Korean Air facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd.

Founded	June 1962; 63 years ago (1962-06) (as Korean Air Lines)
Commenced operations	March 1, 1969; 56 years ago (1969-03-01)
Hubs	Seoul–Gimpo Seoul–Incheon
Focus cities	Busan Jeju
Frequent-flyer program	SKYPASS
Alliance	SkyTeam SkyTeam Cargo
Subsidiaries	Air Total Service CyberSky Global Logistics System Korea HIST Jin Air Korea Airport Service
Fleet size	165
Destinations	108
Parent company	Hanjin Group
Headquarters	Seoul, South Korea
Key people	Walter Cho (Chairman & CEO)
Revenue	US$29,760 million (2023)
Operating income	US$492,521 million (2023)
Net income	US$88,876 million (2023)
Total assets	US$224,351 million (2023)
Employees	20,000

Korean Air is the biggest airline in South Korea. It is known as the country's flag carrier. This means it is the main airline representing South Korea.

Korean Air is the largest airline in South Korea by the number of planes it has. It also flies to the most international places and has the most international flights. The airline is part of the Hanjin Group.

The story of Korean Air began on March 1, 1969. This is when the Hanjin Group bought a government-owned airline called Korean Air Lines. That older airline had been flying since June 1962.

Korean Air helped start the SkyTeam airline alliance. It also helped create SkyTeam Cargo, which is for cargo flights. Korean Air is one of only 10 airlines with a 5-star rating. It is also one of the top 20 airlines in the world for carrying passengers. Plus, it is a top international airline for carrying cargo.

Korean Air's passenger and cargo flights serve 126 cities in 44 countries. For flights within South Korea, it serves 13 different places. The airline's main office is in Seoul, South Korea. As of December 2014, about 20,540 people worked for Korean Air.

In the past, Korean Air had some safety problems. But in recent years, the airline has worked hard to improve. They invested money to make their flights safer. They even hired experts from Boeing and Delta Air Lines to help.

In November 2020, Korean Air announced plans to join with another South Korean airline, Asiana Airlines. This merger is still being reviewed by authorities.

A Look at Korean Air's History

A Korean National Airlines Douglas DC-4 plane in 1953.

How Korean Air Started

In 1962, the South Korean government bought an airline called Korean National Airlines. This airline had started in 1946. The government changed its name to Korean Air Lines.

Then, on March 1, 1969, the Hanjin Group bought this state-owned airline. This was the true beginning of what we know as Korean Air today.

Korean Air started flying long-distance cargo flights across the Pacific Ocean on April 26, 1971. Passenger flights to Los Angeles International Airport began soon after, on April 19, 1972.

Growing the Airline

Korean Air used Boeing 707 planes for international flights to places like Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. This was until they got the Boeing 747 in 1973.

In 1973, they started using Boeing 747s for their Pacific routes. They also began flights to Paris, France, using 707s and then McDonnell Douglas DC-10 planes. In 1975, Korean Air was one of the first Asian airlines to buy Airbus planes. They bought three Airbus A300s and used them right away for flights in Asia.

In 1981, Korean Air opened a cargo terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. At that time, South Korean planes could not fly over North Korea or the Soviet Union. So, flights to Europe had to go the long way around. For example, from Seoul to Anchorage and then to Paris.

The Name Change to 'Korean Air'

On March 1, 1984, the airline changed its name to Korean Air. They also introduced a new look for their planes. This new design featured a blue top, silver bottom, and a special Taegeuk symbol. The new look was first seen on their MD-80 and Boeing 747-300 planes. Boeing helped Korean Air design this new look.

In the 1990s, Korean Air was the first airline to use the new McDonnell Douglas MD-11. These planes were meant to fly alongside their new Boeing 747-400 aircraft. However, the MD-11s did not perform as well as expected. So, they were later changed into cargo planes. Some older 747s were also turned into cargo planes. In 1984, Korean Air's main office was in the KAL Building in Seoul.

Improving Safety

Wreckage from the Korean Air Flight 801 crash in 1997.

In the past, Korean Air had many accidents. This caused concerns about its safety. Between 1970 and 1999, 16 of Korean Air's planes were lost due to serious accidents. More than 700 lives were lost in these events.

