Incheon to boost Korean’s air cargo business

Korean Air’s new cargo facilities at Incheon International Airport near Seoul will increase its handling capacity by up to 2.2 times. Korean Air, which carried almost 900,000 of cargo in 1999 and is the world’s largest transpacific air freight carrier and second largest commercial airline cargo operation overall.

“When our new facility opens in March, we’ll be able to handle 800,000 tons per year, compared to 464,000 tons per year currently at Kimpo. In 2003, we will be able to handle 1 million tons per year, under a two-phase construction plan. This increase in capacity will pave the way for increased volume, given the logistical attractions our Incheon facility will offer,” said M.H. Han, managing vice-president for Korean Air’s Incheon Airport Task Force team.

In addition, the technology used in Korean Air’s new cargo facility at New York’s JFK International Airport is being duplicated in the airline’s Incheon cargo complex, and KAL officials say that this seamless technology will provide it with a competitive advantage.

“The synergy between the New York and Incheon systems will provide considerable expediency for Korean Air and our customers. Incheon International is about two hours from Beijing and Tokyo. Hong Kong and Singapore can be reached in four and seven-hour flights respectively,” said Han. Korean Air’s SkyTeam Cargo alliance with Delta Air Lines, Air France and AeroMexico, also provides the airline with a wide range of strategic options as well as marketing abilities.