(Departures from Incheon only). The Smartium Business Class Cabin + Seat. Smartium Economy passengers receive priority boarding at most airports that Asiana serves, and also qualify for access to the Asiana lounge at Seoul. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I walked past the galley on a trip to the bathroom and was able to see the thermostat. The Hanjin Group conglomerate, which owns Korean Air, today confirmed the acquisition, which will be part-funded by a $990 million investment from the Korea . cq. It went incredibly well with the duo of delicately flavored starters. Short rib patty with grilled mushrooms Photo: Manu Venkat | AirlineReporter. In particular, passengers who have purchased Economy Smartium seats on long . Seattle (SEA) - Seoul-Incheon (ICN) on OZ 271. Premium Economy There are four rows of Asiana's premium economy class located in the center of the aircraft rows 10-14, with no row 13, like on many other airlines due to superstition. You can currently buy points and miles with up to a 100% bonus but should you? . Explaining the Star Rating Levels. Asianas economy product was more than comfortable enough for a transpacific flight. As high-capacity business class lounges go, it scores a solid A grade. The other major benefit if you're not *G is lounge access. The Airbus A330-300s, Boeing 767-300s and 747-400s all offer angled lie-flat seats, but these aircraft are thankfully used primarily for regional routes. Korean carrier Asiana Airlines is set to introduce a new Economy Smartium seat offering on its Airbus A350 flights starting May 15, when it debuts its first A350 aircraft. Join us on an adventure around the world; travel throughout the US and abroad by cruise, plane, and train and take the vacations you've always dreamed about. Song credit:Owl City- New York City (Ikson remix) #asianaairlines #a350 #pandemicflight #asianasmartiumeconomy #JohnSinnorai # #korea #asianaa350 #asianaairlineseconomy Aircraft flying government officials, Helicopters Required fields are marked *. This would be a flight to the United States, Europe, or Oceania. Alternatively, you may use, We're sorry, hotels cannot be booked for more than 30 days, There are newer reviews for Asiana Airlines. In less than 20 minutes everybody was in their seats and the flight attendants were making their initial rounds to prepare us for an on time departure. Seats that are flat but not horizontal and so desperately uncomfortable. The lobster was tasty without being too fleshy or fishy, tasting rather like something you'd get off the coast of New England. I have the option to upgrade to Smartium Economy on the A350 between ICN and SFO. Odd-numbered seats in rows A or K are still nice for solo travelers but have less privacy, as they're flush against the aisle. While there were some hits the chicken was delightful and the lobster salad was a win there was an equal number of misses, like the disappointing canap. Right after we had reached 10,000 feet, flight attendants came around the cabin distributing menus and offering hot towels. Seats can be purchased in your local currency. Royal intervention for harrowed passengers, Economy Smartium on Asiana A350 | SFO-ICN | A350-900 | Y+ Class, Re: Economy Smartium on Asiana A350 | SFO-ICN | A350-900 | Y+ Class. On the ground there were a few additional benefits as well. Based on my experience alone, I wouldnt go out of my way to fly Asiana again, but I wouldnt go out of my way to avoid it either. Since this was my first time flying a Korean carrier and because Korean barbecue is awesome I went with the former. asiana airlines smart vs classic. Boeing 787 Dreamliner The flights purser warmly welcomed each business class passenger to the flight. With this goal in mind, we purchased the upgrade to Smartium Economy for the first of our four legs; travelling from San Francisco to Seoul. That means you may already have access, even without spending the $150 on Smartium Economy. Asiana is part of the Star Alliance. For taller/bigger folks, it's as close to getting a back-relieving, business class sleep as it gets! Passengers who have purchased international flight tickets operated by Asiana Airlines, For group reservations, passengers are able to purchase from the reservation center, regional offices, travel agencies, and airports. My amenity kit contained only the basics, and the bag itself was pretty wimpy. These seats are located in Rows 10 to 14, right behind Business Class, and priority boarding in Economy Class and priority baggage services are available. On the return flight the snack was a beef and rice dish served with a muffin and fruit cup. They did not all speak fluent English, which was not unexpected on a Korean based airline, but there was never any problems with communication. watch the video to see the extra. Though not too sweet, the