bourbon-biscuit

just thought I'd share- back last week from NZ-UK with Korean Air and thought I'd share in case anyone interested.

Pros:

• They seem VERY liberal about luggage allowance (both ways we were asked if we wanted to check in anything else despite being over)
• Very clean planes- loos cleaned hourly! Was so pleasant, especially with young kids.
• Food was scrummy (but I always eat asian vegan on asian flights as you get imaginative, yummy food that way)
• Cabin crew friendly enough.
• Kids liked the freebies.
• Flying NZ-UK you get put in a hotel in Seoul for the night and my kids and I (flying alone) stayed in a fabulous one with wonderful breakfast etc. My husband didn't fare so well three weeks later.
• Incheon Airport. Eat your heart out Heathrow- Incheon was beautiful and outwards we made paper craft boxes in the cultural education centre and coming home we painted fans and listened to traditional Korean instruments- fabulous!

Cons:

• No personal TVs on the NZ-Seoul leg, which not a problem when flying home on the straight through as everyone's sleeping, it was a right pita on the outward flight with two kids.
• Not enough food and not to kids taste. On both legs you got fed in the first hour and then again in the ninth. Not so bad on the outward if you've got the hotel stop but on the homeward, which is straight through, we were all starving. I'm pretty greedy but my family are not. I collected my dh from Heathrow and he was pretty hungry off that flight but the UK-NZ one he had ketone breath. When we asked for more food all they had was greasy cake. Big thumbs down for that aspect.
• Flight path was soooo boring- all ocean for the first leg and then up and over Russia for the second- no point having a window seat.

j19fmm

Thanks for the heads-up Bourbon, we are flying with KA on the 19th Oct - straight through to NZ. On the way back we too have been put in a hotel overnight - at least might get some sleep!
I flew with them Jan 2006 and had great service, again no seat screens, food was OK but wasn't risking the 'frogspawn' - on return journey we packed bread rolls and crisps!, tons of spare seats and yup our bags were heavy and no problems there.Would rate them well above United Airlines,especially for customer care.

bourbon-biscuit

oh yes, forgot to mention that the Seoul-NZ leg was empty enough that we tucked the kids up along rows of seats and they slept all the way ...

zaras dad

Have you got any links for booking with Korean on the web (Not the airline link ta) - dont seem to be the easiest to find fares with.

cheers

j19fmm

I use(d) Dial-a-Flight for my flights, they always beat other fares advertised else where .Phone number 020 8225 1336. Worth a try?

bourbon-biscuit

I got the cheapest quote I could find and then took it into The Flight Centre, who then bettered it. When it comes to buying flights I much prefer to buy from a person and Flight Centre do seem pretty good at bettering prices.

crap coffee

In my understanding, the cheapeast fare you can get for Korean Air is contacting Korean travel agencies. (there are quite a few in Auckland) and I could get the cheapest air fares from them last time - It was obviously cheaper than Kiwi travel agencies, but if you directly contact Korean Air (Auckland), that would be the worst option - the most expensive one :curse:. so never call Korean Air. or through Korean Air website to book your tickets, please don't!

As I’ve mentioned previously, Korean Air is one of the most expensive airlines - they are never cheap. and there's a reason I do know - because they are corrupted and they are generally focused on Korean market - My Dad explained it to me several times. all in all it's good for native Korean speaking people.

Indeed, their world class customer service is second to none. Whatever the reason, I love Korean Air and I am mega happy with them. they are fab

here is some major Korean travel agencies (auckland CBD/North Shore) - In case. if you want to check/compare the price. my family's been always using the service through these companies (more than 10 years) and you can trust them 100%. (mind you, my parents travel outside NZ more than 5 times a year ) so there you go

* Silk Road NZ (www.silkroadnz.com) : 09 302 3000
* Rainbow Mission Travel : 09 302 8282
*Sountern Pacific Tours : 09 486 0700/0800 82 0700

SavBlancGal

This agency do a search of quite a few airlines, including Korean Air, so you can compare.

http://www.houseoftravel.co.nz/book+flights/

You can also register with them to receive notice of any specials via email.

karron

flew last year with korean air and had no problems with them , and contrary to what crap coffee said about them being expensive,we booked because they were the cheapest flights we could get.

j19fmm

Hey Bourbon, how did you do the transfer to Hotel in Seoul? Did you have to 'leave' the airport and then return? I've been told to go to the arrivals desk at Seoul, and knowing me I'm going to get lost!

Bo-Jangles

Don't forget, we are slowly catching up with the rest of the world and we now have www.expedia.co.nz . Woohoo! At long last somewhere we can compare flight prices from NZ.

bourbon-biscuit

Easy as pie, I did it on my own with two kids (1 very sleepy 5 yr old). They give you a wee map on the plane anyway but all you do is clear customs and go down to between door 4 and 5 (this is from memory- might be wrong but they'll give you a map and instructions on the plane) where they'll give you a docket and direct you to your hotel bus (for us this was from door 13). Bus takes you there and collects you in the morning. Just check they're giving you enough beds- they tried to put me in a dbl bed with my two kids but hotel were fab and brought in another. Also, the hotel I stayed in with the kids was FABULOUS and the breakfast divine- but my dh not so lucky. Here's where we stayed http://incheon.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp might be worth trying to get sent there.

Have fun- just take some sarnies on the plane with you

BTW- you don't need a visa or anything and the next day the airport has a fabulous cultural education centre to amuse the kids

j19fmm

Thank you Bourbon,your hotel looks amazing.Last time I stayed in the hotel airport for 9 hours - well a cupboard with 2 beds! Might ring the Agent and see if they know which hotel it'll be.