Korean Air..."Excellence in Flight" is not an exaggeration.

Timeless. Classic. Beautiful.
(found this on the internet so you all could see first hand)

Well I have been on my flight for a few hours. And if the rest of Korea is like Korean Airlines, then I am going to be very happy living there! :) "Why is that?", you are probably wondering. Well, first off the whole plane is beautiful-it is very clean, very organized and the color scheme is a pleasing light turquoise and cream with accents in black. The flight attendants are reminiscent of a 1960's stewardess in every way possible. They are clothed in a beautiful color scheme of tan, cream and Korean Air's signature turquoise blue, each in elegant tan knee-length, a-line skirts, fitted blazers and fitted silk blouses, accessorized with simple pearl earrings, plain black heels and the most classic, yet modern, Asian-styled bun ribbons and starched organza ascots. If they have a short hair style, it is tastefully styled, and if they have long hair, it is shaped into a beautiful bun at the nape of their necks. Their make up is perfectly applied and enhances each one's natural beauty. The are truly some of the most feminine and beautiful women I have ever seen. The way they walk, their graces, the smiles on their faces, the giggles between themselves and their passengers as they good-naturedly work to offer every courtesy and their overall demeanor makes them stunning and I find myself intrigued by their timeless graces and beauty. And the thing that is amazing, and mocking me at the same time, was how even after a 12 hour flight and at least a 15 hour day for them, they still look perfect, unaffected, happy and alive. I, on the other hand am finding myself drained and haggard by the minute. lol.

In addition to all that, the service on this flight, well, it is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I am not in First Class, I am not in prestige, I am not even in business prestige...I am just in the normal economy section, but with all the amenities and the service and the perks, it quite literally feels as though I am in first class. And honestly, by any US operated airline, the service I am getting back here would be considered first class...and pretty high first class at that. Let me explain in greater detail...waiting in your seat when you arrive there are the following items: a blanket, a bottle of water, a pillow, headphones, a toiletry bag with toothbrush, toothpaste and slippers and an eye mask. Each seat is much wider than the normal economy seats on US carriers and they each have their own built-in TV console with a remote/game controller. The seats are comfortable and cushiony and seem to lean back further than most seats I'm used to.

Some of the perks! :)

Throughout the flight you are offered beverage service close to 10 times...this includes wine, soda, water, juice, coffee...and it is all free! And I am not exaggerating when I say we have been offered something to drink close to 10 times...they literally come around about every hour to hour and a half. Sometimes they have the beverage carts, other times they are gracefully balancing a tray full of glasses. Oh and let me tell you about the wine glasses...they are the same shape as the clear plastic Solo wine cups, but they are actual real glass. Not plastic. Not paper. But rather quality glass wineglasses. And if you chose coffee as your beverage, the flight attendants have a tray they bring with cups, cream and sugar and in their other hand they have a classy stainless steel coffee pot...they pour your cup of coffee right there into a cup on the tray and let you take it from there, along with your cream and sugar selections. Obviously because it is such a long flight, they serve a meal. But the meal is far beyond anything I have ever had on an airplane and instead would be comparable to dining at a restaurant. And it was more than just one meal...we had two full meals (3 courses each) and 4 different snacks. The meals were delicious! Each was warm, right out of the oven, had quality ingredients and sensational flavors. One was a savory chicken dish. It had fresh chicken meat, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms in a sort of red curry sauce (everything was fresh and tender) and was served with egg fried rice, a side salad, dinner roll, fresh fruit, coffee and wine. The other meal was a traditional Korean beef dish. It had strips of beef, bell peppers, asparagus and mushrooms-again it was all so fresh and so tender! It was served over rice with a side cabbage salad, a dinner roll, carrot cake, coffee and juice. And the silverware is the real thing...no plasticware...actual silverware. The snacks they offer are delicious and not in short supply...everything from pretzels and cookies to brownies and fresh Korean red bean rolls (they smelled delicious!). Alas, now I am thinking I should have tried one, but the lure of a chocolate brownie was too much to suppress. :)

Ribbons.
(found pic online...I am now wishing I had my camera on hand)

All in all, my whole experience with Korean Air has left me feeling very pampered and extremely grateful for being able to travel on such a long trip in such luxury. Funny thing is this flight wasn't any more expensive than a lot of the other flights I priced through numerous US carriers. But I can guarantee that the service on those flights wouldn't even begin to compare...maybe, MAYBE, if I was in first class, but most definitely not in economy. I can't say with certainty as of yet, as I will have to experience more of the Korean culture, but from what I have gathered by being on this airline, is that Koreans have a huge sense of manners, propriety and pride-in everything from how they act, how they dress and how they interact with others. It is very refreshing and makes one feel very honored to be on the receiving end of such kind and genuine behavior. I am getting more and more excited as each hour passes for all that lies ahead of me these next few years!