cake was extremely dry, aided somewhat by the moistness of the topping. Passenger cabin shots showing seat arrangements as well as cargo aircraft interior, Cargo Aircraft Our return flight was much warmer than I am used to on a flight. Personally I would much rather having my own control over air to my seat, or for the cabin temperature to be colder. The snack was finger sandwiches and was offered midway through the flight. If you want the Economy Smartium seating after purchasing a preferred seat where a baby bassinet can be installed, contact Asiana Airlines reservation center up until 72 hours prior to departure. Overall, I found my seat to be comfortable for the nearly 11-hour journey from Seoul to San Francisco. Airport overviews from the air or ground, Tails and Winglets Asiana Airlines: Smartium is a SCAM! It benefitted from a wide range of bold flavors in the surrounding sides and soup. In particular, passengers who have purchased Economy Smartium seats on long . Photo: Manu Venkat | AirlineReporter. The seat size, even in standard economy, was comfortable at 18 inches wide and 32 inches deep. But hey, maybe they picked the name for a reason. Premium economy seats are ~95% expensive than economy class. There was an awkward gap between the window seats and cabin sidewall, though you could get creative and use it to store your bedding. As a passenger who tends to nap right after eating, I'm a huge fan of a quick meal service rather than one that's drawn out and can take hours. The check-in area for Asiana was close to one entrance for security, but it was poorly marked. Because Asiana's A350 had cathedral ceilings, with no overhead bins in the center of the cabin, it opened up the space and made it roomier. 6. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Business Smartium is Asiana's Business Class in-flight service that . What Smartium Economy offers over its cheaper alternative is an additional 4 inches of leg room; increasing from 32 inches in Economy to 36 inches in Smartium Economy. Peak pricing for Asiana Airlines flights in 2018 is between May 12-July 1 and December 5-December 23. My seat (20E) in economy class was good for me with a wide seat legroom. Manu got his private pilot license in high school, setting the tone for his interest in all things aviation. Despite the large engines the noise was almost non-existent. We Had a Sneak Peek and it is AWESOME. However, the privacy I had due to Covid and caring service made up for the price difference. On the transpacific flight we were given two full meals as well as a snack. Your email address will not be published. Everything felt new and much improved. (Unavailable from website and mobile web/app.). SEA It's a new aircraft that offers a quiet and technologically advanced ride. Ill be brief in this section, but I was pretty disappointed with the inflight entertainment system on my flight. There are 4 rows of Smartium Economy seats, row 10 through row 14, for a total of 36 available seats. Take off and landing was also incredibly smooth, probably the smoothest experience I have ever had on a plane. (Unavailable from website and mobile web/app.). If so, what was your experience like? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This latter perk does come with a fairly major caveat, however. With its Economy Smartium Class, Asiana Airlines offers that extra bit of luxury on flights in the Airbus A350. It is not on par with other premium economy products but it does boasts some additional benefits not found on Asiana economy. As this was our first international flight, we upgraded the first leg to Asianas premium economy product, Smartium Economy. Also, the A350 offers ample storage space for bags, so boarding early did not offer much of a benefit. This means that even though we had purchased Smartium Economy on a long haul flight, since it was from San Francisco to Seoul, we were not permitted into the lounge. Asiana's A350-900 had three cabins: Business Smartium (business), Economy Smartium (premium economy) and standard economy. From 361 days to 48 hours prior to departure, Asiana Airlines reservation center, Asiana Airlines regional offices, airport ticketing counter, homepage, mobile app, and travel agencies, From 48 hours prior to departure to check-in process. Boarding was also very quick and efficient. Asianas fleet is a total smorgasbord, with the A380, 747, 777, A330, and 767 represented, plus a few new A350s joining the club. There were several movies with English, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese audio and enough selection for me to spend the entire flight watching movies. