Air Koryo: Difference between revisions
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Jet operation commenced in [[1975]], when the first [[Tupolev Tu-154]] was delivered for services from Pyongyang to [[Prague]], [[East Berlin]] and [[Moscow]]. However, because the Tu-154 did not have the sufficient range, the plane had to land not only at [[Irkutsk]], but also at [[Novosibirsk]]. The Tu-154 fleet was increased at the start of the [[1980s]] and the first [[Ilyushin Il-62]] was delivered in [[1982]], allowing CAAK to offer a direct non-stop service to [[Moscow]] for the first time. During this period, the flight even went to [[Sofia]] as well. |
Jet operation commenced in [[1975]], when the first [[Tupolev Tu-154]] was delivered for services from Pyongyang to [[Prague]], [[East Berlin]] and [[Moscow]]. However, because the Tu-154 did not have the sufficient range, the plane had to land not only at [[Irkutsk]], but also at [[Novosibirsk]]. The Tu-154 fleet was increased at the start of the [[1980s]] and the first [[Ilyushin Il-62]] was delivered in [[1982]], allowing CAAK to offer a direct non-stop service to [[Moscow]] for the first time. During this period, the flight even went to [[Sofia]] as well. |
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The end of the [[Cold War]] and the collapse of communism in Europe saw a vast reduction in the number of international services offered. CAAK became Air Koryo in [[1993]].Air Koryo recently purchased 2 new Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft to replace the aging international fleet. |
The end of the [[Cold War]] and the collapse of communism in Europe saw a vast reduction in the number of international services offered. CAAK became Air Koryo in [[1993]].Air Koryo recently purchased 2 new Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft to replace the aging international fleet. Air Koryo has also started modernzing its fleet and interior by adding new aircraft to its fleet and new interior. |
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Revision as of 07:28, 11 April 2008
| File:Airkoryo.gif | |||||||
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| Founded | 1954 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | Sunan International Airport, Pyongyang | ||||||
| Focus cities | Beijing, China | ||||||
| Fleet size | 21 (+1 order) | ||||||
| Destinations | 15 | ||||||
| Headquarters |  Pyongyang, DPRK | ||||||
| Key people | Kang Ki Sop (Director General of the General Civil Aviation Administration of the DPRK) | ||||||
| Air Koryo | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | 고려항공 |
|---|---|
| Hancha | 高麗航空 |
| Revised Romanization | Goryeo Hanggong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Koryŏ Hanggong |
Air Koryo Korean Airways (formerly Chosŏn Minhang (조선민항), short form Air Koryo) is the state-owned national airline of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, based in Pyongyang. It operates international services and occasional charter flights to points in Asia, Africa and Europe. It is based at Sunan International Airport[1] in Sunan, a suburb north of Pyongyang.
The Head Office of Air Koryo is located in the Sunan district, Pyongyang, and it has offices in Beijing, Shenyang, Macau, Bangkok, Berlin, Moscow, as well as a sales agencies in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.
The airline is on the List of air carriers banned in the European Union.
History
The airline was established in 1954 and started operations on 21 September 1955. It was formerly known as Chosonminhang Korean Airways (CAAK) and was formed to succeed SOKAO, the joint Soviet-North Korean airline established in 1950[1]. CAAK began operations with Lisunov Li-2, Antonov An-2 and Ilyushin Il-12 aircraft. Ilyushin Il-14 and Ilyushin Il-18 turboprops were added to the fleet in the 1960s.
Jet operation commenced in 1975, when the first Tupolev Tu-154 was delivered for services from Pyongyang to Prague, East Berlin and Moscow. However, because the Tu-154 did not have the sufficient range, the plane had to land not only at Irkutsk, but also at Novosibirsk. The Tu-154 fleet was increased at the start of the 1980s and the first Ilyushin Il-62 was delivered in 1982, allowing CAAK to offer a direct non-stop service to Moscow for the first time. During this period, the flight even went to Sofia as well.
The end of the Cold War and the collapse of communism in Europe saw a vast reduction in the number of international services offered. CAAK became Air Koryo in 1993.Air Koryo recently purchased 2 new Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft to replace the aging international fleet. Air Koryo has also started modernzing its fleet and interior by adding new aircraft to its fleet and new interior.
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The first of 2 Tupolev TU-204-300 for Air Koryo first modern sate of the art aircraft
Destinations
Air Koryo serves the following scheduled destinations (according to the Air Koryo site of the Korean Friendship Association[2]):
| City | Airport Code | Airport Name | Aircraft | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IATA | ICAO | ||||
 China
| |||||
| Beijing | PEK | ZBAA | Beijing Capital International Airport | Il-62 | 2 weekly |
| Macau | MFM | VMMC | Macau International Airport | Tu-154 | 1 weekly |
| Shenyang | SHE | ZYTX | Shenyang Taoxian International Airport | Tu-134 | 2 weekly |
 North Korea
| |||||
| Chongjin | n/a | n/a | Chongjin Airport | An-24 Il-18 |
|
| Hamhung | n/a | n/a | Hamhung Airport | ||
| Kaesong | n/a | n/a | Kaesong Airport | ||
| Kanggye | n/a | n/a | Kanggye Airport | ||
| Kilchu | n/a | n/a | Kilchu Airport | ||
| Pyongyang | FNJ | ZKPY | Sunan International Airport | An-24 Il-18, 62, 76 Tu-134, 154 |
Hub |
| Samjiyeon | n/a | n/a | Siamjiyeon Airport | ||
| Sinuiju | n/a | n/a | Sinuiji Airport | ||
| Wonsan | n/a | n/a | Wonsan Airport | ||
 Russia
| |||||
| Khabarovsk | KHV | UHHH | Khabarovsk Novy Airport | Tu-134 | 1 weekly |
| Vladivostok | VVO | UHWW | Vladivostok International Airport | An-24 Il-18 |
2 weekly |
 Thailand
| |||||
| Bangkok | BKK | VTBS | Suvarnabhumi Airport | Il-62 | 1 weekly |
Modernization
Air Koryo has modernized its aircraft and identitiy. The airline change its livery slightly and maintans a great maintenance on its aircraft the aircraft are always presented well. Air Koryo has also changed the interior of its main international aircraft by adding new seating arrangments and new seats. The airline also has ordered new aircraft to replace some of the aging fleet. The new aircraft Air Koryo has ordered are Tupolev Tu-204's which are capible of flying to Moscow non-stop. Air Koryo are intresed in some new Sukhoi Superjet 100's to replace the Tupolev Tu-154 and Tu-134 fleets.[3]
Charters
Relatively common destinations for charter flights include Shenzhen (JS137/138) and Macau (JS187/188), however, occasional ad-hoc charter flights, mostly on diplomatic or freight duties, have served Moscow (JS215/216), Sofia (JS217/218), Zurich, Prague, Budapest, Amsterdam, New York City ([1]), Seoul (JS815/816 and 817/818), Busan, Yangyang (JS801/802) and some Japanese cities, mostly Nagoya (JS831/832) (NKM, Aichi Prefecture Nagoya Airfield). [citation needed]
The first regular charter flights between North Korea and South Korea began in 2002. The first Air Koryo flight to touch down in South Korea was in August 2000, carrying a North Korean diplomatic delegation for talks with the South.
