Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pastis]

[cosmo]

[peppermint]

[Toon Army]

[articulate_ink]

Best:

1. Malaysia Airlines. I've flown them several times. Great service on the air and in the ground. Most recent case in point: I got confused by my departure time and showed up at KL Sentral too late to check in for my flight. (Kuala Lumpur is like Hong Kong in that you can check in for your flight at the main train station, then take the airport express.) I panicked: I was on a non-transferrable non-refundable non-everything ticket. I had enough money to buy a new one but still. The ticket agent simply booked me on a flight out the next night. I love this airline.

2. Bangkok Airways. Two flights. Gorgeous service. Having a lounge for all passengers is a great touch. Good food, interesting destinations, decent fares (if you catch a sale, that is)... I really wish they served Korea.

3. British Airways. Five r/t flights from the US to Europe before moving over here. They messed up my special meal request on the first trip, and the first-class chef prepared me a meal and included a complimentary bottle of champagne. I've always gotten good service from them, and the fares have always been competitive.

4. Asiana. A bit cramped for someone my height, but really outsanding service. They've just earned a 5-star rating from Skytrax, and they deserve it.

Highly recommended:

5. Emirates. Even in economy, there's something slightly decadent about flying this airline. The fact that the fare from Hong Kong to Bangkok was half what all the competitors were charging (even Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines!) didn't hurt, as well.

6. EVA. I flew them for the first time last year: ICN - HKG and then SIN - ICN. Thought they were terrific: clean and comfortable planes, great fares, good service. Yeah, I had to stay in Taipei overnight, but big deal. There's a transit hotel at the airport.

7. Thai Airways. The planes were a bit old, but the service and the food more than made up for it. I'd definitely fly them again. I wish their fares were more consistent.

8. Japan Airlines. Strangely underrated, really good carrier, and often some of the best fares. The only complaint I have is that (last time I checked) you can't book flights through their website. What year is this?

9. Cathay Pacific. Terrific flights to and from Hong Kong a few months ago. The check-in agent was very helpful, and rerouted me on a better itinerary the morning I left, to save me some time instead of stopping in Taiwan on the way. The flight back was awful but that's only because I'd just broken up with someone. Their airfare specials are often really cheap, unlike their regular fares.

10. Kind of a toss-up: Qantas, Alaska Airlines, Continental, JetBlue, Korean Air. The US carriers tend to be kind of middle-of-the-road. I've had consistently good experiences with United but I realize this puts me in the minority. KE's a great carrier but unfortunately one has to contend with its passengers.

Worst:

I don't hate Southwest but the cornpone down-home "let's entertain the passengers by bursting into song" and the cattle call boarding procedures get on my last nerve.

I want to fly:
Qatar Airways, Etihad, Gulf Air, Air New Zealand, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Vueling, KLM, Finnair, Lufthansa, and SAS.

[cosmo]

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=848
UN flights to and from Congo are referred to as flying coffins.

[periwinkle]

[cosmo]

I may be a nitpicker, but I am not a nitwit, of course I am not serious.

Cute baby. I like babies, as a matter of fact, I was one a long time ago.

[blackjack]

3 months four weeks = 3 months and 28 days not four months (unless it was feb)

[cosmo]

FYI, in Korea, one lunar month is four weeks.

A full term of pregnancy is ten months.

Three months and four weeks is four months. Neener neener neener

[oldfatfarang]

The worst, and I mean the absolute pits airline has to be Egypt Air.

My ex-travel partner and I thought we were clever buying discounted flights from Cairo to Kenya with fake Student ID's.. Things went wrong very quickly on that flight. We were searched going into the airport - and then body searched again out on the tarmack while trying to board the plane. It was well over 40 deg C while we were waiting to be searched.

Into the plane and I couldn't believe it. The passengers' aircons were hanging down by wires from their sockets - the seats were 'moving', and the best was yet to come. The other passengers were Bedouwins, they had an incredible amount of hand luggage (boxes and shawls full of God knows what). There were piles of boxes in the Aisles. Luggage everywhere. And the smell was simply overpowering.

The plane wasn't running when we boarded, so the pilot just started the engine, went down the runway and took off - absolutely no pre-flight checks. Amazing! I didn't think we'd get off the ground - and wished we hadn't - the creaking noises coming from the plane chassis was very scary. After hours of flying over desert - we landed in Khartoum, only to be left sweltering (some passengers fainted) in the non-air con plane. Yes, a great ride with Egypt Air . The best $20 I ever saved.

[igotthisguitar]

Air Kanada's not so "courteous" baggage handlers recently snapped the head clear off my poor little Dexter guitar

Of course immediately filed a claim. Oh yes, they don't accept email here at this department waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy out east in Montreal i believe it is either You have to write them a friggin' HAND WRITTEN LETER!

Hmmmmmmmm ... you know, maybe i'll have to simply hand deliver it

For a purportedly modern & globally sophisticated airline it all seems quite "wagon & buggy" 20th century, if you ask me

In-flight service was on the whole good, food reasonable & satisfying (turbulence minimal).

[JD1982]

[RJjr]

Out of the ones I've flown, I would rank them accordingly:

1. Korean Airlines
2. Delta
3. US Airways
4. Lufthansa
5. Czech Air
6. Air France

My best flights were with Korean Air and Delta.

US Airways and Lufthansa were good.

Czech Air had good looking flight attendants, but their plane was junky and their food didn't look good at all.

The luggage handlers at Charles de Gaulle always go on strike, so my luggage is always late when I fly Air France. I had to wait weeks one time and called their toll free customer service line two or three times a day to get the status on my luggage. After a few days, one lady would immediately recognize my country accent and tell me that my luggage would arrive soon and to stop calling so often.

[desultude]