Rail Report: Busan to Gyeongju via Singyeongju Station, South Korea (02-03 February 2019)

With more historic sites and cultural treasures than one can hope to see in a lifetime, Gyeongju (경주) deserves at least an overnight stay for one to properly appreciate the key attractions. That said, the sprawling city of Busan (부산) to the south – with its airport, harbour, and railway station – can also serve as a jump-off point from which to explore the former Silla capital. There are several ways of commuting between the two cities, but let’s look closely at one option in particular: a half-hour, high-speed train ride combined with a local bus service.

Continue reading “Rail Report: Busan to Gyeongju via Singyeongju Station, South Korea (02-03 February 2019)”

Flight Report:  KIX-MNL on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 827 (17 February 2019)

From the shiny new aeroplane to the on-time arrival, I think Cebu Pacific (5J) did a pretty good job on our outbound flight from Manila to Ōsaka. Now let’s see if they can do just as well on the homeward journey from Japan to the Philippines.

Welcome aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 827.

Continue reading “Flight Report:  KIX-MNL on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 827 (17 February 2019)”

Flight Report:  MNL-KIX on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 828 (14 February 2019)

I haven’t flown recently with Cebu Pacific (5J) on their Ōsaka route, mainly because their evening arrival at Kansai International Airport (KIX) doesn’t dovetail with my preference for daytime landings. But when a hastily planned group holiday pushed me into choosing their awful outbound schedule – since it was the one that worked best for everyone concerned – I sought solace in the hope that other aspects of the experience would make up for the late time slot. Not least of these is the fact that we’d be flying on one of 5J’s shiny new A321 aircraft, which I’ve taken many times on other flights but never with this airline.

Welcome aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 828.

Continue reading “Flight Report:  MNL-KIX on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 828 (14 February 2019)”

Airport Lounge Report: Skyview Lounge, MNL Terminal 3

Terminal 3 (T3) of Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) can be a depressingly bland place in which to wait for a flight. Fortunately, it’s got a separate lounge floor with no less than three third-party facilities to choose from, in addition to lounges run directly by airlines. Today, we’ll have a look at one of T3’s third-party lounges, and we’ll see if it offers a major improvement over parking oneself in the general boarding area.

Welcome to the Skyview Lounge.

Continue reading “Airport Lounge Report: Skyview Lounge, MNL Terminal 3”

Terminal Report: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) T3, Metro Manila, Philippines

Terminal 3 (T3) is the newest and largest of the four terminals at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL). That said, its partly unfinished state and the appropriation of nearly half the entire building for domestic flights continue to hobble efforts aimed at raising the quality of its operations to global standards. In this report, we’ll build a picture of what passengers departing on international flights can expect when they pass through this facility.

Continue reading “Terminal Report: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) T3, Metro Manila, Philippines”

Flight Report:  ICN-MNL on Korean Air Flight KE 649 (06 February 2019)

Korean Air (KE) did an excellent job in bringing me from Manila to Seoul on KE 624, and they followed with a successful onward transit to Busan on KE 1401. Now let’s see if they can finish the itinerary – my first with this airline, by the way – on a high note by returning me safely, comfortably, and punctually from Seoul to Manila on the final, homeward leg.

Welcome aboard Korean Air flight KE 649.

Continue reading “Flight Report:  ICN-MNL on Korean Air Flight KE 649 (06 February 2019)”

Terminal Report: Incheon International Airport (ICN) T2, Seoul, South Korea

I’ve used Incheon International Airport (ICN) many times when flying to or out of Korea. However, until a few weeks ago, all of the airlines I’ve travelled with were assigned to Terminal 1. This year, I gave my business to flag carrier Korean Air (KE) for the very first time, which in turn gave me my first opportunity to use their shiny new hub: ICN’s Terminal 2 (T2).

Continue reading “Terminal Report: Incheon International Airport (ICN) T2, Seoul, South Korea”

Rail-Air Report: The Seoul Station City Airport Terminal and the A’REX Train to Incheon Airport, South Korea

Seoul, the bustling capital of South Korea, is a popular destination for tourism and business alike. Unfortunately, that same popularity often leads to a fair bit of queuing at its main gateway, Incheon International Airport (IATA code: ICN). Today, we’ll try to beat the queues by checking in for our flight before we even leave the city.

Welcome to the Seoul Station City Airport Terminal.

Continue reading “Rail-Air Report: The Seoul Station City Airport Terminal and the A’REX Train to Incheon Airport, South Korea”

Flight Report:  ICN-PUS on Korean Air Flight KE 1401 (02 February 2019)

In this report, we’ll look at a very short – but very special – 40-minute flight from Incheon to Busan. A couple of things made this experience stand out amongst my recent airborne adventures, despite its brevity. One: although the flight serves a domestic route, it’s treated as an international service. Two: the flight blessed me with some incredible aerial views of the Korean peninsula.

Welcome aboard Korean Air flight KE 1401.

Continue reading “Flight Report:  ICN-PUS on Korean Air Flight KE 1401 (02 February 2019)”

(Mini-)Terminal Report: Early morning transit at Incheon Airport (ICN) T2, South Korea (02 February 2019)

Just a trimmed-down report for today, covering my recent experience of transferring between flights at Terminal 2 of Incheon International Airport (ICN).

Continue reading “(Mini-)Terminal Report: Early morning transit at Incheon Airport (ICN) T2, South Korea (02 February 2019)”