

Inflight Entertainment headphones & AVOD controller in business class

You can send and receive the e-mail and SMS using the personal monitor and headset in the cabin of A330-300, B777-200 aircraft. It's quite pricey, with a usage fee per message of 1.5 US dollars You can also make a call to anybody on the ground using the satellite phone, at the quite extortionate rate of 2 dollars per 10 seconds. A 110V power supply is available for use with laptop computers, in Business class on the A330 and the B777, and all classes on the 747. It uses US style plugs.

AVOD games

Headphones are a bit of disaster on all flights. The headphones are made by Sennheiser, but they are the same in economy and business, and are small uncomfortable things. There are no noise reducing headsets. On the ancient 747 combis, you may still get a system with 1980s speaking tubes: aviation, the way it used to be.

Film selection is equally not great, particularly on non-Avod flights. There are just 5 English language films, or which one is a blockbuster (or, a film you have actually heard of) and the other four are non-descript also-rans from the Hollywood stable. Occasionally one of these films is replaced with a non-Korean foreign language film, reducing the selection to four. There are two separate banks of film selections: those for flights leaving Korea, and those heading to it, and they change every month. However if you travel out from say LHR to Sydney and back in the same month, by the time you finish your second long haul flight you will already have seen all the films, and then will have nothing new to see on the way back.

Asiana culture style view

Asiana Inflight Magazine - Culture Style View

The main magazine is called Culture / Style / View, and comes in at hefty 120 pages. You are invited to take it off the plane. All the articles are in Korean and English, on the same pages.

There are three main chunks to the magazine. Culture has three or four articles to locations around the world (where Asiana flies to). Style has articles on hotels and fashion, plus, oddly, some cartoons. View has images, a long and rather tedious arts section, and features on photography. Finally at the back as the long information section, with the route maps, updates on Asiana, frequent flier information, guides on immigation and getting around Korea, details of Asiana's Magic Boarding Card plans, and a Quiz.

Asiana Entertainment Listings

The Asiana Entertainment magazine lists exactly that, the inflight films and videos. Again, it is pretty lengthy. There is a long article on the main film, some fairly random articles, and then half way through the film listings. These have a small part of the page for each film with the synopsys, and then details for each flight. These are pretty confusing, and it can take some time to work out what you'll get on your flight.

The vital pages you need are right at the back of the synopsys pages. These list three types of aircraft, and are either M (Mainscreen programme), B (Broadcast Programme) or A (AVOD). To see what type you have, there are pictures of the different types of the screen.

Mainscreen programming is just on one page, and is pretty clear. It is followed by the listings for the separate Audio Channels. Broadcast is most confusing, split into two more sections depending on the type of monitor, with a page from Seoul, and to Seoul, and the grey bar at the top listing the destination, and then the separate channels. Finally there are the AVOD listings, although if you're lucky enough to have AVOD, you won't be wasting time reading the mag will you?

Asiana Longhaul amenity kit

Washbag Asiana Longhaul amenity kit

However getting this kit can be a bit hit and miss: on some flights the crew miss handing it out althogether, and on others it comes around on a trolley, but you must be in your seat when the trolley comes around, or you'll miss out. As an economy measure there is no kit stocked inbound to Incheon on any flight nowadays: it is only carried from Seoul.

On night flights where the kit isn't handed out the crew will instead give you earplugs and a nightshade, which are put into the lowest pocket infront of you, along with the Asiana slippers in a plastic packet, plus the headphones. The middle pocket is used for the washbag, and the top shelf normally has a bottle of water on it.

Asiana Airlines First Class provides a Bvlgari amenity kit, with similar (but more expensive items), including H2O body butter, face hydrating treatment, colgate toothpaste, facial Tissues and a small bottle of Scope. These retail for quite a lot on Ebay.

In First you also get pyjamas. One other thing you should watch out for is the First Class gift: quite often these can be things like a Versace Coffee mug.

In economy there are no amenity kits, however there are toothbrushes and combs in the toilets.

Asiana Luggage Allowance

Asiana has a pretty standard baggage allowance for each flight.

Cabin Bags: Economy Class passengers can take hand luggage of one bag weighing up to 10kgs (22lbs), business and first class can take two. They must be no larger than 40cmx55cmx23cm. Rules on contents (such as liquids) apply.

Check in luggage: On all routes except to the United States economy class can check in one bag weighing 20kg (44lbs), business class can check in two bags up to a total weight of 30kg, and First class can check in three bags up to 40kg. Routes to or via the United States have a baggage allowance of two bags, with economy allowed to 23kg (50lbs), business and first class with 32kg maximum.

