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Korean Air tops consumer trust, safety in gov’t
assessment
By Ko
Dong-hwan, The Korea Times - Korean Air stood out among 51 local and foreign
airlines operating international routes through six Korean airports in the
government’s annual assessment.
In the
evaluation by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, based on last
year’s performance, the company scored the highest among all airlines in the
consumer satisfaction category. The evaluation was based on a survey of more
than 31,000 passengers.
The company
also earned the highest grade possible of A+++ in the safety category, which
focuses on accident records and safety management policies. Four other Korean
firms — Asiana Airline, Air Seoul, Air Premia and Eastar Jet— also received the
same high assessment.
Korean Air
also received the highest possible marks for user protection measures, which
looks at how companies handled legal disputes involving passengers with
grievances and what legal punishments were handed down by courts. All Korean
airlines except Air Premia scored an "A" or higher in the category.
Korean Air
received a B++ in the flight reliability category for international routes,
below Air Busan, which earned the highest grade among the assessed firms with
an A. The evaluation for this section is based on on-time compliance and
long-delay rates. Korean carriers received additional points for introducing or
maintaining routes to destinations outside Seoul and the surrounding area.
Jeju Air and
T'way Air also scored B++, with Asiana Airlines and Jin Air following at the B+
level. Aero K earned a B, while Air Seoul received a C++ and Air Premia scored
a C+.
Foreign firms
that stood out in the consumer satisfaction category included All Nippon
Airways, EVA Air, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
Lufthansa, Air
France, LOT Polish Airlines and Finnair improved in their standing in the user
protection measures ranking over last year's results, achieving comparatively
higher grades.
Southeast
Asian airlines generally scored poorly in consumer satisfaction, with AirAsia X
and Shenzhen Airline scoring E++ and Vietjet Air and Malaysia Airlines getting
a C.
The ministry
also evaluated six airports in Korea. Incheon International Airport scored the
highest in consumer satisfaction, but was overtaken by Gimpo International
Airport in the processing, facility adequacy and user convenience categories.
Park Joon-sang, director of the ministry's Aviation Industry Division, said that starting in 2025, the evaluation enhanced its effectiveness by incorporating service indicators that reflect actual passenger experiences, such as each airline delay rates and levels of congestion at major airports.
"Beyond simply conducting the evaluations, we from this year will notify the firms of an interim flight reliability assessment result every quarter. It is to encourage the companies to seek continuous improvement,” Park said.
“Through these updates, we aim to drive
tangible service enhancements among air transport operators and provide
systematic guidance to improve airport facilities as well.”
