Korean Air Begins Inflight Upgrade

Korean Air has commenced the refurbishment of all its mid and long-haul passenger aircraft by installing them with next generation premium seats.

Between now and April 2011, Korean Air will refurbish 32 mid and long-haul passenger aircraft such as its Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s with the installation of the recently launched Kosmo Suites (First Class), Prestige Sleeper (Prestige Class) and New Economy (Economy Class) seats.

This is the second phase of the airline’s extensive refurbishment plan for its fleet, which include nine Boeing 777- 200s, four B777-300s, three A330-200s and sixteen A330- 300s, all of which have been in service for more than 6 years.

Taking an average of 25 days to complete an aircraft, this $200 million project involves the replacement of 9720 seats with the help of 28,800 technicians per year.

In addition, seats in all classes will be fitted with the latest AVOD (Audio Video On Demand) systems.

The recently launched next generation premium seats, Kosmo Suites and Prestige Sleeper will be installed on long-haul aircraft such as B777-200s.

Mid-haul planes such as B777-300s, A330-200s and A330- 300s will be upgraded with 180 degree lie flat Sleeper and 170 degree comfortable Prestige Plus seats.

New Economy, ergonomically designed new seats will be installed in Economy Class of all designated aircraft.

An enhanced state-of-the-art AVOD system, offering a 16:9 wide screen over 60 movies, 40 short features, 300 CDs, 40 games and 15 audio books, will deliver a richer entertainment experience to passengers in all classes.

Refurbishment of the first aircraft in Korean Air’s hanger in Gonhang-dong, Seoul, is expected to complete in 29 days.

Upon the completion of the second phase of the refurbishment plan in April, 2011, the airline will have a fleet of 70 aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art facilities serving its mid and long-haul routes.

By flying environmental friendly next generation aircraft, such as Airbus A380 and Boeing 787, Korean Air will eventually operate 96 premium aircraft by 2014.

First Class - Kosmo Suites (Long-haul)

Designed by Acumen, Kosmo Suites seats cost around 250 million KRW per seat. The wood colored seats help bring a touch of nature to the cabin while the 180 degree lie-flat beds have been widened by 15.3cm to provide passengers with added comfort. 23 inches of enlarged individual monitors enhance the airline’s state-of-the-art AVOD system. With one-touch controllers and big-sized screen type partitions for privacy.

Sleeper Seat (Mid-haul)

Installed in mid-haul aircraft such as B777-300s, A300- 200s and A330-300s. 180 degree lie-flat beds with 83-inch pitch and 20.6-inch width guarantees maximum comfort and freedom during the flight. Also, 17-inch LCD monitor brings a movie theater and widened partition secures privacy.

Prestige Class - Prestige Sleeper (Long-haul)

Prestige Sleeper seats feature 180 degree lie-flat sleepers, with 66cm wider pitch than the current Prestige Class seats. The seat partitions have been enlarged to provide maximum privacy for business travelers.

Prestige Plus (Mid-haul)

Ergonomically designed Prestige Plus seats offer added comfort and privacy. 170 degree lie-flat beds secure personal space regardless of the reclining position by using the one-touch button. 39.1cm wide screen is used for better viewing experience.

Economy Class - New Economy (All routes)

New Economy seats are ergonomically designed with a slimmer seat back to secure more leg space. To maximize the comfort of customers, the seat is also specially designed as the bottom cushion will slide forward when the seat is reclined.

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