Korean Air to commence A380 service to LAX on October 1st

Korean Air unveiled its initial Airbus A380 service schedule, saying it will launch daily short-haul flights from Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Narita and Hong Kong June 1. It will add Bangkok in July. Regarding long-haul routes, it will launch A380 flights from ICN to New York JFK from Aug. 2 and from ICN to Los Angles starting Oct. 1. The carrier is slated to take delivery of five A380s this year.

Initially, ICN-JFK flights will be operated thrice-weekly, ramping up to daily Sept. 1. ICN-LAX A380 flights will be operated daily from the start. KE's A380s will be configured for 407 seats: 12 first class, 84 business and 301 economy.

It has 10 on order total; after this year, the remaining five will be delivered by 2014. "The introduction of the super jumbo aircraft is expected to increase passengers from China, Japan, and East Asia transferring to the US and Europe, accelerating [ICN's] goal of becoming a global aviation hub," KE stated.

(Geoffrey Thomas - ATW News)