KOREAN AIR LINES
(South Korea)

When services to Europe were introduced, KAL - Korean Air Lines looked for a smaller widebody-aircraft and after good experiences with the DC-9 and the DC-8-63, the choice went to Douglas and KAL ordered three DC-10-30 on February 19th 1974. The first aircraft, HL7316, arrived on February 7th 1975 and the fleet grew to five after the acquisition of two used aircraft from Air Siam and ONA. The lease of a JAS-aircraft in 1988 brought the all-time fleet to six aircraft. The first years, the operations were excellent, but KAL became, together with ONA, one of the most infamous DC-10 operators of all times: Two aircraft, HL7328 and HL7339, (ironically the two used ones!) lost in 1983 and 1989, both in bad weather conditions. DC-10s were operated by Korean Air Lines on routes to Hawaii, Libya, the Middle East and Europe, but also on the inner-Asian network. Korean Air Lines sold the three remaining aircraft in 1996, which were replaced by MD-11s. Beside the MD-11s, Korean also operates A300, A330, MD-80 (soon to be replaced by 737-800/900), 747 and 777.

Following aircraft were operated by or for Korean Air Lines:

RegistrationAircraftFleetnr./NameOperated from - toWhere is it now?
HL731546934/ 16009.02.1975 - 08.1996-stored-
HL731646912/ 18807.02.1975 - 07.1996American Trans Air
HL731746915/ 19925.04.1975 - 08.1996American Trans Air
HL732847887/ 12525.02.1977 - 27.07.1989WRITTEN OFF
HL732948316/ 43729.07.1988 - 25.06.1989Omni Air International
HL733946960/ 23711.08.1978 - 13.12.1983WRITTEN OFF


Following DC-10 aircraft have been written off during service with Korean Air Lines:
HL7328, 47887/ 125
HL7339, 46960/ 237


Previous airline: KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines Next airline: Laker Airways (1966 - 1982)

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