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Korean Air

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Korean Air
File:Korean Air logo.png
IATA ICAO Call sign
KE KAL Koreanair
Founded1962 (privatized 1969)
HubsIncheon Int'l Airport
Gimpo International Airport
Focus citiesBusan International Airport
Jeju International Airport
Frequent-flyer programSKYPASS
AllianceSkyTeam
Fleet size117
Destinations90
Parent companyKorean Air ITDC
HeadquartersSeoul, Republic of Korea
Key peopleCho Yangho (Chairman and CEO)
Websitehttp://www.koreanair.com

Template:Koreanname

Korean Air Boeing 747

Korean Air (KRX: 003490) is the largest airline based in 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).

History

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).

Safety Record

Throughout the late 1990s safety concerns kept Korean Air under the watchful gaze of authorities at home and abroad. After the fatal crash at London’s Stansted Airport, Korean Air was cited as having, “one of the worst safety records in the aviation world.” The safety record was so botched at one point that the founder of the company, Cho Yang Ho stepped down in a gesture intended to demonstrate he was accepting responsibility for the abysmal safety record.

Due to frequent safety issues, Air Canada, Air France, and Delta Air Lines suspended a code share agreement with Korean Air for a time in the late 90s. The US Department of Defense has, at times, blacklisted Korean Air and prohibited staff members from using that airline for any purpose. Critics claim that management can be amateurish and unprofessional, with people in senior positions frequently selected not for their qualifications and experience, but because of connections.

Another often cited problem issue is that of the cockpit culture within Korean Air. Traditionally, the bulk of pilots were drawn from the ranks of ex-Korean military pilots who brought to the cockpit a very rigid, hierarchical authority structure that did not allow junior officers to contradict or question the decisions of the commander of the aircraft. The 13 June, 1991 belly landing is a prime example of Korean cockpit culture resulting in safety issues. Investigation after the incident indicate the junior officer balked at the command to remove a fuse from the alarm system, but the senior officer overrode him. Mick Toller, head of Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority, referred to the situation within the cockpit of Korean Air planes as, “the Asian authority gradient” in which the plane’s captain is God and others dare not even discuss things with him.

Since the turn of the century, Korean Air has demonstrated steady improvement in safety standards and has gradually been removed from safety watch lists.

Its safety record rates a “B", the second highest grade possible, according to Air Rankings Online (see rankings at Airline Rankings).

Air safety week piece on KAL - (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UBT/is_7_14/ai_59576758)

KAL Safety audit findings - (http://www.vision.net.au/~apaterson/aviation/korean_audit.htm)

BBC piece - (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/575544.stm)

