Airline Review: Bravo, Asiana Airlines!

Seven years ago, I flew to Tokyo from Seoul and decided to take Asiana Airlines. And since it was my first time to visit Japan, I figured I should see Mount Fuji!  Unfortunately, my holidays were limited and I could not travel outside of Tokyo to see the most famous peak in Japan. But there was another way!

I did some research and I found out that the flight route from Seoul would fly over Mount Fuji! So, when I was buying my plane ticket, I asked the Asiana Airlines staff to seat me on the window that would allow me to see the famous mountain.

And did you know what she did?

To make sure I got the correct seat, she called a pilot!

The same thing I would do! In case of doubt, ask!

And I was able to see Mount Fuji without having to leave Tokyo!

And this time, seven years after I was impressed, I had to run again to Asiana Airlines for a ride home!

You see, I waited for the last minute to get me a plane ticket home for Christmas as I wasn’t sure of my schedule. So, when I started calling travel agents, it was already late! All I got were fully booked flights and expensive plane fare responses.

                (Incheon International Airport)

Armed with my passport and my Asiana Airlines membership card, I headed to the Kumho-Asiana Building in Gwanghwamun area in Seoul. This was the same area where Pope Francis celebrated a beatification mass in 2014. When I got there, I was told that the flights from Incheon International Airport to Cebu International Airport from mid-December until the 31^st were all fully booked. I didn’t believe her. An hour before, I visualized that I would be able to get a seat, and what she said didn’t even register; I knew there was seat for me somewhere.

She checked again, and this time, she said there was a seat, not in the economy class, but business class! I then asked her whether my mileage amount was enough. And she said “Yes!”

That was the moment I realized my visualization technique actually worked! Ha-ha-ha!

This was the singular moment the universe conspired to help me!

A week before I decided to get my ticket home, I received tennis rackets that my friends living in Seoul donated. I planned to bring them home so I could give them to the kids whom I taught tennis as a volunteer. But with the limited baggage allowance, I thought of postponing bringing them to the Philippines.

          (The Asiana Airlines check-in counter 
            at Seoul Station's Airport Railroad 
                      Express Terminal)

But with this business class ticket from Asiana Airlines, I had a 32-kilo, check-in luggage allowance! The tennis rackets were flying home with me!

So, on the day I was to fly home, I ditched using the airport limousine bus because it was snowing and the traffic was bad. If it took me almost two hours to get to the airport on good weather, it would probably take me three that day.

And thanks to my friend Andrew, who gave me a lift to the Seoul Station, my trip to Incheon International Airport was a breeze. I simply bought a discounted express train ticket (discounted because I had an airline ticket), checked in my luggage and tennis bag at the early check-in counter of Asiana Airlines at the AREX terminal (how convenient for the passenger!), and took to my assigned seat for a 43-minute train ride to the airport! All I was carrying were my handcarry bags! I already got a boarding pass!

When I got the airport, I didn’t waste any time. I immediately headed to the Immigration Gate. As expected after the final security check and Immigration, my legs were complaining. It was a long walk from the AREX train terminal up to the pre-departure area. It was time to lounge!

After presenting my boarding pass at the entrance of the Asiana Airlines Business Lounge, I went inside and picked a quiet corner where I intended to spend the next four hours in solitude and nutrition! Ha-ha-ha!

I actually asked the lady at the lounge entrance whether they had pizza; sadly, there wasn’t any. But they had fried rice, tofu in spicy sauce with vegetables, a salad bar, different breads, porridge, nachos with cheese dips, and mini-cookies! I was especially happy that they had regular Coke!

  (Nibbling on nachos with cheese dip at the lounge)

As I experienced before, Asiana Airlines’ impeccable customer service started at the ground. From the very helpful lady at the Asiana Airlines’ ticketing counter, to the available check-in at the Seoul Station which made everything very convenient, and up to the business lounge facility which any tired traveler would appreciate, this airline obviously thought through the whole passenger experience.

              (Asiana Airline's Business Lounge)

Although our flight was delayed by almost an hour, I didn’t mind as my connecting flight from Cebu International Airport to Bacolod-Silay Airport was at 8AM the next morning. Whether the flight was early or late, I still had a lot of waiting at Cebu.

As regards customer communications, I received an email and a message in my KakaoTalk from Asiana Airlines advising me that my flight was delayed while I was resting and having merienda. Asiana made sure I knew my flight was delayed and I could stay longer at the Lounge. You’d never get this kind of effort from any Philippine airline.

