Airlines boost community services

By Lee Hyo-sik

The country’s two flagship carriers ― Korean Air and Asiana Airlines ― have been competing over the years to secure more lucrative domestic and international routes, and attract more customers in an increasingly competitive aviation market.

Korean Air has been trying to maintain its No. 1 position here by keeping Asiana on the sidelines, while the runner-up has been doing everything it can to catch up with the Goliath.

The two have often clashed over marketing strategies, accusing each other of copying one another’s strong points. They have touted themselves as the most reliable and customer-friendly airline here in an attempt to woo more passengers, while lobbying exporters and importers hard to persuade them to use their cargo transport services.

But these days, the two airline firms are engaged in a whole new competition, that is, a race to be seen as a socially-responsible corporation through the implementation of community service programs both at home and abroad.

Korean Air

The nation’s largest flagship carrier has been conducting a wide array of employee-initiated community service programs here and overseas, setting an example of how corporate social responsibility should be put into work.

The airline sets a new campaign slogan each year for its volunteer work to better coordinate resources and more effectively implement goodwill activities.

This year, under the theme of ``Excellence in Flight, Excellence in Community,’’ the company has provided free medical checkups to migrant workers here, held a bazaar for low-income families and gave scholarships to students from poor families.

In foreign countries, the airline has implemented community service programs designed to improve the learning environment for students, assist those in need after natural disasters and conserve nature.

On Oct. 16, staff at Korean Air’s aviation medical center visited a plant in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, and provided more than 200 migrant workers in the area with free medical examinations. The workers also learned about healthy lifestyles and disease prevention methods.

The medical center, located at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul, has also been offering free checkups and treatment to orphans, senior citizens and others vulnerable to various illnesses in the local community.

Also, Korean Air crew members held an annual bazaar at the KBS Stadium in western Seoul on Oct. 8. They donated electronic goods, clothing and other items for the charity fair. All proceeds were donated to the Ganseo District Office to support orphans, senior citizens living alone and others in the underprivileged groups.

On Oct. 13, Hanjin Group, the parent company of Korean Air, held an award ceremony in which it provided scholarships totaling 570 million won to 275 students at the Korea Aerospace University. The university graduates about 40 pilots each year.

Korea Air has been conducting diverse community service programs not only at home, but also overseas.

The air carrier was one of the first Korean firms offering emergency aid to the victims of the unprecedented earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

In May, Korean Air employees, students and residents planted a total of 10,000 poplar trees in a desert in Mongolia in a bid to counter desertification and yellow sand storms.

``We have been able to emerge as one of the world’s top air carriers thanks to a growing number of devoted Korean and non-Korean customers. We are eager to share the fruits of our growth with local communities,’’ a Korean Air spokesman said.

Asiana Airlines

The country’s second-largest flagship carrier has also been involved in a wide range of corporate social responsibility activities, particularly in developing countries.

For instance, a group of Asiana employees visited a remote village in the Philippines on June 12 to help improve their living conditions. They installed communal drinking water tanks and bathrooms, while donating stationary items and building study rooms for the children there.

Asiana flight attendants also staged a month-long campaign in July to encourage passengers on long-distance flights to knit woolen hats for infants in Ethiopia where many babies die from hypothermia. The airline has so far donated 1,000 such hats.

In March, just like its major rival, Asiana delivered bottled water, instant noodles and other daily necessities to victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Northeastern Japan.

The company has also set up street lights in Cambodia, installed water tanks in China and built houses for the underprivileged in Vietnam over the past year.

In particular, rather than hold a typical year-end party that often involves drinking alcohol, 366 ground crew members and service personnel at Incheon International Airport purchased and donated 586 school bags for children from poor families in Cambodia.

``We would like to perform good deeds in places where we maintain a business presence. We will systematically organize corporate social responsibility activities to more effectively help the unfortunate in the developing world,’’ an Asiana spokesman said. Here at home, the airline has been implementing an array of community service programs.

For instance, CEO Yoon Young-doo and employees visited a small agricultural village in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, to help villagers harvest rice, sweet potatoes and other crops. The company also provided scholarships to students residing in the village and donated a calf.