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USA Today
01-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Korean Air won airline of the year for 2025. Here's what it's like to travel with them.
Korean Air won airline of the year for 2025. Here's what it's like to travel with them. Show Caption Hide Caption What are airplane liveries and why are they important in aviation design? What are airplane liveries? Exploring the art and purpose of airline aircraft designs. Korean Air was named Airline of the Year for 2025 by receiving high praise for its economy class service. Korean Air is focused on evolving its customer experience, implementing a new corporate identity and prioritizing safety, service, and sustainability. The airline is also dedicated to continuous improvement, using customer feedback to refine aspects like seat comfort in economy class. SEOUL, South Korea ― Korean Airlines was named Airline of the Year for 2025 by earlier this year, and got top marks for its economy class service. A few weeks after the awards came out, I had a chance to fly Korean Air in business and first class as a guest of the airline, and explore its new award-winning economy class at its corporate headquarters. And while it can be difficult for airlines to distinguish themselves in economy, where most carriers have similar seats and onboard experiences, I can see why Korean Air got the nod. International airlines are often known for having higher quality inflight experiences than their American counterparts, and although Korean is going through a transition right now, the road ahead looks bright. What flying Korean Air is like Airlines will all get you from point A to point B, so at the very basic level, they all offer the same service. Still, they often set themselves apart with the little touches, and that was certainly true on Korean. My favorite thing about the experience, that let you know what airline you were flying on and set the tone for the whole cabin service experience, was that, just after the boarding door closed, the cabin crew lined up in the aisle and bowed to officially welcome us aboard. That warm, hospitable feeling extended throughout the cabin service where flight attendants in business and first class were extremely attentive, remembering my drink order and careful not to wake me up if I requested more time to sleep during upcoming meal services. Kenneth Chang, Korean Air's executive vice president and chief marketing officer, told me that Korean has always seen itself as a service-first airline. 'After we won, I did sit down and really thought about what changes being made in the past couple of years. I think it's paying attention to details,' he said, adding that all flight attendants go through the same training and start their careers serving the main cabin, which sets the foundation for the service across the plane. One example Chang mentioned is a sticker set Korean air offers on some flights in economy, with 'do not disturb' and 'wake for meals' options that passengers can affix to their seats 'The basis of our DNA in terms of service thinking, the mindset is always going to be the same for everyone,' Chang said. Of course, business and first class passengers benefit from even more elevated service, with more personal touches and nicer amenities. In fact, Korean Air recently overhauled its amenity kits and menus as part of its new corporate identity. On my flight home from Seoul in first class, which featured the new service, I dined on a multi-course feast that included so much food I had to skip the second meal altogether. Still, my octopus over rice was amazing and an open-face smoked salmon sandwich right before landing was a great way to start my day back in New York. How Korean is planning to evolve Korean isn't prepared to rest on its laurels, even with the new accolades. In addition to the new livery it unveiled in March, the airline rolled out a whole new corporate identity, 'the KE Way.' According to Chang, it's a value statement for the airline's future, as it prepares to merge with Asiana, another major Korean carrier. 'We're just very proud of what the future of Korean Air looks like,' he said. The airline plans to redouble its focuses on safety, customer service and sustainability. Cruising Altitude: What Korean Air's new livery says about the airline As one example, Chang said, the airline tweaked the meal service on some of its shorter flights, moving from hot food to pre-prepared meals on some inter-Asia services, so that passengers and crews wouldn't feel as rushed. While that may sound like a step back, Chang said customer satisfaction scores actually improved after the change, because flight attendants were able to interact with customers more personally when they had easier-to-serve meals. Korean Air economy class Although I didn't sit in economy class on either of my Korean Air flights, I did have a chance to test out the seats and cabin on one of the airline's newest planes, and I can see why it's award-winning. The seats themselves are spacious – Korean prides itself on having the most legroom among its competitors – and the service plan seemed on-par for other major international carriers. Chang said Korean put more thought than ever into its latest generation economy seats, and has been tweaking the design now that it's in service in response to customer feedback. 'I actually went and I took a trip to Vancouver sitting in 57D,' Chang said, to evaluate some comments about seat padding himself on the nearly 10-hour flight. The result: he agreed with customers that the economy seats on Korean's newest planes were too firm, and the airline re-engineered them to be more comfortable as more get added to the fleet. He acknowledged it will take time to retrofit seats that are already flying. 'It's everyone's job to come up with ways to improve,' he said. The reporter on this story received access from Korean Air. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@
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Korea Herald
17-03-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
[Graphic News] Air New Zealand named world's safest airline; Korean Air 8th
