14h in economy on Asiana's A350 from Seoul: gymnastics before landing

This flight from Seoul to Barcelona was, without a doubt, the longest I've faced in Economy in 2024. The actual flight time was just over 13 hours and 20 minutes, and, I must say. On landing I was not at all destroyed.

Credit to the A350, the plane that Asiana uses for flights to Europe, including Italy. Credit also goes to Korean passengers who, like their Japanese cousins, know how to behave in an exemplary manner (although I had the misfortune to cross two galactic "menabelinos" and a crew that partially ruined my trip).

Reservation

This was my return ticket, purchased cash, In order to be able to fly Asiana's A380 outbound., brought for just two days in Catalonia. The cost of the ticket was just over 2200 euros. As I explained in the review of the outbound flight, I had no alternative: I wanted to fly on the A380 and the price was the same on all available dates.

Small consolation: since Asiana is still part of Star Alliance, I have accumulated over 11,000 miles, qualifying and non-qualifying, on my KrisFlyer card, useful for status renewal.

My second and last time aboard Asiana

The Korean duopoly is coming to an end: Korean Air has been given the go-ahead to complete its merger with Asiana, and over the next 12 months, the integration will materialize. This A350 will continue to fly, but with the Korean Air's new livery.

That's why this was, almost certainly, my latest experience aboard an airplane in Asiana colors.

At the airport

I arrived at Terminal 1 in Seoul Incheon well in advance, as always. Having an 11 a.m. flight, I would not have had time to enjoy the city anyway, so I preferred to arrive stress-free by Uber.

There are several ways to reach this airport, which is about 60 minutes from Seoul Station: express train, regional train, bus, and cab.

The check-in area was uncrowded and, thanks to Star Alliance Gold status, I was able to conduct transactions at the dedicated counters without any waiting.

The first, very bad news was the confirmation that there was no upgrade option: "Sorry, the plane is practically full." I was not hoping for business class, but at least a "Smartium" seat (i.e., with more legroom).

While I didn't queue at check-in, I found it at security and border control: at least a 30-minute wait and no fast track.

I then headed into the Asiana lounge, which has three lounges in this terminal, all the same as each other. When I arrived it was super crowded and I struggled to find a seat, but, as is often the case, it emptied out with the morning departures.

In general, Asiana's lounges are rather anonymous, just like the company: nothing fancy or special, and this feeling is reflected throughout the flight experience.

Just before boarding, I headed to the gate and, right on time, after the staff's classic bow, I was among the first to board, thanks to status.

On board

As soon as I got on, I sashayed to my seat: when flying in Economy, time to take photos and videos without disturbing anyone is crucial, especially if, as today, the plane is full.

3-3-3 configuration, typical of all A350s. The first four rows are the "Smartium": not a premium economy, since the seat is identical, but with more legroom.

Asiana has its entire fleet configured in this way, a rare occurrence, as staggered aircraft deliveries often lead to differences in fittings.

I had the 35A seat. I would have preferred the best seats on the A350, but they were all already occupied At the time of booking.

The chair setup is classic, but the legroom is more generous than in many other carriers. Despite filling the front pocket with all my gadgets, I had no trouble moving my legs.

Each passenger finds a pillow with cloth pillowcase, a blanket, a pair of slippers, and, in the seat pocket, headphones for IFE and a small amenity kit.

Toothpaste, toothbrush and slippers.

The chair is comfortable, with a generous tilt due to the fact that the seat slides forward. The headrest is height-adjustable and has restraining flaps.

The window, huge as is traditional on the A350, unfortunately lacks vents.

Split table, so comfortable, only downside cleanliness not exactly what you would expect from a Korean airline flight.

IFE

The screen is large, about 13″, but the operating system is lousy-a design stuck in the early 2000s. No webcam (present on many A350s, however), a deliberate choice by Asiana.

Content is sparse, difficult to navigate, and it is not possible to filter by language: finding anything in Italian is a feat. The catalog of TV series, music and games is also quite poor.

The headphones are over-ear, but of very poor quality.

Headphone jack and traditional USB under the monitor.

The Wi-Fi worked poorly initially, but two hours after takeoff it stabilized and held up well until the end of the flight. Three time packages, I chose the one for the duration of the trip at just over 21$.

The speed was not excellent, but no blocks for YouTube or social.

Service

And here comes the sore point. Right from the start I perceived a hostile attitude, probably because of my technical equipment.

No greeting from the Purser despite my Star Alliance Gold status, just annoyed looks. I almost got the impression that they were looking for a pretext to get me off.

The first discussion was about my room pointed outward. A first assistant checked and gave me the okay, but a second one intervened at the report of my neighbor, complaining about a privacy issue (although I was only filming the outside). After lunch, when I had attached the camera suction cup to the IFE screen, another assistant abruptly woke me up claiming that I was in danger of damaging it.

An arrogant and annoying approach.

Food&Beverage

In this respect the airline was really generous: two full trays and a pre-landing snack. European carriers over the same distances maybe get to tray + reinforced snack.

Two choices as lunch immediately after departure, between a traditional Korean option and a dish with Asian flavors, but still easier to enjoy for those who do not feel like savoring ethnic cuisine.

About halfway through the flight a second tray is served, this time I preferred to go for fish, although the presentation looked more like schnitzel.

As we flew over Naples, never seen Vesuvius so well from an airplane, a hot wrap was served and shortly afterwards we prepared for landing.

Pre-landing gymnastics

Just before landing, the monitors went off and they broadcast stretching exercises on all of them, and half the plane was doing them-it was a first for me. I had never seen such a thing on any airline where I had flown before.

Conclusion

Good product, comfortable and spacious seat, A350 a guarantee, but crew rudeness leaves a bitter taste in mouth. If I had to choose between Asiana and Korean for a flight from Italy to Seoul, I would definitely choose the comfort of the A350.