KE 038 ORD-ICN (Chicago/O'Hare->Seoul/Incheon)
DEP ORD 12:00 23 AUG 2010
ARR ICN 16:30 24 AUG 2010
Flight Duration 14:00
Aircraft: B747-400
Unlike last year, when I took Japan Airlines from Chicago to Seoul (Trip Report here) this year I took Korean Air KE 038 flight from Chicago/O'Hare to Seoul/Incheon. It's actually not my first time traveling via Korean Air from Chicago to Seoul. I've travelled many times on Korean Air B747-400 (or maybe B747-300) from Chicago/O'Hare to Seoul/Gimpo Airport, back when Incheon Airport was still in construction. Today's flight will be a 14-hour long, and it would also mark my first time ever flying to Korea via the Arctic Route, arriving in Korea from the west of Seoul, not east.
작년에는 일본항공을 타고 시카고에서 서울까지 갔었죠 (일본항공 시카고-서울/인천 탑승기). 이번해에는 우리의 날개, 대한항공을 타고 한국으로 가게 되었답니다. 시카고-서울 구간은 이번이 처음은 아닙니다. 옛날에 대한항공으로 시카고/오헤어하고 서울/김포 공항 사이를 왔다 갔다 했었었죠. 그때는 인천공항도 없었고 저도 아주 어린 아기였을때죠. 오늘의 비행은 저의 북극항로의 첫 경험이 되겠습니다.
This is the Korean Air counter in Terminal 5 of Chicago/O'Hare Airport. I love their big logos here.
Chicago O'Hare Terminal 5. Now it's renovated and looks a bit different inside.
A walkway to security customs. Terminal 5 was recently renovated so that this walkway doesn't exist anymore. All security checkpoints have been moved to the side of the walkway and most of this area has been converted to duty free section or new food court.
A year ago, I waited here for my flight to Tokyo/Narita.
The Japan Airlines flight JL 9 was due to leave at 11:10AM today. The aircraft was B777-300ER, since most (if not all) JAL B747-400 was retired by then.
My plane, B747-400 KE 38 to Seoul/Incheon
I was walking around the Terminal 5 (which had absolutely nothing to offer by the way) and happened to spot Korean Air flight attendants getting off the bus for my flight.
Right before boarding.
My neighbor for the whole flight~ this 11 month old baby. Actually it was the mother who had the baby in her arms during the flight. I offered to help her out whenever she needed to take something out of her bags or by holding her baby when she got tired. The baby never cried at all thankfully :]
Today's flight would also be the second time I'll be experience Korean Air's B747-400 AVOD system. Korean Air has two different type of AVOD system on their flights (the "old" economy and "new" economy), but both systems are great nonetheless.
Take-off to the north.
The AVOD system in close view.
For the first meal, I took the bibimbap. For the sides it was Korean style pickled cucumber and some fruits. The Korean Air bibimbap comes with seaweed soup also.
The sun was up the whole flight (just like last year's Japan Airlines flight), so the cabin attendants had the doors closed for the whole flight. I periodically opened windows to take pictures.
Flying over Russia
The plane was getting close to Russia-China borderline
For the second meal, I received beef stew. Side dish was a salad and the dessert was a lemon cake.
I watched a documentary based on the Superbowl XLIV between Saints and Colts
And the plane approached Korea from the west. It was my first time experience approaching Seoul from the west side of North Korea.
An hour before landing, before all the windows came up
Click here for my next trip report with Hong Kong-bound KE 603
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Click here for my next trip report with Hong Kong-bound KE 603
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