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Hahm Chul-ho |
By Lee Hyo-sik
A former CEO of T'way Air has set up SKYWORKS, Korea's first aviation consulting firm offering comprehensive services to people planning to start and operate airlines.
Hahm Chul-ho, who headed the country's third-largest low-cost carrier from 2011 to 2015, has been busy over the past year working with Palau government officials on the Pacific island nation's efforts to establish its first flagship carrier. He has also been consulting Philippine Airlines on its plan to set up a low-cost carrier.
"My partners and I have also been working closely with U.S. aviation consulting firm ICF to produce studies on the impact of climate change on airports here for the Korea Airports Corp., which runs 14 airports nationwide," Ham said.
"In addition to strengthening its ties with our existing partners at home and abroad, SKYWORKS will soon start working with budget carriers here and entities planning to launch airlines by offering much-needed consulting on revenue management, hospitality services, pilot training and recruiting, and more," he said.
According to Hahm who began his career as a public relations officer at Korean Air in 1976, with their decades of experience, staff and advisors at SKYWORKS have the capabilities and know-how to establish and start a new airline or to restructure existing companies to stay relevant and competitive in today's rapidly changing market.
"We shape and optimize every aspect of the airline business, providing optimal solutions to transform existing businesses for a stronger performance," he said. "We also conduct various surveys and feasibility studies for airlines and airports to make strategic decisions in starting or expanding their business, or reevaluating their current practices."
Hahm, who headed Korean Air's international affairs division before retiring in 2009, has been widely known in the airline industry for transforming the money-losing T'way Air into one of the most profitable and efficiently-run budget carriers in Korea during his 5-year tenure.