For the Long Haul
Friday, March 21st, 2008Last week I blogged about a cheaper hotel alternative, but this week I am going in the opposite direction. Besides good food, I think the other thing every traveler should splurge on is to fly business class on long-haul flights. Before coming to Global Traveler, I had never flown business, but now I have, and I am spoiled! Earlier this week, I flew Korean Air Prestige class from JFK to Seoul Incheon Airport. I love business class and for a 14-hour and 19-minute flight, it is totally worth it.Some of the reasons why I love business class: You are forced to turn off your phone, there is no access to email (though that’s changing on some airlines, sadly), you have a vast movie selection at your disposal (especially on Korean Air, where I could choose from over 20 new movies, most of them recent Oscar winners and nominees), people are there to serve you, the meals are like four courses and, despite the other passengers, it can actually be quite a peaceful escape from reality for those hours you are in flight. I guess you could say you get some of those services in any class on any flight, but people often think of planes as cramped, and I am always comfortable when flying in business class. Things just seem rosier from my almost fully lie-flat seat!
I did not sleep much on my flight to Seoul, but I watched three movies, caught up on a lot of reading and did catch a few zzz’s. It was a nice escape and a great way to pass a loooong flight. I would recommend business class most for these kind of long flights. As soon as the plane touched down, I flipped on my Blackberry and as soon as I got to the hotel, I turned on my computer, but the break was much appreciated. And, by the time you are all reading this, I will be in the midst of another break, on my return flight to JFK. Greetings from Seoul!
–Kimberly Krol, circulation and public relations executive
