Taipei Wonders [China Airlines] CI 162 TPE-ICN (Taipei/Taoyuan->Seoul/Incheon) trip report [중화항공] CI 162 타이페이/타오위안->서울/인천 탑승기

CI 162 TPE-ICN (Taipei/Taoyuan->Seoul/Incheon)

DEP TPE 16:20 27 FEB 2013

ARR ICN 20:00 27 FEB 2013

Duration: 2:40

Aircraft: B737-700

Following my last trip report (Korean Air KE 691 ICN->TPE Trip Report Link), I'm posting my trip report back from Taipei/Taoyuan Airport to Seoul/Incheon Airport. Unlike the previous flight, this flight was with China Airlines, and the flight number was CI 162. The aircraft was B737-700, and seats had no AVOD system on them. 

Taipei/Taoyuan is currently divided in to Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, both dominated by China Airlines and EVA Airlines.  

Korean Air counter in Taipei/Taoyuan Airport.

Many construction activities were taking place within the terminal and around both terminals. I believe Terminal 3 was under construction at this time.

I was able to use the China Airlines business lounge this time, since Korean Air and China Airlines were both Skyteam members.

Dim sums and Chinese Pork Buns.

The touch-screen ordering system for noodles.

After you place an order, the cook prepares it right away.

I was starving to death, so it was perfect timing for me.

I saw many Japanese businessmen in the lounge. Overall, it was a quiet lounge with good ambiance. The only bad thing is that it did not have exterior windows.

My boarding pass for today's flight.

I was debating whether purchase this 1:200 A380-800 Korean Air model. I eventually bought the model in the end. It set me back about 60 USD (which was pretty good deal).

In order to board the B737, we had to take an airport shuttle from the gate.

The B737 China Airlines.

Unfortunately, no AVOD system here.

Waiting for push-back.

In-flight meal service commenced about an hour after take off. The choices was either fish or beef.

 

It was probably one of the worst meals I've ever had in-flight. The meal wasn't fish.. it was some kind of fish cake that felt way too dry. The sauce that came with the dish wasn't even good either.

Overall, not an eventful flight. We arrived into Korean Airspace in no time.  

 

 

 

 

First time Aboard B737-900ER Sky Interior! [Korean Air] KE 609 ICN-HKG (Seoul/Incheon->Hong Kong) trip report [대한항공] KE 609 서울/인천->홍콩/첵립콕 탑승기

KE 601 ICN-HKG (Seoul/Incheon->Hong Kong)

DEP ICN 13:45 28 DEC 2011

ARR HKG 16:50 28 DEC 2011

Flight Duration: 4:05

Aircraft: B737-900ER

After about two weeks of winter vacation in Korea, it was time to go back to Chicago for last semester of school.  If you've been following my crazy flight itinerary from Chicago to Seoul, then you'll know my return trip itinerary back from Seoul to Chicago would be the same exact segments. Just as a reminder, the whole trip itinerary was as follows:

(Click each flight segments for trip reports)

Outbound

ORD-LHR: AA 86 DEP 18:05 13DEC2011 ARR 07;55 14DEC2011

LHR-HEL: BA 794 DEP 11:20 14DEC2011 ARR 16:15 14DEC2011

HEL-HKG: AY 69 DEP 00:10 15DEC2011 ARR 15:20 15DEC2011

HKG-ICN: KE 608 DEP 00:55 16DEC2011 ARR 05:20 16DEC2011

Inbound

ICN-HKG: KE 601 DEP 13:45 28DEC2011 ARR 16:50 28DEC2011

HKG-HEL: AY 70 DEP 01:30 29DEC2011 ARR 06:30 29DEC2011

*HEL-LHR: AY 831 DEP 08:00 29DEC2011 ARR 9:10 29DEC2011

**LHR-ORD: AA 47 DEP 14:25 29DEC2011 ARR 18:30 29DEC2011

* = This flight could have been Finnair flight to Paris. By the time I booked the ticket, this option was unavailable.

** = I was originally scheduled for AA 87 flight from LHR to ORD, but due to delay of AY 831 from Helsinki, I was rebooked into the next flight.

Today's flight would be KE 601, an afternoon Korean Air flight bound for Hong Kong. Korean Air operates four flights daily to Hong Kong. In 2011, these flights were provided through B777-200ER, B747-400, A380-800, and B737-900ER.  In order to make my Finnair AY 70 flight bound for Helsinki/Vantaa the next morning at 1:30AM (and to give myself some cushion room with time just in case), I booked myself an afternoon flight with Korean Air B737-900ER, scheduling myself to arrive into Hong Kong airport at around 5PM local time.

This would mark my first time ever in a Korean Air B737, and my first time ever experiencing Boeing Sky Interior.  I am used to traveling with wide-bodied Korean Air aircrafts, so this experience would be new.

I arrived at Seoul/Incheon Airport around noon. The airport was busy with people traveling during Holiday Season.

The Los Angeles-bound KE A380-800 at Gate 10, next to my gate.

And the Hong Kong-bound B737-900ER, which would be my flight for today.

The boarding pass.

The waiting area in the Korean Air side of the terminal.

Boarding the B737 at last!

It was my first time boarding a narrow-body jet in ICN.

The A380-800 getting ready for its long-haul flight across Pacific.

Safety Information Brief

I actually did not expect AVOD system on this plane. It turns out the new economy seats were installed on this plane.

The plane took-off through the cloudy skies toward the Yellow Sea.

 

It wasn't too long until the flight attendants started serving food.

Most Korean Air flights originating from Korea have Bibimbap as one of the choices, but on today's flight, Bibimbap wasn't offered. I took a chicken dish, which was served along with mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, tofu, bread roll, and pineapple pieces. Chicken was well cooked and the mashed potatoes tasted great.



Passing Taiwanese airspace.

20 minutes from landing

I tried a noodle dish at Hong Kong Airport's Crystal Jade in the arrivals floor. It was one of the hottest dish I have ever tasted in my life, but I finished nonetheless.

I killed some time before checking into Finnair flights by playing some PS3 in the airport.

Looking into the post-security area of the terminal from the pre-security area.

Click here for my next flight, Finnair AY 70 from Hong Kong to Helsinki, Finland.

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