Well, the in-flight movies weren’t really the ones I wanted to watch. But Glenn Close and Taraji P. Henson did just fine.

                 (Glenn Close as Cruella DeVille joining me
             for a grilled chicken breast dinner)

           (Taraji P. Henson in Hidden Figures)

During the day before Andrew drove me to the Seoul Station, we stopped by the donkatsu restaurant at Nam-san near the cable car station for lunch. Their donkatsu was horrible; people were patronizing them because they have been there since 1960, serving horrible donkatsu (I’ll never go back there again).

But, lucky me! My in-flight dinner was a thousand times better than my lunch. Salmon carpaccio and mixed greens with balsamic vinegar for appetizer, grilled chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese, and slathered in cream sauce, and served with deep-fried potatoes.

And as I was watching snippets of movie scenes, I nibbled on blue cheese, gouda, and camembert! And to cap my midnight, Haagen Dazs ice cream! I didn’t try to finish my ice cream though. I still had another flight and I am lactose intolerant. You know what I mean. Ha-ha-ha!

Maybe I was just too tired at the end of the day that I forgot to write the crew a ‘Thank you’ note. But I hope this blog could make up for it. After all, a note could just contain about 20 words; this blog is already in excess of a thousand!

So, thank you, Asiana Airlines! You made my journey home convenient, relaxing and memorable!

Bravo and kamsahamnida!

Jean's Korea Stopover: Touring Seoul Like A Local!

Three years ago, when my my kumare Maria had a stopover at Incheon International Airport for a few hours before her flight to London, I was able to tour her around Seoul in record time! 

      (Seoul Station is the premiere train 
                   station in Korea)

This time, Jean, another friend who lives in California, was flying back to the US and had a few hours of stopover at Incheon International Airport. So, it's another day to tour Seoul again! In record time!

Over the years, people have asked me if they would be able to sneak out of the Incheon International Airport and roam Seoul during their layover. My suggestion has always been to join the free transit tours offered at the Airport because these transit tours have a bus and a strict timetable to stick to, allowing passengers to make it back to the airport for their connecting flight.

But the disadvantage of these tours is that they only visit a few tourist spots and stay close to one area. 

I, however, always have other ideas for my tourist friends passing through Incheon Airport. And that is to run around Seoul on a marathon tour, while riding the local transport system like a local! Those transit tours can't beat that!

And so, when Jean flew in at Incheon Airport and had a few hours to spare, he simply took the Airport Railroad Express (AREX) train from the airport to Seoul Station! And from there, we ran around Seoul during that cool, spring April day just in time when the cherry blossoms were proudly blooming. 

I took notes of our tour route and timetable so I could share it here for everyone to try out in case they also have a few hours' layover at Incheon International Airport.

Here it is:

STOP 1 @ 9AM: Seoul Station - arrival, quick coffee and breakfast

Taking the Airport Railroad Express (AREX) train to Seoul, Jean arrived at Seoul Station for a quick breakfast! There are cafes and donuts shops inside the Seoul Station, and we just grabbed a quick breakfast.

Transport: Leave the main Seoul Station building and head down to Subway Line 1 to go to City Hall Station, the next stop. 
Or you can take either of these Blue Bus Numbers: 506, 150, 501 at the Seoul Station Bus Transfer Hub going to the Seoul Plaza. Make sure when you take the bus, the direction is towards the left if you're facing out of the Seoul Station.

             (By the Cheonggye Stream)

STOPS 2,3: 9:40am @ Seoul Plaza and Cheonggye Stream

From Exit 5 of City Hall Station, we roamed around Seoul Plaza and headed down to the Cheonggye Stream for more photos.

              (Greeting Admiral Yi)

STOPS 4,5: 10:10am @ Gwanghwamun Square and Gyeongbuk Palace

Seoul Plaza, the Cheonggye Stream, Gwanghwamun Square and Gyeongbuk Palace are a few hundred meters to each other. For this stop, we were able to see these tourist spots within walking distance.

At Gwanghwamun Square, the statues of   Admiral Yi Sun-Sin and and King Sejong are the most popular photo stops.

         (Courtesy call to King Sejong)

And by walking the entire length of Gwanghwamun Square, we ended up at the front entrance of Gyeongbuk Palace. We just crossed the street after!