Air New Zealand has claimed the title of the world's safest airline for 2025. According to which evaluates the safety and service quality of airlines globally, the airline outperformed 384 other carriers, including Australia's Qantas, to secure the coveted title in this year's rankings of 'full-service' airlines. Air New Zealand edged ahead of Qantas in the rankings, with the two airlines separated by just 1.5 points. Qantas, which topped the list in 2023, slipped in the rankings this year due to an aging fleet. Following Air New Zealand and Qantas, Cathay Pacific Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines shared the third position. Korean Air secured 8th place, reflecting its commitment to safety and service excellence. It joins other leading airlines, such as Virgin Australia, Etihad Airlines, ANA Airlines, Eva Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Turkish Airlines, in the top 10. don@ [{"ART_ID":10443549,"MAIN_THUMB":"\/news\/cms\/2025\/03\/17\/news-p.v1.20250317.7e050620584646f58a2734d0f6b02c14_T1.gif","CODE_TYPE":"S","CODE_ID":"S410405","SERVICE_FLAG":"Y","CODE_NM_CATE":"WorldNews","CODE_ENG_NM":"","LINK_URL":"","SERVICE_YMD":"2025-03-18","VIEW_YN":"N","SUB_TITLE":"","SUMMARY":"Air New Zealand has claimed the title of the world\u2019s safest airline for 2025. According to which evaluates the safety and service quality of airlines globally, the airline outperformed 384 other carriers, including Australia\u2019s Qantas, to secure the coveted title in this year\u2019s rankings of \u201Cfull-service\u201D airlines. Air New Zealand edged ahead of Qantas in the rankings, with the two airlines separated by just 1.5 points. Qantas, which topped the list in 2023, slipped in the rank","SERVICE_MM":"03","SERVICE_DD":"18","WRITERS":"Nam Kyung-don","CONTENT_ATTR":"1","TITLE":"[Graphic News] Air New Zealand named world\u2019s safest airline; Korean Air 8th","CODE_GRADE":"M","REG_ID":"2000014","SERVICE_MD":"03-18","SERVICE_DAYTIME":"2025-03-18 08:00:00","CODE_NM":"Graphic News"},{"ART_ID":10442649,"MAIN_THUMB":"\/news\/cms\/2025\/03\/16\/news-p.v1.20250316.6fabdab6252e48779bd8e4e2a7a9772c_T1.gif","CODE_TYPE":"S","CODE_ID":"S410405","SERVICE_FLAG":"Y","CODE_NM_CATE":"World Business","CODE_ENG_NM":"","LINK_URL":"","SERVICE_YMD":"2025-03-17","VIEW_YN":"N","SUB_TITLE":"","SUMMARY":"South Korea ranked seventh in the world in terms of domestic vehicle output last year, an industry association said, down one notch from a year earlier due to a drop in output amid an economic slowdown. The country\u2019s domestic car production fell to 4.13 million vehicles in 2024 from 4.24 million a year prior as local consumption slowed, according to a report released by the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association. High inflation and high interest rates weighed on consumer sentiment in 2024, driv","SERVICE_MM":"03","SERVICE_DD":"17","WRITERS":"Nam Kyung-don","CONTENT_ATTR":"1","TITLE":"[Graphic News] S. Korea ranks 7th in car production","CODE_GRADE":"M","REG_ID":"2000014","SERVICE_MD":"03-17","SERVICE_DAYTIME":"2025-03-17 08:00:00","CODE_NM":"Graphic News"}]
Gulf Business
20-02-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Etihad Airways reports Dhs1.7bn in net profit in 2024
Image: Etihad Airways Etihad Airways reported a solid financial performance for 2024, posting a profit after tax of Dhs1.7bn ($476m) driven by substantial increases in passenger and cargo revenues. The airline's total revenue surged 25 per cent year-on-year to Dhs25.3bn ($6.9bn), propelled by a 32 per cent rise in passenger numbers and a 24 per cent increase in cargo revenue. The airline carried 18.5 million passengers in 2024, up from 14 million in 2023, reflecting sustained demand across its expanding network. The passenger business alone generated Dhs20.8bn ($5.7bn), while cargo contributed Dhs4.2bn ($1.1bn). Etihad's performance also benefitted from a 28 per cent year-on-year increase in available seat kilometres (ASK) and an improved passenger load factor of 87 per cent, up from 86 per cent in 2023. Etihad routes The airline's operational efficiency showed notable improvements, with increased flight frequencies on 25 routes and more than 20 new destinations added in 2024, including Boston, Jaipur, Bali, and Nairobi. Over the next year, Etihad will launch additional destinations, including summer hotspots such as Antalya, Nice, and Santorini. The carrier's fleet continued to grow with 12 new aircraft, including six A320 NEOs and the re-entry of its fifth A380. Etihad also continued its commitment to sustainability, boasting one of the region's youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets. The carrier has furthered its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals through these fleet improvements. In a move to enhance customer service, Etihad introduced a dedicated premium call centre and upgraded its website and mobile app with over 200 enhancements. The airline also approved a significant Dhs3bn retrofit programme, its largest ever, aimed at improving cabin comfort and inflight experience. Etihad's loyalty programme, Etihad Guest, also reached a milestone of 10 million members. Industry awards recognised Etihad's service excellence, including 'Best Cabin Crew' and 'Best Customer Experience'. also named Etihad Environmental Airline of the Year for the third consecutive year. New hires and employee force Etihad's workforce grew to over 11,000 employees, with more than 2,000 new hires and over 1,500 promotions. The Chairman Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa praised the airline's success, stating, 'Our commitment to offering best-in-class service has strengthened our operations, boosted efficiency, and helped deliver remarkable results. As we expand our network and enhance our offerings, we continue to support Abu Dhabi's tourism ambitions and position ourselves as the airline everyone wants to fly.' The The airline's financial performance was further bolstered by a decrease in operating costs, with both CASK (cost per available seat kilometre) and CASK ex-fuel down by 3 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively. Etihad's EBITDA grew 32 per cent to Dhs4.7bn ($1.3bn), reflecting the success of its cost-efficiency measures.
