East Asia’s first A380 goes into operation today
Left: A Korean Air flight attendant poses while introducing the A380’s on-board duty free zone. Right: Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, front, walks down the aisle of Korean Air’s first A380 aircraft yesterday. [YONHAP]
INCHEON - With 94 prestige class seats, its own duty free shop and a bar lounge, Korean Air’s first Airbus A380 aircraft reflects the carrier’s aggressive push to enhance its premium image and grab a bigger slice of the global airline industry.
When the largest plane in the world makes its debut flight for Korean Air from Seoul to Tokyo this morning, the drive to achieve that goal will begin in earnest.
Korean Air invited reporters yesterday for a two-hour test flight from Incheon International Airport, over the symbolically important islets of Dokdo, the country’s easternmost land mass, and back.
The A380 that awaited the journalists at an Incheon boarding gate was so immense that it made the neighboring Boeing 747, previously the largest passenger aircraft in the world, look like its little brother.
The gross area of its two wings is 845 square meters (9,095.5 square feet), which is equivalent to two basketball courts, and the height of the plane is 24.09 meters, which is the same as a 10-story building. The gross area of a 747’s wings is 520 square meters and its height is 19.51 meters.
Also aboard the super jumbo aircraft yesterday was Cho Yang-ho, chairman of Hanjin Group, which owns Korean Air. He beamed with pride as his son and daughter sat beside him. They are managers in the company.
Cho made the call to purchase the massive planes manufactured by France-based Airbus back in 2003. Korean Air is now only the sixth global carrier to operate an A380.
“One of my management strategies is to snatch opportunity amid crisis,” Cho told reporters after the plane took off for an areal tour of Dokdo. “We were able to purchase aircraft at more reasonable prices and here we are now with a good result.”
Cho said his plan to buy the aircraft amid a period of international crisis was a “calculated risk” that would allow the carrier to remain competitive and maintain stability in the future against rising oil prices and aircraft regulations on carbon emissions. In fact, the A380s are less damaging to the environment than current planes because they require less than three liters (0.8 gallons) of fuel to transport one passenger 100 kilometers (62.1 miles).
Yesterday’s unveiling was the first chance for the press to get a look at the interior of Korean Air’s A380. After the plane passed over Dokdo, offering a view of the disputed islets from an altitude of 1,500 meters, reporters were briefed on the interior.
Korean Air will take a different approach in utilizing the A380’s space compared to the five other airlines that currently fly them. Korean Air will have only 407 seats, which is far fewer than Singapore Airlines’ 471 seats, Emirates’ 489 and 517 seat versions, Lufthansa’s 485 seats, Qantas’ 450 seats and Air France’s 538 seats. The first floor of the aircraft is equipped with 12 first-class and 301 economy class seats and a duty free shop where passengers can dab on some make-up or spray on their favorite perfumes before purchasing them. According to the carrier, it spent 250 million won ($229,500) on each first class seat, which it compares to “a personal suite-room on air.” The economy seats have more leg room and wider personal screens.
The second level is where the action is. It has a bar lounge with couches for its 94 prestige class passengers. Their seats can incline 180 degrees. There are nine bathrooms on the first level and five on the second.
“It’s another step for Korean Air,” said Keith Stonestreet, Airbus’ product marketing director for the A380. “Its decision shows its willingness to offer customers comfortable and efficient services.”
Korean Air is the first country in Northeast Asia to operate an A380. According to Stonestreet, China Southern will be receiving an A380 in the latter half of this year, making it the second Northeast Asian airline to operate the plane.
Following the inaugural flight of the A380 to Tokyo today, Korean Air will take the plane on a world tour by going to Bangkok next month, New York in August and Paris and Los Angeles in October. By the end of the year, the airline will receive four more A380s from Airbus and By 2014, it will be operating 10 of the double-deckers. Cho said the number of seats and overall structure will remain the same.
On the possibility of the carrier placing more orders for A380s, Cho remained prudent.
“Big aircraft like the A380 aren’t the only option for Korean Air,” he said. “If there is growing demand, we will bring in more. But there are also other various aircraft that fit various traveling purposes, including the smaller Boeing 787 that we’re planning on bringing in starting in 2016.”
By Lee Eun-joo [angie@joongang.co.kr]
한글 관련 기사 [중앙일보]
에어버스 A380 오늘 인천~나리타 첫 운항
인천~독도 시험비행 …‘하늘 호텔’ A380 들어가 보니
세계에서 가장 큰 비행기 A380이 꿈의 비행을 시작한다. 대한항공은 세계에서 여섯 번째로 에어버스사에서 제작한 A380을 도입했다. 16일 독도까지 시험비행한 A380은 ‘하늘 위의 특급호텔’로 불릴 만큼 승객 위주의 편의시설을 갖추고 있다. 탑승객이 편히 앉아 음료를 즐길 수 있는 무인 바와 승무원이 칵테일을 만들어주는 바 라운지가 있다. 기내 뒤쪽에는 면세품을 직접 보고 고를 수 있도록 전시관도 마련했다. 2층으로 나뉘어 있는 기내는 1층엔 일등석과 일반석, 2층엔 모두 비즈니스석으로 채워져 있다. 화장실은 1층에 9개, 2층에 5개, 모두 14개가 있다. 일부 화장실은 외부를 볼 수 있는 창문도 있다. 쾌청한 날씨 덕인지 진동도 거의 없었고 마치 리무진 승용차를 탄 느낌이었다. 일반석(이코노미) 앞뒤 간격은 다른 나라의 A380보다 7.6㎝ 넓어 86.3㎝에 달한다. 신장이 1m90㎝인 기자가 다리를 꼬고 앉을 수 있을 정도로 넓다. 에어프랑스나 싱가포르 항공이 500명 이상 태우는 것과 달리 대한항공 A380은 좌석을 407개로 줄여 쾌적한 실내공간을 제공한다.
A380은 대당 가격이 3억7500만 달러로 우리 돈으로 4000억원이 넘는다. 높이는 아파트 10층에 맞먹는 24m, 무게는 560t에 달한다. 무게를 줄이기 위해 40% 정도가 최신 탄소섬유 강화복합소재(CFRP)로 제작됐다. 17일 오전 9시10분 인천공항에서 일본 나리타 공항으로 첫 운항하며 운임은 일반 여객기와 같다. 대한항공은 올해 말까지 4대를 더 도입한 뒤 2014년까지 5대를 추가해 총 10대를 운항할 계획이다.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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