Korean Air is verifying the safety response capabilities of its cabin crew ahead of the launch of the integrated airline.
On May 29, Korean Air announced that it successfully completed a joint emergency evacuation drill with Asiana Airlines the previous day.
This drill is part of the implementation plan for the integrated Air Operator Certificate (AOC) that both airlines have been collaborating on under the supervision of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for the past two years. It aimed to comprehensively assess whether cabin crew from both airlines can perform safety duties at the same level.
The drill involved two aircraft types: the Boeing 787-9 and the Boeing 737-900. This marked the first instance of conducting a drill with two different aircraft types simultaneously. A total of 28 cabin crew members, 14 from each airline, participated, with eight operational crew members from Korean Air providing support.
The drill consisted of four main components. First, at the Korean Air cabin training center, crew members underwent verbal assessments on emergency landing and flotation devices, followed by a lifeboat boarding drill. Under the supervision of Ministry officials, the cabin and operational crew demonstrated their ability to use emergency equipment and perform procedures for boarding lifeboats and requesting rescue after an emergency landing.
Next, at Korean Air's headquarters hangar, the crew conducted aircraft-specific emergency evacuation drills using actual aircraft. For the Boeing 737-900, they simulated an aborted takeoff due to an engine fire, testing the procedures for opening doors and guiding passengers to evacuate. Additionally, they performed an evacuation drill simulating an emergency water landing with the Boeing 787-9.
A Korean Air official stated, "This drill confirmed that the crew from both airlines can respond reliably in an integrated operational environment. We plan to continue systematic training and verification, prioritizing safety as our utmost value after the launch of the integrated airline."
Meanwhile, Korean Air is accelerating its final preparations for the integrated airline set to launch in December.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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