Korean Air upgrades safety, management...
Jul 7, 1999, 9:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Posts: 213
Korean Air upgrades safety, management...
Korean Air Focuses on Aggressive Reform
Korean Air is embarking on aggressive reform.
A fresh executive and operations team is in place to implement positive, even radical improvements within its organization and its operations. This includes a nearly $200 million overall effort to upgrade its safety program.
For example, a multiyear contract signed last week between Korean Air and FlightSafetyBoeing is providing the most extensive outsourcing of flight training ever undertaken by any major international carrier.
In addition to the restructuring of its flight training, Korean Air is instituting the following:
1. Enhanced ground proximity warning systems (EGPWS) are being installed throughout the fleet. These systems are designed to give pilots advanced warning of potentially dangerous situations.
2. Korean Air is currently hiring more expatriate captains from the world's leading airlines. This massive recruitment program will nearly triple the number of non-Korean captains currently flying for the airline.
Korean Air currently has more than 115 non-Korean pilots.
3. A new English-language training program for all Korean pilots is being implemented with the help of experts in the field of English education.
4. A new simulator training program is being implemented July 1, 1999. Not only does this program include the latest advances in pilot training, it doubles the amount of training required for all Korean Air pilots. The program also is being augmented to include courses in decision-making,situational awareness, communications skills and cockpit resource management.
5. Outside experts, with the Korean Air Human Factors Team, have created a cockpit resource management (CRM) program tailor-made for Korean Air. Cockpit communication and consensus is a key area of training for all Korean Air flight personnel. The airline's Human Factors Team that will conduct the training has grown from a staff of two a year ago to a current team of 25 instructors and facilitators.
From an historical perspective, Korean Air grew at a remarkable rate during the 1980s and 90s and, because of this, it had to rely primarily on the Korean military to provide its pilot base. Korean Air is moving further away from the military as a source of pilots and its total recruitment of new pilots is now approximately 75% non-military.
Most aviation accidents are related to human error, so Korean Air has adopted sweeping measures to boost the morale of pilots and other staff members. Wages and allowances, which had been cut by up to 10% after the foreign exchange crisis late in 1997, have been restored to pre-crisis levels and in some cases raised.
Meanwhile, Korean Air's business performance this year is exceeding the $3.7 billion target set late last year by about 10%. The airline attributes this to the recovering Korean economy that has boosted air traffic volume, the Korean won's strength against the dollar, and lowered fuel prices. Korean Air traffic international passenger volume during the first five months of this year rose 20% in terms of revenue passenger kilometers. Jet fuel prices are about 48 cents per gallon, compared with an earlier projected price of 55 cents. Fuel costs account for about 14% of Korean Air's total costs, so the price difference has an impact.
Finally, according to sources close to the issue, talks to resume code shares will start with Delta and Air France before the end of this year.
"Failure is not an option for Korean Air," says Korean Air President Y.T. Shim. "We fully understand the need for us to regain the confidence of the world's traveling community and our alliance partners. And we know that because of the aggressive reforms we're implementing, we will prove that Korean Air is a better, safer and stronger airline."
Korean Air is a subsidiary of the 50-year-old Hanjin Group, one of the world's largest transportation conglomerates. It has 14 North American gateways and operates more than 350 flights per week from the U.S. to 73 cities in 27 countries on five continents. More on Korean Air's routes, frequency and partners is available on http://www.koreanair.com .
------------------
--Ronald
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>
Korean Air is embarking on aggressive reform.
A fresh executive and operations team is in place to implement positive, even radical improvements within its organization and its operations. This includes a nearly $200 million overall effort to upgrade its safety program.
For example, a multiyear contract signed last week between Korean Air and FlightSafetyBoeing is providing the most extensive outsourcing of flight training ever undertaken by any major international carrier.
In addition to the restructuring of its flight training, Korean Air is instituting the following:
1. Enhanced ground proximity warning systems (EGPWS) are being installed throughout the fleet. These systems are designed to give pilots advanced warning of potentially dangerous situations.
2. Korean Air is currently hiring more expatriate captains from the world's leading airlines. This massive recruitment program will nearly triple the number of non-Korean captains currently flying for the airline.
Korean Air currently has more than 115 non-Korean pilots.
3. A new English-language training program for all Korean pilots is being implemented with the help of experts in the field of English education.
