THE FLIGHT: I flew Business Class on flight KE908 from London Heathrow to Incheon-Seoul.
THE CHECK-IN: Check-in and security through Heathrow Terminal 4 was easy and effortless. Staff in the Business Class lounge were friendly, and the food and beverage options were plentiful.
BOARDING: Boarding was quick and efficient. On entering the Business cabin I was quickly offered a choice of soft drinks along with an eco-friendly and understated amenity kit that provided the essentials: toothbrush/paste, mask, shoehorn, brush, slippers, ‘Atelier Cologne’ hand cream and body lotion products. The security video does a great job of focussing passengers’ attention, utilising ‘K-Culture’, including the global K-Pop phenomenon. We enjoyed a trouble-free on-time take off.
THE SEAT: Settling into my comfortable seat, I familiarised myself with the uncomplicated controls, as well as the various plugs and lighting options. I was in F7, a window seat, in a 2-3-2 configuration and, once settled, it felt reasonably private. The allocated space is adequate but not excessive – it’s certainly all that’s needed in order to settle down and get a sound night’s sleep. Later on I made use of my fully-reclining seat and stretched out with my soft blanket and pillow and enjoyed an uninterrupted sleep. Korean Air’s inflight entertainment is the impressive ‘Beyond’ IFE system. My seat faced a bulkhead, so whereas most screens were set into the back of the seat in front, my screen was a very neat pop-up arrangement. The user-friendly system easily reveals a vast selection of options and genres from East to West. I sampled some K-Pop and a K-Movie or two, briefly, in eager preparation of the days ahead.
THE SERVICE: Generally the cabin crew were immaculate, kind, and attentive as required. Dinner consisted of an ‘amuse bouche’ then delicious smoked salmon and salad and a choice of high-quality wines. For main course it felt right to order the Korean Bibimbap. This dish includes various pickled or fermented side dishes, rice, soup, and main course. Cheese, biscuits, and a fruit bowl completed a most enjoyable meal.
THE VERDICT: Unfussy, quietly efficient, unobtrusive, polite and with excellent IFE. A comfortable flight indeed.
THE DETAILS: Return Prestige Standard fares start from £1,880, koreanair.com
Martin Steady
