Air Koryo

Air Koryo

File:Airkoryo.gif
IATA ICAO Callsign JS KOR AIR KORYO
Founded	1954
Hubs	Sunan International Airport, Pyongyang
Fleet size	24 (+1 order)
Destinations	15 (+1 planned)
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

File:Airkoryoatmoscow.jpg

An Air Koryo Ilyushin Il-62M on finals at Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport somming from Sunan International Airport

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 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.

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. 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. Along with the Tu-154 Tu-34's and An-34's were deleivered to start domestic services. 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 and Belgrade 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. Also in 1993 Air Koryo ordered 3 Ilyushin Il-76 cargo aircraft to carry extra cargo to its destinations in China and Russia. Air Koryo recently purchased 2 new Tupolev Tu-204 aircraft to replace the aging international fleet. Air Koryo has also started modernizing its fleet interiors. With the new Tu-204 Air Koryo would be able to fly to Europe or Moscow.

Destinations

Air Koryo serves the following scheduled destinations

City	Airport Code		Airport Name	Aircraft	Notes
	IATA	ICAO
China
Beijing	PEK	ZBAA	Beijing Capital International Airport	Il-62 , Tu-154 , Tu-134 , Il-76	2 weekly
Macau	MFM	VMMC	Macau International Airport	Tu-154	weekly
Shenyang	SHE	ZYTX	Shenyang Taoxian International Airport	Tu-134	2 weekly
North Korea
Pyongyang	FNJ	ZKPY	Sunan International Airport	An-24 Il-18, 62, 76 Tu-134, 154	Hub
Russia
Khabarovsk	KHV	UHHH	Khabarovsk Novy Airport	Tu-134	weekly
Vladivostok	VVO	UHWW	Vladivostok International Airport	An-24 Il-18	weekly
Thailand
Bangkok	BKK	VTBS	Suvarnabhumi Airport	Il-62	weekly

Modernization

File:Koryotu-204.jpg

The first Tupolev Tu-204 for Air Koryo pictured on final checks.This will be the first state of the art modern jet for Air Koryo

File:Koryotu154samijeyon.jpg

An Air Koryo Tupolev Tu-154B at Samjiyeon airport ready to depart for Pyongyang

File:Chosonminhgantu-15.jpg

Close up of the tri-jet tail of an Air Koryo Tupolev Tu-154B at Pyongyang airport ready to depart for Samjiyeon

File:Airkoryotu-134atsunnan.jpg

A Tupolev Tu-134 at Sunan International Airport ready to take on passangers for Wonsan

Air Koryo has modernized its aircraft and identity by changing its livery. 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 capable of flying to Moscow non-stop. Air Koryo has expressed interest in the Sukhoi Superjet 100's to replace the Tupolev Tu-154 and Tu-134 fleets.

Tupolev Tu-204

The first Tupolev Tu-204-300 for Air Koryo was officially handed over to the carrier on December 27 and was ferried from Ulyanovsk to Pyongyang. This is the first TU-204-300 export out of Russia. Air Koryo has a firm order for another one. The first TU-204 is currently being tested. It has been fitted out with 8 business class seats and the remaining 145 seats are ecconomy.

Charters

Additional flights to Shenzhen (JS137/138) and Macau (JS187/188) are operated in peak season. 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. Air Koryo also operates additional flights to Shengyang and Beijing during Chinese new year with Tu-154's and Tu-134's.

Domestic Services

As North Korea's sole aviation entity, Air Koryo is responsible for the transportation of government officials. Chronic fuel shortages keep the domestic services grounded. Air Koryo offers domestic charter services, flying foreign tourists from Pyongyang to Samjiyeon for tours to Baekdu-san.

Terminated destinations

Terminated due to financial and economic difficulties:

• Moscow- Charter flights operated
• Berlin
• Sofia
• Bucharest
• Budapest
• Prague
• Belgrade
• Warsaw
• Irkutsk
• Novosibirsk- stop over to Moscow

Fleet

Air Koryo Fleet

Aircraft	Total	Passengers (Business/Economy)	Routes	Notes
Mil Mi-17	?	32	Domestic and regional routes	P-108 unknown numbers of helicopters in fleet
Antonov An-24RV	7	50	Domestic and regional routes	P-534,P-532, P-533, P-527
Ilyushin Il-18D	2	100	Regional and medium-haul routes China and Russia	P-836 P-835
Ilyushin Il-62M	4	16/144	long-haul routes China, Thailand and government charters	P-881, P-885, P-618, P-882
Ilyushin IL-76MD	3	44 Tons cargo	cargo flights to China and Russia	P-914, P-912, P-913
Tupolev Tu-154B	4	16/120	China,Russia,Japan and South Korea	P-561, P-552 , P-553 , P-551
Tupolev Tu-134B-3	3	84	China, Russia and government charters	P-814, P-813, P-812
Tupolev Tu-204	1 + 1 order	212	To be placed in to service in May on longhaul routes	P-632 + P63? on order

Incidents

• 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.

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 subsequent 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 the Commission assessed that Air Koryo does not meet the relevant safety standards.

External links

• [1] 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