It’s such a dilemma heading off in the depth of UK winter for sunny climes and having to lug the winter coat across the world.  Those lucky enough to be travelling to Australia, New Zealand or the Far East with Korea Air will find that the innovative airline has a coat storage service for passengers transiting through their hub airport in Seoul.  The service is provided between December 1st and February 28th 2011 and during this period, Korean Air passengers can travel light by storing their winter coats at Incheon International Airport and collect them upon their return, so they can wrap up warm for the cold arrival back home.

The service was first launched by Korean Air in 2008, and has been increasingly popular with passengers ever since. An average 130 passengers used the service every day in the winter of 2008, increased to 250 in 2009. The first five days are free of charge and thereafter a nominal daily charge is made.

This service is available for all passengers travelling internationally from Korea with either Korean Air, or a Korean Air ticket with a code-sharing flight. Passengers’ coats are hung on a sturdy plastic hanger wrapped in plastic sheet during storage.

To access the service, passengers simply show their boarding pass at Hanjin Cargo counter located in Area A of the passenger terminal on the third floor of Incheon International Airport. To retrieve the coat after their return, they only need to show the storage receipt at the same counter.  The coat storage service is available from 4:30am ~ 9pm every day. A passenger can store one coat for five days for free. After that free period, a surcharge of KRW2,500 per day will apply.

Korean Air has winter sun return flights, with award winning inflight service, at competitively priced fares in economy, business and first class.