Asiana First Class LAX-ICN
- Badger
- Nov 13, 2018
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 15, 2019
We started our walk to the very end of TBIT at gate 159, passing a Pinkberry that I didn't know existed and will most definitely visit on future trips!
Then a decent view of our whale ready to whisk us silently across the Pacific to ICN.
Everyone waiting for boarding to commence.
Soon they started attempting to organize people by boarding groups, but it seemed a little disorganized. One nice thing, when they spotted my boarding pass, they asked me to step aside and up front so I could be sure to board first.
Soon boarding commenced and sure enough was through in a flash and headed down 1L since Asiana has the first class cabin on the first floor rather than second floor.
Being welcomed and escorted.
The cabin has 12 suites in a 1-2-1 configuration.
Each suite has its own sliding door and for middle seats a partition if you're not traveling with a companion.
Odd colors, but still "nice" and large chair and suite.
A large TV, probably close to 30" but not real HD. Certainly not bad though.
Another small tablet for seat adjustments.
And hidden was the entertainment controller.
Plenty of storage, they did a good job putting plenty.
The view to other suites with the doors open.
Ferragamo amenity kits were handed out.
They were well equipped with high quality products, great job Asiana!
Also nice pajamas were passed out.
And fine slippers that were adjustable.
While warm nuts in a ramekin were distributed, boo on pulling a "we can't serve champagne on the ground" move, just pay the tax! Water it was.
I went to change into my pajamas before pushback and there's one lavatory for all the first class passengers, with a full cabin this could be interesting. Luckily with only 4 other pax, it was fine. The bathroom itself was large and well appointed.
We pushed back shortly after and made our long taxi for takeoff.
Passing the other heavies.
I noticed as we were taxing that we had an escort, I think for the massive size of the plane and overhang of the outboard engines they must be concerned about things venturing too close?
Waiting for others to take off before us.
Soon we began our long takeoff roll.
Great front facing camera, although wish it was the tail cam.
Off we go!
Great views as we climbed and headed north along the California coastline.
Menus were distributed and I took a look at what was on offer.
I decided I'd go with a mix of western appetizers and Korean main
Then the wine list.
As SFO777 said, I wouldn't want my name on this wine list.
Cheaping out on first class champagne, the Barons de Rothschild is ok and the LP Brut is really lame when they could have had LPGS.
Mondavi chard?
At least the Fleur Cardinale is decent.
And Taylor's 20 is solid.
For the meal service, the giant and nice wooden table was extended.
A hot towel presented nicely was welcome.
I asked to sample both champagnes, starting with the Barons de Rothschild NV followed by the Laurent-Perrier - as an aside, for a first class product, this really should have been the LP Grand Siecle which is great. The Barons de Rothschild was my preference, with a more elegant, full bodied, toasty, citrus and creamy notes.
The LP was indeed fresh and zesty with lemon peel and some citrus notes, but it was also harsher with larger bubbles and acid that wasn't in balance.
To kick things off, I started with the caviar presentation which was quite nice. Also to accompany it were a few pieces of bread from the bread basket.
The caviar with blini, toast and the usual accoutrements. The caviar itself was nice, better than I was expecting with nice salinity, clean and smooth pearls.
Next up I wanted to try the lobster which was fantastic and way better than I was expecting. The lobster itself was fresh and generous.
Clearly the Barons is winning the champagne race.
I tried the zucchini soup next, it was lighter, but nicely balanced and I did like the zucchini noodles within it.
Next up, the 2012 Fleur Cardinale. The wine was full bodied with dark fruit, smooth tannins and creamy overall. Not overly complex, but good enough and it paired well with the bibimbap. Like most other airlines though, they need bigger red wine glasses, this was served in a port sized glass, so really couldn’t get a good whiff of the nose.
For my main I went with the royal bibimbap spread. It was beautiful with the side dishes plus a shrimp soup and Kalbi ribs. The components were all fresh and tasty, really a great meal in the sky. I got so into eating it that I forgot to take a picture of the dish mixed together.
The Kalbi ribs were super tasty and provided some more solid meat.
Next up I went with the cheese and fruit plate, the fruit was some of the best - we are super spoiled in California and the sourcing that comes with it. The cheeses were nice, but nothing out of this world.
Some port to go along with the cheese. Taylor's 20 is always nice with a nutty and dried raisin body.
At this point they started to dim the cabin lights.
Super cool with the stars.
To finish off this extravaganza, it was time to try the Tokaji. This was a lighter and less sweet version that was nice and had great acidity along with the classic floral and citrus notes.
I went with the cheesecake and lemon sauce. It was ok, but at this point I was stuffed and I'm generally not a fan of lemon desserts.
At this point I took a stroll and explored a bit while my bed was being made.
I got back and my suite had been converted with a nice mattress pad and bedding.
I tucked myself in and marveled at the stars on the "sky". While the selection of movies and TV shows was not good, I found one of the many Star Wars episodes to watch and fall asleep to.
One last look at the stars as I drifted off. With the enclosed suite, it was nice to have full privacy.
I slept for 4-hours and woke up, but kept lounging in the bed for a bit.
After a while I figured it'd be a good idea to have a snack to ward off any potential hangover and went with the spicy ramen. Unfortunately unlike Cathay, this was clearly a packaged ramen and very meh. But it did the trick.
A quick peak out the window.
Shortly after the simulated sunrise.
And back to a fully lit cabin and window shades up to take in natural light. What an awesome view of those engines and wing!
I worked for a solid 2-hours until they started serving the arrival meal. It kicked off with the bread basket and a prosciutto appetizer. It was ok.
For the entree, I went with the chicken and mushroom sauce. It was almost stronganoff style and actually tasty. The puff pastry sheet and carrots were fine.
Then a much better dessert of fresh fruit tartlet that was fantastic!
After the meal I worked until descent and watched the awesome wing views.
Soon enough we began our descent into Seoul. The cabin crew and purser came by to personally thank and check-in with each passenger, a nice touch.
Great views as we descended into ICN.
On final.
And like that we touched down and taxied to our gate right at sunset.
Overall Asiana First Class was good, but most definitely not great. While the crew were incredibly friendly, it wasn't the level of polish like AF, CX, LX or SQ. The food was overall pretty good, but wines meh. Luckily the hard product was good, spacious and private. I wouldn't hesitate to fly them again, but would never go out of my way to book Asiana First.
Trip links:
- Seoul
- Shantou
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