Silver (and Star Alliance Silver) Frequent Flyers gain an extra 10kg checked in luggage allowance, Gold (and Star Alliance Gold) gains an extra 20kg of checked in luggage allowance (or one extra bag if via the US).

Asiana's website has details of exactly what you can take onto a flight.

Asiana Routes

From London LHR there is just four flights a week to Seoul, on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2100, landing the next day at 1655, with a 777. It returns at 1335, landing at 1725. Paris takes the aircraft the other three days of the week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), leaving at 1415 on a 777. There is also a six times a week service from Frankfurt at 1245.

Airline schedules change regularly.

This information is intended as a guide, but for accurate timetables, please consult Asiana.

Asiana Domestic Routes

Seoul Incheon International (ICN) is the hub of Asiana's network. There are regular flights to the US, with the flagship route being the twice daily flight to Los Angeles. At 1630 there is a 747 (3 class), and at 2000 a 777 (2 class) which arrive at LA at 1010 and 1340 respectively. San Francisco is five times a week (not Monday or Saturday) at 1645 on a 777. Seattle four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday) at 1800 on a 777. Chicago three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) on the rare, three class 777 at 1915. Finally there is New York JFK, to where there are flights on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday with a 747 (with First) flies at 2000, arriving at 1950.

Asiana USA Routes

Down south to Thailand there is Bangkok twice a day at 1820 (A330) and 2010 (767 - no service on Tue or Sat) and the holiday flight to Phuket daily at 2015 (767) plus Singapore daily at 1600 on an A330.

Japan gets Tokyo four times daily at 1000, 1130, 1710 and 1850. Here, Asiana put on pretty much any plane that is spare, so you can end up with anything from a 767 to a 777, 747 or even an A330. Osaka three times a day at 1000, 1410, and 1910. And Hiroshima daily with a 767 at 0940 (Sundays at 1400).

Asiana Asian Routes

Shanghai is four times a day, with the 0940 getting the dreaded 747 combi (with First), a 777 on the 1050, A330 on the 1410 and A321 on the 1515. Beijing gets an equally mixed bunch of equipment on the four daily flights, at 0840, 0950, 1320 and 1515.

Ho Chi Minh City gets a small A321 at 0920, and a 747 at 2010. Hanoi daily at 1935. Delhi three times a week at 1940 on a A330. There is a twice daily flight to Hong Kong, at 0920 and 1945, but equipment on this can be a random bunch of 777s, 767, and both types of the 747, with even the horrible Combi making an appearance.

There is just one flight a day to Australia. A 777 leaves Seoul at 1950, landing in Sydney at 0800 the next day, then with a fast turn around it leaves again at 0930, to get into Seoul at 1810. Annoying, this doesn't connect with any of the European flights on the way back, leaving you with an overnight stop over. See in the hints and tips section for details of making this bearable.

Asiana frequent flyer scheme - the Asiana Club

NEWS: Asiana have jsut introduced a new elite Tier level. Called Diamond Plus, it is designed for those passengers who will find it too hard to get to Platinum level: in effect you get almost the same privaliges, except for the VIP magazine and the upgrade coupons.

Asiana have a fairly standard mileage system for their Frequent Flier club. In the mileage club you essentially earn 1 mile for each actual flight miles multiplied by your Elite Bonus level.

Joining is easy; it's possible to do it online.

ANA's policy is that miles expire within 7 years of posting to the account, with the only means of extending the expiration date being the booking of a ticket in that 7 year period for travel within the next year. Quite simply, if you earn points on Asiana, keep them active by flying on an Asiana flight once every seven years.

Watch for Asiana's rather strange names of the tier levels, where Gold is Silver on the Star Alliance, and Diamond is Gold. This used to be the highest "common" tier level, however there is now Diamond Plus, which gets access to the First Lounges. However, Asiana do have the perk of rather easy to achieve Tier levels compared to some airlines (Lufthansa, for example).

Asiana Club Silver Card

Asiana Silver (Base) level

Asiana Gold (Star Alliance Silver)

You get to check in at the dedicated Gold desk, or business class checkin desks if there is no dedicated desk, and you get an extra 10kg of luggage. You get two coupons to use the Asiana Business Class lounge in Seoul.

Asiana Diamond (Star Alliance Gold)

You get to check in at the business class checkin desks, and you also get lounge access on all economy tickets, on all Star Alliance services, and can invite one guest. You get an extra luggage allowance of 20kg, and 20kg on most Star Alliance operated flights.