For example, after the Korean Air Flight 801 crash, investigators found that pilot training was not good enough. This contributed to the accident.

In 1999, Delta Air Lines stopped sharing flights with Korean Air. They said it was because of safety concerns after the crash of Korean Air Cargo Flight 6316. Other airlines like Air Canada and Air France also stopped their partnerships.

In 2001, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lowered South Korea's aviation safety rating. This meant South Korean airlines could not expand their flights to the United States. This happened because the country and its airlines had not improved safety enough.

Since then, Korean Air has spent a lot of money to make flights safer. They updated their planes and added new technology. They also changed their company culture. They even hired experts from Boeing and Delta Air Lines to help. Because of these efforts, the FAA restored South Korea's safety rating. By 2002, Korean Air was no longer on many "avoid" lists.

A Korean Air Lines Boeing 747SP plane in 1985.

Korean Air receives its first Airbus A380 plane in France on May 25, 2011.

Early 2000s Developments

On June 23, 2000, Korean Air joined with Aeroméxico, Air France, and Delta Air Lines. Together, they started SkyTeam, a major airline alliance. They also founded SkyTeam Cargo on September 28, 2000.

On June 5, 2007, Korean Air announced it would create a new, cheaper airline in Korea called Jin Air. This was to compete with Korea's KTX high-speed train system. Jin Air began flying passengers on July 17, 2008. Korean Air said it would give some of its older 737s and A300s to Jin Air.

In 2013, Korean Air bought a 44% share in Czech Airlines. However, they sold this share in October 2017. On May 1, 2018, Korean Air started a partnership with Delta Air Lines.

In 2019, Korean Air began showing a safety video with the K-pop group SuperM. The video featured their song "Let's go everywhere." The airline also put the group's image on one of its Boeing 777-300ER planes.

In 2023, Skytrax, an organization that rates airlines, gave Korean Air a 5-star rating.

The "Nut Rage" Incident

In late 2014, an event known as the "nut rage incident" happened. Cho Hyun-Ah, also called "Heather Cho," was the daughter of the airline's chairman. She resigned from some of her jobs after she made a Korean Air plane return to the gate. She wanted a flight attendant removed because nuts were served in a bag instead of on a plate. Later, Korean authorities arrested Cho Hyun-Ah for breaking aviation safety rules.

Plans to Merge with Asiana Airlines

In November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Korean Government announced that Korean Air would buy Asiana Airlines. The plan is to combine their smaller airlines, Air Busan, Air Seoul, and Jin Air, into one low-cost airline. This new airline would focus on flights to regional airports in Korea.

In March 2021, Korean Air said the merger would be delayed. This was because some foreign governments had not yet approved the deal. As of 2023, the merger has not been completed.

How Korean Air is Organized

One of Korean Air's offices, the KAL Building in Seoul.

Who Owns Korean Air

Korean Air is owned by the Hanjin Group. Hanjin KAL Corporation controls most of the airline. The family that owns Hanjin Group is still the biggest shareholder. Walter Cho, the current chairman and CEO, is the third generation of his family to lead the airline. As of June 5, 2020, Hanjin KAL owns 29.27% of Korean Air shares.

Main Locations and Offices

Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 is Korean Air's main international hub. A hub is a central airport where an airline connects many flights.

Korean Air's main headquarters is in Seoul. The company also has another campus at Incheon and offices at Gimpo International Airport.

Other important locations for Korean Air are Jeju International Airport in Jeju and Gimhae International Airport in Busan. The planes are maintained at Gimhae International Airport. Most of Korean Air's pilots, ground staff, and flight attendants work from Seoul and Busan.

Korean Air's Hotel Business

Korean Air owns five hotels. These include two KAL hotels on Jeju island, the Hyatt in Incheon, and the Waikiki Resort in Hawaii. They also own a hotel and office building called the Wilshire Grand Tower in Los Angeles. This building has the largest InterContinental Hotel in the Americas and is the tallest building in Los Angeles.

Korean Air Aerospace Division

Korean Air also has a part of its company that works on aerospace. This division is called Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD). They have built helicopters like the MD Helicopters MD 500 and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. They also made parts for fighter jets like the Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II and the KF-16.

