Korean Air to Allow PED Use For Whole Flight Duration

Seoul, Korea (Feb 27, 2014) – Korean Air has announced that it will allow the use of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) for the entire duration of the flight starting from 1 March.

Korean Air has obtained approval of the ‘safety evaluation for expanding the use of PEDs’ from the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Accordingly, both international and domestic passengers traveling with Korean Air will be allowed to use PEDs during all phases of flight including takeoff and landing.

PED means any piece of lightweight, electrically-powered equipment such as smartphones, PCs, electronic books and MP3 players. So far, passengers have not been permitted to use PEDs even though the devices are operated in “airplane mode” during takeoff running or in preparation for landing.

In addition, heavier electronic devices such as full-sized laptop computers should be kept safely under seats or in overhead bins during tax, take-off and landing. Devices such as FM/AM radios, portable TV receivers, walkie-talkies and radio-controlled toys are not permitted to be used in-flight.

On occasions, the flight attendants will have the authority to restrict the use of PEDs in-flight, such as when the aircraft is performing landing in low visibility, or if the device is affecting the aircraft’s navigation system. In such instances, the flight attendants can ask passengers to turn off their devices immediately.

About Korean Air 

Korean Air, established in 1969, is one of the world’s top 20 airlines and carried more than 24 million passengers in 2012. Korean Air operates in excess of 200 flights per day to 125 cities in 45 countries on six continents with a fleet of 155 aircraft including eight A380s.

With its modern aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees, Korean Air offers customers safety, convenience and comfort. Korean Air’s award-winning offerings of Korean and Western meals and state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system provide passengers with a memorable inflight experience.

The airline serves six continents with more than 1,400 flights a week and is also a founding member of the Sky Team airline alliance which together with its 19 members, offers its 569 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 15,000 daily flights covering 993 destinations in 178 countries.

Korean Air introduced the double-decker A380 aircraft to its fleet in 2011 and made the interior more spacious than any other airline, with just 407 seats spread across three classes, with the top deck dedicated to ‘Prestige’ business class. The design also features the world’s first onboard ‘Duty Free Showcase’ and three bars and lounges.

Korean Air to code-share with Air Tahiti Nui on the Seoul-Papeete route

SEOUL, Korea (19FEB) – Korean Air has announced a code-share agreement with Air Tahiti Nui, on the Seoul-Papeete (via Tokyo) route, commencing 1 March 2014. The codeshare on the flights to Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, located on the island of Tahiti, will provide increased convenience and choice to Korean Air’s passengers travelling to Tahiti.

Among Korean Air’s five daily flights to Tokyo Narita Airport, the most convenient flight for connections to Papeete departs from Seoul’s Incheon International Airport at 10:10 and arrives in Narita at 12:30 the same day. Air Tahiti Nui’s flight, operated by an A340-300 seating 294 passengers, departs from Narita on Monday and Saturday at 17:55 and arrives in Papeete at 10:05 the same day. The return flights will depart from Papeete on Friday and Sunday at 08:10, arriving in Narita at 15:25 the following day. Korean Air’s flight departs from Narita at 17:00 and arrives in Incheon International Airport at 19:50.

Codeshare is an aviation business partnership through which a flight operated by one airline, is jointly marketed by one or more other airlines. The purpose of code share is to facilitate travel for travelers, by allowing them to travel across the networks of multiple airlines with a single reservation, in order to reach their final destination.

Korean Air currently has code share partnerships with 32 airlines on 184 routes worldwide, including SkyTeam partner airlines such as Delta and Air France. Korean Air will continue to expand opportunities for code share partnerships in order to provide the most convenient schedules for its passengers.

About Korean Air

Korean Air, established in 1969, is one of the world’s top 20 airlines and carried more than 24 million passengers in 2012. Korean Air operates in excess of 200 flights per day to 125 cities in 45 countries on six continents with a fleet of 155 aircraft including eight A380s.

With its modern aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees, Korean Air offers customers safety, convenience and comfort. Korean Air’s award-winning offerings of Korean and Western meals and state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system provide passengers with a memorable inflight experience.

The airline serves six continents with more than 1,400 flights a week and is also a founding member of the Sky Team airline alliance which together with its 19 members, offers its 569 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 15,000 daily flights covering 993 destinations in 178 countries.

Korean Air introduced the double-decker A380 aircraft to its fleet in 2011 and made the interior more spacious than any other airline, with just 407 seats spread across three classes, with the top deck dedicated to ‘Prestige’ business class. The design also features the world’s first onboard ‘Duty Free Showcase’ and three bars and lounges.

More on Korean Air’s programs, routes, frequencies and partners is available at www.koreanair.com.

About Air Tahiti Nui

Air Tahiti Nui links the South Pacific with four continents as the leading carrier to and from French Polynesia, with daily non-stop service to Tahiti from Los Angeles, and is one of only two airlines to offer a selection of non-stop flights connecting Los Angeles and Paris with Tahiti. Air Tahiti Nui has been selected as one of the “World’s Best” international airlines by readers of Travel + Leisure in 2011, 2010 and 2008 and as Best Airline in the South Pacific, 2011 by readers of Global Traveller. The airline has headquarters in Papeete and operates from Faa’a International Airport on the island of Tahiti. Air Tahiti Nui was founded in 1996 and commenced flight operations in 1998. Air Tahiti Nui is an IATA member and satisfies the highest safety requirements with its IOSA certification. In 2013, a full cabin upgrade, while lowering fuel usage and surcharges, has entered service.