Asiana Diamond Plus (Star Alliance Gold)

You get to check in at the First Class Asiana checkin desks, and you also get lounge access on all economy or Business tickets to the First Class Asiana lounge, and on all Star Alliance services to the business lounge, and can invite one guest. You get an extra luggage allowance of 30kg on Asiana, and 20kg on most Star Alliance operated flights.

There are two discount vouchers that reduce the number of miles needed by 50% for seat upgrades.

Asiana Platinum

You get to check in at the First Class Asiana checkin desks, and you also get lounge access on all economy or Business tickets to the First Class Asiana lounge, and on all Star Alliance services to the business lounge, and can invite one guest. You get an extra luggage allowance of 30kg on Asiana, and 20kg on most Star Alliance operated flights.

There are two discount vouchers that reduce the number of miles needed by 50% for seat upgrades for every 100,000 miles you fly.

Asiana Business Class Lounges

Incheon Asiana First class lounge

In London (LHR), the Star Alliance joint lounge is used (T1, right after security, Open 0500-2200). In Paris there is also the joint Star lounge (Near Salon secter on 11st floor, open 0530-2230), while in Frankfurt there is the Senator lounge for Star Golds, while business class passengers have to make do with the LH business class lounge (Near B EAST B43-B48 gate, open 0530-2230).

In Sydney Asiana have recently swaped from the Qantas lounge to the Air NewZealand lounge (58-59 gate 3rd Floor, open 0530-2130). In Bangkok there is the Louis' Tavern CIP Lounge (E Concourse) but the Thai Airways lounge may be better, if a longer walk from the gate normally used. Singapore has the Premier Club, Hong Kong oddly has the Dragon Airline lounge (Level-7 near Gate16, open 0600-0030) but the United or Thai lounges are better. In America, there is a wide choice, with New York having The Lounge (west rear side on the 4th floor on terminal 4), LA using the joint Star Alliance effort, San Francisco using the CI (Dynasty Lounge, on the 4th floor of the Asiana Airlines office building) and Chicago uses the Swiss International airlines lounge.

Seoul Lounges

Incheon Asiana Business class lounge

In the main concourse, which is used by all Asiana flights (but not Star Alliance codeshares) there are two separate lounges, for First Class, and for Business Class. The location of the lounges is ideal, right in the centre of the airport, at the junction of the T. They are immediately after passport control: double back, and take the escalators upwards. The two doors for First and for Business are separate, but on the same landing which also has a snack bar, and the two paid for lounges.

One slight confusion you may have is that there are signs pointing at both lounges, and below this there is a Star Alliance Gold sign: in fact, Gold's can only go into the Business section, with Asiana's Diamond Plus and ? going into First.

Both lounges are superb examples of their type: Light, airy, neutral and sedate, the hard product - the furnishings - are world class: if only all lounges were built this way. It's let down a bit by the crowds and the poorer food in business, but these two lounges are definitely worth a trip.

Incheon Asiana First class lounge

Incheon Main Concourse Asiana First Class lounge

Incheon Asiana First class lounge bar

The significant difference in the First lounge is the food. At the far end, past the dining area, there is a chilled cabinet with salmon, ham, and seafood. Beside it there are some some amazing deserts. To the right of this there are three hot food cabinets (with breakfast in the morning, noodles in the afternoon) which are continually topped up by the chef who has a kitchen around the corner. On the left is an ice cream cabinet with lots of Häagen-Dazs bars & tubs.

Incheon Asiana First class lounge. Note the small private seating areas on the right.

The drinks section are impressive, with spirits including Johnny Walker Blue, plus Bombay Saffire Gin, Baileys (not chilled) Jack Daniels, Martini, Smirnoff Red Vodka, Campari, and Bacardi Rum. Champagne is Moet, in an ice bucket, however there is only one type of white (again in an ice bucket) and two reds beside the spirits, which is a bit disappointing considering the rest of the selection. You may hunt in vain for wine or champers glasses: in fact the very pretty ones on the shelf which look as if they are just for decoration are for use.

Incheon Asiana First class lounge food

As you enter the lounge on the right is a computer room with four laptops, a printer and a photocopier. Straight ahead as you walk through is a newspaper rack, although the selection here is very poor, with only a few Korean papers, and some travel magazines. There are two more magazine racks in the small private sitting areas. At the far end on the right are the showers: there is never a queue, and the woman handing out towels is often glad for something to do. On the left is the bathroom, with classy square taps. Finally, if you double back at the far end there is a DVD viewing room, with four large comfortable seats and good flatscreen TVs. DVDs are available from reception, and there are also normally some left in the drawers below the players.

