Airbus names Korean Air as best operator of its A380

Korean Air said yesterday it picked up an award from Airbus for its world-class management of the European aircraft manufacturer’s A380.

The affiliate of Hanjin Group said it received an “A380 Award for Top Operational Excellence” at a symposium in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday. The award is the first of its kind for an A380.

Korea’s leading flagship airline has picked up a similar award for its A330 for the last seven straight years, and six for its A300-600, all dished out by Airbus.

Every two years, Airbus awards the best performing airlines that operate its aircraft following a thorough evaluation of their overall performance including the punctuality of flights and the aircraft utilization rate.

Korean Air, the first local airline to operate an A380, said its on-time operation rate stood at 99.5 percent. This refers to an international index that measures the accuracy of flight operations due to delays or defective equipment. A high rate implies excellence in terms of maintenance and safety systems.