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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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 Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:35 am Post subject: |
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| By this logic, though, based on Incheon Airport, Korea ought to be immaculate, well-organized, efficient, easily navigable, well-lit, pleasing to the eye, and... wait for it... foreigner-friendly. It is none of those things. |
and neither is Incheon airport.
it's an incredibly long walk whereever your gate is
there are way too many Korean food marts; no decent western food not even Asian food - it's an International Airport, for crying out loud!!
once you're waiting for your plane, forget it, there's nothing to do but you are blitzed with those f*king talking tvs everywhere!! god i hate those!!
and no, it's not efficient - try asking for directions
and it's certainly not foreigner friendly - not in the least - but I'm too tired now to discuss it - at any rate, Incheon airport is just a big shiny tin can in a box full of Ks trying to make a won anyway they can; same as anywhere else... |
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DCJames
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 2:22 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
| Quote: |
| By this logic, though, based on Incheon Airport, Korea ought to be immaculate, well-organized, efficient, easily navigable, well-lit, pleasing to the eye, and... wait for it... foreigner-friendly. It is none of those things. |
and neither is Incheon airport.
it's an incredibly long walk whereever your gate is
there are way too many Korean food marts; no decent western food not even Asian food - it's an International Airport, for crying out loud!!
once you're waiting for your plane, forget it, there's nothing to do but you are blitzed with those f*king talking tvs everywhere!! god i hate those!!
and no, it's not efficient - try asking for directions
and it's certainly not foreigner friendly - not in the least - but I'm too tired now to discuss it - at any rate, Incheon airport is just a big shiny tin can in a box full of Ks trying to make a won anyway they can; same as anywhere else... |
Wow, and I thought I was hard to please.  |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
| Quote: |
| By this logic, though, based on Incheon Airport, Korea ought to be immaculate, well-organized, efficient, easily navigable, well-lit, pleasing to the eye, and... wait for it... foreigner-friendly. It is none of those things. |
and neither is Incheon airport.
it's an incredibly long walk whereever your gate is
there are way too many Korean food marts; no decent western food not even Asian food - it's an International Airport, for crying out loud!!
once you're waiting for your plane, forget it, there's nothing to do but you are blitzed with those f*king talking tvs everywhere!! god i hate those!!
and no, it's not efficient - try asking for directions
and it's certainly not foreigner friendly - not in the least - but I'm too tired now to discuss it - at any rate, Incheon airport is just a big shiny tin can in a box full of Ks trying to make a won anyway they can; same as anywhere else... |
Wow, I 1000% disagree. Have you been there? |
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chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:03 pm Post subject: Taiwan |
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Incheon International Airport
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Information and Help Desks
Information counters are situated on the first and third floor, in the boarding gate area and in the Transportation Center. For more detailed information, including magazines and brochures, travellers can contact the External Affairs Office (tel: (032) 741 2112).
Airport Facilities
Money and communications: There are bureaux de change, banks and a post office at the airport. Mobile phone hire and Internet access are available.
Eating and drinking: There is a vast selection of restaurants, snack bars, caf�s, bars, ice cream parlours and fast-food outlets at the airport.
Shopping: Four companies operate over 40 duty-free shops at the airport. There is a supermarket in the basement area.
Luggage: There are luggage storage facilities and a lost property office; the airport�s website lists all items found at the airport.
Other facilities: There is a medical centre, chemists, laundry, children�s playrooms, massage and a prayer room. |
Incheon
Moving on to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
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Information and Help Desks
There are information desks in each terminal (tel: (03) 398 2143 for Terminal 1 or 398 3274 for Terminal 2). A tourist services counter is situated in the passenger reception area of Terminal 1 Arrivals (tel: (03) 398 2194).
Airport Facilities
Money and communications: Two banks have outlets throughout the airport providing various facilities, including ATMs and bureaux de change. An Internet room, mobile telephone services, a post office and telephones are located in Terminal 1 Departures. Wireless Internet is also available at various points in the airport.
