The best airlines for business class...

The Business Travel Index from Tipalti has analyzed factors such as service, lounge facilities, seat comfort and inflight entertainment, to reveal the airlines to travel on in business class. 

The top 10 best airlines for those travelling business class: 

Rank	Airline	Average Lounge Score	Average Seat Score	Average Inflight Score	Overall Score
1	Oman Air	4	5	3.5	8.39
2	Cathay Pacific Airways	4	4.8	3.75	8.28
3	EVA Air	4	4.6	4	7.93
4	Qatar Airways	4	4.2	4	7.7
5	Vistara	3.75	4.6	4	7.47
6	Japan Airlines	3.8	4	4	7.24
7	Asiana Airlines	4	2.8	3.75	6.09
8	Kenya Airways	4	4.8	2.75	6.09
9	Qantas Airways	3.8	3.8	3.25	5.98
10	Singapore Airlines	3.4	3	4	5.75

Topping the list of best business-class airlines is Oman Air, with an overall score of 8.39. The airline is based at Muscat International Airport and travels to over 50 destinations, including the likes of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt. 

Oman Air scores 5/5 across the board when it comes to its aircraft’s business-class seats, making it the highest-scoring airline in this category. It also receives 4/5 in areas such as staff service (both inflight and in the lounge), inflight entertainment, and lounge catering.

Following closely behind is Cathay Pacific Airways, which receives an overall score of 8.28. It is the largest airline in Hong Kong, with its head office located at Hong Kong International Airport. The airline provides flights to over 60 destinations, such as Seoul, Dubai, and Johannesburg.

Cathay Pacific Airways scores 4/5 for the comfort of its seats (both sitting and sleeping), as well as for their width and length, meaning those travelling long haul can rest comfortably. The airline also scores highly for its catering options in lounges, which include The Teahouse in the Pier Business lounge and Noodle Bar in the Wing Business lounge, both located at Hong Kong International Airport.

In third place is EVA Air, with an overall score of 7.93. It is one of the two largest airlines in Taiwan and has hubs in both Taoyuan International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport. The airline flies to 30 different countries, including Thailand, Japan, and China.

EVA Air scores no less than 4/5 across all three categories, receiving 4 for both its lounges and inflight services and 4.6 for its seats. The airline scores 5/5 for the sitting comfort, width, and length of its seats, meaning that anyone choosing to travel with EVA Air is guaranteed to have a comfortable and relaxing experience when travelling long distances.

Ultimate Business Travel Index | Tipalti

Man arrested after opening door of A321 as it was coming in to land.....

A man in his 30s has been arrested after opening the door of an Airbus A321-200 jet of  Asiana Airlines as it was coming in to land earlier on Friday.

Reports indicate the aircraft was around 200 metres above the ground when the man opened the door and looked at getting off the plane as it approached Daegu International Airport at 12:45pm local time.

The aircraft landed safely and all 194 passengers were safe, although some were taken to local hospitals with breathing issues or difficulties. According to local media reports,  the cabin crew were unable to try and stop him as the plane was coming in to land, however, an investigation has begun into if Asiana Airlines were in compliance with aviation regulations.  

An Asiana Airlines plane landed safely in South Korea after a passenger opened its door mid-flight. Video footage filmed by a person on the flight showed wind rushing in from the open door https://t.co/eTtVOhMjtn pic.twitter.com/KRNSU2WF18

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 26, 2023

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The unexpected opening of an emergency exit door on an Asiana Airlines plane making its landing on Friday in Daegu, South Korea, left passengers shaken, and 9 of them were hospitalized after they experienced difficulty breathing. https://t.co/LSWeUrAp45 pic.twitter.com/L9OP3M6eLV

— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) May 26, 2023

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About a minute before landing, the left aft-wing emergency door L3 on Asiana flight #OZ8124 was opened. The inflatable chute - housed below the door - deployed and was ripped off in the airstream. https://t.co/0q4mwO9GYv
A321 L3 door operation: https://t.co/LRhQL4In7d pic.twitter.com/WsAfvPVGGV

— JACDEC (@JacdecNew) May 26, 2023

 Incident Airbus A321-231 HL8256, 26 May 2023 (aviation-safety.net)

Korean Air’s acquisition of Asiana Airlines making progress

Korean Air continues to make progress obtaining necessary business combination approvals to acquire Asiana Airlines.

Korean Air has announced that Thailand’s Office of Trade Competition Commission (OTCC) recently completed its review of the business combination with Asiana, and stated that the submission of a prerequisite business combination report was not necessary.

In February, the airline received approval from the Turkish Competition Authority for its business combination with Asiana. The competition commission of the Philippines, where reporting is arbitrary, also approved of the business combination in May.

The remaining regulatory bodies from which Korean Air requires a business combination approval include the competition comissions of Korea, the United States, the European Union, China and Japan. The airline is actively cooperating with the respective commissions and providing additional documents upon request in order to finalize the acquisition process as early as possible.