Korean Air and Airbus Celebrate 1,000th ‘Sharklet’ Delivery

Seoul, Korea (18 February, 2014) – Korean Air has affirmed its reputation as a world-class aircraft parts manufacturing company with an event to celebrate the delivery of the 1,000^th  ‘Sharklet’ to Airbus. A ‘Sharklet’, designed and accredited solely by Korean Air, is a ‘L’ shaped structure attached at the end of the wings of the A320 family of aircraft, it cuts down on aerodynamic drag, helping to reduce the spiral-shaped vortices that form at the wingtips of aircraft during flights.

Korean Air celebrated the production of the 1000th A320 ‘Sharklet’ at a ceremony attended by Mr. Walter Cho, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Korean Air; Mr. Young Sik Kang, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Korean Air; Mr. Myung Rae Ham, Senior Vice President of Aerospace Division, Korean Air; Mr. Tom Williams, the executive vice president programmes, Airbus and Jean–Francois Laval, Executive Vice President of Sales, Airbus Asia.

 (the second from the left) Mr. Walter Cho, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Korean Air; Mr. Young Sik Kang, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Korean Air; Mr. Tom Williams, the executive vice president programmes, Airbus; Jean–Francois Laval, Executive Vice President of Sales, Airbus Asia.

Korean Air has demonstrated its outstanding manufacturing ability to the world by producing 1,000 units in 22 months, since production started in April 2012. Korean Air plans to manufacture Sharklets to achieve a 400 million-dollar sales target by 2017.

(the third from the left) Mr. Walter Cho, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Korean Air; Jean–Francois Laval, Executive Vice President of Sales, Airbus Asia; Mr. Young Sik Kang, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Korean Air; Mr. Tom Williams, the executive vice president programmes, Airbus

■ Korean Air’s independent technique from design to certification

The Airbus A320 family is the world’s best-selling, single-aisle aircraft with four models; A318, A319, A320 and A321. A total of 5850 A320 family aircraft have been delivered to 243 airlines in 101 countries.

In an effort to reduce CO2 emissions and help prevent global warming, Airbus planned to develop ‘Sharklet’ wingtip devices for its A320 family, which would also reduce fuel consumption.

In November 2009 Airbus announced that there would be an international bidding process for the A320 performance enhancement project and Korean Air participated, competing with over 20 companies from around the world.  Korean Air was selected by Airbus as the sole supplier of the new Airbus-designed ‘Sharklet’ wingtip devices for the A320 Family in May 2010.

Korean Air independently carried out the design, development, manufacturing, testing and certification of the ‘Sharklet’ part, a project requiring highly sophisticated technological skills.

Built using lightweight composite materials, the 2.4-metre-tall ‘Sharklet’ is light and durable. ‘Sharklets’ help reduce the spiral-shaped vortices formed at the aircrafts wingtips during flight allowing aircraft to cut fuel burn by at least 3.5 percent, as well as improve payload-range performance and reduce carbon dioxide emission, which corresponds to an annual CO2 reduction of around 3,600 tonnes per aircraft.

■ ‘Auto Moving Line’ enables the production of more than 100 ‘Sharklets’ per month

Korean Air has established an ‘Auto Moving Line’ for the A320 ‘Sharklet’ production. ‘Auto Moving Line’ is rare in aerostructure manufacture, where small production systems are more common.

The ‘Auto Moving Line’ was established at a 1280㎡Tech Center Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing Plant in April 2013. The facility is equipped with a thermo-hygrostat for perfect production.

Since April 2012, when the first ‘Sharklet’ was delivered, Korean Air has produced an average of 4 ‘Sharklets’ per day and 80 ‘Sharklets’ per month.

■ Korean Air, an important manufacturer of aircraft components

Korean Air has played an important role as a major components manufacturer for both Airbus and Boeing, the world’s most famous aircraft manufacturers.

Developing the Sharklet for Airbus A320 neo, Korean Air produces 1^st ‘neo Sharklet’ for test-flights. In addition, since 2012 Korean Air has manufactured the A350 cargo door, a product that is solely designed and developed by Korean Air. Recognized with its outstanding aerostructure manufacturing techniques, Korean Air was selected by Boeing as a supplier of B737 MAX winglet.

Meanwhile, Korean Air utilises its own technology in manufacturing helicopters and unmanned air vehicles, producing F-5 E/F, UH60 and 500MD since 1976. The airline expanded its business in 1986 to include the manufacturing business with civil aircraft components and has been providing key components, such as belly or wings, with cutting-edge technical skill, to the world’s top aircraft manufacturers.

About Korean Air

Korean Air, established in 1969, is one of the world’s top 20 airlines and carried more than 24 million passengers in 2012. Korean Air operates in excess of 200 flights per day to 125 cities in 45 countries on six continents with a fleet of 155 aircraft including eight A380s.

With its modern aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees, Korean Air offers customers safety, convenience and comfort. Korean Air’s award-winning offerings of Korean and Western meals and state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system provide passengers with a memorable inflight experience.

The airline serves six continents with more than 1,400 flights a week and is also a founding member of the Sky Team airline alliance which together with its 19 members, offers its 569 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 15,000 daily flights covering 993 destinations in 178 countries.

Korean Air introduced the double-decker A380 aircraft to its fleet in 2011 and made the interior more spacious than any other airline, with just 407 seats spread across three classes, with the top deck dedicated to ‘Prestige’ business class. The design also features the world’s first onboard ‘Duty Free Showcase’ and three bars and lounges.

More on Korean Air’s programs, routes, frequencies and partners is available at www.koreanair.com.