Review: Asiana Airbus A380 Business Class (ICN-LAX)

This is my second flight from the Korean capital to Los Angeles. This time it is with a superjumbo, the A380-800 in Business class that I cross the Pacific Ocean.

We reach the airport of Incheon which is 50 km from Seoul. There is an express train that connects the station to the airport, but if you leave from another part of the city, the many dedicated bus lines are faster. For $11 and 45 minutes – the same time as the local train – you are dropped off in front of the terminal.

We already have our boarding passes, so we go directly to the security posts. There are no priority lanes but there are few people and after a short passage at the passport control, we find ourselves on the secure side very quickly.

Asiana Airlines Business Class Lounge

Being the hub of the Korean company, the lounge is relatively large. It does not stand out for its offer, it remains a safe value but it does not rank among the most comfortable lounges in the world. The control at the entrance is done quickly, note that for 30$ you can access the First Class lounge. It’s a little cheap to sell access to the highest class lounge. It is divided into two rooms that are somewhat similar because each contains a buffet of food and drink.

First of all, there is a dining area with tables dedicated to eating. The buffet is classic: wine, beer, cold and hot dishes etc. A solid offer but nothing extraordinary. Asiana has a better in-flight service.

A first work area with a long common table, lots of power outlets, a good thing.

We then attack the “living room” area with solo or grouped armchairs.

Asiana Airlines lounge – Business class at Incheon

Just before the entrance to the second room there are offices with printers and computers.

corner office of the Asiana Airlines lounge in Incheon

The second part of the show is a bit quieter, there is a buffet but no food tables. There is more seating but with less privacy. This is best suited for people traveling in “groups”.

second hall of the Asiana Airlines lounge in Incheon

Finally, there are a few unenclosed cabins with a reclining chair, great for solo travelers who want to doze off.

Relaxation area in the Asiana Airlines lounge in Incheon

Asiana Airlines flight OZ202 from Seoul to Los Angeles in Business Class

We go to the door that is a few minutes away from the lounge when the boarding begins. This one is made by 3 piers: one for the upper deck and two for the lower point.

The upper deck contains 66 seats in Business Class and the lower deck the 12 First Class “suites”. The rest is occupied by the 417 Economy seats. That’s a lot of people!

We go to the upper deck. We took two seats side by side. The cabin is arranged in rows of 1-2-1 but one row two the central seats are glued or separated by the furniture.

Business class cabin in the Airbus A380 of Ariane Airlines

Center seats in the business class cabin of the Airbus A380-800 Asiana Airlines

Close center seats in the business class cabin of the Airbus A380-800 Asiana Airlines

We find a footrest that is larger than that of the Boeing 777-200 of the company.

Footrest in the Airbus A380-800 of Asiana Airlines

Footrest in action in the Airbus A380-800 of Asiana Airlines

The comfort kit, there too it does not break 4 legs to a duck.

Asiana Airlines business class comfort kit

There is a retro side in the choice of the color of the cabins of Asiana Airlines, I am not a fan of the result. The controls of the seat are well placed, but I have a doubt about the power outlet because it is located at the foot of the seat with no place to store your device.

The menu and the welcome glass, from Laurent Perrier champagne. We begin to feel in comfort.

The individual window seats also look comfortable. There is no need to say that the Airbus A380 is far from being a commercial success, but in terms of passenger comfort it has its assets.

window seat in the Airbus A380-800 of Asiana Airlines

We’re taking off a little late because we’re in the middle of rush hour at ICN, but we should make up for it in flight,” says the captain.

After a slightly long climb to cruising altitude the first meal is served. The service and quality are there. Small drawback, the two central seats are served by different flight attendants. Sometimes the meal is a little out of sync. No problem, the champagne is good enough to take a glass while waiting for the other 🙂

A quick trip to the bathroom, and it’s time for a nap. Here too Asiana does not stand out too much, the pillow and the blanket are quite ordinary. It didn’t stop me from sleeping for 5 hours.

Toilet with a view in the Airbus A380-800 of Asiana Airlines

Sleeping in the business class of the Airbus A380-800 of Asiana Airlines

Business class cabin of the Airbus A380-800 of Asiana Airlines

After a good sleep, I wake up for breakfast which is served before landing.

Breakfast on Asiana Airlines in Business Class

We arrive in Los Angeles on time. If you have a Canadian passport and have a carrier with a decent roaming offer, the U.S. Customs mobile app allows you to make your declaration in advance. I have now used it several times and it can save a lot of time!

Bottom line

The service of the Korean airline is very good. The on-board offer is very successful. We would like to see a little effort on the lounge and the accessories provided (comfort kit and sleeping bag in particular) but Asiana is one of the good companies of Star Alliance and moreover by leaving from South Korea we avoid the overloads of the carriers.