A Tale of Two Planes

On one of my trips back from Hong Kong recently, I booked myself on Korean Air via Seoul Incheon and onward to LAX. I splashed out my points and got my hands on some First Class tickets. The idea was to see how they compared with the other Korean carrier Asiana, which I reviewed a little while ago. The beauty of these two legs was that one was on their 777-300ER and the ICN – LAX sector was on an A380 (the A380 review will be up next…), so lucky me got the chance to try them both out.

The Shortcut Review of KE 777 F

Seatlink’s Take

Korean Air operate 4 flights a day between Hong Kong and Seoul. My flight was a day flight and being only around 3hr 40 min, it wasn’t a lengthy one. Still, it was long enough to trial the 777-300ER Kosmo Suite and put it through its paces. The First Class cabin only has 8 seats in 2 rows, laid out in a 1-2-1 layout. There are no doors on the suites and the side walls didn’t help to make it feel any more private. On the other hand, I know some people prefer a more “open” feel cabin, so this will suit them well. One problem is that the seats looked dated and the upholstery was in dire need of a refresh (This may be rectified though on the Kosmo Suites 2.0 which Korean are rolling out across their fleet, starting with their 747-800 aircraft.)

The seats themselves are 26.5″ wide and it configures down to a 180° fully lie flat position at 79″ long. On this flight I didn’t need the seat in bed mode, but I would say it would be great for sleeping, as it is very similar to the one in the A380. It was very comfortable in the seating position and the controls are simple and intuitive. As I was in a window seat (2A), I found there was loads of room to store items in a compartment between the seat and the sidewall. You can also store your cabin bag or other items – with room to spare – under the ottoman.

Under the arm rest, you’ll find 2 USB ports as well as a headphone jack, where you can plug the Bose noise-canceling headphone Korean supply on their flights (and for flights only – not for your own inventory!). For entertainment, the IFE screen is 23″ wide, but the entertainment options are quite limited, so I’d suggest you bring your own content. I also managed to use the large tray table for some work on my laptop, as it provided a good amount of room.

Which seats to choose or avoid

If you like your privacy, then I’d advise picking either 2A or 2K as they offer the most. Row 1 has the First Class lav in front of them and there is a row of Business Class behind Row 2 and before another galley and set of lavs. In other words, it’s a quiet spot. The window seats also offer that extra bit of storage which always comes in handy!

The center seats would be the go if you’re traveling with a companion. If you’re solo though, they do have a divider if you don’t manage to snag a window seat.

For more seat reviews from other travelers on Korean Air, check out this plane’s seat map here: Korean Air 777-300ER Seat map

The Bottom Line

The seats are in need of an update but all in all, they’re very comfortable and spacious. The privacy is a bit lacking though due to the lack of a door on these “open” suites. Keep an eye out for an upgrade on KE that is rolling out at the moment. Service-wise, it wasn’t bad. In hindsight it was better than the A380 service I had on the very next flight. But it was also not that memorable.

Currently, Korean Air offer a First Class product that is somewhat lackluster compared with their competitors. Still, the open suites are comfortable and there’s no doubt you will have a decent experience.

What are Your Thoughts on Korean Air?

If you’ve flown on the Korean Air 777-300ER, let us know in the comments below! Or better yet, write a review of your seat here. 😀