Korean Air operates its longest non-stop flight amid COVID-19
Korean Air flew its longest non-stop flight since its establishment in 1969 using a passenger plane converted to a freighter.
Korean Air announced that its cargo flight KE8047, which left Incheon Airport on June 12 at 9:14 pm, arrived at Miami Airport (U.S.) after flying 13,405 km for a duration of 14 hours and 42 minutes.
Until now, Korean Air’s longest flight was its Incheon-Atlanta route of 12,547 km with a flight duration of 13 hours and 50 minutes.
A converted Boeing 777-300ER freighter was used on the direct flight from Incheon to Miami to send 25 tons of COVID-19 diagnostic kits to the Dominican Republic.
Korean Air operates six regular flights per week to Miami, the hub for South American routes. Freighters usually make a stop in Anchorage to refuel and replace crew members.
The airline has been using grounded passenger planes for cargo-only flights since last year to overcome COVID-19.
Korean Air has converted 16 passenger aircraft to freighters, including 10 Boeing 777 and six A330 aircraft, by removing passenger seats. In addition, Cargo Seat Bags (CSB) have been installed on passenger seats of two Boeing 777 aircraft.
From March 2020 to the end of May 2021, the airline operated a total of 8,300 cargo-only passenger flights.
Korean Air will continue its efforts to alleviate the current logistics crisis by maximizing freighter operation rates and increasing cargo-only passenger flights and chartered flights.