Asiana Airlines is like a familiar friend, consistently delivering a comfortable and dependable experience, particularly on routes between North America and Southeast Asia. Their generous award availability for Star Alliance partners adds to their appeal. We had the pleasure of enjoying their First Class cabin on a short international flight from Japan to South Korea, where we were treated to the same excellent service we’ve come to expect from Asiana.
A Winding Path to Dubai
Our journey to Dubai took a rather circuitous route. The limited flight options from Narita to Dubai, outside of Emirates or Etihad, led us to choose a Star Alliance connection through Bangkok on Thai Airways, rather than Beijing on Air China. We had previously found Air China’s service and catering a bit lacking. Unfortunately, nonstop Thai Airways flights from Japan to Thailand were unavailable, likely due to high demand for their Airbus 380 service between Narita and Bangkok. This detour resulted in a flight to Incheon, Seoul, an overnight stay at the Hyatt Regency Incheon, another flight to Bangkok, a visit to the Royal Orchid Spa, and finally, a Thai Airways flight to Dubai.
A Hidden Gem in Asiana Business Class
A bit of a surprise awaited us on this flight. Asiana, for some reason, operates a three-class aircraft on a route that typically only has two classes. We’d experienced this setup before on our Asiana First Class flight from Los Angeles to Incheon. We self-assigned seats in the Asiana First Class section at the nose of the Boeing 747-400, enjoying business class service and menus. This “trick” can lead to an unexpected upgrade if you know where to look, as you could also book an Airbus 321 on this route, which has traditional “barca-lounger” seats. These seats are significantly less comfortable than the First Class seats we enjoyed.
A Glimpse into a Bygone Era
We departed from the ANA Lounge at Tokyo Narita Terminal One, boarding through Gate 41. The flight began with double jet bridge boarding between business and “travel” class.
The familiar Asiana First Class seats awaited us. Though a bit dated, they were still comfortable and showed no signs of wear. We opted for the center seats this time, 4E/F, after previously experiencing the outer seats, 3A/4A.
The monitors were controlled by an old-school wired remote, a feature slowly disappearing as airlines upgrade to more modern models. The cabin, while spacious, had a slightly dated color scheme.
Attentive Service and a Bumpy Ride
At the gate, we were presented with business class menus and offered a pre-departure beverage of water, juice, or champagne. Dinner orders were taken before takeoff.
While amenity kits weren’t provided, we received the usual Asiana-branded slippers in a transparent case.
The Boeing 747’s bumps and quivers were quite noticeable compared to our recent Boeing 787 flight, which was incredibly smooth. The short flight was unfortunately filled with turbulence, and the seat belt sign remained on for most of the journey. This made it impossible to fully enjoy the privacy screen on the divider between our seats.
A Short but Satisfying Meal
A full-service short meal was provided, with the menu presented at the gate. The wine list offered a limited selection, but for a less than two-hour flight, it wasn’t a major concern.
We enjoyed a beef tenderloin dinner with red wine sauce, carrot, potato, and saffron risotto, served with prosciutto ham and mixed greens.
Despite the turbulence, the service was classic Asiana, with attentive staff and regular champagne refills.
After dinner, we were served mixed nuts in a pouch, a humorous reminder of the recent controversy surrounding Korean Air’s strict nut-serving protocol.
We passed the time with the Video on Demand system and watched the flight path as we approached Incheon.
A Chaotic Arrival
Landing at Incheon was followed by a long taxi to the terminal and a long line at immigration. We then encountered a swarm of taxi touts who aggressively tried to solicit our business. This experience was quite shocking after a recent trip through Africa, where we hadn’t experienced anything similar.
Asiana Airlines: A Dependable Choice
Asiana Airlines consistently delivers a reliable product with excellent service in both First and Business Class. The food is dependable and the wine list, though sometimes limited, is less of a concern on shorter flights. The hidden gem of booking First Class seats on a Boeing 747 route where it’s not typically offered can lead to a comfortable upgrade.
