Haven’t flown the A350 or out of Atlanta for a hot minute, so, I figured, what better way to do my first A350 trip report in well over a month than with Delta’s third-longest out of Atlanta, longest Asian one out of Atlanta, and 6th longest overall when LAX-MEL starts in December? The A350-900 has become a true long-haul and ultra-long-haul workhorse for Delta, flying to destinations as far afield as Johannesburg and Cape Town (ATL), Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne (LAX), Tokyo (ATL, LAX, MSP, DTW, and SEA), Shanghai (LAX, SEA, and DTW; DL also flew to PVG from Atlanta until 2020 and the retirement of the 777-200LR), Taipei (SEA), and Seoul (ATL, DTW, MSP, SEA, and SLC). In particular, Seoul has become an important Asian destination for Delta, owing to its convenience as the home of SkyTeam partner Korean Air, allowing for seamless connections to destinations throughout the Asia-Pacific region, akin to what Amsterdam (KLM) and Paris (Air France) are for Europe and Africa. In fact, it’s significant enough that it warrants 2 daily flights from ATL by the Peach State-based airline, highly unusual for a destination that far away. Today, we’re taking the morning flight to Seoul.
Server: Solo
Airline: Delta Air Lines
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Origin: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia (ATL)
Destination: Incheon International Airport, Jung-gu, South Korea (ICN)
Flight Number: DL189
Route: KATL-RKSI
Seat: 7A (Delta One)
Time En Route: 15 Hours 18 Minutes
After a delightful breakfast at the Concourse F Delta Sky Club, we’re waiting to board at Gate F3 while reading a copy of this month’s DuPont Registry, focusing on the Porsche Classic Restoration Challenge, with a lovingly-restored, vintage Porsche 911 in the Gulf Oil livery on the cover. Porsche actually ties into the aviation industry somewhat, in that they figured out how to make a small fortune in it - start with a large one. Back in the 1980s, Porsche was riding high on the success of the 930, 928, and 944, and so the engineering wizards of Stuttgart decided that they’d make the logical progression to building airplane engines. And what better mount for their 911-derived flat-six, designated the PFM 3200, than what had the reputation of being a Porsche with wings, the Mooney M20? Porsche and the Kerrville-based plane maker came out with the M20L PFM, which promised to be a world-beater - the first factory-built Mooney with a 6-cylinder engine. Well, thing didn’t pan out, with the GA market entering a decade-long slump and Porsche finding out the hard way why Lycoming and Continental did and largely still do have a death grip on the engine market, with Mooney building ultimately just 40 PFMs. Most have since been either scrapped, lost in accidents, or converted to a different powerplant (Porsche surrendered the certificate for the PFM 3200 in 2007), but the 5 or so remaining airworthy M20Ls with the original PFM are rare treasures and certain head-turners when one pulls into the ramp. Anyway, back to the trip report.
Starting one of the big Trent 1000 XWBs as we begin pushback. This aircraft has obviously been recently renovated to the 40J/40W/195M (35H) configuration, as it has the shorter, wider, older-style winglets, but the almost brand-new seats of an aircraft that just came from Toulouse. In any instance, it’s absolutely stunning, and we can’t wait for see how it is on our journey!
Full-power takeoff from Runway 16L with the enormous ATL tower looming over the apron and the Delta TechOps, cargo, and general aviation (“general aviation” usually meaning “King Air or bigger” here) facilities in the background
Turning northwest in our climbout just over the Tennessee line, near Chattanooga
Leveled off at 34,000 feet near our hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. A light pre-lunch snack is being served, and we’re going to chow down on Delta’s legendary biscoffs.
After doing some eating, sleeping, and seatback IFE-watching, we’re headed southwest near Japan, before turning westward over Niigata, in northwestern Honshu. Since Seat 7A has most of the suite between us and the aisle, privacy has been excellent, with one almost not being able to tell we’re on a fairly-full flight.
Coming through the clouds in our initial descent into South Korea
Landing on the eastern side of Incheon with yet another mammoth ATC tower in view. Pilots seem to have put us down slightly off centerline; however, it’s hard to blame them given the on-and-off crosswinds on final.
Did they have a special on towers here in Seoul? We’re turning into our gate at Terminal roughly 10 minutes ahead of schedule.
Deplaned at Gate 54 at Terminal 2, amongst a bunch of Korean Air, SkyTeam partner airline, and a couple of fellow Delta widebodies. Have to say, Delta’s business class product is stellar in pretty much every field, and it’s definitely a must-fly experience.