Air Koryo

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Air Koryo
File:Airkoryo.gif
IATA ICAO Callsign
JS KOR AIR KORYO
Founded1954
HubsSunan International Airport, Pyongyang
Fleet size24 (+1 order)
Destinations15 (+1 planned)
Headquarters Pyongyang, DPRK
Key peopleKang Ki Sop (Director General of the General Civil Aviation Administration of the DPRK)
Air Koryo
Chosŏn'gŭl
고려항공
Hancha
高麗航空
Revised RomanizationGoryeo Hanggong
McCune–ReischauerKoryŏ 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[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.


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. 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 [2]

City Airport Code Airport Name Aircraft Notes
IATA ICAO
China 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 North Korea
Pyongyang FNJ ZKPY Sunan International Airport An-24
Il-18, 62, 76
Tu-134, 154		 Hub
Russia Russia
Khabarovsk KHV UHHH Khabarovsk Novy Airport Tu-134 weekly
Vladivostok VVO UHWW Vladivostok International Airport An-24
Il-18		 weekly
Thailand 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[citation needed].

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 beng tested. It has been fitted out with 8 business class seats and the remaining 145 seats are ecconomy.[3]

Maintenance

Air Koryo regularly services their aircraft. Maintenance is carried out at Pyongyang airport and major maintenance and services are done in Russia. The Tu-154s,Il-62s,Tu-134s and Il-76's are ferried to Russia regularly for maintenance. The smaller aircraft An-24 and Mil-17's are maintained in Pyongyang and Vladivostok. [4][5].

Charters

Additional flights to Shenzhen (JS137/138) and Macau (JS187/188) are operated in peak season, charter flights, mostly on diplomatic or freight duties serve:

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 overseas transportation of government officials. It offers domestic services in addition to its international flights all the domestic services are run by Tu-134,Il-18,An-24 and Tu-154's. The most demanding scheduled domestic flight is Pyongyang - Hamhung - Chongjin on a tri daily basis during summer periods seaside cities are focused on but during winter cities like Samjiyeon are focused on for tourisim to the cities mountain resorts. Chronic fuel shortages keept the domestic services grounded for a period of time until these problems were resolved. Air Koryo also offers domestic charter services, flying foreign tourists from Pyongyang to Samjiyeon for tours to Baekdu-san on additional flights. Air Koryo also shuttles people between North Korean major cities and is used to carry cargo to the local airports from Pyongyang.

Terminated destinations

Terminated due to financial and economic difficulties:

Fleet

Air Koryo Fleet[12]
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[13]
Ilyushin Il-18D 2 100 Regional and medium-haul routes
China and Russia 		P-836 P-835
Ilyushin Il-62M 4 190 long-haul routes
Europe, China, Thailand and government charters 		P-881, P-885, P-618, P-882
Ilyushin IL-76MD 3 44 Tons cargo cargo flights to Europe,China and Russia P-914, P-912, P-913
Tupolev Tu-154B[14] 4 180 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

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[17] the Commission assessed that Air Koryo does not meet the relevant safety standards.[18]

External links

Template:Commons2

References

  1. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 59.
  2. ^ Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Switzerland
  3. ^ http://www.dprkstudies.org/2008/02/23/air-koryo-prepares-russian-tu-204-300-airliner-for-service/
  4. ^ http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=675471
  5. ^ http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=673140
  6. ^ http://www.myaviation.net/search/photo_search.php?id=00099466
  7. ^ http://www.myaviation.net/search/photo_search.php?id=00060046
  8. ^ http://www.myaviation.net/search/photo_search.php?id=00122102
  9. ^ http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/koryo.htm
  10. ^ http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0356931&size=L&width=1600&height=971&sok=&photo_nr=172
  11. ^ http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-Koryo/Tupolev-Tu-154B/0177891&photo_nr=185&prev_id=0191941&next_id=0170591
  12. ^ Airline recognition guide by Gunter Endres and Graham Edwards.P 65 Air Koryo
  13. ^ http://www.pbase.com/aviationimagesrf/image/93445282
  14. ^ http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=413193
  15. ^ FCO Country report - August 15, 2006 Tu 154 crash
  16. ^ Aviation Safety Database report - August 15, 2006 Tupolev 154 crash
  17. ^ Fly Well portal (Which contains links to the common air transport policy)Template:En icon, European Commission, March 22 2006
  18. ^ Commission Regulation (EC) No 474/2006 of 22 March 2006 (PDF-file)Template:En icon, European Commission, March 22 2006
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