Korean Air Successfully Completes Integrated Emergency Evacuation Drill, Demonstrating Safety Response Capabilities

Comprehensive Merger Inspection Flights Scheduled for Next Month

Korean Air announced on the 29th that it had successfully completed an emergency evacuation drill aimed at verifying the safety response capabilities of cabin crew members ahead of the launch of the integrated airline. This marks the first time that cabin crew members from both Korean Air and Asiana Airlines participated, operating two different aircraft types simultaneously.

Korean Air conducted an "Emergency Evacuation Drill for the Integration of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines" on the afternoon of the 28th at its headquarters and Cabin Training Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Flight attendants from both airlines are demonstrating boarding a lifeboat. Korean Air

On the 28th, Korean Air conducted the "Korean Air-Asiana Airlines Integrated Emergency Evacuation Drill" at its headquarters and cabin training center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, under the supervision of aviation safety inspectors from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. As part of the implementation plan for the integrated Air Operator Certificate (AOC) approval, which both airlines have been jointly pursuing under ministry supervision for the past two years, the drill was conducted to comprehensively verify whether cabin crew members from both airlines can perform safety duties at the same standard.

Over 200 people attended the drill, including Woo Keehong, Vice Chairman of Korean Air; Yoo Jongseok, Head of Safety and Health as well as Executive Vice President of Operations at Korean Air; Jang Sunghyun, Executive Vice President overseeing Marketing, IT, Cabin, and Services at Korean Air; Cho Seongbae, Head of Safety and Health and Executive Vice President of Operations at Asiana Airlines; other management and staff from both airlines; and officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

A total of two aircraft types, the Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 737-900, were used in the drill. Aircraft not operated by Asiana Airlines were utilized to assess response capabilities and the effectiveness of integrated training in an actual operating environment. A total of 28 crew members participated, 14 from each airline.

At the Korean Air Cabin Training Center, two tests were conducted: an oral assessment on emergency landing and ditching equipment, and a demonstration of boarding a lifeboat. Under the supervision of the ministry’s inspectors, both cabin and flight crew showcased their ability to use emergency equipment, as well as their skills in boarding the lifeboat and executing survival and rescue request procedures following an emergency water landing.

At Korean Air’s headquarters hangar, type-specific emergency evacuation demonstrations were conducted using actual aircraft. For the Boeing 737-900, the scenario involved a “rejected takeoff” due to an engine fire during the takeoff roll, and the procedures for cabin crew to open the doors and guide passengers to evacuate were evaluated.

Korean Air is conducting model-specific emergency evacuation demonstrations using actual aircraft at its headquarters hangar. Korean Air

For the Boeing 787-9, the drill simulated an emergency water landing. The scenario involved both engines failing before arrival at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) in Hawaii, causing the aircraft to ditch in the nearby ocean. The cabin preparation and evacuation procedures were carried out sequentially.

Korean Air also plans to conduct a “Comprehensive Merger Inspection Flight” next month, supervised by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This procedure is intended to verify that the combined fleets and crews of both airlines can operate safely and seamlessly under an integrated system.

The inspection flights will take place on three dates—June 2, 4, and 8. Five aircraft types are included: Korean Air’s Boeing 737, and Asiana Airlines’ Airbus A321, A330, A350, and Boeing 777. These flights will operate on the Gimpo-Gwangju, Incheon-Busan, and Incheon-Jeju routes, with a total of five round trips and ten segments. Each airline’s flight crew will operate their own aircraft, while cabin crew members will be assigned in mixed teams from both Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. An aviation safety inspector from the ministry will be on board for the entire process to monitor and evaluate the safety management system.

A Korean Air representative stated, “Through this drill, we confirmed that crew members from both airlines are fully prepared to respond reliably in an integrated operational environment. Even after the launch of the integrated airline, we will continue to prioritize safety as our top value, and will maintain systematic training and verification.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.