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CUSTOMER PROFILEto our industry with our plans.”According to Cho, the A380 will helpstrengthen the carrier’s competitive edgeby lowering operating expenses: the A380offers a 15% reduction in seat-mile costsover the B747-400, according to Airbus.Boeing disputes this, however.KAL, a founding member of theSkyTeam global grouping – partners includeAir France, Delta Air Lines, KLM andNorthwest Airlines – aims to back up itsgrowth with alliance consolidation, increasingits network of destinations, flights andservices through its own fleet expansionand code-sharing with alliance partnersand others.KAL ordered five A380s in June 2003.They will be delivered between late 2007and 2009. The carrier has signed a Memorandumof Understanding (MoU) foroptions on another three. Cho said the A380would initially fly on KAL’s major trunkroutes to Europe and the U.S.For KAL, ordering the plane continueda long relationship with France andAirbus. Back in 1974 – just four years afterthe European manufacturer was born – itbecame the first carrier outside Europe toorder an Airbus aircraft. The first Airbusjet, an A300B4, entered service in August,1975.Today, the carrier remains one ofAirbus’ largest customers in the region,having placed firm orders for 56 widebodiesover the years: 32 A300s, 19 A330s and thefive A380s.The ties between the two companies arenot confined to aircraft orders. KAL’s aerospacedivision is an Airbus partner in themanufacture of aircraft components and theairline has been participating in the developmentof the A380.It designed metallic parts for the flaptrack fairing, part of theA380 wing. It will produce200 units by 2010. KALalready produces fuselageparts for Airbus’s A330 andA340 aircraft.Cho, who was appointedchairman and CEO of KALin April 1999 after havingserved as president and CEOof the airline since 1992, isalso chairman of the HanjinGroup, one of the world’slargest transportation conglomeratesand the parentcompany of KAL.‘ [The A380 is part of] ourstrategy to reinforce IncheonInternational Airport as thestrongest hub in Northeast Asia’Yang-Ho ChoChairman and CEOKorean AirHe has strong personal links withFrance. Last year, he was awarded thetitle of Commander, Legion of Honour, byFrench president Jacques Chirac for hiscontribution to business relations betweenthe two countries.Cho also has served for several years aschairman of the France-Korea High-LevelBusinessmen’s Club.As with other airlines that have orderedthe A380, KAL has a project team workingon all aspects of its introduction, from operationaland engineering issues to the keyKorean Air: aiming to become the world’s biggest cargo carrierby 200710 ORIENT AVIATION / A380 Quarterly Update JUNE – AUGUST 2005elements of cabin décor, inflight service,inflight entertainment and marketing. And,like everyone else, specifics of the cabinproduct are well-guarded secrets.However, KAL will say it plans to configurethe two-storey aircraft with around500 seats in three classes, well below the550-555 promoted by Airbus. There willbe more comfortable seats throughout thecabin and greater legroom. More entertainmentfeatures will be added for passengers.The cabin décor will be up to the standardof a five-star hotel, said officials.Insiders say there may be some advantagefor KAL in taking delivery of its firstaircraft after two other Asia-Pacific operators,Singapore Airlines and QantasAirways, who will both put their A380sinto service next year. It will be able to learnfrom any operational issues experienced bythe first customers off the rank and, hopefully,any teething problems will be ironedout before KAL takes delivery of its firstA380s.Cho said KAL would invest US$9billion in the next 10 years on aircraft, newtechnology and programmes, as well as serviceimprovements.It is introducing high-speed Internetservices in its airplanes (the service provideris Connexion by Boeing).There is a new corporate image and newinteriors are being progressively installed inthe long-haul fleet. It also has introducedFirst Class “Cocoon” sleeper seats and animproved audio-video system.In April, KAL unveiled new cabincrew uniforms, the first such change in 14years. Designed by world-renowned Italiandesigner, Gianfranco Ferre, they will beintroduced into service in October.The distinctive red and blue symbolon the tails of the carrier’s aircraft is theTaeguk, two comma-shapedfigures that represent theprinciples of “Yang” and“Yin”, indicating the interactionof heaven and earth,sun and moon, male andfemale, fire and water.To Koreans, it representsa basic philosophy of materialand spiritual life. InKorea, known as the Landof the Morning Calm, Choand his team are confidentthat the spirit can be takenforward into the cabins of itsnew A380s.