The staff in the lounge are very attentive: sometimes too attentive. You only have to wander over to the food area and someone will ask if they can bring you anything. While this is a nice touch, if you are bored and just wandering over to see what there is, you do get the feeling of a nagging servant at your arm.

Incheon Asiana Business class lounge

Incheon Main Concourse Business Class lounge

Incheon Asiana Business class lounge

The Bar was fully equipped with a large range of spirits, however they are noticably a step down from those in First. There is Johnie Walker Black, with Smirnoff Red, Bacardi rum, Gordon's gin, Cinzano, Chivas Regal, Canadian Club, and Hennessy VSOP. Champagne is Beringer sparkling rose(but you need to ask for this), and with two types of wine in a wine bucket. There is draft beer on tap, and chilled glasses in the fridge. However the beer tap just says "beer", with no indications of what type it is.

Incheon Asiana Business class lounge

In front of the bar area is the food. There is salad 24 hours a day, in large tubs in the fridge. Beside this are two hot tubs, however hot food only arrives at breakfast (at 0730), lunch (1200), and tea time (1800). There is only a fixed quantity of food at both lounges and once the food is gone they will not prepare anymore until the next serving time. Next to this the Chef's Corner where there is a chef making a different meal a day. Sometimes it is bibimbab with seasoned spring greens, other times hwajeon (pan-fried rice cakes with flower petals), and if you are lucky, fresh strawberries and a strawberry shake. The chef comes from the Westin Chosun Hotel.

Incheon Asiana Business class lounge

At the nearside to the room are four snoozing areas, however it's not great for having a kip, as there's a huge window infront of you, and the sun really can beat down. Beside this are the showers, and showers can be a problem, because of the vast number of transiting passengers who all want a shower at the same time: there can be a real queue in the early evenings, at around 7pm. It is often best to queue for the shower first, before getting something to eat.

There is free Wifi in the lounge, and also 12 Computers, in the business area beside the reception desk, plus a fax and photocopier. No boarding calls are made in the lounge, however there is Business priority boarding so it shouldn't be too much of a rush anyway.

London LHR Business Class lounge

London LHR Star Alliance lounge used by Asiana

The lounge is very large, but rather dull. As the Asiana flight is the last flight of the day using this lounge, you can feel rather lonely sitting there as the cleaners hussle you out in time for the 9pm flight. Food is pretty good, with a hot option available for the Asiana flight so you can eat in the lounge before getting on board. Food is often curry, with salads and sandwiches also available.

London LHR Star Alliance lounge used by Asiana

The bar is rather poor, with bottles of Gin, Vodka, VSOP, Bacardi Rum, and Whisky with Jack Daniels, Famous Grouse, and Jamesons. There is just one type of white, two types of red, and a rose wine. Most of these are pretty cheap and nasty versions. There is a beer pump for Grolsh, and - rare for a lounge - Magners cider in bottles in the fridge, along with bottles of Becks and cans of Guinness.

There are showers in the lounge, and free Wifi, but no computers.

Full details of this lounge are contained in the bmi pages, under the Joint Star Alliance LHR Lounge section.

Sydney Business Class lounge

Sydney Air NewZealand lounge used by Asiana

There is a good bar area with 4 types of Kiwi whites and red, a Kiwi sparkler, and half a dozen types of beer in the fridge, plus vodka, Bacardi, Bunderberg rum, Gin & Brandy. However with the Asiana flight leaving at 9am, you'd be a brave passenger to work your way through these before boarding.

Food is equally good, with Asiana flights leaving at 9am there in time for the cooked Kiwi breakfast including sausages, tomatoes, and a strange cheese flan type thing. There is also a rare delight of a pancake making machine, and maple syrup is in the jug. Indeed, since the first meal onboard the Asiana flights is lunch, you're best off getting breakfast here.

Sydney Air NewZealand lounge bar area

Newspapers are on the top of the shelving Units, with the Sydney Morning Herald, and the Financial Review, but no Korean papers. There is a small business centre at the far end of the lounge, and three computers. There are also two sets of showers: in the main lounge, and around the corner of the old First section.

Full details of this lounge are contained in the Air New Zeland pages, under the Sydney Lounge section.

Asiana Hints & Tips

City Terminal

The Sydney to London problem & Overnight Asiana Hotel

The first problem is that Asiana's woefully poor website won't sell you a ticket. To get a through ticket from Europe to Australia you either have to call into an Asiana ticket office, or book via an Agent. Benz Travel do a decent line in selling the UK arm. Make sure you try to fly out on the 4 days a week when there is a UK flight.