Arabian Business
19-02-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Etihad reports record $476m profit as flights, passenger numbers and revenue soars
Etihad Airways has announced its results for the full year 2024, recording strong performance across all key metrics with a record AED1.7bn ($476m) profit after tax driven by AED20.8bn ($5.7bn) passenger revenue and AED4.2bn ($1.1bn) Cargo revenue, alongside significant operational efficiency improvements. The airline carried 18.5m passengers last year, a 32 per cent increase from the previous year, reflecting strong and sustained demand across its expanding network. This growth was supported by a 28 per cent year-on-year increase in Available Seat Kilometres (ASK) and an improved passenger load factor, which reached 87 per cent in FY24, compared to 86 per cent in 2023. Etihad Airways profits Total revenue saw a remarkable year-on-year increase of 25 per cent to AED25.3bn ($6.9bn). This growth was driven by a robust performance in both passenger and cargo business. Passenger revenue increased by AED4.2bn ($1.1bn), or 25 per cent compared to 2023, reflecting an enhanced network and increased capacity. Cargo revenue rose by 24 per cent compared to last year, fuelled by increased capacity and volume (12 per cent increase in cargo leg tonnes carried), alongside improved yields in the second half of the year. In 2024, the airline expanded its operations to more than 1,700 weekly flights and increased frequencies on 25 routes over the past two years. It also launched more than 20 new destinations, such as Boston, Jaipur, Bali, and Nairobi, alongside summer hotspots like Antalya, Nice, and Santorini, with over 10 of these cities set to begin operations in 2025. The airline's operating fleet continued to expand with the addition of 12 aircraft, including the introduction of a new fleet-type, with six A320 NEOs, and the re-entry into service of its fifth A380. Etihad now operates the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleet in the region, supporting its ESG strategy to minimise carbon emissions while enhancing its service offerings. The airline invested in customer experience enhancements, driving a significant NPS increase, reflecting higher operational and service satisfaction. In 2024, the airline approved a AED3bn ($816m) retrofit program—its largest-ever—which, once underway, is expected to further elevate cabin comfort, inflight experience, and NPS. Etihad also introduced a dedicated premium call centre, delivering faster and more personalised service for premium travellers, leveraging AI to boost productivity. More than 200 enhancements were made to the website and app to further improve the guest experience. Additionally, the airline's loyalty programme, Etihad Guest, reached a milestone of 10m members. Recognising these achievements, Etihad received multiple industry awards from bodies such as World Travel Awards and Business Traveller Awards, including Best Cabin Crew, Best Customer Experience, Best Economy Class, and Best First-Class Lounge. It was also named Environmental Airline of the Year by in 2024 for the third consecutive year. Etihad's team grew to more than 11,000 employees, with more than 2,000 new hires and over 1,500 promotions. UAE National Talent initiatives progressed, with over 70 Emirati cadet pilots graduating and more than 3,000 applications received for the latest cadet programme. UAE Nationals now represent 20 per cent of the workforce, underscoring Etihad's support for the UAE talent strategy and its role in developing future aviation professionals. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Etihad Airways, said: 'We extend our gratitude to our guests and the dedicated Etihad family for allowing us to realise our ambitions and consistently delivering the reliable, best-in-class service that defines our operations. 'The unwavering commitment of our team has strengthened our airline, boosting efficiency while consistently improving our exceptional customer experience. 'As we expand our network and enhance our offerings, we remain focused on connecting more people with Abu Dhabi and supporting the Emirate's tourism ambitions, fulfilling our vision to be the airline that everyone wants to fly.' Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: 'These results are testament to the dedication of our people who have worked together for a purpose, delivering our strategy. Their efforts have driven improvements in customer satisfaction measured across all cabin classes and numerous other touchpoints. 'Equally they have delivered sustainable, profitable growth while maintaining disciplined efficiency and a steadfast commitment to safety. 