We didn't buy any entrance tickets as we didn't need to enter the main palace. Jean just posed in front of the palace! And that was it! He already stepped into South Korea's premiere royal palace within an hour of his first breakfast in Korea! Ha-ha-ha! 

      (A royal visitor at the royal palace)

And from Gyeongbuk Palace, we walked towards the bus stop in front of the Sejong Arts Center and waited for the Blue Bus 402 which would take us to Nam-san (Mt. Nam) for the cherry blossom road!

STOP 6: 11:10am @ Namsan's cherry blossom road near Namsan Park

The cherry blossom lane was just across the bus stop, and we didn't need to trek up Nam-san towards the Seoul Tower; we could see it from where we were. We just roamed around the park and joined other international and local tourists admiring the blossoms that cool spring morning!

                (Cherry blossom lane)

From the Yongsan Library Bus Stop, we simply took Blue Bus 402 (or 405) going down to our next stop, Namdaemun Market. 

STOP 7: 12noon @ Namdaemun Market 

                     (Market day!)

Since it was lunch time, we stopped by the small binddaeteok restaurant near Gate 2 of Namdaemun Market and went for some hotteok dessert at the most popular sweet hotteok stall in the market!

                    (Korean snacks!)

From Namdaemun Market, we just strolled towards Myeongdong shopping area since it was just about 400 meters away.

STOP 8: 12:40pm @ Myeongdong shopping area and Myeongdong Cathedral

             (Myeongdong Cathedral)

We walked around the busy Myeongdong shopping center and ended up at the other end where the Myeongdong Cathedral is located. 

From there, we walked towards the highway nearest the Cathedral (turning right if you're descending from the Cathedral steps), and waited for Blue Bus 470 (or 471). The direction of the buses should be towards Namsan tunnel. 

The blue bus ran through the tunnel, passed through Yongsan's Hannam-dong (my neighborhood, actually!), crossed the Han River via Hannam Bridge, and brought us to Gangnam Station! We were right in the middle of the priciest commercial real estates in Seoul! 

Yes, Jean crossed the Han River on a Seoul bus through one of the busiest bridges connecting northern and the southern Seoul!

STOP 9: 1:20pm @ Gangnam Station and Psy's Gangnam Style

We headed to Exit 11 of Gangnam Station where, next to it, was Psy's silhouette declaring it's the Gangnam Style spot. There's actually a big button behind this small stage, which plays the pop song when pushed.

             (Psy also welcomed Jean!)

From there, we took the train from Gangnam Station (Green Line 2) towards Sadang Station. At Sadang Station, we transferred to the Line 4 (Blue Line) for a train that would take us back to Seoul Station.

STOP 10: 2:10pm @ Seoul Station

Jean made it back to Seoul Station past 2PM in time for the next express train trip back to Incheon Airport. The express train took less than 45 minutes to reach Incheon Airport, where Jean would wait for his boarding time around 4PM.

By the way, at the Airport Express train terminal, there is a shop where you can leave your handcarry bag for a fee. 

                     *  *  *  *  *

So, there! With free hours during his stopover at Incheon International Airport, Jean was able to run around Seoul, rode the efficient transport system of buses and subways, tried Korean dishes and visited the most popular tourist spots like a local! And even got a Gangnam Style welcome!

And in case you also want to do this transit tour, here are some important reminders:

1. For the Immigration officer to allow you to leave the Incheon Airport, you will need to present the boarding pass for your connecting flight as well as your travel documents like your passport.

2. Get a Seoul map from the tour desk at Incheon Airport and familiarize yourself with the places you want to visit.

3. Take note of your connecting flight's boarding time and the AREX train schedule going back to Incheon Airport.

4. Decide on what time you should be heading back to Seoul Station's AREX terminal and rush back immediately if you think you'll be pressed for time, even if you're not finished with your DIY tour. Always remember, you have a plane to catch!

5. Buy a T-Money transport card and make sure you have enough load for the bus, subway or taxi rides.

6. You will need cash in Korean won when you're buying from small stalls and shops.

7. Have fun on your adventure! We did!

                    *  *  *  *  *

IMPORTANT: Make sure you incorporate in your travel time going back to the airport the following:  train schedule, train ride, x-ray security check at Incheon, Immigration check and walking time towards your boarding gate.

I HIGHLY suggest you should be on the airport express train on the way back to Incheon Airport at least TWO (2) HOURS before your BOARDING TIME to allow an hour for the train ride, and another to get through the long queue at the airport security and Immigration. 