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A350 becomes the long-haul flagship model for Asiana Airlines

The A350-900, introduced by Asiana Airlines in 2017, has become its flagship on long-distance routes.

With the introduction of its 11th A350 to the fleet on February 4, Asiana Airlines’ A350 is now deployed to four routes in the Americas - - New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle - - and three routes in Europe - - London, Paris, and Lisbon. 

In addition, the Asiana A350 provides services to Southeast and North Asia - - Singapore, Jakarta and Tokyo/NRT.

Two additional A350 will be introduced in 2020, bringing the total fleet to 13 by year-end.

The company is pioneering long-distance routes in line with the introduction of new equipment, with destinations such as Cairo, Egypt, Melbourne, Australia and Lisbon, Portugal in December 2019, and it has steadily strengthened its long-haul routes by twice expanding the New York route.

Besides fuel efficiency savings of 25% and provision of in-flight Wi-Fi service, the A350 also benefits from a HEPA air filtration system permits full replenishment of fresh air in the passenger cabin every two to three minutes.

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Asiana Airlines sold to Hyundai for $2.6 billion

South Korea's second-largest airline, Asiana Airlines Inc has been sold to a consortium including Hyundai Development Co according to reports from Reuters today.

The consortium said it has closed on its US$2.16 billion acquisition of a controlling stake in the airline.  Hyundai Development said out of the 2.5 trillion won its consortium with Mirae Asset will pay for the acquisition, its portion was 2.01 trillion won.

The airline’s top shareholder, Kumho Industrial Co Ltd (002990.KS), put its 31.05% stake up for sale earlier this year as it came under pressure from Asiana creditors to reduce debt at the loss-making carrier.  The deal also includes Asiana’s affiliates - low-cost carriers Air Seoul and Air Busan.

"We plan to invest more than 2 trillion won in new shares to be issued by Asiana Airlines to help improve the airline's financial status. We will focus on improving profitability by streamlining routes and enhancing cost-effectiveness," a spokesperson for Hyundai said. 

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Asiana Airlines gets new Airbus A350-900 as a third of the company goes up for sale

The first of two A350-900 for Asiana Airlines                                              Photo Aviation Capital Group 

The Aviation Capital Group, one of the leading global aircraft leasing firms announced that it had delivered today the first of two new A350-900 aircraft on long-term lease to Asiana Airlines. The second aircraft is scheduled for delivery during the month of October this year.

The aircraft was transferred to Asiana Airlines at a special ceremony at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse, France, before embarking on its delivery flight to South Korea. 

"ACG is extremely excited to deliver our first A350XWB aircraft into the Asiana Airlines operation and is delighted to continue a long-standing and important relationship with Asiana Airline,” said Khanh T. Tran, president and CEO of ACG.

“We are delighted to introduce the 8th A350 into our fleet with ACG’s support. This aircraft will further enhance our long-haul network operation. We believe this aircraft, equipped with the newest cabin interior, will bring an exceptional passenger experience to our customers,” said Danny Kim, General Manager of Asiana Airlines, Inc.

Part of Asiana is up for sale!

Last chance revamp for South Korea's Asiana

Photo Airbus

The Kumho Asiana Group has informed its top creditor that it will sell off Asiana Airlines Inc should the latest restructuring plan fail to be implemented fully over the next three or so years.

The pledge was offered to the Korea Development Bank (KDB), which also included a request for yet more financial support, this time in the region of around $439 million, according to a KDB statement.

Boss  Park Sam-koo had to resign as chief executive of both Asiana Airlines and its biggest shareholder, Kumho Industrial Co Ltd, last month after accounting irregularities caused concern about the group’s liquidity. Part of the Kumho Asiana group suggestions included that stakes owned by founding family members, Park Sam-koo, be passed to the creditors.  

Atlas Air to operate another 747-400 for Asiana Cargo

Cargo specialists Atlas Air today announced that it has entered into an agreement to add a second Boeing 747-400 Freighter for Asiana Cargo. 

The aircraft will be operated by Atlas Air and be flown on key global routes across the fast-growing transpacific market, connecting South Korea with several destinations in the United States. The aircraft is an incremental unit in Atlas Air’s fleet in response to customer demand and will enter into service this month.

“We are delighted to expand our strategic partnership with Asiana Cargo,” said William J. Flynn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide. “Asiana takes pride in providing reliable, high-quality service, and we are very pleased to be chosen to manage an important part of its international network. We look forward to providing Asiana and its customers with unmatched service and a platform for future expansion.”

  

Your flight is delayed because of a lack of........meals! Asiana Airlines making passengers hungry or late

There are many reasons why flights are delayed these days, bad weather, air traffic control strikes, technical issues with the aircraft, passengers spending too long in the duty-free shops and bars at the airport, they are just a few of the reasons we see on a regular basis.