'Looking ahead, I am confident we will continue to be a financially strong airline delivering extraordinary customer experiences, fulfilling our shareholder's mandate, and contributing to the long-term prosperity and success of the UAE.' Throughout 2024, Etihad strengthened profitability and expanded margins through an optimised fleet and network, improved efficiency, and a continued focus on productivity. The airline continued to strengthen its network through 126 interline, codeshare, and strategic partnerships, including a landmark partnership with China Eastern, the first of its kind between a Middle Eastern and Chinese airline, and a strategic partnership with SF Airlines to boost logistics capacity and network reach. Etihad had further increased operational efficiency, with CASK and CASK ex-fuel decreasing by 3 per cent and 4 per cent respectively. Increased efficiency is also evident in costs related to central functions, which grew much lower than capacity. Strong top-line performance and continued improvements in unit costs drove a remarkable operating result, with EBITDA reaching AED 4.7bn ($ 1.3bn), a 32 per cent year-on-year increase. Profit after tax for FY24 more than tripled year-on-year, driven by strong momentum in the passenger business, a robust recovery in Etihad's cargo operations, and a significant reduction in net finance costs – down by almost AED1bn ($272m), or 80 per cent year-on-year – reflecting continuous balance sheet deleveraging supported by strong cash generation. Recognising Etihad's strong improvement, credit rating agency Fitch upgraded Etihad's rating to A+ in July 2024, citing its materially stronger standalone credit profile.
CNN
09-02-2025
- Business
- CNN
World's best airline for 2025 named by AirlineRatings.com
How important is extra legroom on a plane? Extremely important, if the results of the annual round-up of the best airlines across the globe is anything to go by. Korean Air has been named Airline of the Year for 2025, beating out last year's winner Qatar Airways, in the Australia-based aviation safety and product rating agency's official list of the top 25 full-service airlines. The South Korean flag carrier's commitment to 'passenger comfort' was cited as one of the main reasons for its triumph — both Korean Air and Japan Airline provide the most spacious economy class seating of any global airline. Korean Air was commended for maintaining its original seat configuration and prioritizing the needs of economy travelers. 'While many airlines have added a 10th seat per row on 777 aircraft and reduced seat pitch in economy to 31 to 32 inches (down from the previous 32 to 33 inches), Korean Air has chosen not to follow this trend,' CEO Sharon Petersen said in a statement. The airline's recent merger with Asiana Airlines — the largest consolidation in Asian aviation history — was also noted as a contributing factor to its place at the top. Air New Zealand was third on the 'carefully selected' list, while Cathay Pacific came in fourth place on the 'carefully selected' list. The top 25 airlines all meet a list of specific requirements, such as providing a comprehensive full-service experience, and having an economy seat pitch of a minimum of 31 inches. 'These awards are not a popularity contest or a people's choice award,' added Petersen 'As airline experts, we conduct a meticulous assessment of each category to help travelers identify the best airlines for quality, value, and safety.' Meanwhile, AirAsia topped list of the best 20 Low Cost Airlines for 2025, beating out Jetstar and AirBaltic, which came in second and third place respectively. This year, the product rating agency added a new category, Best Hybrid Airlines, in a move to celebrate hybrid airlines and their 'significant positive impact on the travel industry.' Jetblue came in at number one, followed by Westjet in second place, and 'These airlines deserve recognition for their excellence in hybrid operations and their innovative offerings,' said Peterson. Korean Air Qatar Air New Zealand Cathay Pacific Singapore Airlines Emirates Japan Airlines Qantas Etihad Turkish Airlines EVA Air Fiji Airways Virgin Atlantic ANA Aero Mexico Air Caraibes Thai Airways Starlux Vietnam Airlines Sri Lankan Airlines Air France KLM (note the airline are trialling a Hybrid model on some routes) Air Calin Air Mauritius Garuda Indonesia AirAsia Jetstar AirBaltic HK Express Easyjet FlyDubai Ryanair Scoot Breeze Southwest SKY Airline FlyNas TUI Norwegian Indi GO Air Arabia Volaris Jet2 Wizz Vueling Jetblue Westjet Virgin Australia Delta Airlines United American Airlines Lufthansa Air Canada LOT Polish Airlines (this is under change and may soon be full service) TAP Portugal Alaskan Air SWISS Avianca Iberia British Airways Finnair Austrian Airlines Hawaiian ITA SAS
