Air Koryo - by E Chu

5 February 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

Round trip PEK-FNJ. Very exciting in an old, Russian aircraft. Flight short but enjoyable. Meal was served PEK-FNJ. Was looking forward to meal on my return trip, but none was served, sadly. Attendants friendly but they don't interact. Small seats with uncomfortable legroom, but for a 1-hour journey, it was fine. Safety not their main concern, and bags in the overhead compartments fall off easily (no cover).

Air Koryo - by O Trudo

9 November 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

PEK to FNJ roundtrip on Ilyushin 62--The flight was only 1.5 hours. Aircraft was very old-looking and used. I had to work hard at attaching my safety belt. The fabric on the seats was old and frayed. The crew was very perfunctory in their duties, but still polite and civil. The crew was not service oriented, nor did it seem inclined to be. Not a bad experience, but nothing to standout in my mind.

Air Koryo - by Jason Birbeck

27 November 2006  Customer Trip Rating : n/a

PEK-FNJ, FNJ-SHE. Beijing to Pyongyang on Tupolev 154, very old plane, revolutionary marching music played before take off and before landing. Attentive service, meal on 1.5 hour flight - food a little processed but edible. Return to Shenyang on Ilyushin IL-18 - by far the oldest plane have flown on and was very happy to land! Food was a sandwich containing undentified meat, but quite tasty. Both flights unique and a great way to start/finish a trip to North Korea.

Air Koryo - by James Cole

20 November 2006

I was fairly disappointed by the service, however was amused when both pilots came around to say hello to the dignataries with me, presumably leaving the aircraft on autopilot anyway! Made the journey exciting, I can tell you.

Air Koryo - by James Backinaw

17 November 2006

Short flight of about an hour from Beinjing to Pyongyang, you get a comfortable seat and every manner of food and drink - food is not 5 star, but it's not bad and more than you can eat. There's reading material (P'yang times) and flight attendants are reasonably helpful and polite. Aircraft are old Soviet ones, but there is ample room. The lavs are impeccable.

Air Koryo - by Mike Stapleton

24 September 2006

I have travelled on Air Koryo frequently for almost seven years, mainly between Beijing-Pyongyang and occasionally Shenyang-Pyongyang. Flights are usually on IL-62, sometimes on TU-154 or TU-134. On one occasion, on an IL-18 from Vladivostok to Pyongyang. During the 'SARS period' in 2003 when flights to China were suspended, Air Koryo arranged several flights to Bangkok. The IL-62 has a reputation of being a very safe aircraft. Air Koryo pilots are most capable, especially in Spring when high winds and duststorms from China are experienced. Once our flight to Beijing was unable to land due to strong winds and diverted to Tianjin for 2 hours. Air Koryo is generally punctual, even departing Pyongyang (Sunan Airport) on time in snowy conditions. The flight attendants are charming, but loose luggage in overhead racks (not closed bins) is of some concern to passengers, also the quantities of additional hand baggage carried on board and stacked up loosely in the rear of the aircraft. The meals referred to by other persons are only served on the inbound flights to Pyongyang. Outbound flights serve hamburgers and soft drinks, and beer; occasionally coffee or tea. There have been comments about the lack of safety announcements. Indeed the PA system is hardly audible. Only once do I recall, was there a demonstration of the use of life-jackets as we flew over water from Vladivostok to Pyongyang. This flight takes place at night, which is a little scary ! Seating in the TU-134 is very cramped (for tall people) and most uncomfortable. Flights on the TU-134 have been my least pleasant experiences. Air Koryo has been unspectacular but generally reliable, with 3 outbound flights weekly (currently) to Beijing, 2 to Shenyang and 1 to Vladivostok. Am smiling at the prospect of direct flights to Yanji (China) also the proposal to initiate a Frequent Flyer programme !

Air Koryo - by Eric deBrie

8 April 2006

PYO-AMS-JFK. I was lucky enough to be on this exeptional flight. It was definitively not a routine flight, but a special flight with respect to the deputy-minister foreign affairs of DPRK visiting the States. Safety procedures were good this once, as well as the inflight meal services. There's even rumour of a Koryo frequent flyer program to be started shortly (which is interesting for me as a frequent visitor of DPRK).

Air Koryo - by Peter Graczer

7 April 2006

Flew Beijing to Pyongyang return on an Il-62. Some wonderfully nostalgic touches, including dry ice and folk music in the cabin that gave the flight a cool '60s feel. Flight was full as the Thai football team were on board. I think one of the engines may have been inoperative, but otherwise the flight was fine. The meal, in fact, was larger than most other airlines I have flown; the crew were courteous, and extras such as confectionary and magazines were all provided. Safety procedures common on other carriers were obviously not adhered to, such as crew walking around collecting trays as we came in land! Along the runway in Pyongyang you can see the shells of other planes which have obviously been cannibalised to ensure that at least one stays on the air. All in all I would recommend Koryo to anyone who doesn't necessarily regard safety as a priority in their air travel.

Air Koryo - by Alex Inacio

4 July 2004

Beijing to Pyongyang return on an Il-62 in economy. On the outbound sector, the most beautiful cabin crew I have ever seen (all female). The meal although huge, was of the horrible processed type. 70s style interior with sick bag stating "for your refuses", hmm. Amusing to see the crew hanging onto the galley for dear life on take off and landing! On the return due to the amount of passengers an additional service was laid on (Tu-154) leaving half an hour later. Overall one of the more interesting short haul sectors to fly.

Air Koryo - by Neil Fitzgerald

2 December 2004

Koyro PEK-FNJ Ilyushin IL-62. The inflight product was great however their safety standards are in need of international review  - no cabin crew jump seats are provided - they hang on to assist handles in the galley, curtains are drawn for take-off and landing, exits blocked with service carts, no cabin baggage storage checks and the safety demo is a seat belt only. Also pax are assigned exits to use in an emergency depending on where they are seated - and I'm sure the FA's will want to see your boarding pass as you jump down the canvas apron slide!

Air Koryo - by A Dietrich

1 November 2004

I was on the same flight as Mr. Kracht. The Beijing - Pyongyang flight departed and arrived on schedule Check-in was expeditiously handled given that there were about 25 American GIs going to North Korea with their equipment for a forensic investigation of MIA remains. For plane-spotters, you will be able to spot Air Koryo's entire fleet if you sit on the left hand side of the plane.

Air Koryo - by Christian Kracht

8 October 2004

Beijing to Pyongyang on economy - the airplane was an Ilyushin 62, quite roomy, business class is separated from economy via the galley which one walks through to get to the back of the plane. Service was excellent, the food was ample and more than enough for a one hour flight; fruit, a green curry with rice, fine-tasting North Korean beer. Air Koryo compares, to my mind, more than favorably with other short haul sector airlines. I can definitely recommend Air Koryo.




 

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