Korean Air Selected as '2022 ATW Cargo Airline of the Year'

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Korean Air has been selected as the Cargo Airline of the Year at the Air Transport World (ATW) Awards. This marks the second consecutive year of winning, following last year's Airline of the Year award.

On the 1st, the aviation media ATW named Korean Air as the '2022 Cargo Airline of the Year.' The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on June 21 in Doha, Qatar.

The ATW Cargo Airline of the Year Awards are decided by a global panel composed of ATW editors and analysts, who comprehensively evaluate factors such as business operations, customer service, technological innovation, and social and humanitarian efforts to select the best cargo airline each year. The awards have been held since 1974, marking their 48th edition this year.

Korean Air's selection as Cargo Airline of the Year this time is attributed to its outstanding performance in the cargo sector, based on the cargo transportation expertise and excellent service quality accumulated over the past 50 years of operation, despite the global aviation industry facing the unprecedented crisis of COVID-19.

Even as global air routes were blocked after COVID-19, Korean Air proactively responded to market changes, pioneering new cargo routes and opportunities, and achieved record-high cargo revenue in the fourth quarter of last year. With the passenger sector virtually halted due to COVID-19, the airline increased the utilization rate of its large cargo fleet and actively leveraged cargo-only passenger aircraft and passenger aircraft with seat removal to target the air cargo market.

Additionally, amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, Korean Air responded to the global cargo supply shortage through continuous innovation and agile crisis management. It expanded refrigerated and frozen facilities at Incheon Airport cargo terminal to provide customized cold chain services, transporting pharmaceuticals, fresh food, and more worldwide.

The airline also spared no effort in digitizing air cargo and establishing efficient collaboration systems with stakeholders. Furthermore, its social and humanitarian efforts received high praise. Since the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, Korean Air has transported emergency medical supplies and quarantine materials worldwide, including diagnostic kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), and vaccines.

Building on this ATW Cargo Airline of the Year award, Korean Air plans to focus on the core values of speed, safety, and accuracy to provide a higher level of differentiated cargo transportation services. Eom Jae-dong, Head of Korean Air's Cargo Business Division, said, “It is an honor to receive the prestigious ATW award for two consecutive years,” adding, “This achievement was made possible through the collaboration of all employees, not only in the cargo sector but across the entire company, amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic crisis.” He continued, “Korean Air will continue to lead the global aviation industry through flexible responses to market changes and ongoing innovation.”

Karen Walker, Editor-in-Chief of ATW, explained, “Korean Air’s selection as this year’s Cargo Airline following last year’s Airline of the Year clearly demonstrates its consistent outstanding performance,” and added, “The shift of the aviation industry's core to air cargo and its importance in the global economy have made the ‘Cargo Airline of the Year’ category highly competitive, and we sincerely congratulate Korean Air on this selection.”