Nick Walton travels from New York to Seoul in Korean Air Prestige Class, only to find poor first impressions and slipping service levels on a once-great carrier.
Check-in/The Lounge
Check-in at JFK’s Terminal 1 was smooth and efficient, despite a distinct scowl from staff when I had the audacity of asking for a window seat. After 30 minutes spent passing through chaotic security channels manned by with surly and bored-looking TSA staff, I made my way to Korean Air’s lounge, which is also open to Priority Pass members as well as Aeroflot, LOT, and Saudia premium customers.
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This must be one of the airline’s most underwhelming spaces (save for the travesty that was the former KE lounge in Hong Kong). There are 106 seats in Korean Air Prestige Class on the A380, ensuring the lounge was always packed to capacity throughout my visit. With tired décor, stained seats, few power points, an abysmal food and beverage selection, and a strong, pervading smell of instant ramen throughout, the lounge is a poor way to start any business class journey.
The Seat
I always opt for an upstairs window seat on the A380 because of the brilliant additional storage space it affords. The 21.6-inch wide Prestige Class Sleeper Seat, in a 2-2-2 configuration, offers ample space between rows and 180 degrees of lie-flat bliss when in bed mode. A 15.4-inch LCD monitor gives access to the plane’s entertainment system but cheap, non-noise canceling headphones, which looked strikingly like those in economy class, were a disappointment, especially given Korea’s tech dominance.
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Staff distributed Davi of Napa amenity kits that included face cream, lip balm, and an eye mask, but curiously no earplugs – the A380 is quiet but not that quiet. A cabin attendant said they were unable to offer pre-flight drinks before takeoff as everything was “sealed”, and gave a rather disingenuous expression of apology before taking both lunch and dinner orders.
Our flight left JKF on time and after reaching cruising altitude the same attendant did bring me a glass of Perrier-Jouët with another, more sincere apology. As friendly as the crew were (and they were charming compared to the crew of the Seoul – Hong Kong crew that was to come) there was a distinct impression that they were overwhelmed, and the result was business class seats and premium economy service at best.
Dining
Meal service lacked finesse despite the fact that, as an afternoon departure, there there was no pressing need for passengers to sleep. Lunch consisted of a seared scallop with paprika puree followed by smoked salmon carpaccio and a choice of Korean bibimbap; bulgogi beef with rice; roasted rib eye; or roasted seafood with linguini. The bibimbap was delicious but its presentation on Korean Air has really slipped, and the overall impression was that of a quick regional flight meal service rather than a premium travel experience.
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After a 15-minute wait for crew to man the Celestial Bar at the rear of the top deck, I enjoyed an Absolut cocktail with views of Hudson Bay’s ice floes below, before making the most of my Sleeper Seat and catching several hours of shut-eye under comfortable blankets. I wasn’t woken for the second meal service (nor was the passenger beside me), despite having already ordered it, and the crew asked us both 35 minutes out from Incheon if we would like a meal, quietly knowing that it was virtually impossible given the time constraints. My seatmate and I opted for the same sucking lemon expression of apology instead, as it probably has far fewer calories.
Summary
It’s truly sad to see a once-great airline allowing its service levels to slip. On all four KE flights I traveled on that week, service was a shadow of previous experiences (one was downright infuriating) showing that having state-of-the-art hardware is no replacement for good service, consistency, and attention to detail, especially in Asia’s ultra-competitive airline industry.
Note: The author traveled on a full-fare ticket without the airline’s prior knowledge
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