MAKE SURE your watch, or smartphone clock, is synchronized with Korea Time!

Living in Korea 101: The Smart Entry Service @ Incheon Airport

Are you one of those rushing to get to the Immigration counter as quick as you can upon landing at Incheon International Airport? Like me, you rush to get there first because. If you're unlucky, there could be a lot of foreigners already lining up before you. And lining up to wait for your turn could take up time, especially when there were flights arriving from China loaded with tourists. One time, I had to admonish a Chinese tourist who tried to jump the line; she just cut before me like she was inserting herself in a grade school gym class.

But if you're holding a specific type of visa, you can actually avoid these long lines. How? By registering for the Smart Entry Service (SES).

The SES is "an automatic immigration clearance system which allows pre-approved travelers to process immigration clearance by themselves using biometric information." Yes, you don't need to be face-to-face with an Immigration officer as you leave or come to South Korea. You simply breeze through without having to worry about the long lines.

               (Immigration Office at Seoul Station 
               where you can register for SES)

If you ever noticed upon your arrival, on the left-most side of the Immigration area, next to 'FOREIGNERS' lines, there's a single entry door where you'd see people scanning their passports and putting both index fingers on the biometric scanners. That's the SES line. According to the SES website, it takes only 12 seconds! Yes, you don't need to spend minutes (at times 30!) waiting in line and put up with uncouth tourists.

            (The SES registration machine at the
            Seoul Station's Immigration Office)

So, if your visa type is one of those qualified for SES, you can register yourself for this very convenient service. Just bring your passport and alien registration card. 

Click on the SES link below and check under 'Eligibility'. You can also locate the registration office nearest you.

http://www.ses.go.kr/ses/SesCenterR_en.ses

The Shuttle Train Ride @ Incheon Airport

                                    (Tunnel view)

Have you ever departed from or arrived at Gates 101 to 132 of the Incheon International Airport?  If you have, you must have taken this shuttle train ride as well!

I always ride this shuttle train because my flights for Manila, Philippines, use one of those gates. And on my last ride, I decided to take a video. Since the train has no engineer driving it from one point to the other, both ends of the shuttle have windows where you can watch the tunnel through which the train passes.

It's just a short ride, actually. But I guess watching the tunnel and the tracks is a rarity because, if you take the subway train in Seoul, you won't be able to see the path as the front and the end of the trains are the control booth for the engineers running them. Before they installed the platform screen doors at the stations, you can even see the engineers at the front when the train comes into the station. Now, with the platform screen doors, you'd hardly see their faces. Maybe only on some platforms of some stations of the Gyeonggi- Jungang Line, you can still spy on who's running the train.

And speaking of these platform screen doors, the main reason for putting them up was for the safety of the passengers. Some people accidentally fall into the tracks for various reasons, though some not really accidental. Jumping into the train tracks was a common way to commit suicide years ago when there were no barriers to hold anyone back. But I wonder, if anyone wants to commit suicide, why bother buying a train ticket and ruin everyone's day?  If someone falls into the tracks to kill himself or herself, the train has to stop and the schedule freezes, delaying the passage of that train and all the trains behind it. It would also hold all passengers up - for those inside the train and for those waiting at the stations, causing them to miss their appointments, classes and meetings.

And how about the trauma of those who were on the platform who witnessed everything? The sight of someone jumping and actually being killed on the tracks is definitely difficult to forget, and even more so for the engineer himself. Seeing the face of person before he or she was run over by his train would always bring nightmares. These engineers actually had to go through some psychiatric counselling. If you watched the Korean movie, The Railroad (Korean title: Gyeongui-seon 경의선). the lead actor suffered that kind of trauma. 

          (The shuttle arriving at the other end)

I don't know how I ended up talking about subway suicides by just riding the shuttle train of Incheon Airport. I guess the tunnel view along the ride without any other distraction makes one remember all the other stories from riding trains in Seoul. 

But there's one feeling I get every time I take this shuttle train to my departure gate. I always feel that this ride makes me one step closer to home. After all, before the train shuttle is the last leg of my journey, the plane ride, the one ride that would eventually bring me home.

                                         *  *  *  *  * 
Here's the video of my shuttle train ride leaving the main terminal and heading to my departure gate:

Passenger Service: From The World's Best Airport....To The Worst!

