14 Hours in the Sky: Is Korean Air Really Worth the Hype?

lewishooper1
4 hours ago
4 min read

Flying 5,500 miles from Incheon to London Heathrow — here is Dojeon Media's team member, Lewis' honest take on the food, comfort, and service.

Korean Air - Incheon - London Heathrow (return) - Lewis Hooper

I have flown Korean Air twice before; however, that was a few years ago. Since Korean Air was voted one of the best airlines in recent years, and because I had previously flown with them, I was curious to see if they lived up to their reputation, so I boarded an almost 14-hour flight from Incheon to London Heathrow.

Price Comparisons

Despite being at a higher price point than the new Virgin Atlantic flight operating the same route between Incheon and London Heathrow—because I flew from Daegu with a connecting flight in Incheon on both legs of my trip—flying with Korean Air made much more sense. If you are flying between Korea and the UK, there are airlines at a lower price point, although they do involve layovers rather than the direct route that Korean Air offered. This direct route made the journey worthwhile, especially when it came to having a lot of luggage, as it was checked in at Daegu and not collected again until I arrived in London.

Economy Seats & Comfort

The economy seat offered a great amount of legroom and enough pitch to keep my legs from feeling cramped during the long journey. What I really loved was the adjustable headrest and solid cushion support, which made catching a few hours of sleep remarkably easy. Not to mention the small touches, like the blanket, slippers, bottle of water, and plug-in headphones, which allowed me to watch movies. The 3-3 configuration was used throughout economy class, while right at the back there were two rows in a 2-2 configuration, which I selected on my return flight.

Despite the long journey to London, the flight felt surprisingly relaxing and easy on the body. Thoughtful cabin temperature control and well-maintained amenities made settling in for the long haul completely stress-free, and it is one that I would recommend.

Service

Compared to Middle Eastern airlines, I was not expecting too much in terms of service from Korean Air. However, the cabin crew on both my outward and return journeys delivered warm, seamless service throughout the entire flight. Every request I made was met with a genuine smile, which made the long-haul flight feel much more premium than my economy class seat would suggest.

Entertainment Setback

This is what set Korean Air back, despite their service and value for money. Most other long-haul airlines have hundreds of movies and TV shows to choose from; however, Korean Air only offered a handful of films and TV shows to watch.

Despite this, the seatback screen featured different genres of movies and TV shows in multiple languages, and real-time flight tracking, which I used to keep myself occupied. There was also the option to purchase inflight Wi-Fi under a number of bundles. I opted for the USD 6 package, which offered messaging for the full flight. You could also opt for the USD 21 package, which included the option to send photos and watch YouTube. The internet was fast and appeared to be in real time, which was amazing!

Food and Meal Service

The meal service was also a highlight, as all of the meals I had were of good quality and offered a varied selection. As I checked in on the mobile app before taking my flights, I was able to view the menu for my trip. On the way to the UK, I opted for the beef stew, and on my return flight, I chose the beef goulash, despite their famous bibimbap also being an option. All of the meals I had tasted remarkably fresh, even at 35,000 feet.

If that was not enough, there were also plenty of snacks at the back of the plane, ranging from soft drinks and juices to alcoholic beverages like beer and wine. Throughout both flights, tubs of Pringles, chocolate pies, and even a selection of sandwiches were offered. Every side dish and snack served throughout the long-haul flight was thoughtfully prepared and genuinely delicious.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, Korean Air more than lives up to its solid reputation for long-haul travel. Being the nation's national flag carrier made my recent trip much more memorable and enjoyable. Thanks to the mix of legroom, delicious inflight meals, and top-tier service, Korean Air has now become a smooth, reliable, and comfortable airline to fly with.