Domestic Services
As North Korea's sole aviation entity, Air Koryo is responsible for the overseas transportation of government officials. It claims to offer domestic services in addition to its international flights. It is believed that the only scheduled domestic flight is Pyongyang - Hamhung - Chongjin on a once weekly basis, though there is no reliable evidence to suggest that this is the case. Chronic fuel shortages are thought to keep the domestic services grounded. Most domestic flights are usually charter services, flying foreign tourists from Pyongyang to Samjiyeon for tours to Baekdu-san. [citation needed]
Terminated destinations
Terminated after the fall of Communisim:
Terminated due to poor loads:
Fleet
As of May 2007, the Air Koryo fleet consists of the following aircraft:[4]
- ? Mil Mi-8 [5]
- 8 Antonov An-24 - (50 seats 1-class)
- 2 Ilyushin Il-18 - (75 seats 1-class)
- 3 Ilyushin Il-62 - (186 seats one class)
- 3 Ilyushin Il-76 - (44 Tons cargo)
- 2 Tupolev Tu-134 - (72-84 seats)
- 2 Tupolev Tu-154 - (158-180 seats)
- 1 Tupolev Tu-204-300
On Order
Incidents and accidents
- On July 1, 1983 a CAAK (predecessor to Air Koryo) Ilyushin 62M on a non-scheduled international passenger flight from Pyongyang, North Korea (Sunan International Airport) to Conakry, Guinea (Conakry International Airport) crashed at the Fouta Djall Mountains in Guinea. All 23 persons onboard were killed and the aircraft was written off. [6]
- On August 15, 2006 aircraft from Air Koryo (Tupolev 154B-2) on an international scheduled passenger flight from Beijing, China (Beijing Capital Airport) to Pyongyang, North Korea (Sunan International Airport) experienced a runway mishap (exited runway) during landing rollout after landing in bad weather at Sunan International Airport. No injuries were reported and damage to plane was minor.[7][8]
Banned in the European Union
Air Koryo is on the List of air carriers banned in the European Union (as of July 2006).
The rationale for the decision by the European Commission was the following (paraphrased):
- During ramp inspections in France and Germany there was obtained verified evidence of serious safety deficiencies on the part of Air Koryo. These deficiencies were also identified under the SAFA programme (DGAC/F 2000-210).
- During other subesquent ramp inspections performed under the SAFA programme Air Koryo persistently failed to address these deficiencies which were previously communicated by France (DGAC/F-2000-895).
- Incident-related information of a substantiated and serious nature communicated by France indicated that Air Koryo had latent systemic safety deficiencies.
- There was a demonstrated lack of ability on the part of Air Koryo to address these safety deficiencies.
- There was a failure on the part of Air Koryo to respond adequately and in a timely manner to an enquiry by the civil aviation authority of France regarding the safety aspect of its operation, which showed a lack of transparency or communication, which was also demonstrated by the absence of reply to a request by France.
- The plan for corrective action presented by Air Koryo in response to France's request was not adequate and sufficient in order to correct the identified serious safety deficiencies.
- The authorities of the DPRK (North Korea) with responsibility for regulatory oversight have not exercised an adequate oversight over Air Koryo, which it is obliged to do under the Chicago Convention.
- Therefore and on the basis of the common criteria[9] the Commission assessed that Air Koryo does not meet the relevant safety standards.[10]
External links
- [2] Offical website.
- Air Koryo at the Korean Friendship Association website.
- Air Koryo at the Aviation Safety Network Database
- CAAK (predecessor) at the Aviation Safety Network Database
References
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 59.
- ^ Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Switzerland
- ^ http://www.myaviation.net/search/photo_search.php?id=00895461
- ^ Aerotransport.org Air Koryo fleet details
- ^ http://www.myaviation.net/search/photo_search.php?id=00445936
- ^ Aviation Safety Database report
- ^ FCO Country report - August 15, 2006 Tu 154 crash
- ^ Aviation Safety Database report - August 15, 2006 Tupolev 154 crash
- ^ Fly Well portal (Which contains links to the common air transport policy)Template:En icon, European Commission, March 22 2006
- ^ Commission Regulation (EC) No 474/2006 of 22 March 2006 (PDF-file)Template:En icon, European Commission, March 22 2006