              (Incheon's trolleys available 
                for departing passengers)


The Incheon International Airport has always been voted as one of the best airports in the world. If you have passed through this airport, you'd agree with me that it's very clean and efficient, and their facilities make any traveler's passage very convenient. The people behind it must have always thought of the passengers, their main customer, and what he or she needs to have a comfortable journey.

During my summer break weeks ago, I flew out of Incheon Airport en route to Manila, Philippines. From my neighborhood in Seoul, I took the airport limousine bus (which is also the most convenient way to the airport from Seoul), and when I got off the bus, an airport personnel helped unload my luggage. And next to that stop, trolleys were all lined up for any passenger to use.

            (Tipping the scale at Incheon Airport 
                  within my 30-kg. allowance)

At the departure area, they even placed a digital weighing scale to help me make sure that I didn't go beyond my allowed baggage weight. How thoughtful of them! My passage through Incheon International Airport went very smoothly, as always.

But when my flight landed at the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, it was a different story. 

When I went home in December 2014, I was welcomed by the sign 'DO NOT ENTER'; it was blocking the supposedly moving walkway. And this time, after seven months, the same sign was blocking the arriving passengers; this walkway has obviously not been repaired all these months?! Why does the NAIA management even install these substandard facilities and waste the airport fees from the passengers and revenues from the airlines?

              (Deja vu: 7 months still not moving)

My flight arrived at 12:30AM on a plane full of tired adults and sleepy, crying babies. Is it too much for NAIA to think about this walkway's actual purpose? 

And as if that inutile walkway was not enough, when I was flying out of NAIA3 after my week-long vacation, another useless walkway greeted me as I made my way to Gate 106 for my Cebu Pacific flight back to Seoul. The sign said 'ON-GOING REPAIR' but there wasn't any repairman attending to it. I wondered if it was actually defective, or maybe they just didn't want to turn it on.

      (Road block en route to Gate 106)

And as if ON-GOING REPAIR was not enough, the hundreds of idle trolleys parked at Gate 106 were an irritating surprise!

Any passenger going through NAIA3 must walk for hundreds of meters from the first x-ray security check to the flight check-in, not to mention queuing for OEC certificate clearance for OFWs or paying your travel tax, up to Immigration and the final security check.

But what pissed me off was that the NAIA3 management just didn't want departing passengers to use those trolleys parked at Gate 106, trolleys which could have made things lighter to carry, especially if you're a senior citizen, have kids in tow, or have a bad back. 

               (Idle trolleys hidden at 
                 Gate 106 of NAIA3)

I complained to the Cebu Pacific staff about this and she said that it's actually the NAIA management's responsibility to bring these trolleys back to the final security check so departing passengers can use them. I asked her to remind NAIA management about this. 

               (Useless NAIA3 trolleys)

In July 2014, I already saw these useless trolleys parked at another gate, Gate 115. This time, 12 months later, another pack of useless trolleys are hidden at the other end of terminal. This just shows what poor customer service NAIA has for passengers using its airport. 

NAIA deserves its 'worst airport' label. I am sure thousands of arriving or departing passengers would agree with me.

So, there. Flying from the best airport to the worst gives a passenger the best experience. And the worst.

A Night At Incheon International Airport's Museum Of Korean Culture

I always get to the Incheon International Airport at least three hours before my scheduled departure. Although everything is efficient at this airport, I am not that type who runs and rushes to the finish line, just in time for boarding. 

Last year, as I made my way to my assigned boarding gate at the Concourse (for Gates 101-132) for my flight to Manila, I noticed a sign that I never noticed before. I thought that around the boarding gates were just coffee shops, food courts and more duty-free shops. But as I looked up, there it was...the Museum of Korea Culture (or should it be Museum of Korean Culture?).

And since I had an hour to spare, I went up the escalator with my handcarry luggage to have a look.

The hall was empty; it was just past 8PM and there was just a couple of passengers around this area, but the items exhibited seemed interesting. I realized this museum was set up for passengers who are in the Incheon International Airport for a short layover, or for those who did not have the time to visit any museum during their stay in South Korea. 

A huge bell greeted me at the Museum's entrance. The Naesosagoryeodongjong (whew! such a long word!) is a bronze Buddhist bell made in 1222 during the Goryeo Dynasty. This huge bell by the entrance is actually a replica of the real historical treasure from the Naesosa Temple at Bu-an County in the North Jeolla Province. I don't know how heavy this bell was, but I guess it must have took them more than just an airport limousine bus to ferry this huge artifact to the airport.

