Asiana Airlines B777-200ER Business Class

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Asiana Airlines B777-200ER Business Class

Originally published on businesstravelerusa.com 16/11/2011 - Filed under: Tried & Tested » Airlines »

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PLANE TYPE B777-200ER

SEAT CONFIGURATION Business Class 2-3-2

SEAT PITCH 60in

SEAT WIDTH 52in

SEAT RECLINE 167 degrees

PRICE Internet rates for a round-trip business class flight from Seoul - Incheon to New York - JFK in November started at $6,482.

CONTACT flyasiana.com

CHECK-IN We arrived at the airport several hours before our scheduled departure thinking we’d enjoy Asiana’s club room. But even though there was no line at the business class check-in desk, it was still a few minutes before we were called. The attendant started checking us in without a word, which is odd, given the warm welcome I’d generally received when checking in for Asiana flights. Perhaps this employee was just having a bad day. When we reached the comfort of Asiana’s business-class lounge I decided to have a little snack, but was surprised with the lack of food and beverages available. Granted, this was an overnight layover, but even at that, the pickings were slim; there were instant noodles, plain bread, and a salad to choose from. Luckily, about an hour before boarding time, a chef started a breakfast station so we was able to have some eggs and toast just before the call came to board.

BOARDING Shortly after boarding, a flight attendant greeted me and offered a selection of newspapers and magazines. That was followed by a choice of juice or water, a hot towel and amenity kit. But it was a disappointment to learn that Asiana no longer provides pajamas for their business class passengers.

SEAT COMFORT This Boeing 777-200 is designed with first, business and economy class cabins. The business class is arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration, and consisted of only two rows. Seats had a 60–inch pitch and 167–degree recline. The On-Demand entertainment system offered a selection of movies, TV shows, music and video games.

FLIGHT Once we hit cruising altitude, it seemed to take a while before the in-flight services began, but it’s hard to say if this was due to turbulence or if it’s the standard schedule. Eventually, however, the flight attendants started distributing headphones and serving drinks. They poured a glass of the 2002 De Venoge Blanc de Blancs for me while I looked over the menu selections. I chose the ssambab, a healthy Korean option consisting of seasoned meat and rice wrapped in a leafy vegetable. This entrée was preceded by pan-fried scallops with water-melon, zucchini succotash and apple vinaigrette. However, service was slow throughout. After finally getting my drink refilled, I turned on a movie, reclined my seat and fell asleep for a few hours. It was easy to do, despite the too-small pillow. When I awoke and went for a walk down the aisle, I passed a flight attendant and requested another drink, which she assured me would be brought promptly. Back at my seat, however, another attendant asked if I needed anything. To avoid any confusion, I repeated my order and then decided to request one of the light snacks I found on the menu, as well. When the “light” snack of hot ramen came, I was surprised to see it was actually served in a huge bowl; but despite its size, I managed to eat all of it.After a while I ordered another glass of Champagne but the flight attendant told me that they had run out. This didn’t seem very likely on an international flight, so asked if she could check another cabin. As another glass never materialized, I assumed that meant the flight had run dry. Although there were several movies to choose from, none of the remaining titles really caught my interest, so I settled in for a few more hours of sleep. When the breakfast service began making the rounds, I chose the egg soufflé accompanied by mashed potato and vegetables.

ARRIVAL Our arrival at New York JFK was on time. After an overnight flight beset by a series of minor annoyances, it was a pleasant surprise to find upon reaching passport control that there were no lines ahead of us. Likewise, when we got to baggage claim, our luggage appeared on the carousel in no time.

VERDICT As a frequent guest of Asiana Airlines, I’ve always enjoyed superior service and comfort flying with Asiana, so my expectations were lofty.Unfortunately, it seems as though the bar was set a bit high. While this might have been a standard flight on most other airlines, past experiences with Asiana had been so admirable that one could not help noticing the difference. I hope this was just one flight that slipped through the cracks and look forward to a better time the next time.

— Adam Rodriguez