The flight from London is at a good time, leaving at 9pm, and rolling into Seoul at 5pm, with just enough time for an easy connection at 8pm for the slight to Sydney, which lands at 8am. It's on the way back that problems occur. The flights back miss each other by five hours, meaning that an overnight stop of 19 hours is needed, with the flight from Sydney landing at 6pm, and the flight to London taking off at 1.30pm the next day. Thankfully Asiana provide a free hotel, but this is neither promoted, nor widely know about.

What you need to know about is STPC, or Stopover Paid by Carrier. This means that if your itinerary forces a stop over overnight, and there are no flights to avoid this, the airline will pay for a hotel if it is requested in advance. In other words, if the only flight of the day arrives too late or departs too early for a same-day connection, that is the only scenario where airlines will give STPC.

Stopover desk & voucher

To get the hotel, you have to book via an agent, and then get the agent to request the hotel directly with Asiana. Normally, they won't bother, and some more inexperienced ones will think that you have to pay for it. You don't - the airline will. You will be offered an Incheon area hotel as well as Seoul city hotel, but again, it's down to what your agent requests. Asiana will then put a request on your booking, but you must then reconfirm it when you check in at Sydney. If possible, get the name of your hotel. Then, after landing at Incheon, as you leave the customs area, go past the baggage claim area and keep going to the far right. You'll find the Asiana desk on the far right beside the Asiana Club Service desk down between doorways 13 and 14, next to the US Forces desk: it is the single desk on the left. They will also arrange transport to your hotel, although this can take some time, and you will have to wait on the wooden benches opposite the desk. Quite often at the desk there is a manager from one of the hotels hassling the staff there to book passengers into "their" hotel, and once the voucer is written out, it is hard to change it, so make sure you know what hotel you want before you approch the desk.

Incheon Airport Best Western

Hotels vary. If you choose to stay at the airport, most economy passengers end up in the Hotel June, which is not up to much. The Best Western Incheon Airport is better, and where many Business Class passengers stay. If you do, make sure you ask at the hotel desk for the "club floor" (floor 7) with free internet. However the food and the bar here is very poor. Just opposite is the Hilton, which is brand new, and great, and is definately the hotel to ask for at the desk.

Operation Upgrades

To start with, make sure you are a frequent flyer, and you do fly frequently: after all, if Asiana are going to upgrade anyone, they will upgrade those passengers who fly with them pretty regularly, and hence will enjoy the upgrade enough to put more business Asiana's way. Then if the flight is full in economy, and someone needs to be moved up, the check in staff will first look at Diamond Plus Asiana Club members, and then Diamond level, and then at other Star Alliance members at the equivalent levels (Gold, and then Silver). Another thing that Asiana look at is how much you paid for your ticket: it's much more likely to happen with a full fare ticket (although occasionally you can get lucky with a discounted economy ticket).

As always, my advice on dressing properly in the pages on how to get an upgrade applies.

Curiously, on Asiana, it is actually better to subtly ask at check-in "How full is the flight today?" as they will often actually phone up the supervisor to ask whether it would be possible to upgrade you. This is particularly the case at London Heathrow, where the checkin Staff are from bmi, and there is only one Asiana staff member on duty (in the ticket office). Note that if you get an Operation Upgrade at Heathrow, you will be invited to pay the extra Air Passenger Duty (tax). Asiana shouldn't legally be asking for this (it is tax free) but if you are offered the upgrade, it can seem churlish to refuse to pay (and, indeed, it's quite clear that if you don't, the upgrade is taken away).

Incheon Asiana A321 on the stand in old livery, with a new livery A321 behind.

Asiana website

Beware that it is impossible to book some flights on the Asiana website. for example, you can't book a flight from London to Sydney.

Asiana On Line Seat Selection

Using the website you can select seats and check in online. To do this you have to be an Asiana Club member, but oddly, you don't actually have to have this Club number in your booking: indeed, you can have any other Frequent Flyer number in there: the Asiana Club number is just to get past the first login screen.

The Seat Selection part of the website can sometime be a bit flakey, and you may have to try it several times to get it to work, and then when you have forced it though, you can find some seats permanently unavailable for this process: emergency exit seats for example, along with many of the window seats.

English version: eu.flyasiana.com
Asiana Club.
Economy inflight service.
Map of Asiana lounges & concourse at Seoul
Asiana's baggage allowance & carry on bags.

Note that all reviews and opinions on Asiana (OZ) food, service, seats, planes, upgrades, lounges, Asiana lounges, and the Asiana Club Frequent Flyer scheme is soley at my judgement. No legal liability is accepted if you take my advice.