Airline review: Qantas, Airbus A330-300 business class, Sydney to Seoul

Qantas has returned to Seoul.Credit: Alamy

THE FLIGHT

QF87, Sydney to Seoul, departing 8.50am, aboard an Airbus A330-300 with a flight time of 10 hours and 15 minutes. This service (flown last month) marks the return, after an absence of a decade and a half by Qantas to the Korean capital. The return feels well-timed since during that 15 year period interest in South Korea has grown exponentially due to its enormous, and staggering successful, cultural output.

FREQUENCY

This service (flown last month) marks the return, after an absence of a decade and a half by Qantas to the Korean capital.Credit: Markus Mainka / Alamy Stock Photo

Four days per week during the peak Australian summer season (winter in South Korea) and then three times a week between the considerably warmer May and October months in Seoul.

LOYALTY SCHEME

Qantas Frequent Flyer with points also applicable to One World member partner airlines.

The Korean Tourism Organisation marked the relaunch with a couple of the country's cute and fluffy mascots at Sydney Airport.

CARBON EMISSIONS

The CO2 passenger contribution for this route and class is 983.1 kilograms.

CHECK-IN

There's a festive atmosphere in and around check-in at Terminal 1 (and not because Christmas was approaching at the time of travel). The Korean Tourism Organisation, clearly delighted to have Qantas back, has arranged celebrations to mark this belatedly resumed service which includes a couple of the country's cute and fluffy mascots. Check-in is quick and efficient, as befitting business class, with a relatively smooth passage through passport control and security.

THE SEAT

1A, a flat-bed window seat and one of 28 in business class in a 1-2-1 configuration allowing direct aisle access. Seat width is 23 inches (58.4cm) with a pitch of 73 inches (185.4cm) with generous amounts of leg room for even the long of limb. The comfortable seat includes requisite AC power, USB port, noise-cancelling headphones and three-point sash seatbelt with plenty of overhead luggage space and enough room to spread and store personal effects. A large enough swing out table allows for eating, drinking and working but despite the fact we're heading to one of the world's most wired countries there is no WI-FI available on this aircraft. A special edition red, white and gold 100th anniversary of Qantas amenity kit, representing the carrier's 1980s era of flying, contains an eco-friendly bamboo toothbrush, skincare and dental items, earplugs, mask and socks (a pen wouldn't go amiss for annoying form-fillings and the like).

BAGGAGE

There's a suitably generous checked luggage allowance of 40 kilograms, with no single piece weighing more than 32 kilograms, for business class passengers (more for Qantas Frequent Flyer and Qantas Club high status members).

ENTERTAINMENT

I'd been hoping to finally catch up on one or some of those lauded South Korean flicks during this flight but, alas, there was no sight of the likes of 2019's Oscar-winning Parasite, unless I missed something. But, unless you've streamed yourself silly back on terra firma there's bound to be something to amuse from the exhaustive selection of new release films, such as Bullet Train and Beast, TV box sets and more.

SERVICE

With this flight being a quasi-inaugural flight, the business class cabin crew, obviously and understandably relishing being part of this near enough to "inaugural" flight, are even more eager than ever to please.

FOOD

Both lunch and dinner are served aboard this comparatively long North Asia sector. There's a special first flight Korean-infused menu in business class, including dishes such as Neil (Perry's) tuna tartare with gochujang dressing and sesame seeds as well as beef short rib with sesame marinated cucumbers, ssamjang dressing and rice. However, on my return flight a week or so later, the business class menu reverts to a less ambitious, mostly Western selection, though with the inclusion of a couple of Korean side dishes, including the ubiquitous kimchi.

THE VERDICT

When Qantas, and for that matter your reviewer, last visited Seoul and its now famed Gangnam district, its parodied style was a mere glint in the eye of the Korean singer Psy. It's a true treat to finally make it back in the happening South Korean capital, thanks in no small measure to the de facto national carrier and its newest international destination foray.

OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE

★★★★

The writer travelled as a guest of Qantas and the Korean Tourism Organisation. See qantas.com and english.visitkorea.or.kr