The Best Bar in the Air!

I had just arrived in Seoul from Hong Kong on board Korean Air’s 777-300ER in First Class (read the review here…). Nice comfortable seat and all, but I found it looking dated and was keen to see what Korean had in store on their A380. Having flown across the Pacific a few times on a number of other carriers (including Asiana, JAL and Cathay), Korean added another option for me to use up some miles. What I found was a similar seat (good), snail pace service (not good) and quite possibly the best bar in the air (great!)

The Shortcut Review of Korean Air A380 First Class

Seatlink’s Take

My layover in Incheon was super smooth thanks to the fact that I was transferring from one First Class service to another. Boarding on Korean Air’s A380 involves three air bridges, one for each class. So I found myself boarding through the very front and immediately I was escorted to my seat (2A) for the 11 hour flight to LA. As soon as I was comfortable I checked out the cabin. It struck me how open it felt as the suite designs include a fairly low side wall. There are 12 open seats in total, over three rows in a 1-2-1 layout. The general feel was similar to the 777-300 on my prior flight. But on the A380, I did find the seats to be in much newer condition.

The suites feature a nicely-cushioned seat which is slightly wider than the one in the 777. Naturally they extend into a lie-flat position and there was plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy a good sleep. I had my concerns about the level of privacy in the open suites, but it wasn’t too bad. In fact, it was probably better as it allowed the cabin to be well circulated with cooler air which was great for sleeping.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot of storage options and I missed the side strorage that the 777 had. However, there was space under the ottoman as well as a number of pockets in and around the seat. Under the armrest was also where I found a set of Bose noise-canceling headphones as well as the well-placed headphone jacks and power plugs. The lav was surprisingly on the small side for an A380, especially for a First Class setup. Probably the best part of the “infrastructure” on this flight was the Business Class bar upstairs. While not as flash as Emirates or even Qatar A380, Korean have made their one huge, complete with seating areas in different locations and a really nice selection of drinks and snacks.

Which seats to choose and which to avoid

There’s not a whole lot of difference between each seat but if you’re looking for the most quiet and privacy, then row 2 is the way to go. Both rows 1 and 3 are closer to lavs and/or a galley. The center seats would be the choice for couples as the movable divider extends almost the length of the seat. Don’t forget that on the A380, there is essentially no difference in storage options between the window seats and the center seats, unlike on the 777 where you have the large bins in between the seat and sidewall on the window.

For more seat reviews from other travelers on the Korean Air A380, check out this plane’s seat map here: Korean Air A380-800 seat map

The Bottom Line

The A380 First Class cabin had a very similar feel to the 777. The seats were almost the same but the A380 seat was wider and ultimately nicer than on my previous flight.

What wasn’t as good was the service. It was reeaaaaaally slow… firstly they didn’t serve the cocktails for a long time, then after that, everything just felt, well, slow. Maybe it was an off day for the crew but it was noticeably not as good as my previous flight. The meals were delicious and drinks fabulous however, as was demonstrated by the foie gras accompanied by a glass of Sauternes.

Overall, not a bad product and it did result in me having a great night sleep on the comfortable seat. Privacy was fine and the food was good. This Kosmo suite won’t be around for much longer. I had the opportunity to chat with the purser about the new suites (Kosmo 2.0 – which I will review shortly) that you can expect to see more of on KE flights.

What are Your Thoughts on Korean Air’s A380 First Class?

If you’ve flown Korean Air on the A380, let us know in the comments below! Or better yet, write a review of your seat here: Korean Air A380 seat review 😀