Incidents and accidents

  • 23 January, 1971 – (Fokker F-27 Friendship 500) departed from Kangnung for Seoul when a lone hijacker attempted to commandeer the aircraft with hand grenades. The Fokker crash-landed on a beach near Sokcho. The hijacker and co-pilot were killed by grenade explosions. (source: http://aviation-safety.net )Damage– severe landing,Injuries- multiple, Deaths- 2 (one crew, one hijacker), Airframe– written off
  • 2 August, 1976 – (Boeing 707-373C) cargo flight departed from Tehran for Seoul when, on takeoff from runway 29, the aircraft inexplicitly deviated from the Standard Instrument Departure (SID) procedure and drifted to the right instead of performing a left turnout. It continued and struck mountains at an altitude of 2,020m (6,630 feet). (source: http://aviation-safety.net) Damage– total destruction, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 5 (five of five crew), Airframe– written off
  • 20 April, 1978 – Flight 902 (Boeing 707-321B) departed from Paris for Anchorage and flew to within 780 Km of the North Pole when Canadian officials alerted the crew they were off course. They changed course, but worsened the situation by setting a course directly across the Barents Sea and Soviet airspace. The plane was initially recognized by Soviet anti-aircraft defense radars as a Boeing 747. Sukhoi Su-15TM jets were sent to intercept. When both jets were flying next to the Korean airliner, the Korean captain claimed he slowed the plane and initiated landing lights. Nevertheless the Su-15 crews were ordered to shoot down the plane. According to US intelligence sources the Soviet pilot tried for several minutes to convince his superiors to cancel the attack on the civilian airliner. After an additional order two P-60 rockets were launched. The first missed but the second severely damaged the left wing and shrapnel punctured the fuselage, causing rapid decompression that killed two passengers. The Korean pilot initiated an emergency descent to 5,000 feet and entered clouds. Both Soviet jets lost the Korean plane in the clouds. The aircraft continued at low altitude, crossing the Kola Peninsula while searching for a landing opportunity. With night quickly coming on, several unsuccessful attempts were made before the plane landed on the ice of Lake Korpijärvi, near Kem, Russia. All occupants were rescued by Russian helicopters. (source ; www.airsafe.com )Damage– severe, Injuries– multiple, Deaths- 2 (two of 197 passengers), Airframe– written off
  • 19 November, 1980 – Flight 015 (Boeing 747-2B5B) departed from Anchorage for Seoul when the aircraft struck a retaining embankment on the edge of the airport. The plane bounced back on to runway 14, broke apart, and caught fire and was incinerated. (source ; www.airdisaster.com) Damage– total air frame break up, Injuries- multiple, Deaths- 15 (one on the ground, six of 14 crew, eight of 198 passengers, Airframe– written off
  • 1 September, 1983 – Flight 007 (Boeing 747-230B) departed from Anchorage for Seoul. At 5:00 AM the flight was cleared directly to the Bethel VOR beacon and then on to the Romeo 20 route. At which the pilot mistakenly diverted from its intended course and passed 12 miles north of the Bethel beacon. While approaching the Kamchatka peninsula, six Soviet MiG-23 fighters were scrambled. Because a US Boeing RC-135 intelligence plane was flying in the area east off Kamchatka, the Soviets may have assumed the 747 radar echo to be the RC-135. The flight left Soviet airspace over the Okhostk Sea and the fighters returned to their base. Passing abeam the Nippi beacon (four hours after take-off), the aircraft was 185 miles off course and headed for Sakhalin. Two Soviet Su-15 fighters were scrambled from the Dolinsk-Sokol airbase. At 18:16 UTC flight 007 re-entered Soviet airspace. At 18:22, for the second time, Soviet command ordered destruction of the target. Two air-to-air missiles were launched by one of the fighters and struck the Boeing at 18:26. Cabin pressure was lost and the aircraft suffered control problems, causing the plane to spiral into the sea. The event was denounced by the US Reagan Administration as a deliberate and wanton act of murder by an “evil empire.” (source: http://aviation-safety.net) Damage– total air frame break up, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 269 (23 of 23 crew, 246 of 246 passengers), Airframe– written off
  • 23 December, 1983 – Cargo Flight 084 (McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 ) from Anchorage to Los Angeles, while taxiing out in fog, the Korean crew became disoriented and ended up on the wrong runway. During the takeoff run, the aircraft collided head-on with South Central Air Flight 59, a Piper Pa-31 which was taking off from runway 6L-24R for a flight to Kenai. The nine occupants of the South Central Air flight were injured. The flight overran the runway by 1,434 feet and came to rest 40 feet right of the extended centerline. Federal Investigators determined that the Korean pilot had failed to follow accepted procedures during taxi - causing disorientation while selecting the runway. The pilot also failed to use the compass to confirm his position. Ultimately the pilot’s decision to proceed with takeoff without ever knowing if he was on the correct runway caused the impact. (source ; www.airsafe.com )Damage– total air frame break up, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 0(0 of three crew), Airframe– written off