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. The A330-300s are in a 2-2-2 setup while the aging B767-300s feature a 2-1-2 configuration. The meal ended with a date and a walnut cookie.. Mung bean jelly with sliced beef and vegetables Photo: Manu Venkat | AirlineReporter, Steamed scallop with mustard dressing Photo: Manu Venkat | AirlineReporter, BONUS: A Very Hello Kitty Adventure: Flying an EVA Air 777-300ER In Royal Laurel Business Class, Shiitake mushroom and wild sesame porridge Photo: Manu Venkat | AirlineReporter. Economy Smartium passengers on long-haul flights (U.S., Europe, Oceania) have access to the Business Class lounge at Incheon International Airport. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. The airline, which is based in Seoul, flies to destinations within Korea and across Asia, as well as Oceania, Europe and North America. The only storage for a bag was under the footwell. It is easier to add blankets or a jacket to warm up when cold than it is to cool down when the plane is too warm. Detailed seat map Asiana Airlines Airbus A350 900. Learn how your comment data is processed. Both military and civil versions, Blimps / Airships The overhead compartments on the A350 are expanded to store more baggages. Airline Livery of the Week From start to finish of both meal services, they worked efficiently to get meals served as quickly as possible. Passengers each got a set of Asiana-branded slippers that were open-toed a benefit for those with larger feet and a drawback for those with smaller, as your feet could slip more easily. But in the time between my visit and writing this review, it closed. It charges 60,000, 100,000 and 125,000 for economy, business and first, respectively. For example, some 777s fly a regional angled-flat business product, while others feature the true Smartium flat-bed product. Even with the limited number of overhead bins, there was plenty of storage for all the business-class passengers on my flight, which wasn't full. When I first came to Korea, I flew on the upper deck of the Airbus A380 in 2016. The grade: for cabin design and seating, Smartium gets a B overall. Like Asiana, Korean Air offers economy passengers two checked bags each of up to 23 kilograms (50 pounds). Ho Chi Minh City, the center of Vietnam's economy Most travelers visiting Ho Chi Minh City are more familiar with the name "Saigon," what the city was called before unification in 1975. The meal offerings were plentiful and spaced perfectly throughout the flight. This, however, gives them most of the benefits of a "Flexi" booking, even if on a cheap booking. Enjoy, for example, ten centimetres more legroom in comparison to standard Economy Class. British Airways As one of two major airlines in South Korea, Asiana Airlines (IATA: OZ; ICAO: AAR) operates flights to four continents. Wi-Fi Pricing OptionsComplimentary Headphones. Asiana Airlines Smartium Economy is the airline's "premium economy" class. I opted for the Champagne, which was a nice Laurent-Perrier brut. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. 02. . While flight 521 to London is currently operated by an A350, when I flew the route it was being serviced by a 777-200ER with a six-row Smartium cabin. I found the footwell to be comfortable enough for my feet, a women's size 7.5. Special in-flight services are also offered each flight. Every time I adjusted my seat, it drew looks from neighbors. Many American carriers now have a seat pitch of only 29-31 inches, so Asianas standard offering already felt like an upgrade. Asiana Boeing 777-200ER Photo: Manu Venkat | AirlineReporter. Economy Smartium seats must be refunded at the place of purchasereservation center, Asiana Airlines regional offices, airport ticketing counter, homepage, mobile app, or travel agenciesup to 48 hours prior to departure. And it might take some getting used to. Over in the center section, the paired middle seats are great for couples, but less ideal if youre flying solo since youd be shoulder-to-shoulder with your neighbor. At first glance, the interior of the cabin gave off a somewhat dated feeling the upholstery looked like something you'd find at a dentist's office, and the light beige screamed old-fashioned. Not mentioned was the priority baggage handling. * The refund is only available when the reserved seat is not available due to circumstances. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. contest The seats were comfortable, the food plentiful, and the in flight entertainment was vast. Passengers accompanying infant passengers may be seated next to your purchased seats. The display icons were self-descriptive and simple to use. He earned his frequent flyer credentials working as a journalist, and is now a medical resident in New York City. In fact, I didn't see a separate lane at all for premium passengers. Note that even itineraries that don't continue onward and end in, say, San Francisco also can be redeemed at the same 75,000-mile level. 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