However, none of those are the reasons behind why a whole raft of Asiana Airlines flights have either been cancelled or delayed over the recent days. No,  the South Korean airline's flights have been halted because of a lack of .......meals!

On Sunday, 51 flights were delayed and 36 departed without meals at all. Monday saw 18 depart without catering and 20 delayed whilst waiting for the in-flight meals to be delivered, sparking a surge of complaints to the airline from disgruntled and hungry passengers!

Asiana Airlines has not yet given us a formal statement, however, from what we understand, the company, seeking to cut costs, refused to extend a contract with flight catering company LSG Sky Chefs, a division of German airline Lufthansa.  Asiana had been with LSG Sky Chefs for around 15 years, so the relationship had been longstanding.

Asiana A330 slices through Turkish Airlines A321 tail

There is a massive repair bill for Asiana Airlines and Turkish Airlines after an Asiana Airlines Airbus A330 aircraft crashed into the rear of a Turkish Airlines A321 almost completely slicing off its tail.

Extensive damage has been caused to the vertical stabilizer of the Turkish Airlines aircraft which was entering an airport parking apron, whilst the A330 of Asiana was departing on a flight bound for Seoul Incheon on 13th May at around 5.30pm local time. 

A Turkish Airlines spokesperson said: "Turkish Airlines confirms that the Airbus A330 type aircraft of the South Korean airline, Asiana Airlines, hit the tail of Turkish Airlines' Airbus A321 while it was taxiing. There were no passengers and crew injured due to the incident, it just caused physical damage on both aircrafts."

Asiana has refused to comment on the incident, only saying that a joint Korean and Turkish investigation is underway. 

Asiana Airlines forced to pay £74,181 over spilt noodles

News from South Korea regarding an Asiana Airlines flight attendant indicates that the Seoul Eastern District Court has ordered her to pay a passenger 109.6 million won that's about £74,181 for burns from instant noodle soup.

The flight attendant had accidentally spilt the soup onto the female passenger, and as a result, the passenger suffered second and third-degree burns from her lower abdomen, thigh and genital area, local media is reporting.  

The court heard that the passenger, Ms Chang, was travelling from Incheon to Paris in business class on 17th March 2014, she filed the lawsuit a year later demanding at least two million won for damages. 

Asiana Airlines Welcomes Another Airbus A350

Asiana Airlines welcomed its latest Airbus A350 aircraft to its fleet today.   The Asiana Airlines’ A350-900 is an eco-friendly Medium-Large size aircraft with 300 seats launched by Airbus in 2014.

A350-900 features the newest Rolls-Royce trend XWB engine and streamlined wings, surpassing B777 with 25% higher fuel efficiency and 25% less carbon dioxide emission.

Also, it will bring a more enjoyable in-flight experience with less in-flight noise, full-LED lights and air circulation system operating every 2~3 minutes.

And here's a view a passenger would never normally get to see - the crew rest area or 'bunk' that flight and cabin crew use during those long flights.

Asiana Crash Report

It has been nearly a year since the fatal crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 at San Francisco Airport, now federal investigators in the United States if America will determine on Tuesday what caused the accident and make recommendations to avoid another.

The National Transportation Safety Board will release its report on the results of its investigation into the July 6, 2013, crash that killed three people and injured more than 200.

Investigators have already said the Boeing 777-200ER was flying lower and slower than intended when it slammed into the seawall at the end of the runway, spun around and burst into flames.

The board will vote on probable causes of the crash and then make non-binding recommendations, which are keenly awaited in the industry because of the expertise of the board and its staffers.

"We really look forward to seeing that report. We work not in the 'what happened,' but 'why it happened,'" said Michael Barr, who teaches aviation safety at the University of Southern California and has a commercial pilot's certificate. "The why is what's going to prevent the next accident."

The Asiana flight from Seoul was traveling about 119 mph, despite a goal of 158 mph, when it hit the seawall on a sunny morning. The airline acknowledged in documents filed in March that a "probable cause" of the accident was the pilots flying too slow.

Asiana Airlines Faces Legal Battle Over Crash

In the first investigation of its kind, federal transportation officials are reviewing whether Asiana Airlines failed to meet legal obligations to help the families of passengers after one of its planes crashed at San Francisco International Airport in July.

Three people died and dozens were injured when Asiana Flight 214 clipped a seawall while landing on 6 July, following a trip from South Korea, where the airline is based. Under US law, Asiana was required to provide a range of services to family members of the 291 passengers, from the prompt posting of a toll-free number to gather and distribute information to providing transportation and lodging so family members could comfort injured loved ones.

Congress created the rules in the late 1990s, following crashes after which airlines were roundly criticized for ignoring family members. However, the government rarely audits the plans to check whether airlines can deliver the assurances they make on paper, and an Associated Press review of documents filed by two dozen foreign airlines found cases in which carriers had not updated their plans.

Asiana's plan was last updated in 2004. After the crash, problems with the airline's response were almost immediately apparent.