By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter
Korean Air took on a unique mission two weeks ago to transport a group of its passengers, not by air, but by sea and land across Europe, at the height of the global air traffic chaos as a result of the ash cloud from the eruption of the Icelandic volcano.
The airline's response during that critical time received high praise from passengers.
Many airline firms diverted flights to alternate destinations across Europe, during which the thick cloud of volcanic ash covered the sky. More air travelers were also holed up at airports, with many having to spend days and nights there until flights were resumed.
The industry norm is that airline companies are not responsible if they are forced to change air routes and other operational matters due to natural disasters, meaning passengers are on their own to get to their final destinations.
During the recent air traffic crisis, many airline firms followed this protocol, unloading travelers at alternate sites and providing no financial and logistics support.
However, Korean Air handled the matter differently by arranging accommodations and transportation means for its passengers who were diverted to alternative sites at the height of the volcanic eruption, drawing praise from travelers and industry critics.
On April 15, a Korean Air flight bound for London, carrying 322 passengers, had to change its route to Paris as Heathrow International Airport was shut down because of the volcanic ash cloud. However, KE 907 was unable to receive a green light to land in France, with flights bound for Britain and northern European countries flocking to Paris.
It was then diverted to the less-crowded Frankfurt International Airport in Germany.
In this dire situation, Korean Air held an emergency meeting, chaired by the company chairman, Cho Yang-ho, to discuss ways to deal with the stranded passengers. "Unlike other airlines, we decided to take all possible measures to ensure our passengers safely get to their intended destinations under Cho's leadership," a company spokesman said.
"The chairman said extraordinary situations call for extraordinary measures."
Following the meeting, Korean Air branch offices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were instructed to draw up a contingency plan to accommodate and transport 322 passengers from Germany to Britain at the company's expense.
Despite a shortage of hotels in the wake of the air traffic chaos, the airline was able to secure 250 rooms at four different hotels in Baden-Baden, Germany, one and a half hours away from the airport. The passengers arrived in Frankfurt late at night on April 15 and were transported to the hotels by buses.
The company decided to lease six buses to take the passengers through France and cross them into Britain over the Straits of Dover.
Securing ferry tickets to cross the strait was not easy, given an overwhelming number of people seeking to go across the strait amid the air traffic meltdown, but Korean Air mobilized all resources to obtain tickets, the company spokesman said.
The bus carrying the passengers arrived at Heathrow Airport late at night on April 16, ending Korean Air's 15-hour emergency transport operation from Baden-Baden all the way to London.
Many passengers of KE 907 have sent thank-you notes to the company.
One letter reads, "My son who travelled on Korean Air flight from Seoul asked me to convey his sincere thanks to the company for its wonderful service and professionalism shown in the current volcanic ash crisis." Another reads, "Fantastic service! I shall certainly be recommending you to anyone I know."