  • 18 May, 1985 – (Boeing 727) from Seoul to Cheju, while in flight a lone hijacker demanded to be taken to North Korea. Subsequently the hijacker was eliminated. (source ; www.airdisaster.com )Damage– N/A, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 1 hijacker, Airframe– N/A
  • 29 November, 1987 – Flight 858 (Boeing 707-3B5C) from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok, 122 km (76.3 mls) northwest of Tavoy, Burma (in the Andaman Sea) the aircraft exploded and disintegrated. Investigation revealed that a bomb explosion aboard caused the crash. Two saboteurs disguised as passengers, who had deplaned at Abu Dhabi, left a radio and liquor bottle containing hidden explosives in the overhead rack at row 7. (source ; http://dnausers.d-n-a.net/dnetGOjg/Research.htm )Damage– total destruction, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 115(11 of 11 crew, 104 of 104 passengers), Airframe– written off
  • 27 July, 1989 – Flight 803 (McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30) from Jeddah to Tripoli. The aircraft initially departed Seoul on a flight to Tripoli with intermediate stops at Bangkok and Jeddah. Weather was poor as the aircraft approached Tripoli runway 27. Fuel in the aircraft was critically low due to multiple crew errors in fuel calculations. By final approach the aircraft had only fuel vapors remaining and crashed short of the runway, striking four houses and multiple cars. (source: http://aviation-safety.net) Damage– total destruction, Injuries– multiple, Deaths- 79 (4 ground fatalities, 3 of 18 crew, 72 of 181 passengers), Airframe– written off
  • 25 November, 1989 – (Fokker F-28 Fellowship 4000) on a regularly scheduled flight from Seoul to Ulsan, improper flight preparation caused wing icing which, in turn, cause the number one engine to lose power on take-off. The pilot immediately lost directional control and aborted the take-off. However, the abort was so abrupt that the aircraft overran the runway and exploded in flames. The airframe was not salvageable after the fire was eventually extinguished. (source ; http://dnausers.d-n-a.net/dnetGOjg/Research.htm) Damage– total destruction, Injuries– multiple, Deaths- 0, Airframe– written off
  • 13 June, 1991 – (Boeing 727-281) from Cheju to Taegu, the aircraft performed an unexpected gear-up landing at Taegu. The crew failed to read out the landing procedure checklist and therefore didn't select the gear down option. Subsequent investigation revealed that the pilot instructed the co-pilot to pull the fuse from the warning system because the repeated warnings that the landing gear was not deployed were, "irritating and distracting," him as he attempted to land. With the warning horn disabled, the Korean pilot brought the plane in and slid down the length of the runway on the central structural rib in the belly of the aircraft. (source ; www.airlinesafety.com) Damage– total destruction, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 0, Airframe– written off
  • 10 August, 1994 – Flight 2033 (Airbus A.300B4-622R) from Seoul to Cheju, the flight approached too fast and touched down 1,773 meters beyond the runway threshold. The aircraft couldn't be stopped on the remaining 1,227 meters of runway and overran at a speed of 104 knots. After striking the airport wall and a guard post at 30 knots, the aircraft burst into flames and was incinerated. (source ; www.airlinesafety.com) Damage– total destruction, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 0, Airframe– written off
  • 22 September, 1994 – Flight 916F (Boeing 747-4B5) from Zurich to Pusan. Eight days prior the aircraft had encountered a severe hailstorm over Elba, Italy. The aircraft sustained severe damage to the radome, cockpit windows and engines but managed to reach Zurich safely. Some repair work was done, but the aircraft needed to be ferried to Pusan for final repairs. Boeing released the aircraft with some take-off performance changes, which included a limited gross weight by 70,000 pounds and increased takeoff speeds for V1, V2 and VR by 15, 17 and 14 knots respectively. The aircraft was cleared for a Runway 14 takeoff and ZUE 5P departure. After a long take-off run, the aircraft lifted off the runway at the very end and climbed slowly. At 900 meters beyond the runway end the aircraft cleared some adjacent buildings at fewer than 50 meters. Subsequent investigation found that despite clear instructions to reduce weight, the crew had overloaded the aircraft by 86,700 pounds. (source ; www.airlinesafety.com) Damage– N/A, Injuries– N/A, Deaths - 0, Airframe– N/A