4. A new simulator training program is being implemented July 1, 1999. Not only does this program include the latest advances in pilot training, it doubles the amount of training required for all Korean Air pilots. The program also is being augmented to include courses in decision-making,situational awareness, communications skills and cockpit resource management.
5. Outside experts, with the Korean Air Human Factors Team, have created a cockpit resource management (CRM) program tailor-made for Korean Air. Cockpit communication and consensus is a key area of training for all Korean Air flight personnel. The airline's Human Factors Team that will conduct the training has grown from a staff of two a year ago to a current team of 25 instructors and facilitators.
From an historical perspective, Korean Air grew at a remarkable rate during the 1980s and 90s and, because of this, it had to rely primarily on the Korean military to provide its pilot base. Korean Air is moving further away from the military as a source of pilots and its total recruitment of new pilots is now approximately 75% non-military.
Most aviation accidents are related to human error, so Korean Air has adopted sweeping measures to boost the morale of pilots and other staff members. Wages and allowances, which had been cut by up to 10% after the foreign exchange crisis late in 1997, have been restored to pre-crisis levels and in some cases raised.
Meanwhile, Korean Air's business performance this year is exceeding the $3.7 billion target set late last year by about 10%. The airline attributes this to the recovering Korean economy that has boosted air traffic volume, the Korean won's strength against the dollar, and lowered fuel prices. Korean Air traffic international passenger volume during the first five months of this year rose 20% in terms of revenue passenger kilometers. Jet fuel prices are about 48 cents per gallon, compared with an earlier projected price of 55 cents. Fuel costs account for about 14% of Korean Air's total costs, so the price difference has an impact.
Finally, according to sources close to the issue, talks to resume code shares will start with Delta and Air France before the end of this year.
"Failure is not an option for Korean Air," says Korean Air President Y.T. Shim. "We fully understand the need for us to regain the confidence of the world's traveling community and our alliance partners. And we know that because of the aggressive reforms we're implementing, we will prove that Korean Air is a better, safer and stronger airline."
Korean Air is a subsidiary of the 50-year-old Hanjin Group, one of the world's largest transportation conglomerates. It has 14 North American gateways and operates more than 350 flights per week from the U.S. to 73 cities in 27 countries on five continents. More on Korean Air's routes, frequency and partners is available on http://www.koreanair.com .
------------------
--Ronald
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>
Jul 7, 1999, 9:37 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Posts: 213
Beckles:
I totally agree with you! I am interested to see how it pans out. Have you flown KA? I haven't, instead choosing United or Singapore to Asia, especially. Am planning a trip to China and Vietnam for this October, and we have started to shop around.
Take care,
------------------
--Ronald
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>
I totally agree with you! I am interested to see how it pans out. Have you flown KA? I haven't, instead choosing United or Singapore to Asia, especially. Am planning a trip to China and Vietnam for this October, and we have started to shop around.
Take care,
------------------
--Ronald
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>
Jul 7, 1999, 9:53 am
#3
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
Hmmm ... Korean wants to be a partner with Air France and Delta ...
I'm starting to see an Alliance here ...
Delta + Air France + Korean Air + ????
That's probably a pretty sharp stick that DL and AF are poking Korean with to straighten up so they can get them in the alliance ...
I'm starting to see an Alliance here ...
Delta + Air France + Korean Air + ????
That's probably a pretty sharp stick that DL and AF are poking Korean with to straighten up so they can get them in the alliance ...
Jul 8, 1999, 4:04 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Cubicle Btwn IAD & DCA
Programs: UA
Posts: 484
Jul 9, 1999, 9:05 am
#5
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
Ronald ~ Unfortunately I've never traveled internationally (except for Canada), but given the choice I would probably choose someone else at this point! I think Cathay Pacific flies to Vietnam, so you might want to check them out ...
Jul 9, 1999, 9:43 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Posts: 213
Aug 7, 1999, 2:06 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Mililani, Hawaii
Posts: 1,236
I've flew KA alot when they code-shared with DL on HNL/SEL. English capability among the cabin crew was a continuing problem. Lots of FA attention in biz class. Seldom any pax in F. I never saw a non-Korean FA or cockpit crew member on international segments (even SEL/NRT or SEL/CTS), but on domestic Korean segments (e.g., SEL / Cheju), I remember a single Western voice from the cockpit.
[This message has been edited by Eidetic (edited 08-07-1999).]
[This message has been edited by Eidetic (edited 08-07-1999).]