Korean Air
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| Founded | 1962 (privatized 1969) | ||||||
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| Hubs | Incheon Int'l Airport Gimpo International Airport | ||||||
| Focus cities | Gimhae International Airport Jeju International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | SKYPASS | ||||||
| Alliance | SkyTeam | ||||||
| Fleet size | 117 | ||||||
| Destinations | 103 incl. cargo | ||||||
| Parent company | Korean Air ITDC | ||||||
| Headquarters | Seoul, Republic of Korea | ||||||
| Key people | Cho Yangho (Chairman and CEO) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.koreanair.com | ||||||
Korean Air (KRX: 003490) is the largest airline based in South Korea. One of the largest airlines in Asia, it operates a network that links Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, and (formerly to) South America to its hub at Incheon International Airport and its domestic hub at Gimpo International Airport (formerly Kimpo International Airport). The airline competes with the smaller, younger fleet of Asiana Airlines.
In recent years, Korean Air has upgraded its fleet and services and has won numerous international acclaims and awards. With its excellent financial performance in 2005, Korean Air received the "Phoenix Award" from Air Transport World (ATW) for its success in overcoming challenges in the global airline industry. It has been named one of Asia's best airlines by Time readers and twice has won the coveted Mercury Award for its inflight catering.
History
Template:Koreanname Korean Air began in 1962 as Korean Air Lines and was owned by the South Korean Government. It replaced the former Korean carrier Korean National Airlines. In 1969 KAL was acquired by the Hanjin Transport Group and became privately owned.
International flights to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Seattle, United States were flown with Boeing 707s until the airline was privatized. In 1973, KAL introduced Boeing 747s on their Pacific routes and started a European service to Paris using the 707s. KAL was also Airbus's first customer outside of Europe. A new blue-top livery was introduced in 1984 and the airline's name changed to Korean Air. In 1986 Korean Air became the first airline to use the new MD-11 to supplement its new fleet of Boeing 747-400s. As Korean Air grew, its MD-11 jets became used only as freighters (in addition to 747 freighters). Korean Air flies to the most US destinations of any Asian carrier (10, one pending). Korean Air currently owns 25% of Okay Airways, a Tianjin, PRC-based airline.
Safety record
From mid 1980's to the late 1990's, Korean Air became quite notorious for its safety problems. In fact, the SkyTeam alliance briefly removed Korean Air from its code share program until demonstrable changes were presented to the alliance. The US Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates access to the American airspace, warned the Korean Air management team that its access to the American airports would be restricted unless drastic changes were forthcoming. The U.S. military and the State department advised its personnel to avoid taking Korean Air if other commercial alternatives were available. The competing carrier, Asiana Airlines, benefited tremendously from the dramatic drop in Korean Air's reputation as its safety record was significantly better than Korean Air's. This is none too surprising since Asiana was, at the time, a new airline.
Since the turn of the century, Korean Air has demonstrated steady improvement in safety standards and has gradually been removed from safety watch lists though its poor reputation still lingers. But once improving in safety, Korean Air became profitable again and became Asia's fifth largest carrier.
Flight Number
- KE001,002 - Seoul to Los Angeles via Tokyo-Narita
- KE901,902 - Seoul to Paris
- KE907,908 - Seoul to London-Heathrow
Code sharing
The airline has code-share agreements with the following airlines (as of April 2006):
Korean Air is a founding partner in SkyTeam, the world's second largest alliance.
Korean Air is an airline partner of Skywards, the frequent flyer program for Emirates and Sri Lankan Airlines. Skywards members can earn miles for flying Korean Air and can reedem miles for free flights.
Fleet
Passenger fleet
The Korean Air passenger fleet consists of the following aircraft as of July 2006:
| Type | Total | Passengers (First*/Prestige*/Economy) |
Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600 | 10 | A: 276 (24/252) B: 266 (24/242) |
Domestic and International Flights | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 3 | 258 (6/18/234) | International Flights | |
| Airbus A330-300 | 16 | A: 296 (12/28/256) B: 352 (24/328) |
International and Domestic Flights | |
| Airbus A380 | (5 On Order) | Entry Into Service: 2007 | ||
| Boeing 737-800 | 14 | A: 164 (8/156) B: 149 (8/141) |
Domestic and International Flights | |
| Boeing 737-900 | 15 | 188 (8/180) | Domestic and International Flights | |
| Boeing 747-400 | 24 (1 On Order) |
A: 384 (16/58/310) B: 376 (12/58/306) |
International Flights | |
| Boeing 777-200 | 11 (4 On Order) |
A: 261 (8/28/225) B: 301 (12/28/261) |
International Flights | |
| Boeing 777-300 | 4 | 376 (12/28/336) | International Flights | |
| Boeing 787 | (10 On Order) | May replace the A300-600 |
*First Class is offered on Domestic and Short-Haul Flights. Prestige Class is offered on International Medium-Long Haul Flights.
Cargo fleet
The Korean Air cargo fleet consists of the following aircraft as of July 2006:
| Type | Total | Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 747-400F | 17 | ||
| Boeing 747F | 1 |
The average age of the Korean Air fleet is 7.5 years as of July 2006. Korean Air currently operates 99 passenger aircraft, and 18 cargo aircraft, for a grand total of 117 planes.
On 31 May 2005 Korean Air signed an agreement on an additional order for a Boeing 747-400ERF, converting an option taken out in 2004, bringing total Korean Air orders for the aircraft to eight, of which five have been delivered. The new aircraft is scheduled for delivery in May 2006 (ref: Air International, July 2005).
See also
External links
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