Korean Air Defers A380 Entry to Service

Posted 27/04/2011

Korean Air has reportedly delayed the proposed entry into service of its first Airbus A380 by an additional week, having already put back the first scheduled service of the type by nine days earlier this year.  The South Korean carrier revealed earlier this year that it planned to place the Super Jumbo into service on the Incheon - Tokyo route on June 1 operating Incheon - Hong Kong later the same day after its return from Japan.  However, just a week after it made a formal statement outlining its plans, it emerged that the inaugural flight would slip to June 10.  Now, its latest GDS display shows a June 17 entry into service date. 

The South Korean carrier is due to receive five aircraft by the end of this year with the remaining five following by 2014.  After delivery of additional aircraft, the type will be introduced on a daily Incheon - Bangkok schedule from July 1, on some Incheon - New York JFK rotations from August 2 (before increasing to daily from September 1) and a daily Incheon - Los Angeles link from October 1.

Schedule:

Seoul Incheon – Bangkok
KE651/652 01JUL11 – 30SEP11Daily

Seoul Incheon – Hong Kong
KE607/608 17JUN11 – 03JUL11 Day x1 04JUL11 – 31JUL11 Day x34 eff 01AUG11 Daily (HKG departs the next day and operates in Winter 2011/12 season)
KE603/604 01JUL11 – 01OCT11 Daily

Seoul Incheon – Los Angeles
KE017/018 eff 01OCT11 Daily

Seoul Incheon – New York JFK
KE081/082 02AUG11 – 31AUG11 Day 246 eff 01SEP11 Daily

Incheon – Tokyo Narita
KE701/702 17JUN11 – 30SEP11 Daily

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