Korean Air first to operate passenger and freighter versions of Boeing 747-8

Korean Air has taken delivery of its first Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, the first of 10 Boeing 747-8 passenger airplanes the carrier has on order.

“This new aircraft delivers better fuel economy,” said Walter Cho, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Korean Air. “That is important to a global airline such as ours. And it supports our goal to build and operate a first-class fleet of world-class aircraft.”

With this delivery, Korean Air becomes the first airline in the world to operate both the passenger and freighter versions of the 747-8. Korean Air currently operates seven 747-8 Freighters.

Korean Air currently operates a fleet of 87 Boeing passenger airplanes that includes 737, 747 and 777s. The airline also operates an all-Boeing cargo fleet of 28 747-400, 747-8 and 777 Freighters.

With a range of 7,730 nautical miles (14,310 km), the 747-8 Intercontinental offers 16% savings in fuel consumption and emissions over its predecessor, the 747-400, while generating 30% less noise. The airplane also features an all-new, 787 Dreamliner-inspired interior that includes a new curved, upswept architecture giving passengers a greater feeling of space and comfort.

Korean Air’s jet is configured with 368 seats and features the brand new First Class Kosmo Suite 2.0, which include a sliding door and higher partitions to provide added privacy for passengers. The suites are also equipped with updated inflight entertainment systems, with large 24-inch high-definition monitors and new handheld touch remotes.

The airline’s Business Class Prestige Suites feature staggered seating and privacy panels, along with 18-inch high definition touch screens.

Korean Air’s Aerospace Division is a key Boeing partner on both the 747-8 and 787 programs, supplying the distinctive raked wing-tips for each model. They are also one of two suppliers producing the new 737 MAX Advanced Technology (AT) Winglet.

Korean Air operates more than 430 flights per day to 128 cities in 45 countries.