Eating and drinking: Chinese and Western restaurants, fast-food outlets and bars are located around the airport.
Shopping: There are plenty of shops at the airport, including duty-free.
Luggage: Lost property offices are located in the basements of Terminal 1 Departures and Terminal 2 Arrivals. Left-luggage services are available on the first floor (Departures) of Terminal 1 and in the Terminal 2 Arrivals hall.
Other facilities: These include a medical centre, a nursery and children�s playroom, a barber�s, first aid station, beauty salon and a transit hotel. |
Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport
I've used the information desk at Incheon several times, to call nearby Guesthouse Korea for a free pickup, location of an atm / internet, location of the stand for Seoul Busses, & location of 'McDonalds'. Staff spoke passable English, & were courteous & efficient.
Taiwan Airport, on the other hand... was terrible. But to be fair to the OP, I've done quite a bit of travelling around Asia, Russia, & Australia, to at least 30-40 different airports.
Dhaka in Bangladesh is without a doubt the worst. Someone had written in the visitor's book "I hate this place... back with a gun soon". Taiwan is also towards the bottom. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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with all due respect - I've traveled around the world and am on my second go-around.
no, big shiny boxes don't impress me - courtesy does. I don't find Incheon courteous in any respect - I've had people cut in front of me, airline clerks be very rude, security rifling through my bags with scowls on their faces treating me like crap and just in general bad behavior.
people at the so-called help desks have been condescending, patronizing and asinine.
now, all that considered, I am both a woman and a middle-aged one at that. I travel alone. in some cultures, that's unusual and even shocking. in Korea, maybe it's just plain so out of their concept they can't quite accept it as reasonable and normal.
other countries also have certain attitudes towards independent middle aged women traveling alone but Korea seems to top it off with the worst and most disrespectful behavior of anywhere I've ever been - anywhere.
Vietnam, by structural standards, the city of Ho Chi Ming in 2005 had the worst airport for overcrowding, bad air and excessively hot, poor services but I was treated with respect more times than not.
that, too me, is the bottom line. not some crappy superficial glitz that only screams resource depletion and slave wages. I'll take good service and a sincere smile over glitter any day.  |
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chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:47 pm Post subject: Taiwan |
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| Fair enough. I've been to Ho Chi Minh airport, too, & echo your views. I was in Taiwan last year, en-route from Bkk, & it was like a temporary prison. Maybe take a good book to read? |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject: Re: Taiwan |
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| chris_J2 wrote: |
Dhaka in Bangladesh is without a doubt the worst. Someone had written in the visitor's book "I hate this place... back with a gun soon". Taiwan is also towards the bottom. |
I flew into Dhaka, but didn't fly out of it. They've remodeled the immigration room in the past year or two, isn't that bad. Rest of the joint? no clue.
If you want a crappy airport, fly into Sana'a Yemen sometime. Pretty awful.
In regards to Taipei, OP, what airline will you be on? If you're on Eva or china air, you'll be in the nicer terminal. If some other airline, then enjoy the time warp when you enter the older terminal. |
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unplugged_boy
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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i was in TW last year.. had a 10+ hour lay over in the airport. i had plenty of time to find things to do there.
if you go to the help desk... they had a free bus tour of the city. i don't know if it is still offered. but doesn't hurt to ask. |
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DCJames
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:34 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
with all due respect - I've traveled around the world and am on my second go-around.
no, big shiny boxes don't impress me - courtesy does. I don't find Incheon courteous in any respect - I've had people cut in front of me, airline clerks be very rude, security rifling through my bags with scowls on their faces treating me like crap and just in general bad behavior.
people at the so-called help desks have been condescending, patronizing and asinine.
now, all that considered, I am both a woman and a middle-aged one at that. I travel alone. in some cultures, that's unusual and even shocking. in Korea, maybe it's just plain so out of their concept they can't quite accept it as reasonable and normal.
other countries also have certain attitudes towards independent middle aged women traveling alone but Korea seems to top it off with the worst and most disrespectful behavior of anywhere I've ever been - anywhere.