  • 6 August, 1997 – Flight 801 (Boeing 747-3B5) from Seoul to Agana, Guam, The crew attempted a night-time approach to Guam runway 06L. Flight 801 had descended 800 feet below the prescribed altitude, struck the 709 foot Nimitz Hill at a height of 650 feet and crashed in a jungle valley, breaking up and bursting into flames. Subsequent investigation found that the captain's failure to adequately brief and execute the nonprecision approach and the first officer's and flight engineer's failure to effectively monitor and cross-check the captain's execution of the approach were directly responsible for the crash. Contributing factors were the captain's fatigue and Korean Air's inadequate flight crew training. (source ; http://users.d-n-a.net/dnetGOjg/) Damage– total destruction, Injuries– multiple/severe, Deaths- 228 (22 of 23 crew, 206 of 231 passengers), Airframe– written off
  • 5 August, 1998 – Flight 8702 (Boeing 747-4B5) from Tokyo to Seoul. The flight departed Tokyo at 16:50 for a flight to Seoul, scheduled to arrive there at 19:20. Inclement weather at Seoul forced the flight crew to divert to Cheju. The aircraft took off from Cheju at 21:07 bound for Seoul. On landing in Seoul, the 747 bounced multiple times and slid 100 meters off the runway before coming to a stop in a grassy area. (source ; www.airlinesafety.com) Damage– Complete destruction of air frame, Injuries– minor, Deaths- 0, Airframe– written off
  • 15 March, 1999 – Flight 1533 (McDonnell Douglas MD-83) from Seoul to Pohang departed at 10:55 for Pohang. Weather at Pohang was poor with degraded visibility and gusty 25 knot winds. The pilot failed at the first attempt to land. After the second approach the plane touched down, but overran the runway. The aircraft skidded through 10 antennas, a reinforced barbed wire fence and came to rest against an embankment. The landing snapped the fuselage in half. (source ; www.planecrashinfo.com) Damage– Complete destruction of air frame, Injuries– multiple, Deaths - 0, Airframe– written off
  • 15 April, 1999 – Cargo flight 6316 (McDonnell Douglas MD-11) from Shanghai to Seoul took off despite the Korean co-pilot’s repeated misunderstanding and miscommunication with the tower and the pilot. The aircraft climbed to 4,500 feet and the captain, after receiving two wrong affirmative answers from the first officer that the required altitude should be 1,500 feet, thought that the aircraft was 3,000 feet too high. The captain then pushed the control column abruptly forward causing the aircraft to start a rapid descent. Neither was able to recover from the dive. The airplane plummeted into an industrial development zone 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Hongqiao airport. The plane plunged to the ground, plowing into housing for migrant workers and exploded. (source ; http://users.d-n-a.net/dnetGOjg/) Damage– Complete destruction of air frame, Injuries– N/A, Deaths - 3 (three of three crew), Airframe– written off
  • 22 December, 1999 – Cargo flight 8509 (Boeing 747-2B5F (SCD)) from London to Milan The crew banked the aircraft into the ground while multiple audible warnings were going off. Subsequent investigation revealed that the pilots did not respond appropriately to warnings during the climb after takeoff despite prompts from the flight engineer, the commanding pilot maintained a left roll control input, rolling the aircraft to approximately 90 of left bank and there was no control input to correct the pitch attitude throughout the turn, the first officer either did not monitor the aircraft attitude during the climbing turn or, having done so, did not alert the commander to the extreme unsafe attitude that developed, and the maintenance activity at London/Stansted was misdirected. Investigators subsequently suggested, among other things, that Korean Air alter training materials and safety education to meet the “unique” Korean culture.(source ; www.planecrashinfo.com ) Damage– Complete destruction of air frame, Injuries– N/A, Deaths- 4 (four of four crew), Airframe– written off
  • 11 September, 2001 - after the terrorist attacks on New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, flight 85, a Boeing 747 on a Seoul-Anchorage-New York route, was intercepted by U.S. and Canadian fighter jets and forced to land at Whitehorse International Airport during Operation Yellow Ribbon. The action was taken due to fears that the plane might have been hijacked. Rather than being hijacked, the plane was simply low on fuel. However, witnesses reported that when the plane landed they saw RCMP order the crew out at gunpoint. The entire misunderstanding was caused by a malfunctioning transponder.

Code Sharing

The airline has code-share agreements with the following airlines (at April 2006):

Fleet

The Korean Air fleet consists of the following aircraft (at February 2006):

The average age of Korean Air fleet is 7.4 years old in April 2006.

Korean Air has ordered 5 Airbus A380 aircraft and has options on a further 3 aircraft. The first A380 will be delivered before the end of 2007 and the others will be added between then and 2009 (ref: Airliner World, March 2005).

On April 11 2005, the airline ordered 10 Boeing 787 aircraft with an option for an additional 10 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).

Destinations

Main article: Korean Air destinations

See also

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Korean_Air&oldid=49067083"