At the middle of the Museum was an imposing structure that reminded me of the Jogyesa Temple in Seoul. This stone pagoda in the Museum is also a replica of the real Seokgatap, which was completed in the 8th century, and can be found at the Bulguksa Temple in Gyeongju, a city in the North Gyeongsang Province.

                           (Seokgatap stone pagoda)

These two are replicas of the Korean culture, officially designated by the Korean government. The Naesosa bell is official the National Treasure No. 277, while the stone pagoda is National Treasure No. 21. So, in this Museum, right above a duty-free shop, passengers passing through the Incheon Airport can get to see replicas of the national treasures of Korea. 

In the Museum, there are also copies of the Dosanseowondo (a painting designated as National Treasure (NT) No. 522), Donggwoldo (another painting; NT No. 249), and another treasure with a very long name, Mugujeonggwang-daeharanigyeong, (a very old wood-block print, NT No. 126).

And for passengers who want to get some quick lessons on Hangeul, the Korean language, there's a corner in the Museum where you can learn how to write your name on decorative cards in the Korean language. You can also pick up some free learning charts that you can bring with you and study on the plane later during your flight. But if you have time on your next visit to Seoul, I'd recommend you drop by the National Hangeul Museum of Korea near the Ichon Station (Line 4) if you are interested to learn more about the Korean language.

                               (For whom the bell tolls)

So, next time you're at the Incheon International Airport for a short stopover, do ask for directions to the 4th floor of the Concourse area where can catch a glimpse of the Korean culture and historical artifacts. You only need at least 20 minutes to discover what's inside the Museum, and it's open from 7AM to 10PM everyday. 

*  *  *  *  *

PS. But if your stopover is about a day, I would suggest you take a short trip to Seoul. My friend Maria had a long layover and she was able to roam Seoul for five hours!

Living In Seoul: The Airport Limousine Bus

"Welcome to Korea!"

That's what the overhead screen read as I walked out from the arrival gate. After passing under that 'welcome' sign, it was pretty much a mad dash to the main terminal. Why? Because everyone wanted to get in line at the Immigration counter as soon as possible, considering the hundreds of other foreign tourists arriving at the same time. And usually, for faster processing, the Immigration officers open up more lines to process foreigners if there were no long lines at the counters processing locals.

For foreigners living in Korea (on selected visa types), there's actually a very short cut through the Immigration check: the Smart Entry Service. This Smart Entry Service allows one to pass through Immigration using biometrics and facial recognition, instead of having to line up in front of an Immigration officer. 

(My ube-jam colored suitcase with real, yummy ube jam inside waiting for the Hannam-dong bus 6010)

                           (A bus ticket vending machine)

But after Immigration, I had to quickly drag my heavy luggage from the baggage carousel to the airport bus stop in order to catch the next trip. I usually had to be quick, just waving my 'Customs Declaration' questionnaire through the Customs officer, declaring nothing but my independence. Or at times, my innocence. Ha-ha-ha!

And finding myself standing at the airport bus stop always gave me some relief realizing that this would be the last leg of my journey. With tired legs and an almost empty stomach, I was just a bus ride away from home!

          (People waiting for their buses at Incheon Airport)

            (Bus markers at the airport limousine bus stop
                             at Incheon Airport)

If it's your first time in Korea, your hotel should advise you which gate number you should wait for your airport bus number. And next to the bus stops, there are ticket vending machines from which you can buy your bus tickets. Also make sure you put your luggage right next to the bus marker so that the bus-stop staff would know there's a passenger awaiting for that specific bus number.

And on my last trip back to Korea last month, I was surprised that my Airport Bus 6010 has finally installed a 'stop button', just like what they have in all transport buses in Seoul. It's that red button overhead that you need to press if you're getting off at the next bus stop.

                                       

                           (The red stop button overhead)

     (Somebody is getting off at the next stop when it's lighted)


I am glad they installed this, too, in airport limousine buses because you usually have to advise the bus driver that you're actually alighting at the next stop. Last January, on my return from my Christmas vacation in the Philippines when the 'stop buttons' weren't installed yet, the bus driver almost missed my Hannam-dong bus stop even after I told him earlier.

I have always appreciated these airport buses. They make living in Seoul, or Korea for that matter, easier and convenient. Now, with these 'stop buttons'  they even made it more convenient for me; I don't have to scream: "Ajussi! Yeogi-yo!"

(My luggage at the airport bus stop next to....garbage bags dumped by Hannam-dong residents)