SQFG 의 아시아나 일등석 이용 후기 (ICN-HKG OZ F on the antique HL7417)

[SQflyergirl]

Report Below:

[stargold]

I had to do a double take when I saw the title!!

Looking forward to hearing about your adventure on this haggard old bird!

[SQflyergirl]

I had to do a double take when I saw the title!!

Why?

[stargold]

Why?

I thought I stumbled onto KETalk or OZTalk by accident

[SQflyergirl]

The report - sorry for the delay

Prologue:

I needed a way to get back from Seoul, so having heard lots of nice reviews about Asiana's new First seat, I thought I'd give it a try. Note: The website advertises this seat, but out of 5 of the 747-400's that OZ has, one black sheep (with a different coloured radome), HL7417, has the old style seats. I figured I had an 80% chance of not getting it. Pretty good odds... or so I thought.

Anyway - you know you're off to a good start when you get to use OZ's rather nice (albeit old fashioned) F lounge. This one is the one at the main pier.

A little bit more crowded than the remote pier one I visited last year - it's still nice. It's also a bit larger.

[SQflyergirl]

S-O-L at T-19hours 30 At OLCI - I'd compared the seatmaps, thanks to Stargold's information. Looked ominous because I'd been bumped out of 4A which I had preassigned earlier. There is no 4A on the old plane.

Still S-O-L at T-2 hoursAt check-in: "Is the registration HL7417?"
Agent: "Yes, and we're terribly sorry about that". No other words needed. We both knew what I was getting at.

Truly S-O-L at T-25 minutes If i rub my eyes hard enough, maybe the registration will change? Yeah, I was still kinda hoping for an EQP CHG at the gate...

[SQflyergirl]

No matter - it'll still be pleasant as I've been told there'll only be 3 in F today, and 1 was a deadheading OZ captain in 3F, and a rather nice old lady in 2A.

We push back a little bit behind the clock, but then, we're told we've got a 2:51 flying time vs 3:40 scheduled. Plus we're at gate 49 and the active departure runway is 34 - a very short taxi, so the block time isn't very much more than the 2:51 either.

On the way out: I spot 9V-SRN operating SQ603 home to SIN. We're right behind her for departure:


A little ironic: About this time last year, I was on 603 being followed by HL7417 operating OZ721 ICN-HKG. And no, they haven't changed the radome since then.

We thunder down the runway and lift off VERY quickly. I was told total load was about 100, so yes, 747's do rocket off the ground at those weights!

Singapore 603 has already made a left heading back down south. We're about to do the same


You do get some a nice view of the airport taking this SID. Most of us call it Incheon Airport. I call it arguably amongst the very best airports in the world.


Incidentally: gate 49 is at the lowest tip of the crescent terminal, runway 34 is the one just below it. See what i mean by a VERY short taxi?

[SQflyergirl]

The Service

By this time - I'd gotten over all the disappointment.

Here are some pics of the cabin:

Layout is 6 pairs of 2 seats each on either side. There are no center seats where the cabin widens out




Pitch looks like it's about I dunno - 80 inches maybe?




ahem.... just to be consistent with my other reports...


Fully flat: Doesn't quite look like 180 to me. Still comfortable though...


HL7417 is such a black sheep that she's even got her own specific safety card!

[SQflyergirl]

They serve brunch on this short flight to HKG:


Willkommen an Bord LH721 Von Incheon Nach Hong Kong! Seriously, the rose was a lovely touch, and reminded me of lufthansa


The appetiser - which was quite nice


The pumpkin soup - which was a little bland


And the mains. This is the beef tenderloin brochette. Which was excellent


As usual, I skipped dessert (sorry Kyo+, no pics of that )

[SQflyergirl]

Tomorrow: Thoughts and conclusions

[jhm]

Thanks for the TR so far, SQfg!

We thunder down the runway and lift off VERY quickly. I was told total load was about 100, so yes, 747's do rocket off the ground at those weights!

Just like MAN-ZRH!

They had Korean abalone rice porridge (jeonbokjuk) on the menu! I've been told that I must must must try that in Seoul.

[9V-JKL]

How can I forget OZ721 ICN-HKG and the HL7417. I too had the 'privilege' for flying her on that flight. I suppose its safe to say that OZ721 ICN-HKG is to be avoided.

[HUGE AL]

...but out of 5 of the 747-400's that OZ has, one black sheep (with a different coloured radome), HL7417...

Forgot to ask you: how did you know you were getting HL7417 so far in advance? Seatmap?

Most of us call it Incheon Airport. I call it arguably amongst the very best airports in the world.

As do I. Fantastic place!

How can I forget OZ721 ICN-HKG and the HL7417. I too had the 'privilege' for flying her on that flight. I suppose its safe to say that OZ721 ICN-HKG is to be avoided.

Not if you're going back on HUGE AL's inbound aircraft...or so I've heard...

[SQflyergirl]

Just like MAN-ZRH!

Even better was in the good ol' days when I was doing UA815/816/839/840 every 3 weeks on the MEL-SYD-MEL route. Whee!

How can I forget OZ721 ICN-HKG and the HL7417. I too had the 'privilege' for flying her on that flight. I suppose its safe to say that OZ721 ICN-HKG is to be avoided.

As the Huge one says if I were on 721 two days earlier, I'd have gotten a new one Oh well - don't get me wrong, F is still F is still F is still F, and it was still very comfy

Forgot to ask you: how did you know you were getting HL7417 so far in advance? Seatmap?

I only found out at OLCI (which, I did, some 20 minutes before meeting up with you the other day)

As do I. Fantastic place!

That's the Pineapple Soju talking

[KeithMEL]

Nice pics per usual SQFG. I too am a convert to Incheon airport!

I hope to try more of OZ as I rather enjoyed my first OZ experience. They also attract very little YQ on award tix - another plus.