Vietnam, by structural standards, the city of Ho Chi Ming in 2005 had the worst airport for overcrowding, bad air and excessively hot, poor services but I was treated with respect more times than not.
that, too me, is the bottom line. not some crappy superficial glitz that only screams resource depletion and slave wages. I'll take good service and a sincere smile over glitter any day. |
Why the f*&k do you stay in Korea? 
There's plenty of other places to teach English. |
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articulate_ink
Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Location: Left Korea in 2008. Hong Kong now.
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:25 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
| Quote: |
| By this logic, though, based on Incheon Airport, Korea ought to be immaculate, well-organized, efficient, easily navigable, well-lit, pleasing to the eye, and... wait for it... foreigner-friendly. It is none of those things. |
and neither is Incheon airport.
it's an incredibly long walk whereever your gate is
there are way too many Korean food marts; no decent western food not even Asian food - it's an International Airport, for crying out loud!!
once you're waiting for your plane, forget it, there's nothing to do but you are blitzed with those f*king talking tvs everywhere!! god i hate those!!
and no, it's not efficient - try asking for directions
and it's certainly not foreigner friendly - not in the least - but I'm too tired now to discuss it - at any rate, Incheon airport is just a big shiny tin can in a box full of Ks trying to make a won anyway they can; same as anywhere else... |
That's interesting, and I think this may be an issue of personal tastes. I've done a fair amount of travelling in the last 10 years, and I've left Korea on average every 2 months or so in the last year. I always enjoy my time at Incheon. I'm kind of a civil aviation geek and I like airports when they're done well. I've been in a lot of them. Apart from the location (it takes me 2 hours to get there), I think ICN's designers nailed it in a lot of important ways:
Getting through customs and passport control = fast if you know what you're doing. The side where the Korean Air and Asiana check-in counters are is often a mob scene, so walk toward the side with the foreign airlines. Zoom. You're through. Returning, there's usually more than one bank of immigration lanes open. Everyone on your flight will mob the first group of lanes. Keep going. The next section will be deserted, and you'll be stamped and through in 30 seconds. I've never seen another airport that comes close. Even Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur can't come close.
Food = it's there if you know where to look. There's a good Japanese restaurant upstairs. There's coffee. There's some Western fast food, both airside and landside (but then, I like KFC). Sure, Singapore and Hong Kong have more and better options, but it's actually not bad, considering how little time you're going to spend there.
Space & long walks = there are travelators or whatever those things are called in almost every airport of that size. I think ICN's layout is more efficient than most.
Services & asking for directions = always been fine when I've done it. During my first year here, I made the mistake of arriving after most of the limousine buses had stopped running, and the man at the information desk went out of his way to help me get to where I needed to go.
Talking TVs vs peace and quiet = also not a problem. I've never had trouble finding a relatively quiet place to sit and read while waiting for my flight. Heathrow and Amsterdam are much worse where the TVs are concerned!
Sure, some things could be better. I'd like to see a bookstore with a decent selection of English-language titles. More Western restaurants would be welcome. It would be great if the AREX line were finished (or if I didn't live in Hwaseong). Baggage claim sometimes takes a little too long (Singapore's is so fast it's almost frightening). But on the whole, I think ICN's an amazing place. Considering how much time I have spent in limbo at TPE, I wish it were half as good! |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:32 pm Post subject: |
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well I had a pretty good layover at the Taipei airport - the shopping was very good - there was a lovely orchid display on which I managed to take some nice photos of - and I parked myself in a corner in Starbucks and worked on my nb for a while - all in all, not bad. It was raining hard outside so a good day to stay inside also.
turns out I'm doing a visa run later this month and am going back - this time for a few days - so those of you who've been before - do you have any recommendations for a cheap hotel?
and I've heard there's an excellent museum that one can't miss seeing - I think that's the terra cotta warriors or something? am I getting that right?
also the info desk mentioned a mall 15 minutes away - but because of the rain I opted out in going - anyone been there yet? I really want to visit some markets but don't know where they would be - |
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