Air Koryo

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 charter flights to points in Asia, Africa and Europe. It is based at Sunan International Airport^[1] in Sunan, a suburb north of Pyongyang. It is infamous for being the only airline to be rated 1 star currently by skytrax^[2].

The Head Office of Air Koryo is located in the Sunan district, Pyongyang, and it has offices in Beijing, Shenyang, Macau, Bangkok, Berlin, Mexico City, Moscow, as well as a sales agencies in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Taipei, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

The airline is on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union.

History

Il-76, Tu-204, Il-62 and Tu-154 of Air Koryo at Sunan International Airport in September 2008.

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-134s and An-24s were delivered 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.^[3] 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 Destinations
City	Airport	Notes
China
Beijing	Beijing Capital International Airport	[4] thrice weekly
Shenyang	Shenyang Taoxian International Airport	[5] twice weekly
North Korea
Pyongyang	Sunan International Airport	Hub
Mexico
Russia
Khabarovsk	Khabarovsk Novy Airport	[6][7] once weekly, seasonal
Vladivostok	Vladivostok International Airport	[8] once weekly
Singapore
Singapore	Singapore Changi International Airport	[9][10] charters
Thailand
Bangkok	Suvarnabhumi International Airport	[11] once weekly [12]

Charters

From an Air Koryo 1999-2000 timetable, relatively common destinations for charter flights include Shenzhen (JS137/138) and Macau (JS187/188); however, occasional ad-hoc charter flights, mostly on diplomatic or freight duties, have served Moscow (JS215/216), Sofia (JS217/218), Zurich, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam, New York City ^[14], Seoul (JS815/816 and 817/818), Busan, Yangyang (JS801/802) and some Japanese cities, mostly Nagoya (JS831/832) (NKM, Aichi Prefecture Nagoya Airfield).

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 Shenyang and Beijing during the Chinese New Year with Tu-154's and Tu-134's. Air Koryo has also recently upgraded flights to Vladivostok and Shenyang with Il-62's and Tu-204's ^[15]

Domestic services

As North Korea's sole aviation entity, Air Koryo is also responsible for the transportation of government officials. Chronic fuel shortages keep the scheduled domestic services grounded. However, Air Koryo offers domestic charter services, flying foreign tourists from Pyongyang to Samjiyon for tours to Baekdu-san as well as charter flights on behalf of government to destinations such as Chongjin, Kilju, Hamhung, Kaesong, Kanggye, Sinuiju and mainly to Wonsan. ^[16]

Fleet

Modernization

Air Koryo is looking for new aircraft to replace its aging fleet of Soviet-era planes. The new planes would be Russian-made, as sanctions from the US and the EU would not allow the country to purchase US or European-made aircraft. Air Koryo is looking at the Ilyushin Il-96, Tupolev Tu-204 (which have already been ordered) and Sukhoi Superjet 100s to replace their Tupolev Tu-154 and Tu-134 aircraft, which have recently been sold to Cuba, Iran, Syria and Zimbabwe. The Tupolev Tu-204s are capable of flying to Moscow non-stop.^[22]Air Koryo have also installed LCD screens in their Tu-204's which now show safety demonstrations and movies. Air Koryo also have purchased new airport low floor buses.

Tupolev Tu-204

The first Tupolev Tu-204-300 for Air Koryo was officially handed over to the carrier on December 27, 2007 and was ferried from Ulyanovsk to Pyongyang. It has been fitted out with 8 business class seats and the remaining 145 seats are economy.^[23] This is the first Tupolev Tu-204-300 to be exported out of Russia, and Air Koryo has a firm order for another one.

The first Tu-204-300, P-632, is now operating on the Beijing-Pyongyang route. Its first revenue earning flight was made on May 8, 2008. The range of the Tu-204-300 means Air Koryo can start flights to Tehran which is in planning.

Incidents

• On July 1, 1983 a CAAK (predecessor to Air Koryo) Ilyushin 62M on a non-scheduled international passenger flight from Pyongyang, North Korea (Sunan International Airport) to Conakry, Guinea (Conakry International Airport) crashed at the Fouta Djall Mountains in Guinea. All 23 persons onboard were killed and the aircraft was written off. ^[24]
• On August 15, 2006 aircraft from Air Koryo (Tupolev 154B-2) on an international scheduled passenger flight from Beijing, People's Republic of China (Beijing Capital Airport) to Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of 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.^[25][26]

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 Democratic People's Republic of 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^[27] the Commission assessed that Air Koryo does not meet the relevant safety standards.^[28]

Gallery

External links

• [1] Official website.
• [2] at the Korean Friendship Association website.
• Air Koryo at the Aviation Safety Network Database
• CAAK (predecessor) at the Aviation Safety Network Database
• Air Koryo Timetable 31/10/1999 to 26/3/2000 at angelfire.com
• Air Koryo photo gallery at www.airliners.net
• North Korea's quirky Air Koryo survives and, increasingly, appears to thrive - International Herald Tribune

References