South Korean flagship carrier Korean Air said it aims to strengthen its business growth this year by securing market competitiveness and improving customer service. 

The year 2019 marks the company’s 50th anniversary. This year is also significant for the air carrier as it will host the International Air Transport Association’s 75th Annual Grand Meeting in Seoul in June. Some 1,000 representatives from 290 airlines of 120 countries will fly in to participate in the three-day meeting, to discuss and share ideas for development of the international flight industry.

After building a joint venture with Delta Air Lines in May last year, the company has been solidifying its base for stable operation of routes across cities in the US and Asia, as well as in cooperative services for check-in counters and mileage systems. 

From April, Korean Air and Delta Air Lines will launch flight routes from Incheon to Boston and Incheon to Minneapolis, expanding its network of connecting 290 cities in the US and 80 cities in Asia. 

“The joint venture has allowed both Korean Air and Delta Air Lines to offer unified customer service and convenience so the customers can easily travel from Incheon International Airport,” said Korean Air.

Korean Air has also introduced the latest version of airplanes to operate flight routes more efficiently, such as Boeing’s B787-9 and B777-300ER. 

During the first half of this year, the company will also run the B737 MAX 8 to enhance its competitiveness. The new plane will substitute for airplanes that fly mid- and long-distance routes to effectively meet increasing consumer demand for short- and mid-distance routes. 

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)