KAL-ASD also makes parts for large passenger planes. These include parts for the Boeing 737, 747, 777, and 787 Dreamliner. They also make parts for the Airbus A330 and A380. In 1991, this division designed and flew its own light aircraft called the Korean Air Chang-Gong 91.

KAA also helps maintain aircraft for the United States Department of Defense in Asia. They also have a research team that studies things like rockets, satellites, and military aircraft.

Where Korean Air Flies

Partner Airlines

Korean Air works with many other airlines. This is called a codeshare agreement. It means they can sell tickets on each other's flights. Here are some of the airlines Korean Air partners with:

Korean Air also has interline agreements with these airlines:

Korean Air is also a partner with Skywards. This is the frequent-flyer program for Emirates. Members can earn and use miles when flying with Korean Air.

Korean Air's Fleet of Aircraft

Current Aircraft in Service

As of May 2024, Korean Air uses these planes:

Future Aircraft Plans

In 2018, Korean Air said it was thinking about buying new large planes. These would replace older Airbus A330, Boeing 747-400, and Boeing 777 aircraft. They are looking at planes like the Boeing 777X and Airbus A350 XWB.

In 2022, Korean Air was also thinking about ordering new cargo planes. This is to keep up with the demand for shipping goods around the world.

Gallery of Korean Air Planes

• Korean Air current fleet
• 

  Airbus A220-300

• 

  Airbus A330-200

• 

  Airbus A330-300

• 

  Airbus A380-800

• 

  Boeing 737-800

• 

  Boeing 737-900

• 

  Boeing 737-900ER

• 

  Boeing 747-8I

• 

  Boeing 777-200ER

• 

  Boeing 777-300

• 

  Boeing 777-300ER

• 

  Boeing 787-9

Aircraft No Longer Used

Korean Air has used and retired these aircraft over the years:

Inside the Planes: Cabins

The Economy Class on a Korean Air Airbus A380-800.

The Business Class on a Korean Air Airbus A380-800.

Korean Air offers different types of seating for passengers. They have three types of First Class and four types of Business Class. Business Class is called "Prestige Class" by Korean Air. They also have a standard Economy Class.

You can find First Class on all Boeing 747-8I planes. It is also on some of their 777-300ER, Airbus A380-800, and 777-200ER planes. Some First Class seats are like small suites with doors for more privacy.

The airline calls its Business Class "Prestige Class." Some planes have Prestige Class seats that are also like suites. Korean Air tried to offer a "Premium Economy" class in 2017, called "Economy Plus." This was on their Airbus A220-300 planes. But they stopped offering it in 2019. The airline also has a regular Economy Class.

Incidents and Accidents

In the late 1990s, Korean Air had many serious accidents. This made people worry about its safety. But since then, the airline has worked hard to improve. In the early 2000s, they made big efforts to become safer. In 2001, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) improved Korea's air-safety rating. Also, Korean Air passed an audit by the International Air Transport Association in 2005.

Between 1970 and 1999, many serious incidents happened. Since 1970, 17 Korean Air planes have been lost in accidents. Sadly, over 700 lives were lost. Two Korean Air planes were even shot down by the Soviet Union. These were Korean Air Lines Flight 902 and Korean Air Lines Flight 007.

The deadliest accident for Korean Air was Flight 007. This plane was shot down by the Soviet Union on September 1, 1983. All 269 people on board died.

The last fatal accident involving passengers was the Korean Air Flight 801 crash in 1997. This accident killed 229 of the 254 people on board. Investigators found that poor communication among the flight crew was a likely cause.

The last time crew members died in an accident was in the crash of Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 in 1999. This was due to a problem with the instruments and pilot error.

The most recent time a Korean Air plane was completely lost was in 2022. This happened when Korean Air Flight 631 went off the runway at Cebu, Philippines. This occurred while trying to land in bad weather.

In 2023, a court ruled that a flight attendant's cancer death was like an industrial accident. She had flown for 25 years on routes that exposed workers to more cosmic radiation. Korean Air says it limits radiation exposure for its workers.

See also

In Spanish: Korean Air para niños

• List of airlines of South Korea
• List of airports in South Korea
• List of companies of South Korea
• Transport in South Korea