Korean Air Skypass - KE Europe routes changes this summer

Obviously KE keeps current combining system continuing this summer. Some changes of KE's Europe/Middle East/Africa network were made as follows:

Current: ICN-AMS-MAD-AMS-ICN
This summer: ICN-AMS-MAD-ICN, no stop in AMS on the way back. Keeps old config 777.

Current: ICN-VIE-ZRH-VIE-ICN
This summer: ICN-VIE-ZRH-ICN and upgrade capacity to (old config) 747.

Somehow MXP is not bookable, might be under review. It was ICN-MXP-FCO-ICN 2/w and ICN-FCO-ICN 1 weekly. Anyhow this three weekly Rome route will be now refurbished 747.

IST is currently 333, and Tu/Fr/Su, will be changed to old config 777 and We/Fr/Su. So is CAI: also to be changed to old config 777. TLV now shows 747 instead of 747-combi, but I doubt if this is right because TLV load factor was below 30% last month.

This summer: ICN-AMS-MAD-ICN, no stop in AMS on the way back.


Who on earth would fly AMS-ICN via MAD???? Simply crazy.

Seems like KE wants to fly everywhere in Europe just to say "we are the number 1 in the Old Continent" without offering a dignitous service there.
Most of their destinations are just 3xw, often combined with others (ZRH/VIE, AMS/MAD, MXP/FCO).
I prefer Cathay by far who just fly to 5 cities in Europe (AMS/CDG/FCO/FRA/LHR) but at least with 1 daily flight per destination.

Who on earth would fly AMS-ICN via MAD???? Simply crazy.

Seems like KE wants to fly everywhere in Europe just to say "we are the number 1 in the Old Continent" without offering a dignitous service there.
Most of their destinations are just 3xw, often combined with others (ZRH/VIE, AMS/MAD, MXP/FCO).
I prefer Cathay by far who just fly to 5 cities in Europe (AMS/CDG/FCO/FRA/LHR) but at least with 1 daily flight per destination.

If you prefer CX, fly CX. No one's holding you back nor asking to fly KE. I think KE's routing structure is their marketing strategy as most Koreans want to fly non-stop of fly to their "final" destinations on a Korean carrier. So, for KE, having a strong European and American network where their Korean customers fly the most (not to mention China and Japan) is important to them... and brings good revenue.

Why do you think AMS-ICN via MAD is crazy? There are other airlines doing similar things... like CA on CDG route.... stops in ATH before going to PEK.

KE used to fly to BOS but on the return, it would stop in IAD to pick up passengers. It's good way of maximizing the flight loads on low demand routes. Of course, for those who are in tight schedule, addition of stop enroute to final destination is a pain in the butt... but what can you do? For AMS pax, they can always choose to fly KLM to ICN... nonstop.

Well, AMS-ICN via MAD is sort of crazy because MAD is completely in opposite direction to ICN, from AMS view. I did similar thing before: CNS-HKG via BNE on CX. They didn't even let me get off the plane at BNE for an hour just like Southwest does which drove me crazy.

My guess is many people fly to AMS from ICN, but they fly out of FRA and CDG or elsewhere in EU to ICN. ICN-AMS-MAD is mainly for tour operator's group travellers.

Who on earth would fly AMS-ICN via MAD???? Simply crazy.